Lab Notes

Jonathan Webb and ABC science reporter Ellen Phiddian examine textile absorbency and why an older tea towel can sometimes dry better than a new one. The discussion connects everyday fabric performance with the behaviour of fibres and considers when a worn towel should be replaced.

Hosted by Jonathan Webb

Jonathan Webb discusses lithium-ion battery chemistry with Neeraj Sharma of UNSW, explaining why prolonged full charging or deep discharge can shorten battery life and what the underlying processes mean for phone and electric-vehicle battery engineering.

Hosted by Jonathan Webb

Jonathan Webb interviews Theresa Fruth of the University of Sydney about a potential dark-matter signal in the LUX-ZEPLIN xenon experiment. They explain how detector observations are interpreted, why the signal is of interest and what further evidence would be needed.

Hosted by Jonathan Webb

Jonathan Webb and ABC AI reporter Cam Wilson discuss how AI systems are changing mathematical research and the controversy around claims concerning the Navier–Stokes equations and the Millennium Prize. Mathematician Tristan Buckmaster of New York University contributes to the discussion.

Hosted by Jonathan Webb