What The Duck?!

This is the story of the domesticated animal that feralised itself.

Where did dingoes come from and when?

Where does a wild dog stop and a dingo begin?

How much can genetics really tell us about Australia's only native dog — and how long do you have to live somewhere to be 'native'?

Featuring:

Are puppy dog eyes really a sign of love, or does Fido just want a lil snack?

Can dogs really "speak" by pressing talking buttons, or do they just make great content for TikTok?

There's more to canine communication than howls and growls — and a wagging tail could be telling you more than you think.

Featuring:

'Man's best friend' sure sounds better than 'obligatory symbiont', but what are the true dynamics at play?

There's no denying the bond people feel and the attachment dogs have for their humans, but if we put that beautiful relationship under scientific scrutiny, does it hold up?

Can any dog go 'full Lassie' if you (or Timmy) get stuck down a well?

Will your dog save you?

Featuring:

There's designer clothes, but they have nothing on designer dogs!

They come in a huge range of shapes and colours and sizes, from the tiny Chihuahua to the Great Dane.

In the animal world this much variation usually means different species, but not for dogs — so where did they all come from?

And what role did Victorian-era rats play in the development of 'breed standards'?

Featuring:

The relationship between humans and big scary wolves has come a long way to give us tiny fluffy lap dogs with very discerning tastes in expensive food.

Whose idea was it? Was it the wolves who wanted the warmth of the fire, or the humans who wanted protection from the other scary carnivores?

And take a look at the first archaeological evidence of a beloved family pet preserved with its human family for almost 15,000 years!

Featuring:

Nematodes are found in every environment on Earth and can survive in some seriously extreme conditions.

They will come back to life after being frozen for 40 thousand years! WHAT THE DUCK?!

There's so much more to these creatures than a chocolate square for an itchy rear end…

Sign up here for the nematode appreciation society.

Featuring:

Production:

CSIRO's National Research Collection in Canberra is where millions of dead things bring life to Australian science.

The specimens, collected over many decades, have just been very carefully moved into a new purpose-built facility named Diversity.

The What the Duck?! team had a "sticky beak" inside to find DNA extraction robots, extinct birds, predatory flies, and a few thousand slides containing insect genitalia.

This episode was recorded in September, before recent announcements were made about CSIRO funding.

Featuring:

After receiving a heartbreaking email, Ann goes on a mission to prove that 'girls DO like spiders, frogs and all things nature'.'

Featuring:

Plus excerpts from videos to Lyra from:

Plus extra sounds from:

It's like a classic horror film.

There are huge fangs, a segmented body, a remote location, the ocean bashing against cliffs, you're all alone and there's no one to help.

The first bodies that turn up are of the children… of petrels.

Featuring:

Production:

This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in 2022 and produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people.

Find more episodes of the ABC po...

Turns out centipedes versus millipedes isn't as simple as a numbers game.

But here at What the Duck?! we never skip leg day.

Featuring:

Production:

This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in 2022 and produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people.

Find more episodes of the ABC podcast, What the Duck?! with the...

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:

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.<...

We'll all go to trouble to get a good meal, but some animals take it to the extreme.

Some build architectural masterpieces to entrap their prey, or use body parts as lures.

But what is your cat doing when it makes the 'ek ek ek ek?' Is it trying to bewitch the birds?

Featuring:

Extra audio: Cat Ek ek ek by...

Fungi are already hard at work helping trees survive drought, recycling fallen logs, rotting away carcases, and helping human digestive systems, but could they do more?

Is our future made of fungi?

Research has shown the fungi's potential to make medicine, clothing, and cheap fire-retardant housing, but trying to isolate and harness just one species is not an easy task given they get into pretty much everything.

Featuring:

Mushrooms were once lumped in with plants, and they stayed there well after science knew better.

But if a fungus is not a plant… is it a closer relative of yours than you might've thought?

With millions of species on Earth, and many that live inside you, it seems important to know about the kingdom of fungi.

Featuring:

As daily updates about the 'mushroom murders' monopolised newsfeeds around the country, the What the Duck?! team started questioning the motives.  Not the human ones — the fungi ones.

Why would a mushroom need a toxin so powerful it takes just a few grams to kill a human?

And where's the warning?  Nature usually throws up alerts for poison, like bright colours or spots, but the death cap is pretty plain.

Why does a mushroom need such a deadly toxin anyway?

Featuring:

Have you found yourself wondering why a simple brown mushroom would develop a toxin so strong that just a few grams could kill a human?

What the Duck?! is investigating the motives of toxic fungi and exploring the curious world of puffballs, fly agarics, stinkhorns, and death caps.

Powerful toxins are scary, but there are varieties that could help humans in medical treatment, space exploration, manufacturing, and by consuming plastic waste…

Mushrooms are sending us mixed messages!

What the Duck?! serves mushrooms from October 3rd.

Find more episodes of th...

Cuckoo babies hatch in the nests of other bird species then quickly, often brutally, make sure they're the only baby to get fed…

So how does a cuckoo know how to be a cuckoo?

Well… that is a ducking good question.

Featuring:

Production:

This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in 2022 and produced (mainly) on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people.

Find more epis...

There are so many sticky things in nature, but what's the nature of their stickiness?

Could slug mucus or frog ooze be used in medical treatments?

Ann puts on her spider-woman gloves to find out.

Featuring:

Production:

This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in 2022 and produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and...

If you ever wanted to be able to stick to walls like Spider-Man, then listen to this!

How do geckos and ants walk easily up walls and across the ceiling?

Is an insect foot sticky in the same way as a reptilian tootsie?

And how does underwater stickiness compare? Just how is that barnacle attached to that boat?

Featuring:

Production:

This place is so extreme that NASA sends scientists to test equipment for Mars missions. And yet, Australia's salty lakes are full of life.

Featuring:

Production:

This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in 2022 and was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people.

Ann finds out that birds are not really blue. Not even bluebirds. If they're not blue, then what the duck are they?

Featuring:

Production:

This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in 2022 and was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people.

Listen back to the What the Duck?! special broadcast with Dr Ann Jones and Cassie McCullagh.

After 65,000 votes, Australia has spoken — the rakali has been crowned Australia's most underrated native animal!

Raking in a whopping 20 per cent of the votes cast, the water rat was well out in front.

Here are the results:

You can also read more on the ABC News blog from the countdown:https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-0...

They live off seagrass, and sound like a teeny bird, but can weigh in at more than 400 kilograms and will cut you with their tusks.

Dugongs (Dugong dugon) were once confused for mermaids.

Yanyuwa people in the Golf of Carpentaria have observed their roles in family groups and identified 16 different types of dugongs.

Cast your vote for Australia's most underrated animal here.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-08-01/science-week-underrated-australian-animal-vote/105582104

Featuring:

Production:

It's a bold claim, but the palm cockatoo might be the most punk-rock bird of all.

The black and scarlet parrot lives in the rainforests and woodlands of Far North Queensland, as well as the Aru Islands and New Guinea.

With a wingspan of 1.5 metres, the palm cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus) is an impressive bird, with a black mohawk and a powerful beak.

Cast your vote for Australia's most underrated animal here.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-08-01/science-week-underrated-australian-animal-vote/105582104

Featuring:

This little orange lizard lives with his mum and poos outside. What's not to love?

The great desert skink (Liopholis kintorei) can be found in the deserts of the Northern Territory, South Australia, and Western Australia.

They live in large burrows in family groups, which is extremely unusual for reptiles.

Cast your vote for Australia's most underrated animal here.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-08-01/science-week-underrated-australian-animal-vote/105582104

Featuring:

Production:

What has no eyes, no ears, and is barely ever seen? It's no riddle — it's the marsupial mole!

These tiny, golden creatures like to burrow through the sands in central Australia, making the two species of marsupial mole (Notoryctes) almost impossible to find.

Cast your vote for Australia's most underrated animal here.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-08-01/science-week-underrated-australian-animal-vote/105582104

Featuring:

Production:

Stream the brand-new se...

This tiny frog is pasty white, with big arms, a teeny head, and is — somehow — still absolutely adorable.

The turtle frog (Myobatrachus gouldii) can be found in a small part of south-west Western Australia.

They mostly live underground, and are one of only a few species of frog that burrow forwards instead of backwards.

Cast your vote for Australia's most underrated animal here:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-08-01/science-week-underrated-australian-animal-vote/105582104

Featuring:

Production:

They can travel over land, climb walls and take down large prey. And that's all before the short-finned eel (Anguilla australis) makes it out into the ocean for their epic migration to mate.

The location is so remote, scientists still don't know what happens while they're there.

But then, as new baby eels, they need to swim thousands of kilometres back to the Australian mainland — and only one in every 10,000 hatchings make it.

Cast your vote for Australia's most underrated animal here:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-08-01/sc...

Sure, it's a rat, but it's Australia's own cheeky little water rat!

The rakali (Hydromys chrysogaster) is Australia's largest rodent, and can be found in the waterways all around Australia.

Cast your vote for Australia's most underrated animal here:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-08-01/science-week-underrated-australian-animal-vote/105582104

Featuring:

Production:

Stream the brand-new series Dr Ann's Secret Lives on ABC iview.

They shoot glue, puree their enemies, and are about the size of a leaf.

With 140 species of southern velvet worms (Peripatopsidae), and most of those in Australia, these tiny creatures are our home-grown invertebrate.

They normally live in rainforests, under logs or leaf litter, and they like to keep it damp and dark.

Cast your vote for Australia's most underrated animal here:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-08-01/science-week-underrated-australian-animal-vote/105582104

Featuring:

Production:

The ghost bat (Macroderma gigas) is Australia's only carnivorous bat, so it's probably not a good idea to make fun of their giant ears and unique nose.

They live in large colonies of up to 1500 individuals in northern Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, roosting in caves, and old abandoned mine shafts.

Cast your vote for Australia's most underrated animal here:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-08-01/science-week-underrated-australian-animal-vote/105582104

Featuring:

Production:

They can grow up to a metre and the world's largest cuttlefish species can also disappear in a puff of ink and mucus.

The giant cuttlefish (Ascarosepion apama) is an oddball, and you can catch a glimpse of them around the whole bottom half of Australia — all the way from Brisbane to Shark Bay.

Cast your vote for Australia's most underrated animal here:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-08-01/science-week-underrated-australian-animal-vote/105582104

Featuring:

Production:

Move the peas over to find that Australian freezers have seals, kangaroo penises and the DNA of 'the Chanel of goats.'

Featuring:

Production:

This episode of What the Duck?! was first broadcast in 2022 and was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people.

Stream the brand-new series Dr Ann's Secret Lives on ABC iview.

It turns out self-medicating and herbal remedies are not exclusive to humans.

From cats eating grass, to elephants making medicinal tea in their throat pouch — the animal world has its own prescriptions.

And naturally, there's plenty of digging through poo involved in this scientific research!

Featuring:

Production:

This episode of What the Duck?! was first broadcast in 2022 an...

Fossils tell us a lot about the past, but are there fossilised farts? (Spoiler, YES!)

Look back at great farts of history, and the story of methane.

Do birds not fart?

And which creature is responsible for the stinkiest?

Listen to part one (Does it Fart?!) here.

Featuring:

Production:

Fossils tell us a lot about the past, but are there fossilised farts? (Spoiler, YES!)

Look back at great farts of history, and the story of methane.

Do birds not fart?

And which creature is responsible for the stinkiest?

Listen to part one (Does it Fart?!) here.

Featuring:

Production:

Farts are not just for laughs. There are farts for survival, for communication, and even to attack!

But it turns out it's tricky to get scientists to agree on what actually constitutes a fart.

Still, from tiny fish, ants, and spiders, to manatees, primates, and blue whales — is it as simple as the bigger the creature, the bigger the fart?

Featuring:

It's a seemingly simple question from What the Duck?! listener Skylar: how do scientists determine a new species?

Turns out, it's complicated.

And it's got Ann Jones impersonating a dog on the internet to try to find out what breed she is, as well as asking, 'what is a species anyway?'.

Featuring:

The influence of selective breeding by humans has created a doggo for every occasion, but it's not without problematic results.

Some breeds have breathing difficulties, hip problems, aggression, or anxiety. There are dogs with ADHD and others with depression.

Does our longest-term relationship need couples therapy?

Featuring:

This is the story of the domesticated animal that feralised itself.

Where did dingoes come from and when?

Where does a wild dog stop and a dingo begin?

How much can genetics really tell us about Australia's only native dog — and how long do you have to live somewhere to be 'native'?

Featuring:

Are puppy dog eyes really a sign of love, or does Fido just want a lil snack?

Can dogs really "speak" by pressing talking buttons, or do they just make great content for TikTok?

There's more to canine communication than howls and growls — and a wagging tail could be telling you more than you think.

Featuring:

'Man's best friend' sure sounds better than 'obligatory symbiont', but what are the true dynamics at play?

There's no denying the bond people feel and the attachment dogs have for their humans, but if we put that beautiful relationship under scientific scrutiny, does it hold up?

Can any dog go 'full Lassie' if you (or Timmy) gets stuck down a well? Will your dog save you?

Featuring:

'Man's best friend' sure sounds better than 'obligatory symbiont', but what are the true dynamics at play?

There's no denying the bond people feel and the attachment dogs have for their humans, but if we put that beautiful relationship under scientific scrutiny, does it hold up?

Can any dog go 'full Lassie' if you (or Timmy) gets stuck down a well? Will your dog save you?

Featuring:

There's designer clothes, but they have nothing on designer dogs!

They come in a huge range of shapes and colours and sizes, from the tiny Chihuahua to the Great Dane.

In the animal world this much variation usually means different species, but not for dogs — so where did they all come from?

And what role did Victorian-era rats play in the development of 'breed standards'?

Featuring:

The relationship between humans and big scary wolves has come a long way to give us tiny fluffy lap dogs with very discerning tastes in expensive food.

Whose idea was it? Was it the wolves who wanted the warmth of the fire, or the humans who wanted protection from the other scary carnivores? 

And take a look at the first archaeological evidence of a beloved family pet preserved with its human family for almost 15,000 years!

Featuring:

A new series from What the Duck?! is coming soon.

Dr Ann Jones is exploring the connection between humans and dogs and asking how our destinies became intertwined.

How did we get pugs from wolves?

How did the howling creatures of our nightmares become floppy eared, tail wagging good boys and girls?

From the very first archaeological evidence of 'beloved family pet' to the paw-pushing communication buttons on YouTube… this is a look at the true nature of the relationship with man's best friend.

How does a snake climb a pole? It's not like they have a ladder... or arms.

It turns out that snakes have some pretty crazy skills when it comes to climbing anything and everything.

The Island of Guam had between two and four million brown tree snakes in the 1980s, leading to all sorts of issues for the birds and the environment.

Guests:

Dr Aaron Collins- Assistant State Director Guam/Western Pacific Theatre at USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services

Professor Kristin Y. Pettersen- Centre for Autonomous Marine Operations and System at the...

Would you meet a stranger in a park with a pile of snakes? 

Comedian Craig Quartermaine took the risk in an attempt to overcome his fears.

Featuring:

Production:

This episode was originally broadcast in 2023.

This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung, Yuggera, Turrbal and Kaurna people.

Have you heard of the Kookaburra that conquered Hollywood?

Yes- that was a kookaburra at the start of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.

But WHY?  Dr Ann Jones is on a mission to find out.

Featuring:

Ella Loeffler, Film and Bird Watcher. 

Dr Maggie Watson, Ornithologist, ecologist, fantasy fiction fan. 

Assoc Professor Cameron Webb,  Mosquito Wrangler, NSW Health and University of Sydney.

Professor John W. Fitzpatrick, Emeritus Director, Cornell Lab of Ornithology,

James Currie, Sound Recordist / Editor. 

With e...

Spiders have gravity-defying ninja skills, they can hear without ears and they work together to gang up on huge prey.

Spiders are murder machines!

Featuring:

Dr Kate Umbers, Western Sydney University.

Dr Alfonso Aceves-Aparicio, University Hamburg.

Dr Jay Stafstrom, Cornell University.

Dr Lena Grinsted, University of Portsmouth.

Production:

Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.

Petria Ladgrove, Producer.

Joel Werner, Script Editor. 

Additional mastering: Angela Grant. 

This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the...

A tiny penis, a 12-hour annual fertilisation window, picky females and strawberry bubble bath – these are just a few of the issues that pop up when making a panda cub.

Featuring:

Production:

This episode of What the Duck?! was first broadcast on April the 1st 2023 and was pr...

There's a whole world of mystery, and quite a bit of maths,  inside the humble sea shell.

Forget ancestry searches online, shells can tell you the history of the world!

Featuring:

Amy Prendergast, University of Melbourne.

Jann Vendetti, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. 

Dr Paul Butler, Researcher at the University of Exeter. 

Production:

This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in March 2023 and was produced on the land of the Wadaw...

Jaws (1975) was a massive hit that also created a whole lot of fear, but does anything in the film really stand up to shark science? 

Do sharks stalk humans? Do they roar? What can they sense? 

There are so many misconceptions when it comes to sharks that even now, 50 years later, these are impacting shark policies in Australia, and have come to be known as 'the jaws effect.'

Featuring:

Produc...

Female lab mice have been bred to be passive and breed with ease. 

But, in the wild they're feisty and even pugnacious.

How much of our biological understanding of the world is based on misogyny?

Featuring:

Production:

This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in July 2023 and was prod...

Eels are mysterious and have a fascinating history. 

People in pre-medieval England used them to pay rent. Early 17th-century maps featured 'eel ships,' and even Sigmund Freud studied their breeding and reproduction habits for a whole summer.

Dr Ann Jones gets 'eely' curious about eels in today's What the Duck?!

Featuring:

Dr. John Wyatt Greenlee, Historian Cornell University. 

Erin Rose, Budj Bim World Heritage Executive Officer at Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation.

Braydon Saunders, Tour Guide Coordinator at Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism.

Tyson...

When it comes to sexual organs, the penis is really ‘out there.’  Name another organ that can change its form AND function in a matter of seconds! 

There’s a lot of variety in the animal kingdom; from spikes and nails to coils and collagen – so, this appendage is worth investigating... close up.  

Sex is Weird is a new series of What the Duck?! with Dr Ann Jones following the sexual evolution of the animal kingdom.   

Please note that this program contains adult themes and explicit language. Parental guidance is recommended. It was first broadcas...

Aussie classic Babe turns 30 this year, and its story of the little pig that achieves his dream of being a sheep dog is still as uplifting as the day it premiered. But we can't say "that'll do, pig" when it comes to the science....

By now, we know pigs aren't "definitely stupid", but how smart are they? Would an orphaned pig be taken in by a family of dogs? Could a pig really learn to herd sheep? And would Babe really stay so small for so long?

Dr Ann Jones sniffs out the porkies Hollywood...

If you have a fear of getting swooped by magpies, mobbed by seagulls or blinded by crows, perhaps Alfred Hitchcock is to blame.

His 1963 horror classic The Birds created a generation of ornithophobes, and played on our fears of death by feathered fiend. 

But how accurate are his creepy corvids? Do birds of a feather flock together exclusively? Can a bird go all 'Here's Johnny' on a locked door? Do birds hold grudges?

Dr Ann Jones gets a bird's eye view of Hollywood's avian lies.

Featuring:

Remember that 1998 film Antz? The one about an ant named Z?

The one where the ants had nightmare-inducing human teeth? The one we probably have to blame for the existence of Jerry Seinfeld's Bee Movie?

Considering the movie is all about ants, you'd think it'd get SOMETHING right about ants. But Hollywood has once again LIED TO US.

Do male ants have any jobs outside the boudoir? Can ants breathe? Do ants have creepy little human teeth?

Ann Jones sets out to be pedANTic and find the facts in the fiction.<...

In 1985, a real American black bear consumed a bunch of cocaine that'd been dropped from a plane into the forest, and died.

Nearly 40 years later Hollywood stepped in the rewrite the story. What would happen if the bear survived? Maybe it'd go on a coke-fueled rampage. That's how it works, right?

Cocaine Bear (2023) launched a lot of memes, but does it get anything right about bears, or how they'd act under the influence of blow...or did Hollywood lie to us?

Would a black bear really eat a drug dealer alive?

...

Quick! Think of a ‘dinosaur movie’. Chances are Jurassic Park (1993) was first to mind.   

Steven Spielberg’s genetic nightmare/theme park gone wrong classic is so iconic that it inspired a generation of kids to study palaeontology, and reinvented our modern popular idea of dinosaurs. But does that idea still stack up?   

Could you really clone a triceratops from DNA found in an ancient mozzie?  

Did dilophosaurus really look like a frill-necked lizard?  

And aren’t dinosaurs supposed to be feathery?   

Ann Jones cracks into how Jurassic Park did (and didn’t) lie to u...

When you really think about it, sex to make babies is WEIRD! You take an outie that has to get stuck inside an innie that links into a production line of eggs to assemble a perfect tiny being. It’s so damn complicated!

So why does it work like that?

Join us at What the Duck for the first episode of a series where we figure out how living things went from splitting ourselves in half to double the population, to periodically feeling compelled to copulate in such a vigorous, sometimes highly embarrassing, manner.

...

Could a legless lizard be 'minimalist of the year' for famous podcaster T. K. Coleman?

Ann Jones leads an unlikely gang of animal experts on a tidy dance through the philosophy of minimalism. There are moths without mouths, flies without wings, and a worm-lizard that will even declutter its own tail. 

Move over Marie Kondo, Minimalist Mother Nature is in town. 

Featuring:

ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) is a tingly sensation that can bring relaxation, and it's spawned a growing industry of videos online of whispering, tapping, mouth noises and soft speaking. 

But, if you wanted quiet, intimate sounds, well, Nature does it so. much. better. 

Ann Jones goes on an ASMR journey with vibrating caterpillars, whispering monkeys and birds who want to keep secrets. 

Featuring:

Imagine you've just been cancelled for a controversial opinion about Taylor Swift's musical output, and you have to go to ground.

You can act like the Olsen twins, and hide behind big glasses and a big coat.

Or you could take a lesson from nature and blend in, like a proverbial spotty quoll into the bush.

The animal kingdom has a lot to teach us about camouflage and animal markings.

Featuring:

Right now, you’re probably sitting on one of the most unique things about humans. One thing that separates us from the apes, from the birds, from EVERYTHING on earth. The thing that allows us to walk upright, on two legs.We have big butts and I cannot lie,This sort of exceptionalism doesn’t deny,That when a bird walks in with a little bit of hasteAnd drumsticks in your face, you have to admit that bipedalism ISN’T what’s interesting.It's actually our peachy butts.

Featuring:

Professor Daniel Lieberman, Harvard University, US.

Pro...

How many species live around your house?

In the COVID lockdown of 2020, three housemates decided to count.

They thought there’d only be a handful, but the number kept rising and rising.

Could their simple suburban Queenslander house be the next candidate for a new national park?

Featuring:

Dr Matt Holden, Mathematician, University of Queensland.

Dr Andrew Rogers, Ecologist, University of Melbourne.

Dr Russell Yong, Taxonomist. 

Production:

If you want to...

Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer is a Christmas classic... but how much do we really know about reindeer? 

In the last instalment of "Hollywood lied to us" for 2024, Ann Jones fact-checks the festive fairytale for biological accuracy.

What would it take for a reindeer to fly? What are their noses really like? Would a glowing nose even make a decent fog light??

Featuring:

Production:

The Lion King (1994), aka Hamlet with Cats, is an iconic family classic. But would The Lion King's portrayal of a pride make biologists proud?

Ann Jones presents “Hollywood lied to us” - a What The Duck?! podcast that takes your favourite movies and puts them under the microscope to work out what would happen in the real world and what’s just Hollywood magic.

Would Simba really end up with Nala?

Would the hyena henchmen really fall in line for a lion?

They’re the big questions and Ann Jones has all the...

The movie is fictional but Groundhog Day (asking a groundhog for a long-term weather report)  IS A REAL THING!

But wait, what even ARE groundhogs? AND do they have any qualifications in meteorology?

Ann Jones is examining the biological accuracy of classic movies with the help of scientists and fans in the series "Hollywood Lied to Us."

Featuring:

Production:

Yes, the Little Mermaid is an animated movie, but if it were real, where would this mermaid paradise be?

 Is it plausible that Ursula the Octo-woman would have henchmen in the form of eels? 

Ann Jones is examining the biological accuracy with the help of scientists and fans  of classic movies in the series "Hollywood Lied to Us."

Featuring:

Production:

This episo...

Jaws (1975) was a massive hit that also created a whole lot of fear, but does anything in the film really stand up to shark science? Do sharks stalk humans? Do they roar? What can they sense? There are so many misconceptions when it comes to sharks that even now, 50 years later, these are impacting shark policies in Australia, and have come to be known as 'the jaws effect.'

Featuring:

Production:

Did you know that pigeons make milk? 

The pigeon gets a bad rap, but it is actually an incredible bird with a rich history.

It is related to the dodo and even played a role in the French Revolution!

Surely this bird deserves some recognition?

Featuring:

Production:

Are you high, or is that a sheep glowing?

Yep- sheep glow, but that's not all... when it comes to glowing the list of animals includes the platypus, dolphin teeth, bilby ears and Tasmanian Devil feet. 

Featuring:

Production:

If you want to hear more "What the Duck?" episodes- please like and subscribe here.

Th...

There's a statue of an ostrich wearing a saddle in Meningie, South Australia.

The large bird statue is dedicated to the legend of "John Francis Peggotty", the Birdman of the Coorong. 

He loved gold, robbed stagecoaches, and used an ostrich as a getaway car. OR DID HE?! 

Featuring:

Denice Mason, teacher and Meningie resident.

Associate Professor Rohan Clarke, Monash University and co-author of the Australian Bird Guide.

Jacob Fiebig, Meningie resident and composer of "The ballad of John Peggotty". 

Production:

What makes a true fly and do we really need them? 

As per usual the What the Duck?! team is elbow-deep in crap looking for a way out.

And the way out, is flies!

Featuring:

Production:

This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in September 2022 and is produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people.

A group of Killer whales have been hassling boats around Spain over the last few years. 

They've been nibbling the rudders and even sinking yachts, but why?

Has anyone considered that it might be revenge?  How dangerous are Orcas anyway? 

Featuring:

Production:

This episode of What the Duck?! wa...

Did you know that some squirrels, otters and goats are capable of autofellatio? 

And ferrets, macaques and dolphins can use rocks, plants and other objects as sex toys? 

Fresh off the back of the Sex is Weird series, Sana Qadar from All in the Mind is getting the down low on animal masturbatory behaviours. 

Dr Ann Jones has all the goss and it's entirely ruined her internet search history. 

Please note that this program contains adult themes and explicit language. Parental guidance is recommended.

Featuring:

Sana Qadar, Pres...

Sex comes at a cost, there’s energy, time, risks of predators, and diseases… so do we even need it?

Asexual organisms don’t seem to miss the dating scene, and yet here we are putting a whole lot of energy into sex, even when it doesn't lead to babies when same sexes attract.

Of course, sex is a chance to genetically repair faults and outrun threats, but is the pay-off really enough?

Sex is Weird is a series of What the Duck?! with Dr Ann Jones following the sexual evolution of the animal...

It turns out not everyone was listening when it was written ‘it takes two to tango’ and some species can go it alone in their quest to reproduce. And then there’s the plants that decided THREE or ONE was for them, never an even number. 

Why is sex so... suspiciously complicated? 

Sex is Weird is a series of What the Duck?! with Dr Ann Jones following the sexual evolution of the natural world.

Please note that this program contains adult themes and explicit language. Parental guidance is recommended.

Featuring:

Dr Mer...

What is the role of pleasure in successful reproduction?

Evolution says it's mightily important: every female vertebrate has a clitoris.

Snakes have two!

Female pleasure has been selected for.

Making sex fun and pleasurable is a biologically sensible thing to do, more sex means more potential babies.

Some studies of pigs and dairy cows have found an increase of up to 6% in successful conception when the females are stimulated during artificial insemination.

Sex is Weird is a new series of What the Duck?! with Dr Ann Jones...

Do animals fall in love at first sight?

Every species has different traits that are 'attractive' — they're showing off their DIY skills making a bower, vibrating sexy fruit fly songs, puffing up a wattle, or just having really massive moose… antlers.

Is this innate attraction like falling in love or is it more like meeting a (really hot) investment advisor?

Because these attractive traits are also messages about genes – who will make a good investment to partner with for the next generation.

Of course, one species beauty is another's turn off, and so...

The energy required to grow, birth and raise young is intense, so it's only fair that the female body has some tricks to make sure reproducing is worth it.

From cryptic choice to immune system sperm blockers, the female reproductive system can be a literal maze for those seeking to gain access to her eggs.

In the battle of the sexes, this is females fight back.

Sex is Weird is a new series of What the Duck?! with Dr Ann Jones following the sexual evolution of the animal kingdom.

Please note...

When it comes to sexual organs, the penis is really ‘out there.’  Name another organ that can change its form AND function in a matter of seconds! 

There’s a lot of variety in the animal kingdom; from spikes and nails to coils and collagen – so, this appendage is worth investigating... close up.  

Sex is Weird is a new series of What the Duck?! With Dr Ann Jones following the sexual evolution of the animal kingdom.   

Please note that this program contains adult themes and explicit language. Parental guidance is recommended. 

Featuring: 

When you really think about it, sex to make babies is WEIRD! You take an outie that has to get stuck inside an innie that links into a production line of eggs to assemble a perfect tiny being. It’s so damn complicated!

So why does it work like that?

Join us at What the Duck for the first episode of a new series where we figure out how living things went from splitting ourselves in half to double the population, to periodically feeling compelled to copulate in such a vigorous, sometimes highly embarrassing, manner.

How the duck did sex evolve as a major form of reproduction?

Sex is Weird is a brand new series of What the Duck?! with Dr Ann Jones. 

From the evolution of the first-ever genitals and the strange methods that animals use to copulate, to the unbelievable ways that the female body responds to sex. 

So strap in and get ready for the ride of your life, you'll never think about sex the same way again!

Please note that this program contains adult themes and explicit language. Parental guidance is recommended. 

Have the crabs been lying to us?

They usually have ten legs and eyes on stalks, but there are all sorts of things hiding under the shell, including emotions. 

There are true crabs, false crabs, and even shame-faced crabs which implies that some of them, at least, are guilty.

Featuring:

Dr Rachael King, SA Museum. 

Professor Judith Weis, Rutgers University, Newark. 

Dr Annabel Dorrenstein, University of Western Sydney.

Production:

This episode of What t...

Spiders have gravity-defying ninja skills, they can hear without ears and they work together to gang up on huge prey.

Spiders are murder machines!

Featuring:

Dr Kate Umbers, Western Sydney University.

Dr Alfonso Aceves-Aparicio, University Hamburg.

Dr Jay Stafstrom, Cornell University.

Dr Lena Grinsted, University of Portsmouth.

Production:

Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.

Petria Ladgrove, Producer.

Joel Werner, Script Editor. 

Additional mastering: Angela Grant. 

This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the...

You can run but you can't hide!

Ever wondered how a mosquito manages to hit a blood vessel without fail?

And that one mozzie that you hear buzzing and buzzing at night? It’s probably a species that prefers birds and is trying to determine whether you’re a bird.

Featuring:

Assoc Prof. Cameron Webb, NSW Pathology & University of Sydney.

Dr. Jana Batovska, Agriculture Victoria.

Production:

Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.

Petria Ladgrove, Producer.

Joel Werner, Script Editing.

This episode of W...

How does a snake climb a pole? It's not like they have a ladder... or arms.

It turns out that snakes have some pretty crazy skills when it comes to climbing anything and everything.

The Island of Guam had between two and four million brown tree snakes in the 1980s, leading to all sorts of issues for the birds and the environment.

Guests:

Dr Aaron Collins- Assistant State Director Guam/Western Pacific Theatre at USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services

Professor Kristin Y. Pettersen- Centre for Autonomous Marine Operations and System at the...

Ripper the musk duck had many bad habits – chief among them was attacking the keepers and then swearing under his breath.

But was Ripper really angry, or was his potty mouth a symptom of something much more sinister?

FEATURING:

Peter Fullagar, wildlife sound recordist and retired CSIRO Scientist.

Nick Hayward, Film maker, The Message of the Lyrebird.

Daryl Snowdon, Duck Shooter.

Lisa Sperber, Ballarat Bird World parrot whisperer. 

Victoria Austin, University of Western Sydney.. 

Carel Ten Cate,  Institute of Biology Leiden.

EXTRA S...

It's the early 20th century,  a government scientist position was determined by a boxing match, and a tomato virus threatened to stop the development of Australian-style tomato sauce in its tracks. 

Luckily, apart from their prowess as fighters, Australian plant scientists were leaders in identifying and controlling plant illnesses. 

They wouldn't do it without some drama though, and in this very special podcast extra, Ann Jones traces some of the turbulent history of tomato virus research down under. 

Featuring:

Production:

Plants are fully sick right now - and not just because indoor plants are in fashion. 

They have an immune system, they get infections, and can catch viruses... they just can't move away from their sick neighbours.

While we depend on white blood cells to fight off and remember pathogens, plants rely on inherited knowledge of past threats in their DNA, plus the effective altruism of individual cells to sacrifice themselves rather than damage the whole. 

Featuring:

It seems absolutely bonkers that an animal can muster ELECTRICITY, especially enough to send out a zap like a taser. 

But that's exactly what electric eels can do, and the world record holder more than doubles the voltage of the Australian electricity supply. 

More than that, electric eels inspired the design of Volta's first batteries, but (hold onto your socks so they don't get blown off) they're not the only ones who've got electricity pumping through their bodies. 

Featuring:

A superhero origin story would absolutely be 12 years in a cage and then set free by secretive criminals.

That’s the story of Flaco, the Eurasian Eagle Owl, released from his vandalised cage in Central Park Zoo, New York City. 

He turned up in the middle of an intersection nearby, looking dazed and people in the know thought, ‘This is going to end badly,’ because animals released from captivity have an extremely low survival rate. 

But Flaco – ‘skinny’ in Spanish – flew in the face of all that. Flaco not only learned to live, he seemed to thr...

Usually, it's humans putting animals in cages, but sometimes the animals do it to themselves.

Female platypus lock themselves in burrows to breed, great hornbill males lock females up in the hollow of a tree (they seal it up with fruit and poop) and potter wasps paralyse caterpillars for their babies to eat.

Today on What The Duck?!, Dr Ann Jones investigates the wild and hostile world of animal jails.

Are the animals just psycho killers or do they have their reasons?

Featuring:

At first, you might think it is a plot from a zombie movie: that undead animals are coming for you.

But it turns out that Australia's animals aren't just dangerous when they're alive — they can be deadly even when they're dead.

Ann Jones is joined by science reporter Belinda Smith to examine why snakes can still bite up to 45 minutes after death and are potentially dangerous for years.

Think we're lying? Belinda found a guy whose great aunt (and her dog) were killed by a decapitated snake!

So if a snake co...

Cassie and Claire have watched their parrot talk in its sleep... so is it dreaming?

And, if animals DO dream... will we ever know what they’re dreaming about? Ann Jones tries to find out.

Featuring:

Cassie, Claire and Pidgey the Parrot. Associate Professor Nicole Lovato, Flinders University. Associate Professor John Lesku, La Trobe University. Professor David Pena Guzman, author of ‘Animal Dreaming’ and San Francisco State University.  Professor Sidarta Ribeiro, neuroscientist at Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Dr Shauni Omond, @shauniomond.sleepsci on Instagram, La Trobe University.Professor Niels Rattenborg, R...

Birds can fly while half their brain is sleeping and some spiders sleep dangling on a silk thread, but what about worms.

Do worms sleep?

Featuring:

Production:

This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Kaurna people and was originall...

Female sage-grouse birds have decided that they want to see a weird sexy dance when deciding on a mate.

Ann Jones explores the creativity of female choice in the animal world in this episode of What the Duck?!

Featuring:

Lucy Cooke, Zoologist and author of Bitch A Revolutionary Guide to Sex, Evolution and the Female Animal.Professor Gail L Patricelli,  University of California, Davis. 

Production:

Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer.Petria Ladgrove, Producer.

Additional mastering:  John Jacobs.

This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the...