Quirks and Quarks

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 vaccination Weather forecasters are less confident in their predictions these days. Here’s why What raccoons and other wild brains can teach us about ourselves Quirks & 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.

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 wolverines The buzzy, chirpy sounds of the Jurassic forest A notorious invasive species has been here a lot longer than we thought. Does that matter? Anomalies suggest King Tut’s tomb may conceal hidden chambers Quirks & 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.

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 oddities How the Surinam toad uses star-shaped fingertip lobes to ‘see’ its prey T. rex tooth enamel reveals these dinosaurs were warm-blooded Why great white sharks are converging on the East Coast Quirks & 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.

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 undies How climate change tipped the scales on a catastrophic Himalayan avalanche Why an AI leap has left mathematicians feeling uneasy Why scientists put teeny-tiny micro-trackers on chimney swifts Quirks & 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.

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.