What The Duck?!

Can animals create, or even enjoy music?
Ann rips through the animal kingdom to check out the musical talent of some likely and unlikely performers.
Featuring:
Dr. Stuart Watson, University of Zurich.
Dr. Chiara De Gregorio, University of Torino.
Assistant Professor Adena Schachner, University of California.
David Teie, Musician and composer, Music for Cats.
Associate Professor Cameron Webb, University of Sydney and NSW Health Pathology.
Featured sounds:
Musical Stimuli for Parrots by Adena Schachner, Fostog's Touch by David Teie (music for cats) and Marlene McCohen (YouTube) and her Amazon parrot Lucy.
Production:
Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.
Petria Ladgrove, Producer.
Additional mastering: Hamish Camilleri.
For more about bird song and music click here.
This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in 2023 and produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people.
Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on the ABC Listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.

Ann heads to a hunting shop (stay with us) to pick up a UV torch. 
What she discovers? 
Ewe won’t believe it.
Featuring:
Linda Reinhold, Zoologist at James Cook University.
Professor Simon Lewis, Curtin University.
Dr. Kenny Travouillon, Western Australian Museum.
Caitlin Grieve, Hillend Dorsets.
Production:
Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.
Petria Ladgrove, Producer.
Joel Werner, Script editing.
Additional mastering:  Simon Branthwaite.
This is the final episode of Season 4 for What the Duck?! Season 5 will begin in November.
This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Kaurna people.
Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on ABC Listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.

Martin was sailing from the UK to Greece when a pod of orcas tried to sink his boat. Sounds like a one-off? Think again. Reports of killer whales attacking ships date back to the 6th century. So, after all these centuries, have we finally figured out why?
Featuring:
Martin Evans, UK Sailor.
Professor Peter Keegan, History and Archaeology at Macquarie University.
Dr Rebeca Wellard, Curtin University.
Dr Luke Rendell, University of St Andrews, Scotland.
Anna Selbmann, University of Iceland.
Production:
Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.
Petria Ladgrove, Producer.
Additional mastering:  Hamish Camilleri.
This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Kaurna people.
Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on ABC Listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.

Can plants get cancer? Do they get tumours? WAIT.. is that what those big knobbly bits are on trees? Dr Ann Jones pulls on her experience as a broadcaster with a brain, to find out what's going on with plants and cancer. 
Won't someone think of the eucalypt!
Featuring:
Associate Professor Andrew Geering, University of Queensland.
Professor John Rathjen, Australian National University.
Dr Amy MacKenzie, University of Adelaide.
Belinda Smith, ABC Science reporter.
Production:
Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.
Petria Ladgrove, Producer.
Additional mastering:  Emrys Cronin
This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Kaurna people.
Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on ABC Listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.

Two million years ago, our ancestors had tiny ape-like butts. Then something strange happened.. our butts grew bigger. Butt, why?
It turns out humans aren’t the only primates whose butt took a bizarre evolutionary turn.
These peaches have a lot to answer for.
Featuring:
Professor Daniel Lieberman, Harvard University, US.
Professor Jo Setchell, Durham University, UK. 
Dr Peter Bishop, Harvard University, US.
Lauren Thornton, University of Sunshine Coast.
Production:
Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.
Petria Ladgrove, Producer.
Additional mastering: Russell Stapleton.
This episode of What the Duck was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung people. 
Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the always curious Dr Ann Jones exploring the mysteries of nature on ABC Listen (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll learn more about the weird and unusual aspects of our natural world in a quirky, fun way with easy to understand science.