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Quirks and Quarks: Daily Summaries Delivered
by CBC
CBC Radio's Quirks and Quarks covers the quirks of the expanding universe to the quarks within a single atom... and everything in between.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 6 days ago54 min
Spooktacular bogs, zombie cells, ghostly stars and more…
The biting dynamics of the world’s deadliest mosquitoes: meet the researcher who rolled up her sleeves and endured more than 1,000 mosquito bites, all to understand how these deadly little creatures bite and guzzle our blood.Also today: Astronomers spot ghostly green starStubby-legged sled dogs pull loads betterInside the stinky, spooky, magical world of bogsHow a Zombie-like state lets cancer cells escape chemoFor more information about today’s episode, visit cbc.ca/quirks.
- 1 weeks ago54 min
Scientists find anti-aging secrets in a 194-year-old tortoise
DNA samples from the oldest living land animal show how good genes and limited biochemical wear and tear have given a giant tortoise named Jonathan an extended lifespan. The genetic switches that control the genes for DNA repair and metabolism more closely matched his much younger relatives. Also today: What fossilized vomit reveals about ancient sea monstersMeet the Nobel-winning physicist who hunts for ghost particles at the South PoleWhat Jonathan, the 194-year-old tortoise, can teach us about defying deathNuclear clocks begin ticking — and could become the world’s most precise timekeepersFor more information about today’s episode, visit cbc.ca/quirks.
- 2 weeks ago54 min
Nobel laureates share their winning science
We talk to two of this year’s newest Nobel Laureates, Dr. Karl Deisseroth and Peter Hegemann, about their discoveries in optogenetics, a technique that has transformed what we know about the brain — all thanks to a light-detecting algal protein.Also today: Gut microbes can encourage fever after vaccinationWeather forecasters are less confident in their predictions these days. Here’s whyWhat raccoons and other wild brains can teach us about ourselvesQuirks & Quarks has been nominated for a Signal Award! You can vote for us here. For more information about today’s episode, visit cbc.ca/quirks.
- 3 weeks ago54 min
How feasting black holes time their burps
Black holes are voracious eaters, but they’re also quite messy, and often after devouring a star, they’ll let out a big burp, launching jets of high energy particles through space. Now, in a recent study, a team of astrophysicists has figured out the formula behind the timing of these burps. Also today: Skiing, hiking and roads are taking a toll on wolverinesThe buzzy, chirpy sounds of the Jurassic forestA notorious invasive species has been here a lot longer than we thought. Does that matter?Anomalies suggest King Tut’s tomb may conceal hidden chambersQuirks & Quarks has been nominated for a Signal Award! You can vote for us here. For more information about today’s episode, visit cbc.ca/quirks.
- Sep 25, 202616 min
Coral archives reveal a shift in El Niño strength
The El Niño underway in the Pacific Ocean has been called extraordinary, supersized and likely record-breaking. And while El Niño is a natural climate phenomenon, its warming effects are being boosted by climate change. Julia Cole, a paleoclimatologist at the University of Michigan, recently used corals growing around the Galapagos Islands to create a local temperature record of the ocean going back 1,000 years to add to what they've learned from similar studies elsewhere in the Pacific. She said the temperature record in this area of the East Pacific indicates that the El Niños from the last 40 to 50 years are unlike anything the area experienced in the last millennium. Her study was published in the journal Science.
- Sep 25, 202654 min
How corals tell us climate change is supersizing El Niño
The El Niño underway in the Pacific Ocean is a natural climate phenomenon but its warming effects are being boosted by climate change. Researchers recently used corals growing around the Galapagos Islands to create a local temperature record of the ocean going back 1,000 years.Also today: Massive study redraws bat family tree and uncovers genetic odditiesHow the Surinam toad uses star-shaped fingertip lobes to ‘see’ its preyT. rex tooth enamel reveals these dinosaurs were warm-bloodedWhy great white sharks are converging on the East Coast
- Sep 18, 202654 min
A feather found in dino poop and more...
It’s long been a mystery why one particular avian dinosaur was the only kind to survive mass extinction, but the recent discovery of a perfectly preserved fossilized feather, found in a cherry-sized piece of dinosaur poop, offers new clues.Also today: Why citizen scientists buried thousands of undiesHow climate change tipped the scales on a catastrophic Himalayan avalancheWhy an AI leap has left mathematicians feeling uneasyWhy scientists put teeny-tiny micro-trackers on chimney swifts
- Sep 11, 202654 min
Summertime and the science isn’t always easy
Summer is fieldwork time for many scientists. We talk to researchers who have been busy hiking on fresh lava, capturing thousands of ticks, shooing away moose from their study sites, and even spelunking for Neanderthals — all in the ever-important quest for data.
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About Quirks and Quarks
CBC Radio's Quirks and Quarks covers the quirks of the expanding universe to the quarks within a single atom... and everything in between.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
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Quirks and Quarks publishes weekly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
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Quirks and Quarks covers topics including Science, Earth Sciences. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
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