The Fact Detectives

Copyright: © 2024 LiSTNR - Text, image, music and sound comprising this podcast are owned by or licensed to SCA. By accessing, communicating or using this podcast, you agree to be bound by the terms available at https://www.listnr.com/terms

Latest Episodes:

La Niña and El Niño Mar 30, 2023

Show notes

What is La Niña and El Niño? How often do they happen? And are they good or bad?

In this episode, Anika and Esther find out all about La Niña and El Niño with Jonathan How who is a senior meteorologist at Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology.

Our thoughts are with all the communities across the world who have been - and are being - affected by the flooding and drought that can result from the La Niña and El Niño weather systems.

Enjoy a new episode every fortnight, and if YOU have a big Fact Detective question, send it to factdetectives@kinderling.com.au

Guest: Jonathan How who is a senior meteorologist at Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology
Hosts: Anika and Esther
Production: Cinnamon Nippard
Sound design: Josh Newth
Executive Producer: Lorna Clarkson

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Space Junk Mar 30, 2023

Show notes

What is space junk? Where does it come from, how much is there? Why is it a problem? And most importantly, what can we do about it?
In this episode, Anika and Esther (our brand new Fact Detective!) catch up with Steven Freeland, a Director of the International Institute of Space Law, who fills them in on all the interesting facts about space junk!
Enjoy a new episode every fortnight, and if YOU have a big Fact Detective question, send it to factdetectives@kinderling.com.au
Guest: Steven Freeland – a Director of the International Institute of Space Law, Emeritus Professor of International Law at Western Sydney University, and a Professorial Fellow at Bond University.
Hosts: Anika and Esther
Production: Cinnamon Nippard
Sound design: Josh Newth
Executive Producer: Lorna Clarkson

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Flies Mar 30, 2023

Show notes

Did you know that without flies there would be no chocolate?!
Join Anika and Dexter as they find out all the fascinating facts about flies with Dr Bry the Fly Guy like: Why do flies annoy us? Why do flies hang around poo? How do flies help us?
Guest: Dr Bry the Fly Guy aka Dr Bryan Lessard, an award-winning Australian entomologist and science communicator.
Hosts: Anika and Dexter 
Production: Cinnamon Nippard 
Sound Design: Josh Newth
Executive Producer: Lorna Clarkson 
And if YOU have a big Fact Detective question, send it to factdetectives@listnr.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fungi Mar 30, 2023

Show notes

What’s the difference between a mushroom and a toadstool? What are fungi and what do they do? Are all fungi edible?

Join Anika and Dexter as they find out all the fantastic facts about fungi with Brett Summerell, Chief Scientist at the Sydney Botanic Gardens.

Guest: Brett Summerell, Chief Scientist at the Sydney Botanic Gardens.
Hosts: Anika and Dexter 
Production: Cinnamon Nippard 
Sound Design: Josh Newth
Executive Producer: Lorna Clarkson 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ladybeetles Mar 02, 2023

Show notes

Are they called ladybirds, ladybugs or ladybeetles?? Why do farmers think ladybeetles are lucky? And why are ladybeetles brightly coloured?

Anika and Dexter find out all the amazing facts about tiny colourful ladybeetles with Dr Ken Walker who is Senior Curator of Entomology at the Museums Victoria Research Institute.

This episode of The Fact Detectives is a Kinderling co-production with Melbourne Museum. To find out more about the world around you, head to museumsvictoria.com.au

Guest: Dr Ken Walker – Senior Curator of Entomology at the Museums Victoria Research Institute
Hosts: Anika and Esther
Production: Cinnamon Nippard 
Sound Design: Josh Newth
Executive Producer: Lorna Clarkson

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fan Facts: The Narrator Man Visits Fact Detectives HQ Feb 23, 2023

Show notes

Billy and the Super Computer visited the Narrator Man (from the Fun Fables podcast) last week and helped him with some episode ideas. So, the Narrator Man has decided to visit Billy and the Super Computer at Fact Detectives HQ to help with some... narrating.

Host: Billy and The Super Computer
Production and Sound Design: Josh Newth
Executive Producer: Lorna Clarkson 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cars Feb 16, 2023

Show notes

How do car engines work? What about electric cars? How have cars changed cities? And when were seatbelts invented?

Rev up your curiosity in this fact-filled episode!

Anika and Dexter investigate cars with Matilda Vaughan who is Curator of Engineering with the History & Technology team at the Museums Victoria Research Institute.

This episode of The Fact Detectives is a Kinderling co-production with Scienceworks. To find out more about the world around you, head to museumsvictoria.com.au

Guest: Matilda Vaughan who is Curator of Engineering with the History & Technology team at the Museums Victoria Research Institute
Hosts: Anika and Esther
Production: Cinnamon Nippard 
Sound Design: Josh Newth
Executive Producer: Lorna Clarkson

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fan Facts: Mirrin and Grace (Stink Bugs and Komodo Dragons) Feb 09, 2023

Show notes

In this episode we answer questions from our fans, Detective Mirrin and Detective Grace. We find out how stink bugs make their stink and some interesting facts about Komodo dragons.

Host: Billy and The Super Computer
Production and Sound Design: Josh Newth
Executive Producer: Lorna Clarkson 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fan Facts: Sienna, Mahlia and Theo (Planets and Clouds) Jan 26, 2023

Show notes

In this episode we answer questions from our fans, Detective Mahlia, Detective Sienna and Detective Theo. How was the earth created and where do clouds come from?

Host: Billy and The Super Computer
Production and Sound Design: Josh Newth
Executive Producer: Lorna Clarkson 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ichthyosaurs Jan 19, 2023

Show notes

They sound like a kind of dinosaur – what kind of animal were Ichthyosaurs? When was the very first Ichthyosaur fossil discovered and by who?
Anika and Esther get the lowdown on Ichthyosaurs from Tim Ziegler who is a palaeontologist and geologist at Melbourne Museum
This episode of The Fact Detectives is a Kinderling co-production with Melbourne Museum. To find out more about the world around you, head to museumsvictoria.com.au
Guest: Tim Ziegler who is a palaeontologist and geologist at Melbourne Museum
Hosts: Anika and Esther
Production: Cinnamon Nippard
Sound design: Josh Newth
Executive Producer: Lorna Clarkson

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.