Program: Ockham's Razor

Source:ABC Radio National

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ABC Radio National

Presented by

Tegan Taylor

This program is no longer in production.

Ockham’s Razor is a soap box for all things scientific, with short talks about research, industry and policy from people with something thoughtful to say about science.

Episodes

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Some news about Ockham's Razor and introducing Quick Smart

If you've been wondering where we've been – Ockham's Razor is going on hiatus for a little while. But don't worry, we've got your pod needs covered with Tegan Taylor's other excellent and informative shows, Quick Smart and What's That Rash?

Published: 6 Mar 2024Wed 6 Mar 2024 at 11:35pmwith Tegan Taylor

Image of a microphone sitting on a desk next to a smart phone. The chair in front of the desk is empty.

Satellites, citizen science and space

What role could you play in the fight against space junk? This week, Mars shares her thoughts on the role of citizen science in space research.

Published: 16 Dec 2023Sat 16 Dec 2023 at 8:45pm

Image of a starry night sky, with silhouettes of people looking up at it.

Duration: 11 minutes 33 seconds

What should rewilding look like in Australia?

Scientists have lots of different ideas about how to conserve our native species. One of these ways is rewilding.

Published: 9 Dec 2023Sat 9 Dec 2023 at 8:45pm

Image of 3 emus looking down at the camera from above.

Duration: 11 minutes 10 seconds

If DNA is the sheet music, epigenetics is the conductor

Razia Zakarya is an epigeneticist. But what does an epigeneticist do exactly? Razia is here to explain! Today, why DNA and epigenetics is important for chronic disease research.

Published: 2 Dec 2023Sat 2 Dec 2023 at 8:45pm

Artwork of a double helix DNA strand represented by blue and green pixels.

Duration: 11 minutes 54 seconds

Making science fun isn't oversimplifying it

Science doesn't have to be restricted to old white men in lab coats. Maddie reckons it's time to make science fun! Without losing it's important messages.

Published: 25 Nov 2023Sat 25 Nov 2023 at 8:45pm

Artwork of two robotic hands making a pink origami crane.

Duration: 11 minutes 38 seconds

Examining the labels we put on science

First Nations people were the first scientists in Australia. But they don't just stay in the past tense – they're still here, and still actively contributing to science.

Published: 18 Nov 2023Sat 18 Nov 2023 at 8:45pm

Artwork of overlapping sheer paper circles. Most are a grey colour, with two central overlapping circles that are red and blue.

Duration: 11 minutes 46 seconds

Imagine you're a snowflake...

Today's speaker Chelsea explores the extreme cold in Antarctica to bring home something important... Ice cores! These ice cores can be used to uncover clues about Australia's past.

Published: 11 Nov 2023Sat 11 Nov 2023 at 8:45pm

Duration: 11 minutes 22 seconds

What radio and space research have in common

Today's speaker works with radio of a slightly different sort – radio astronomy! Dr Laura Driessen explains what radio is… and isn't.

Published: 4 Nov 2023Sat 4 Nov 2023 at 8:45pm

Duration: 10 minutes 53 seconds

Big conservation in small spaces

As cities grow, nature becomes more and more fragmented. So how can we protect native species without big areas to conserve? Brendan Wintle says we need look into smaller places, like your own backyard or the bushland down the street.

Published: 28 Oct 2023Sat 28 Oct 2023 at 8:45pm

image of a sunset behind a eucalyptus tree on a city street.

Duration: 11 minutes 14 seconds

The giant urine battery, and other art-science fusions

Guess what happens when art and science collide?

Published: 21 Oct 2023Sat 21 Oct 2023 at 8:45pm

Beakers filled with yellow liquid on glass shelves.

Duration: 11 minutes 27 seconds

Feature Articles

Scientists turn to magic tricks to understand how our feelings influence pain

Tricks used by magicians can teach us a lot about how our thoughts and feelings influence our experience, writes Felicity Braithwaite who researches pain.

Close up of woman's face in a silent scream.

Published: 16 May 2020Sat 16 May 2020 at 10:28pm

It's time to stop lying to our children about physics

Einsteinian physics gives us our best understanding of the natural world, so why are we still hung up on Newton?

Child looking at oversized image of Einstein

Published: 18 Dec 2019Wed 18 Dec 2019 at 5:13am

The cut-throat world of academic research doesn't leave space for clinical work. But it should

There's a crucial reason you might want your doctor, nurse or allied health professional to guide what research actually gets done: these are the people supporting and listening to you, writes Ursula Sansom-Daly.

Two health practitioners counsel a young teenage girl

Published: 25 Sep 2019Wed 25 Sep 2019 at 11:54pm

An idea in a shower solved a seven-year maths problem

Mathematician Geordie Williamson had a dramatic "aha moment" in a hotel shower — and it got him thinking about where brilliant ideas come from.

One lightbulb stands out from a lot of hanging lightbulbs

Published: 28 Aug 2019Wed 28 Aug 2019 at 2:47am

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