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Quirks and Quarks

CBC
Climate Change
Biodiversity
Covid-19
Artificial Intelligence
Dark Matter
NASA
Artemis II
Trees
Plastic Pollution
Paleontology
Carbon Sequestration
Urban Heat Islands
Dog Science
Moon
Canada
Chimpanzees
Microplastics
Boreal Forest
Dark Energy
Carbon Emissions

CBC Radio's Quirks and Quarks covers the quirks of the expanding universe to the quarks within a single atom... and everything in between.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes32Founded20 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Earth SciencesScience

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Artwork for Quirks and Quarks

Latest Episodes

Gold miners working in the Yukon regularly find ancient ground squirrel burrows throughout the permafrost, many containing fossilized feces. Researchers analyzing these well-preserved poop piles found they contain some of the oldest DNA ever recovere... more

150 years ago, Charles Darwin noticed that birds and humans were both drawn to bright plumage and elaborate display. He called this interspecies esthetic appreciation a “shared taste for the beautiful.” Now, in a recent study, an interdisciplinary te... more

The newly described Tylosaurus rex was a violent bus-sized Komodo dragon-like creature with serrated teeth. Dubbed the ‘T. rex of the sea,’ it would have occupied the top of the food chain in the marine ecosystem over 80 million years ago.

PLUS:

*... more

Scientists recorded audio and video of 8 different kinds of rockfish living in the wild near British Columbia, and were surprised they could tell the species apart through their various grunts, pops and knocks, even though the fish are closely relate... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Logan James
Post-doctoral researcher in Biology
McGill University / University of Texas at Austin
Episode: Humans and animals love the same sounds, and more...
Samuel Mayer
Cognitive scientist
Yale Child Study Center / University of Auckland
Episode: Humans and animals love the same sounds, and more...
Clinton Harlem
Neuroscientist
Trinity College Dublin
Episode: Humans and animals love the same sounds, and more...
Max Swietlowski
Physicist
UBC / Triumph
Episode: Humans and animals love the same sounds, and more...
Amelia Zietlow
Museum specialist researching mosasaurs
History Museum at the Castle, Appleton, Wisconsin
Episode: A terrifying T. rex of the sea, and more…
Wesley Van Wychen
Associate Professor, glaciology
University of Waterloo
Episode: A terrifying T. rex of the sea, and more…
David Sampson
Sleep anthropologist; evolution of sleep
University of Toronto, Mississauga
Episode: A terrifying T. rex of the sea, and more…
Jocelyn Bell Burnell
Radio astronomer; pulsar discovery
University of Cambridge (historical); Nobel laureate
Episode: A terrifying T. rex of the sea, and more…
Douglas Stenton
Adjunct assistant professor in Anthropology
University of Waterloo; Trent University
Episode: Listening in on fish grunts, and more…

Host

Bob McDonald
Host of the science program with CBC; long-time science communicator known for simplifying complex topics.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 2.8k ratings
  • Great for beginners /and/ experts

    The first science radio program/podcast I listened to and after all these years still the best. A great magazine of the newest science news, presented by an interviewer who is both knowledgeable and able to draw out explanations that anyone can understand. Even my young kids love it.

    Bob Macdonald is a treasure.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    prolepessa
    Canadaa month ago
  • Long time listener

    I’ve been listening for years. When the news bums me out, I enlist this podcast as my main source of “cool science news that doesn’t actually bum you out and actually helps promote feelings of excitement for the future”. Also, fun story. It’s podcasts like these that got me interested in science in the first place. I’m now in research, and I think about how impactful science communicators are; the ones that make learning accessible and fun. I hope they continue inspiring young people for years t... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    britt_diane
    Germany3 months ago
  • Bob is great

    Bob does a really good job of helping the story along and expanding on some of the more complex material. Interesting topics.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kevint6221
    Canada3 months ago
  • Sciency Fun for Nerds

    Long time listener and still can’t get enough!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Speaking Truth to the Internet
    United States3 months ago
  • The GOLD STANDARD for Science Communicators

    No one does it better than Bob McDonald! I look forward to each episode and always learn something.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    YGlen
    United States5 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High-quality production and a strong emphasis on curiosity and education.
Guests are consistently expert and engaging, with clear takeaways for listeners.
The host is an excellent explainer who makes science accessible and exciting.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Humans and animals love the same sounds, and more...
Q: What are the limits of human multitasking and how does training change brain function?
Training reduces prefrontal bottlenecks and shifts processing to sensory and motor areas, allowing people to perform two tasks with the brain re-routing information for efficiency.
Cocaine in waterways makes salmon roam further, and more…
Q: How close would you say AI scientist systems are to matching human scientists in capability?
The line of work is moving rapidly, and current AI can perform the entire arc from idea generation to experimental design and even writing papers, but it is presently comparable to a first or second-year graduate student in depth and rigor, with the trend line pointing toward rapid improvement and potential near-term breakthroughs.
Moving beyond animal testing, and more…
Q: What does this say about the evolution of vocal learning and breathing control in marine mammals?
The findings suggest that the evolution of breathing control is tightly linked to vocal learning, with specialized brain pathways that enable learned calls and flexible communication, beyond what is seen in less vocal species like certain canids.
Moving beyond animal testing, and more…
Q: How did you study the brains to see how these seals vocalize and learn new sounds?
They used high-resolution imaging techniques developed for human brains to examine brains post-mortem, identifying multiple neural pathways that control vocalization and the presence of bypass connections in pinnipeds.
Moving beyond animal testing, and more…
Q: What made you want to look at what's driving the range of vocalizations in this group of marine mammals?
The researcher explained a background in graduate work and prior experimental observations with trained seals, leading to questions about how a few individuals could produce more flexible vocalizations, and how brain circuits support that capability.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Household Income
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Frequently Asked Questions About Quirks and Quarks

What is Quirks and Quarks about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show blends accessible explanations of current science with lively conversations that span biology, physics, space, climate, and the history of science. Episodes frequently pair host-led storytelling with expert guests—from university researchers to science journalists—to explore unusual phenomena, big questions about the cosmos, and practical implications for everyday life. Notable strengths include a wide topic range, a talent for making complex ideas relatable, and a track record of featuring archival material and archival science history to provide context. This approach helps listeners feel informed and inspired, whether they're casual science fans or professionals seeking clear, engaging explanations of cutting-edge research and i... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Quirks and Quarks?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Quirks and Quarks:

1. Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly
2. Ideas
3. White Coat, Black Art
4. The Debaters
5. The Sunday Magazine

How many episodes of Quirks and Quarks are there?

Quirks and Quarks launched 20 years ago and published 32 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Quirks and Quarks?

Recent guests on Quirks and Quarks include:

1. Logan James
2. Samuel Mayer
3. Clinton Harlem
4. Max Swietlowski
5. Amelia Zietlow
6. Wesley Van Wychen
7. David Sampson
8. Jocelyn Bell Burnell

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