What The Duck?!

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.