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: Professor Will Crampton, University of Central Florida. Professor Ken Catania, Vanderbilt University. Professor Kate Trinajstic, Curtin University. Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer. Petria Ladgrove, Producer. Additional mastering: Emrys Cronin This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in 2024 and 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.

For around 700 years scientists observed same-sex pairings in as many as 1500 different species, but didn't record or publish their findings due to public perceptions. Now research is catching up and many papers on queer behaviour in nature have been published in the past two decades. This discussion was recorded live at Mardi Gras 2026 and presented by the Royal Zoological Society of NSW for Wildlife at the Watering Hole. Featuring : Daphne Willemsen, behavioural ecologist, PhD candidate at the University of NSW Lucien Alperstein, microbial ecologist, PhD candidate at the University of NSW Dr Caitlin Creak, behavioural ecologist and arachnologist, University of NSW Cody Williams, marine biologist, PhD candidate at the University of NSW With research by Neve Kelly, geneticist, PhD candidate at the University of NSW Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer Rebecca McLaren, Producer Hamish Camilleri, Sound Engineer Recording by Harvey O'Sullivan This episode of What the Duck?! was recorded and produced on the lands of the Eora and Kulin Nations. 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.

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 kingdom. Please note that this program contains adult themes and explicit language. Parental guidance is recommended. Featuring: Associate Professor Kevin Teather, Author, The Evolution of Sex Assistant Professor Amanda Gibson, University of Virginia Professor Joseph Heitman, Duke University Professor Jenny Graves, La Trobe University Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer Petria Ladgrove, Producer Additional mastering: Isabella Tropiano This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in 2024 and was 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 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.

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 Meredith Lake, Presenter, Soul Search ABC Radio National Dr Michael Whitehead, Evolutionary Ecologist Libby Eyre, Biologist, Macquarie University Associate Professor Andrew Durso, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida Professor Michael Kearney, University of Melbourne Dr Christine Dudgeon, University of Queensland Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer Petria Ladgrove, Producer Additional mastering: Isabella Tropiano This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in 2024 and was 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 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.

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 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: Dr Bruno Buzatto, Flinders University, South Australia Lynette Greenwood, Dairy farmer, Victoria Associate Professor Andrew Durso, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida Lucy Cooke, Author and Film maker Associate Professor Patty Brennan, Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts, US Emeritus Professor Susan Suarez, Cornell University, New York Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer Petria Ladgrove, Producer Additional mastering: Isabella Tropiano This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in 2024 and was 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 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.

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 some species have a very low bar (looking at you guppies), so Hot or Not could end up being a very individual thing. Sex is Weird is a 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: Dr Bruno Buzatto, Flinders University, South Australia Nathan Finger, Bird of the Week podcast host Jason Graham, Pacific black duck conservation group, Tasmania Dr Victoria Austin, Western Sydney University Professor Rob Brooks, University of New South Wales Dr Judy Wang, Queensland Brain Institute Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer Petria Ladgrove, Producer Additional mastering: Isabella Tropiano This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in 2024 and was 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 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.

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 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: Professor Sarah Robertson, University of Adelaide  Dr Diane Kelly, Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts, Amherst Associate Professor Patricia Brennan, Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts, US Emeritus Professor Susan Suarez, Cornell University, New York Professor Mariana Wolfner, Cornell University, New York Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer Petria Ladgrove, Producer Additional mastering: Isabella Tropiano This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in 2024 and was 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 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.

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 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: Dr Emily Willingham, biologist, journalist and author Dr Diane Kelly, Senior Research Fellow, University of Massachusetts, Amherst Associate Professor Andrew Durso, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida Associate Professor Patty Brennan, Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts, US Dr Bruno Buzatto, Flinders University, South Australia Philippa Holm, HFR Performance Horses, Victoria Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer Petria Ladgrove, Producer Additional mastering: Isabella Tropiano This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in 2024 and was 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 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.

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. Earth — this is your sexual history! Please note that this program contains adult themes and explicit language. Parental guidance is recommended. Featuring: Emeritus Professor David Siveter, University of Leicester, UK Assistant Professor Emily Mitchell, University of Cambridge, UK and curator of non-insect invertebrates, University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge, UK Dr Marissa Betts, geologist and palaeontologist at the University of New England, Armidale, Australia Dr Emily Willingham, biologist, journalist and author Associate Professor Patty Brennan, Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts, US Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer Petria Ladgrove, Producer Additional mastering: Isabella Tropiano and Russell Stapleton Thanks also to Will Ockenden, Belinda Smith, Corey Hague and Joel Werner. This episode of What the Duck?! was originally broadcast in 2024 and was 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 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.

In 2002 Gigoo became the world's wealthiest chicken when her owner left her £10 million in his will. How does a chook even open a bank account? Within legal limitations there are ways to provide your pets the lifestyle they're used to after you die. But what about divorce? Can you have visitation rights to see your goldfish? And when a dog's day in court climbs though the tiers of the Australian legal system, it might surprise you how little the pet is mentioned. Featuring: Professor Katy Barnett, Melbourne Law School at the University of Melbourne, and co-author of Guilty Pigs Professor Prue Vines, Faculty of Law and Justice, the University of New South Wales Ian Charman, family law specialist, consultant solicitor, Adelta Legal Production: Ann Jones, Presenter / Producer Rebecca McLaren, Producer Isabella Tropiano, Sound Engineer This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and Taungurung 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.