About this season
Catalyst is Australia's premier science investigation series. Each week the team brings you stories from Australia and around the world, meeting scientists at the forefront of discovery.
Episodes (11)
1. Are We Killing Our Koalas?
Aired 16 February 2021 • 56 min
The koala is a national icon on the path to extinction. Professor Tim Flannery investigates the story behind the headlines, meeting researchers working to understand the threats koalas face, and how we can avoid them.
2. Mars: Our Second Home?
Aired 23 February 2021 • 59 min
In the first of a two-part special, astrophysicist Professor Tamara Davis and astronomer Greg Quicke meet the Australian scientists on a mission to solve the many challenges of putting people on the red planet.
3. Mars: The Hunt For Life
Aired 2 March 2021 • 58 min
In this second episode of Catalyst's Mars special, astrophysicist Professor Tamara Davis and beloved astronomer Greg Quicke explore a question we've longed to answer - is there life on Mars?
4. Kill or Cure: The Story of Venom
Aired 9 March 2021 • 56 min
Australia is home to 66 venomous species - some are so lethal they can kill a human in thirty minutes. But within the deadly cocktail of their venom, lies a potential pharmacy of drugs that could save your life.
5. Cancer: A Story of Hope
Aired 20 July 2021 • 62 min
It's a diagnosis we all dread but with advances in technology and medicine, more people are living better and longer with cancer. We follow patients experiencing this new kind of care - their stories are filled with hope.
6. The Truth About Fasting
Aired 27 July 2021 • 58 min
Intermittent fasting is growing in popularity, and aside from weight loss, there are claims it can improve our health. Dietician Dr Joanna McMillan tracks 5 people fasting to understand the benefits and impacts on our bodies.
7. The Wildlife Revolution
Aired 3 August 2021 • 61 min
Australia is home to over a million species of plants and animals, but we're losing them at an alarming rate. In this race against time, Dr Ann Jones explores how technology can help protect our wildlife in bold new ways.
8. The Grid: Powering the Future
Aired 10 August 2021 • 60 min
Dr Niraj Lal meets the Australians leading the biggest change to the electricity grid in a century: the rise of renewable energy. Along the way he explores new technologies keeping the power on now and in the future.
9. Doctor at the Door: The McClellands
Aired 17 August 2021 • 59 min
How much could a doctor change your life if they saw how you lived? In a Catalyst special, Dr Preeya Alexander prescribes lifestyle interventions for a couple headed towards Type 2 Diabetes, and their fussy eating son.
10. Doctor at the Door: The Kulkarnis
Aired 24 August 2021 • 56 min
How much could a doctor change your life if they saw how you lived? In this two-part series GP Dr Preeya Alexander leaves her surgery and meets two families in their homes. Over 8 weeks she reshapes their lives - not with medication but with lifestyle medicine, tackling chronic pain and anxiety.
11. Magic and the Brain: The Science of Illusion
Aired 31 August 2021 • 56 min
Lily Serna explores the strange world of sensory perception, using magic and illusions to reveal the difference between how we perceive the world - and reality.