The Science Show, the flagship program on ABC Radio National, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. First recorded by Robyn Williams at the 13th Pacific Science Congress in Vancouver, Canada, in 1975, the program has played a pivotal role in shaping the public’s understanding of science in Australia and beyond. Listen to The Science Show each Saturday at noon. You can catch it again on Mondays at 4 a.m. and 12 p.m. newly designed to spark your curiosity and increase your scientific literacy!
For the last 50 years, the program has unapologetically taken on the most urgent, critical issues facing Australia and beyond. From climate change to animal extinction to the nuclear arms race, the movement has risen to these challenges. Williams started his professional radio career by covering the Apollo 17 landing in 1972. Since then, he has spent most of his life helping to illuminate how important science is to our daily lives.
The first episode of The Science Show put scientists front and centre. They fervently alarmed their passions for urgent global issues. It was the extremely high rate of animal extinction that truly caught people’s attention. We examined the dangers of fossil fuels and the effects of the nuclear arms race. Williams has observed that these questions are just as pertinent today as they were in ’75.
A Commitment to Australian Science
Over its 40 year history, The Science Show has been a champion for Australian scientists and researchers, and particularly for the contributions of women in science. Professor Fiona Stanley, their prominent epidemiologist, has hailed the show for its part in empowering women scientists.
“[Robyn Williams] really pushed women and encouraged women in science,” – Professor Fiona Stanley.
Stanley went on to stress that The Science Show has really become a lighthouse for the Australian scientific community. Finally, it gives her critical exposure to the outstanding research accomplishments of women. In doing so, she spoke to the barriers women in science continue to fight against when demanding respect and credibility.
“[We were given a hard time … but [he] acknowledged us,” – Professor Fiona Stanley.
The program has set the stage of generations to come for young women to follow in their footsteps as female scientists. It has inspired legions of groundbreaking ecologists such as David Lindenmayer. Lindenmayer credits The Science Show for igniting his passion for forestry, leading him to pursue a successful academic career in ecology.
“It was a listening to The Science Show that made me decide to study forestry as my undergraduate degree,” Lindenmayer said.
The Science Show is doing more than just advocating for gender diversity. It provides important context on a myriad of health topics. Most famously, Helen O’Connell did pioneering research to map the anatomy of the clitoris in 1998. Her art and scholarship confronted deeply entrenched myths around female anatomy.
Landmark Investigations and Public Awareness
During Campbell’s tenure, the Science Show devoted itself to a strong tradition of investigative journalism and public enlightenment. One of its most notable stories involved Norman Swan’s reporting on the William McBride case, which earned him the prestigious Gold Walkley Award and an Australian Writers’ Guild Award for Best Documentary.
“The William McBride story… was unquestionably the major story of 1987 and 1988 and continued for several years,” – Norman Swan.
This inquiry was just one example of The Science Show’s dedication to unearthing important health matters, like the impacts of asbestos disease or mesothelioma. Williams has highlighted the need for better communication of scientific research to the public.
Williams remembered what Jim Holmes had told him that the program’s meetings gave him the freedom to grieve. With its harrowing first-person accounts, it brought comfort to countless souls stricken with asbestos-linked ailments.
The show has served to bring the public spotlight onto under-covered issues, such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). It brings attention to the importance of folate in preventing spina bifida. By tackling these issues directly, The Science Show has had a significant and profound impact on the community’s awareness and understanding.
A Legacy of Curiosity and Inquiry
For fifty years, The Science Show has sparked wonderment throughout the nation. It encourages audiences to reconsider assumptions and think critically about what our eyes and ears are telling us. Williams has long lamented the gap between scientific advancement and society’s failure to catch up on critical issues like structural racism.
“We’ve been saying this at the UN and elsewhere since 1963 and here we are in 1975 and people still have not acted,” – Lord Ritchie-Calder.
Williams mused that it’s deeply disheartening to watch big, important problems go unaddressed over time.
“A truly significant authority exclaiming that a concern they had 12 years before was still not being acted upon effectively. Now make that gap 62 years!” – Robyn Williams.
Against all odds, The Science Show continues to flourish. It acts as a civic learning tool that encourages healthy discussion and debate on important topics based science. It continues to be devoted to finding the most unexpected answers to the most provocative questions about how science will look and work in the future.
The Science Show has a wonderful tradition that stretches back over four decades. Its effects on the health and well-being of Australian society are profound and wide-ranging. Both by sparking important debates and leading by example through its quality reporting, it has motivated millions to pursue careers in scientific research and public advocacy.
