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CBC Radio's Quirks and Quarks covers the quirks of the expanding universe to the quarks within a single atom... and everything in between.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ astronomy, black holes, planetary science, spaceflight • animal behaviour, ecology, evolution, domestication • paleontology, human origins, ancient DNA • climate change, Arctic, oceans, environmental impacts • medicine, genetics, neuroscience, new research tools • listener science Q&AThis podcast explores a wide range of science, from space and astronomy to biology, Earth systems, medicine, and human evolution. Across the episodes, researchers describe new findings about how animals sense, communicate, navigate, reproduce, and adapt—covering creatures from insects and birds to fish, marine mammals, primates, and familiar domestic species. Many segments focus on the mechanics of life, such as how bodies and brains work, how behavior is measured in the wild, and how genetics and evolution shape traits like caregiving, longevity, and cognition.
The show also frequently turns to Earth and climate-related science, including changing Arctic and Antarctic conditions, sea level rise, extreme natural hazards, pollution in waterways, and the ecological effects of human activity. Environmental stories often connect field observations with broader questions about ecosystems, conservation, and the risks posed by warming temperatures and contaminants like microplastics and industrial chemicals.
Space and planetary science is another major thread, with coverage of black holes, pulsars, dark matter, the formation of planets and moons, the search for life beyond Earth, and the practical challenges of space exploration—from rocket re-entry impacts to how living on Mars could alter human biology. The podcast regularly draws on scientific history and archival material, and it also includes listener questions and book-focused discussions that use everyday curiosities—food, sleep, sounds, materials, and perception—as entry points into current research and long-standing scientific debates.
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Fossilized squirrel poop full of ancient animals, and more… 2026-Jun-12 54 minutes |
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Humans and animals love the same sounds, and more... 2026-Jun-05 54 minutes |
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A terrifying T. rex of the sea, and more… 2026-May-29 54 minutes |
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Listening in on fish grunts, and more… 2026-May-22 54 minutes |
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How dandelion seeds take flight, and more… 2026-May-15 54 minutes |
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A CN Tower-sized mega tsunami, and more… 2026-May-08 54 minutes |
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Cocaine in waterways makes salmon roam further, and more… 2026-May-01 54 minutes |
Introducing IDEAS | How a historian found the lost women of science2026-Apr-28 55 minutes |
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Seabird poop does whaaat? And more… 2026-Apr-24 54 minutes |
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Why this biologist loves unpopular animals, and more… 2026-Apr-17 54 minutes |
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Moving beyond animal testing, and more… 2026-Apr-10 54 minutes |
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What we hope to see on the far side of the moon, and more… 2026-Apr-03 54 minutes |
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Dogs have been by our side for 16,000 years, and more... 2026-Mar-27 54 minutes |
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A stinky planet full of magma, and more... 2026-Mar-20 54 minutes |
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Bonobo females bully the boys, and more… 2026-Mar-13 54 minutes |
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Filming a black hole in action, and more… 2026-Mar-06 54 minutes |
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How starfish move their tiny tube feet, and more… 2026-Feb-27 54 minutes |
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How living on Mars could change humans, and more… 2026-Feb-20 54 minutes |
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The sensitive secrets of elephant whiskers, and more… 2026-Feb-13 54 minutes |
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Belugas swap mates for survival, and more… 2026-Feb-06 54 minutes |
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Polar bears are thriving in Svalbard, and more... 2026-Jan-30 54 minutes |
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'Gifted' dogs learn from eavesdropping, and more... 2026-Jan-23 54 minutes |
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The reason chimps can reason, and more… 2026-Jan-16 54 minutes |
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New dino species in another dino's vomit, and more 2026-Jan-09 54 minutes |
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Dust? Tongues? Uranus? It’s our Holiday Question Show! 2026-Jan-02 54 minutes |
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Predictions about science in 2025, recorded 25 years ago 2025-Dec-25 54 minutes |
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Whales, sex, and rocks — it's our holiday book show! 2025-Dec-19 54 minutes |
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How Jeremy Hansen is prepping for the moon, and more… 2025-Dec-12 54 minutes |
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Cleveland’s ancient car-sized sea monster had bony fangs, and more… 2025-Dec-05 54 minutes |
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The environmental costs of nation-building, and more… 2025-Nov-28 54 minutes |
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The mystery of the drunken trees, and more… 2025-Nov-21 54 minutes |
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Making snake bites less deadly, and more… 2025-Nov-14 54 minutes |