Graeme Hill: Inbreeding, astronomy and medical myths – weekend science

Broadcaster Graeme Hill holds the fort at Radio Live over the weekend evenings with his Weekend Variety Wireless show running Saturday and Sunday nights 8pm – 12am.

Hill regularly features scientists on his show. This week he talked to Andrew Shelling, Associate Professor of Reproductive Sciences at Auckland University about incest in all its forms and its associated risks and social taboos and how deep-seated they are, and why. Many famous people have married & had children with their 1st cousins including Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein, but did you know that Cleopatra was the product of a brother-sister union?! Her whole family were incredibly inbred.

Listen to the audio here.

Hill also interviewed Dr John Welch, a Picton GP on medical myths

You should wait at least 30 minutes after eating before going for a swim… or should you?? Sitting on cold concrete will give you piles… or will it? These and a myriad of folk knowledge is given the once over by plain talking fact machine, Dr John Welch.

Listen to the audio here.

There is also the science report with NZ Skeptics spokesperson Vicki Hyde.

Listen to the audio here.

Dr. Grant Christie talks astronomy including incredible photographs from the surface of Mars, John Dobson, an inventive amateur astronomer and author of Itinerant Guide to Stargazing, dies at the age of 98 and the Rosetta Spacecraft Comet wakes up and sends message to earth.

Listen to the audio here.