Self Improvement Wednesday

This week on Self Improvement Wednesday, Dr Lauren Rosewarne, from Melbourne University's School of Social and Political Sciences, teaches us about her very festive special subject: Christmas films. 

Sydney's first government telephone exchange was established in 1882. By 1891 there was a petition that unleashed hell.

Latin Lecturer Dr Anne Rogerson shows you how to party like it's 99BC with the history of Roman birthdays, holidays, and military parties. 

Egyptologist Dr Camila Di Base-Dyson teaches Richard Glover all about Ancient Egyptian etiquette.

Richard speaks with Eliza Middleton, a senior ecologist at Water Technology about the incredible discovery of a new species of now-extinct sawfly

Prof. Brett Summerell shares the incredible prehistoric history of the plants that you can find in any garden around the world.

Do you ever feel stressed when attempting to multitask?   It might be because you're actually attempting the impossible.    A cognitive scientist explains why. 

If you're a conservationist trying to track the population or behaviour of an endangered animal, a photo taken by someone strolling through the bush can be invaluable. 

You might rely on GPS to get around an unfamiliar place, but how do caverneers map and orient themselves in undiscovered cave systems?

How can we reintroduce our native species to Sydney without predation from foxes and cats? 

Dr Anne Casey, a poet and writer teaches us the joy of poetry.

Australia is full of wonderful colourful animals, but shining a UV light can unlock a whole new spectacle!

Prof. Michelle Arrow explores the dramatic history behind the 1956 classic Summer of the Seventeenth Doll

Prof. Sebastian Pfautsch explores the history of science and the fundamental question of 'Why?'

You might think reading a book is a fairly straightforward exercise. But in reality, the way we read has changed radically over the last few hundred years.

Rheumatoid arthritis can cause a lot of pain and discomfort, but a combination of prescribed medication and the right diet can do a lot to help.

Scientists have stumbled across a freak of nature. Dr Jodi Rowley explains the rare and beautiful discovery of a green tree frog that's almost completely blue.

You'd be forgiven for thinking that surgery is a field that was invented by human beings, but ants might have beaten us to it.

What do you know about the bandicoot? Prof Peter Banks shares the true story of these overlooked native marsupials. 

Humans have come a long way since we wandered the wilderness and hunted for our food. But now, our IQ scores are getting worse. Neuroscientist Mark Williams says our phones might be to blame. 

How volcanoes have captivated the imagination over time

Prof. Brett Summerell shares the little-known story of this iconic Australian plant.

A new study has found two species of Australian frogs previously unknown to science, both with distinct whistling calls. 

Professor Richard Kingsford explores the millions of individual impacts of climate change. 

Medical entomology, the study of how insects intersect with medicine.

The story behind one of the most deadly volcanic events in recorded history.

Into one of the Vietnam War's most famous battles.

Have you ever thought closely about moss? An expert tells you all about it.

Whales are considered to be pretty smart creatures, and like us many species of them have innate curiosity.

They're becoming more popular, so how nutritious are they?

There's a hybrid total eclipse coming to Australia this month - but it'll only be visible from the West. Fred Watson explains what it all means

Professor Richard Kingsford from UNSW has tracked a lot of animals in his time, and he shares some fascinating insights into how it's done.

"When you have diverse teams working on problems, you get better solutions."

From Adam and Eve to Moreton Bay, what makes fig trees so special?

Have you seen flashes of metallic blue or iridescent gold in your own backyard?

A new mission to the red planet could uncover the answer.

The answer is: maybe! Volcanic activity is more common than you might think, and volcanoes can be born in the blink of an eye.

The role of women before settled agriculture is more complex than you might think

Thecla is someone that most of us would never have heard of, yet during her time, it seems she was a figure more popular than the Virgin Mary.

Learn more about the microbes that love eating through some of our most important food sources.

Trees are invaluable for absorbing carbon - how will they fare in a changing environment?

And where did it really come from?

The order of "gay male nuns" founded in San Franciso in the late 70s found its way to Sydney in the 80s.

The most infamous and inexplicable death in Shakespeare's work comes from The Winter's Tale, which sees Antigonus leave the scene being chased by a previously unmentioned bear!

Our memory is something that defines us; it plays a huge part in who we are. So how does it all work, and can you improve it?

It might seem easy, but counting our wildlife can be difficult, and it's vitally important for conservation.

Mars may have been very similar to Earth's climate in the past, says Fred Watson, Australia's Astronomer at Large

What was life like for the Ngarigo people, who lived in one of Australia's only alpine regions in the Snowy Mountains?

'Flurona' is just one example of when pathogens exist together in the human body

The story of the 'gentleman bushranger', the longest-roaming outlaw in Australian history.

How we give big tasks to the tiniest of creatures

Find out all about the curious white whale Migaloo, who looks like an iceberg underwater. Your teacher for Self Improvement Wednesday is Dr Vanessa Pirotta, Wildlife Scientist at Macquarie University.

Ever wondered how those ethereal mineral formations are created in caves? Prof Andy Baker, cave and karst expert at UNSW’s School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences is your teacher this week for Self Improvement Wednesday.

Learn all about the the prehistoric-looking alligator snapping turtle. It's the largest freshwater turtle in North America and among the largest in the world. With its spiked shell, beaklike jaws, and thick, scaled tail, this species is often referred to as the "dinosaur of the turtle world." Ben Britton, Director of the Wild Cat Conservation Centre joins Richard Glover for Self Improvement Wednesday.

Australians consume on average almost twice the recommended amount of salt per day.

They're the most diverse plant family in the world and they've managed to survive in all kinds of environments thanks to a whole lot of kooky and deceptive survival techniques. Learn about some of the sneaky tactics used by orchids with Distinguished Professor Kingsley Dixon from the School of Molecular and Life Sciences at Curtin University.

Train carriages, station platforms and other transport like buses and ferries are also some of the most-used public spaces in our cities – many thousands of us share these intimate spaces with strangers every day.

The lines of succession to the British Throne

Virgil was the Roman poet credited with keeping the flies out of Naples.

The wet weather has driven many insects out of their homes to seek shelter elsewhere — often in our homes.

The Sydney region was absolutely plagued with bushrangers, as well as cattle thieves, illegal distillers and even a few pirates, right up to the 1840s.

It's the iconic flower that has attracted attention since it was first observed by Aboriginal people thousands of years ago. Take a dip into the inner workings of the waratah with Dr Brett Summerell.

Where might the next volcanic eruption occur in Australia?

Professor Fred Watson explains how asteroids can cluster near planets in a gravity-neutral space

Just like a visit to a GP, there are ways to test the health of the environment. Richard Kingsford is professor of Ecosystem Science at UNSW and explains how the stethoscope is applied to an ecosystem.

It's the iconic flower that has attracted attention since it was first observed by Aboriginal people thousands of years ago. Dr Brett Summerell takes a dip into the inner workings of the waratah.

The series ran for 27 years with every episode written by Gwen Meredith. Professor Michelle Arrow from Macquarie University explains why it was so captivating.

If you've ever seen a spider wrapped up in a leaf on its web, that's the leaf-curling spider. Learn more from Dr Jess Marsh, an arachnologist at Murdoch University.

When you think of the story of Jesus' birth, you might be confused with the different stories you've heard about how it all happened. The Reverend Professor Dorothy Lee from the University of Divinity unpacks the two versions of the story found in the Bible.

We thought this was one species, but we've actually got three different species.

Having dogs as companions is a recent thing, isn't it? Not at all. Just ask the ancient Greeks and Romans

Why do we say the Big Bad Wolf, instead of the Bad Big Wolf? Tiger Webb, the ABC's Language Expert explains the hierarchy of how adjectives have to appear in the English language

A fascinating lesson on how the tallest trees manage to transport water from their deepest roots right through to their furthest limbs

Imagine a more relaxed commute with more space and fresh air. The key could be getting rid of many of our cars

It's considered so light an amusing, but Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is darker than you might think

The Bible says the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by an asteroid. Our own Astronomer-at-large isn't so sure.

It's mating season for the Alligator Snapping Turtles at the Big Cat Conservation Centre near Sydney. Ben Britton gives you a crash course on these fascinating creatures.

The slave whose life story can now be told

See if you can wrap your head around this fascinating maths lesson from your teacher Professor Nalini Joshi from the School of Mathematics at the University of Sydney as she dives into the world of unseen numbers, sequences and functions; and how they can be applied in the real world.

How do you define your place in the world? The theory of "Somewheres" and "Anywheres" was devised by British journalist and commentator, David Goodhart. It suggests some people are grounded to the place they're born, and others see themselves as a citizen of the world. Tim Dean, philosopher and author from the University of Sydney explains the theory.

Ever wondered why some pieces of music make you feel just so amazing you can't quite describe the feeling? Your teacher is Professor Emery Schubert, leader of the Empirical Musicology Lab at the University of New South Wales.

On Self Improvement Wednesday, Dr Brett Summerell dives into Myrtle Rust, a plant disease which has spread rapidly around Australia in just over a decade.

Two sightings of the Pygmy Blue Whale off Maroubra last year, but it's not the first time these mysterious creatures have been seen in our own blue backyard.

In Self Improvement Wednesday, how Australian Flora is helped along by fire and smoke.

The departing director of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Liz Ann Macgregor, on the work of artist, Dale Harding, of the Bidjara, Ghungalu and Garingbal peoples.

Ever wondered how on earth we managed to train our favourite furry friends to do both fun and very important things?

Turns out the accepted methodology for training man's best friend hasn't always been the same. Your teacher Dr. Kersti Seksel, vet, animal behaviourist and Adjunct Professor at the University of Queensland takes you on a short journey through the history of dog training.

A small group of Ngarigu people and academic colleagues have been working hard to revitalise an ancient snow making song, sung on Ngarigu Country at Kunama Namadgi (the Snowy Mountains). It was once observed and written down by the nineteenth century explorer John Lotsky, and your teacher this week, Professor Jakelin Troy, Ngarigu woman and Director of Indigenous Research at the University of Sydney, tells of her revitalisation and performance of the ancient corroboree - and its intriguing result.

Does language influence how we think? Could it affect your conception of time, or the colours you see, or even your ability to count?

These questions are at the heart of what’s called the theory of linguistic relativity, sometimes known as the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. Your teacher is Tiger Webb, the ABC’s Language Specialist.

You might be used to the idea that advertising revenue funds much of the media we access – newspapers, magazines, radio, television, digital media and more. But advertising is increasingly funding everyday public facilities and services in our cities – like buses and trains, bus stops, street signs, public toilets, and even road repairs. Your teacher Kurt Iveson, Associate Professor of Urban Geography at the University of Sydney takes us through the branded city and its impacts.

The black hole has captured the imagination of many an astronomer and our brightest boffins are constantly finding out more about one of the most mysterious phenomena in the universe. Your teacher Fred Watson, Australia's astronomer-at-large, sheds some light on some of the new research looking for different types of black holes.

It's a Greek word that has slipped into the Aussie vernacular, but the word "Eureka" was famously yelled by the great thinker Archimedes. So where did his lightbulb moment come from? And what happened next? Your teacher this week is Dr Anne Rogerson, the Charles Tesoriero Senior Lecturer in Latin at the University of Sydney.

Most people understand what architects do, but fewer understand what is involved in Landscape Architecture and what kind of skills we bring to their work. Elizabeth Mossop, Professor of Landscape Architecture at the University of Technology Sydney explains how to see places in all of their natural and human complexity.

Do you have a frog in your backyard? Maybe you often hear one at night in your street. Like us, frogs have preferences when it comes to where they live. Take a listen to this week's fascinating lesson with Dr Jodi Rowley from the Australian Museum.

Dyarubbin, the Hawkesbury-Nepean River, west of Sydney, has the longest recorded flood history in modern Australia. Written records go back to 1795, but Aboriginal people also told Governor King about floods before that. Your teacher is Professor Grace Karskens from the School of Humanities and Languages at the University of New South Wales, looking at how "flood-mindedness" in the area has evolved over centuries.

Dr Eliza Middleton on the history of insects

Everyone has had a nasty encounter with wildlife, even if it’s only getting stung by a bee. Now there is a global discipline of conservation science working on managing Human-Wildlife Conflict. Professor Richard Kingsford form the Centre for Ecosystem Science, at the University of New South Wales talks about how we can better understand our relationship with the world's wildlife.

Greek philosopher Aristotle influenced everything from logic to politics. So how was he able to set the tone for over two millennia of philosophical enquiry? Dr Tim Dean, a philosopher from the University of Sydney shares his insights.

“To be or not to be, that is the question" they're some of Shakespeare's most famous words. But do we know the true meaning of them? Huw Griffiths, Chair of English at the University of Sydney and author of Shakespeare’s Body Parts gives us the answer in this weeks instalment of Self Improvement.

Elizabeth Ann Macgregor, Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art educates us on the work of baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi. An artist who turned the turmoil in her own life into incredible works of art.

Fungi can help trees communicate with each other. Dr Brett Summerell, Chief Botanist at the Institute of Botanical Science explains how this fascinating symbiotic relationship works.