Dr Karl Podcast
- Episodes
- 479
- Released
- weekly
- Latest episode
- Oct 22, 2026
About the podcast
Join Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, Lucy Smith and their scientific guests, with a bunch of curious triple j listeners for a weekly injection of science, myth-bashing and answers!
Episodes 479
Bruising, cockatoo schedules and roasted potatoes
How do bandages affect bruising? Can bunions return after surgery? And why does a sauna feel hotter when you chuck water on the coals?Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy …
Show notes
How do bandages affect bruising? Can bunions return after surgery? And why does a sauna feel hotter when you chuck water on the coals?
Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Coral bleaching, bioluminescence and intelligent fish
Do fish have feelings? Does Shark Tale stack up scientifically? And how can you get involved in marine science?Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for …
Show notes
Do fish have feelings? Does Shark Tale stack up scientifically? And how can you get involved in marine science?
Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Dyslexia, El Niño and itchy ears
Why do we dance when we hear music? Can you smell someone's sickness? And why do cats always land on their feet?Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Tanya Bunter. Got a question …
Show notes
Why do we dance when we hear music? Can you smell someone's sickness? And why do cats always land on their feet?
Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Tanya Bunter. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Glowing planets, shrinking brains and living till you're 150
How is it possible to day dream? Can screen time and AI impact how you age? And what makes the colours of the sunset?Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Tanya Bunter. Got a …
Show notes
How is it possible to day dream? Can screen time and AI impact how you age? And what makes the colours of the sunset?
Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Tanya Bunter. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
The full moon, earworms and tickling
Why does cola taste different when it's in a can? How come we shouldn't reheat meat more than once? And why do we sneeze when we get into hot cars?Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings …
Show notes
Why does cola taste different when it's in a can? How come we shouldn't reheat meat more than once? And why do we sneeze when we get into hot cars?
Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Tanya Bunter. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Honeybees, climate change and pollination
Why is the sun so good at removing tomato stains? Why do plants change colour in response to cold weather? And are we getting closer to what was portrayed in the movie Avatar? Dr Rose Kerr and Dr Clancy Lester …
Show notes
Why is the sun so good at removing tomato stains? Why do plants change colour in response to cold weather? And are we getting closer to what was portrayed in the movie Avatar?
Dr Rose Kerr and Dr Clancy Lester answer these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Radio stars, spiral galaxies and threadworms
When will Australia have a total solar eclipse? What determines the life cycle of a star? And why does our body go into 'survival mode'? Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy …
Show notes
When will Australia have a total solar eclipse? What determines the life cycle of a star? And why does our body go into 'survival mode'?
Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
The third eye, scented candles and norovirus
Why do our ears produce wax? What is the storage capacity of the human brain? And will we ever run out of music combinations? Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a …
Show notes
Why do our ears produce wax? What is the storage capacity of the human brain? And will we ever run out of music combinations?
Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Black tea, pins & needles and toilet doors
Does sneezing cure nausea? Why do brown paper bags ripen produce? And how does aromatherapy work? Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl …
Show notes
Does sneezing cure nausea? Why do brown paper bags ripen produce? And how does aromatherapy work?
Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Calcium v. iron, E=mc² and The Pill
Is nicotine a laxative? Are mental health conditions hereditary? And can you retrain gut bacteria?Dr Kate Thomas, Dr Caitlin Thurn and Dr Karl answer these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy …
Show notes
Is nicotine a laxative? Are mental health conditions hereditary? And can you retrain gut bacteria?
Dr Kate Thomas, Dr Caitlin Thurn and Dr Karl answer these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Axolotls, hydration and escalators
What does space smell like? Why does a beer taste different with breakfast? And why is the 'feels like' temperature different to the actual temperature?Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j …
Show notes
What does space smell like? Why does a beer taste different with breakfast? And why is the 'feels like' temperature different to the actual temperature?
Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Endometriosis, oversleeping and 'irritable male syndrome'
Does sex get rid of a headache? If you're on hormonal contraception, do you still release an egg each month? And when you eat corn, why does it come out the other end in one piece? Dr Naomi Koh Belic and Dr …
Show notes
Does sex get rid of a headache? If you're on hormonal contraception, do you still release an egg each month? And when you eat corn, why does it come out the other end in one piece?
Dr Naomi Koh Belic and Dr Theresa Larkin answer these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Alzheimer's, furry friends and spider webs
Why do our dogs love us so much? Can the temperature change our sense of smell? And could the evolution of dinosaurs happen again?Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith …
Show notes
Why do our dogs love us so much? Can the temperature change our sense of smell? And could the evolution of dinosaurs happen again?
Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Cold sores, facial hair and double rainbows
Why do you get a full body shiver after using the toilet? Why is the sky a different colour in WA? And why are celestial orbits on the same horizontal plane?Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j …
Show notes
Why do you get a full body shiver after using the toilet? Why is the sky a different colour in WA? And why are celestial orbits on the same horizontal plane?
Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Dirt bikes, flat earthers and illegal drugs
How do one way mirrors work? Why do you need to sneeze when you look at the sun? And why does driving feel faster at night?Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Sam Lane. Got a …
Show notes
How do one way mirrors work? Why do you need to sneeze when you look at the sun? And why does driving feel faster at night?
Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Sam Lane. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Thylacines, blocked noses and bird flu
How different would the environment be if the thylacine wasn't wiped out? Are animal sightings symbolic? And why do bower birds collect blue items?Dr Karl and Deadly Science's Corey Tutt answer these questions …
Show notes
How different would the environment be if the thylacine wasn't wiped out? Are animal sightings symbolic? And why do bower birds collect blue items?
Dr Karl and Deadly Science's Corey Tutt answer these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Follow Deadly Science here:
https://www.instagram.com/deadlyscienceorg/?hl=enPokémon, off-grid festivals and cannabinoids
Why is red light more environmentally friendly? Which science fiction is the most realistic about our present and future? And what triggers thirst versus hunger?Dr Karl and Sci_Burst’s Ella and Isabel answer …
Show notes
Why is red light more environmentally friendly? Which science fiction is the most realistic about our present and future? And what triggers thirst versus hunger?
Dr Karl and Sci_Burst’s Ella and Isabel answer these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Listen to Sci_Burst here or wherever you get your podcasts!
The meaning of life, shark attacks and the Large Hadron Collider
What is the best kind of shade? Why are some rocks older than others? And is winter the dustiest season?Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl …
Show notes
What is the best kind of shade? Why are some rocks older than others? And is winter the dustiest season?
Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Gamer brain, VR immersion and gacha gambling
Can we be profiled by the video games we play? Why does time fly when you're having fun? And what can gaming teach us about real-world science?Dr Karl and Professor Marcus Carter answer these questions and more …
Show notes
Can we be profiled by the video games we play? Why does time fly when you're having fun? And what can gaming teach us about real-world science?
Dr Karl and Professor Marcus Carter answer these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Find out more about Marcus' work with Sydney Games and Play Lab here!
Shower farts, regenerative bodies and bass face
Should you depart from your favourite dish? How soon can we become superhumans? And where is the universe going?Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Sam Lane. Got a question for Dr …
Show notes
Should you depart from your favourite dish? How soon can we become superhumans? And where is the universe going?
Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Sam Lane. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Dog breath, ugly cry face and sleeping pelicans
What is the best method for dunking biscuits in a hot cuppa? Does water weigh the same inside our bodies as out? And is telling a burp from a fart just a gut feeling? Dr Karl answers these questions and more on …
Show notes
What is the best method for dunking biscuits in a hot cuppa? Does water weigh the same inside our bodies as out? And is telling a burp from a fart just a gut feeling?
Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Magic mushrooms, hiccup rhythms and meteorites
What will humans evolve next? How do our phones make 3D scans? And why do random objects appear in the ground? Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for …
Show notes
What will humans evolve next? How do our phones make 3D scans? And why do random objects appear in the ground?
Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Peptide tans, brain charge and seeing in the dark
Are we being stalked by fish? Can pine cones predict the weather? And how do planes actually take off?Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl …
Show notes
Are we being stalked by fish? Can pine cones predict the weather? And how do planes actually take off?
Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
The history of burials, mushroom spore suits and hydro cremation
Why are we obsessed with true crime? Do we need to be afraid of death? And does our water come from dead people?Dr Karl and Dr Hannah Gould answer these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith …
Show notes
Why are we obsessed with true crime? Do we need to be afraid of death? And does our water come from dead people?
Dr Karl and Dr Hannah Gould answer these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
And stay up to date with Dr Hannah via her socials!
If you or anyone you know needs support, help is available. Call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Producer: Josh Brennan
Science with Dr Karl is an ABC podcast, produced by triple j. It is recorded on Gadigal Land. We pay our respects to elders past and present. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and as the original and continuing innovators of science, technology, engineering and mathematics on the land we live, work, and learn.
AI ethics, touching grass and the AMOC
Could artificial intelligence learn to have a personality? How powerful would AI become with a quantum computer? And what is the best way to adapt to a rapidly-changing world?Dr Karl and Dr Petr Lebedev answer …
Show notes
Could artificial intelligence learn to have a personality? How powerful would AI become with a quantum computer? And what is the best way to adapt to a rapidly-changing world?
Dr Karl and Dr Petr Lebedev answer these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
And make sure to stay up to date with Petr via his socials!
The vagus nerves, lightspeed travel and peripheral night vision
Is blood really a liquid? Can cats predict a period? And would a soft drink save your life in the wild?Dr Karl and Dr Theresa Larkin answer these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a …
Show notes
Is blood really a liquid? Can cats predict a period? And would a soft drink save your life in the wild?
Dr Karl and Dr Theresa Larkin answer these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Stay up to date with Theresa's work via her socials: @drtheresalarkin
Rogue planets, dark matter and time dilation
When are we going to start time travelling? Why does our brain slow down in near-death experiences? And how do we know what it's like to lick different surfaces? Dr Karl, Professor Geraint Lewis and Caitlin …
Show notes
When are we going to start time travelling? Why does our brain slow down in near-death experiences? And how do we know what it's like to lick different surfaces?
Dr Karl, Professor Geraint Lewis and Caitlin Thurn answer these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
And search Artemis Project to find out more about the work Caitlin does supporting students through their education.
Nose picking, dermatillomania and the weight of the world
What do we want from the moon? Are our feet faster than us? And what's Dr Karl's favourite flavour of milk? Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr …
Show notes
What do we want from the moon? Are our feet faster than us? And what's Dr Karl's favourite flavour of milk?
Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Leech brains, animal instincts and echidna quirks
Is it bad to rub your eyes? What do birds get up to during migration? And which hair colour is the strongest? Zoe Kean answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Sam Lane. Got a question for Dr …
Show notes
Is it bad to rub your eyes? What do birds get up to during migration? And which hair colour is the strongest?
Zoe Kean answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Sam Lane. Got a question for Dr Karl - submit it here https://ab.co/askKarl
Artemis II, decomposition and breast milk
Do soap suds affect cleanliness? How does salt in the ocean form? How many mushrooms would it take to decompose a human body?Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith.
These are the latest 100 of 479 episodes. You’ll find older episodes in the podcast’s feed.
