Best Curious Lightning Podcasts (2025)

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Wee-Lemons, Life On Mars & Moon Balloons 39:00

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2d ago39:00

39:00

Should you really be weeing on your lemon tree? How close are we to finding proof of life on Mars? And what would happen to a helium balloon in zero gravity? Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith.By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Gap's Beauty Play, Kroger's 'Deli Of The Future' & Sam's Club's Next Level App Redesign | Fast Five 42:32

3d ago42:32

42:32

In this week’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso, Chris and Anne discussed: Sam’s Club’s brilliant app redesign — Anne and I break down why this move is so genius and what other retailers can and cannot learn from it. (Source) Gap’s beauty gamble — The company want…

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BONUS: Parmigianas, shopaholics and small talk 19:00

1d ago19:00

19:00

It turns out, you have A LOT of science (and not-science) questions for Dr. Karl - and he's going to answer them!By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Lightning Round: Viral Food Trends, French Name Rankings & Back-to-School Hacks | Fast Five Shorts 6:03

5d ago6:03

6:03

Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso. Chris and Anne tackle viral grocery shopping trends, discuss Nestlé's leadership chaos, share parenting hacks for school prep, and debate cool-sounding French names. From the "5-4-3-2-1" grocery method to bus ride realities, it's rapid-fire retail commentary…

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Waitrose Smart Cart Experiment | Fast Five Shorts 5:51

18h ago5:51

5:51

Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso. Waitrose pilots AI-powered smart trolleys in Bracknell, becoming the first UK supermarket to test the technology. Chris and Anne remain skeptical about customer adoption hurdles and question why retailers are first in the water on unproven smart cart solutio…

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Lululemon's AI Leadership Gamble | Fast Five Shorts 7:13

19h ago7:13

7:13

Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso. Lululemon appoints AI veteran Ranju Das as its first Chief AI and Technology Officer, signaling a major strategic shift. Chris and Anne debate whether putting "AI" in his title shows innovation or reveals that Lululemon is lost from a leadership perspective.…

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Macy's Amazon Ad Network Partnership | Fast Five Shorts 3:56

19h ago3:56

3:56

Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso. Macy's becomes the first major retailer to partner with Amazon's retail ad service, allowing advertisers to buy sponsored product ads through Amazon's platform. Chris and Anne analyze whether this short-term revenue grab compromises Macy's long-term independ…

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Amazon's Whole Foods Corporate Takeover | Fast Five Shorts 5:31

19h ago5:31

5:31

Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso. After eight years, Amazon finally absorbs Whole Foods corporate employees into Amazon teams, eliminating the grocery chain's distinct culture and benefits. Chris and Anne debate whether this signals Amazon Grocery's desperation or sets up bigger strategic mo…

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Walmart's Marketplace Velocity Play | Fast Five Shorts 4:36

19h ago4:36

4:36

Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso. Walmart accelerates marketplace growth with expanded next-day delivery for third-party sellers across major US cities including LA, New York, and Chicago. Chris and Anne discuss how Walmart is "out-Amazoning Amazon" with 95% of the country deliverable in und…

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Episode 474 - Pucker (Indrid Cold, Part 1) 1:25:10

6d ago1:25:10

1:25:10

Hey there friends and weirdos! This week we begin our exploration of the origin story of the infamous "Grinning Man", Woody Derenberger's personal relationship with the so-called Indrid Cold, and John Keel's hijinks-filled investigation into the eerie entity. What in the world (or outside of it) is Indrid Cold? Is he an alien? An inter-dimensional …

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From DNA to Policy: Protecting Threatened Species with Prof. Carolyn Hogg (442) 24:54

7d ago24:54

24:54

In part two of our conversation with Professor Carolyn Hogg, Research Manager of the Australasian Wildlife Genomics Group at the University of Sydney, we dive deeper into the science and strategy behind threatened species management. Carolyn shares how her team is developing crucial genetic data to guide conservation, including breed-and-release pr…

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Hypnotism, Sunscreen and Simulation Theory 39:25

5d ago39:25

39:25

What is the science behind Deja-Vu? Do we all see the same colours? Does cotton cause indigestion? Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Jaimee Taylor-Nielsen.By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Amazon Ingests Whole Foods, Macy’s Sleeps With The Enemy & Walmart Wants To Outdo Both | Fast Five 47:36

10d ago47:36

47:36

In this week’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso, Chris and Anne discussed: Walmart launching next-day delivery for third-party marketplace orders in major cities like LA, NYC, Chicago, Houston and Atlanta, as the retailer aims to have 95% of the country deliverabl…

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BONUS: Life on Mars, bum cracks and the power of optimism 27:00

6d ago27:00

27:00

It turns out, you have A LOT of science (and not-science) questions for Dr. Karl - and he's going to answer them!By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Lightning Round: Oasis Comeback Glory, Soccer Star & Mandalay Bay Travel Hack | Fast Five Shorts 5:48

12d ago5:48

5:48

Ben Miller shares his Oasis reunion experience, thoughts on Arsenal's 15-year-old sensation Max Dowman, and reveals the ultimate Vegas conference hack for Shoptalk and Groceryshop attendees. Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso. For the full #fastfive episode head here: https://youtu.be/M4FL5AO9…

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Fabletics Tech Transformation - RFID Rollout | Fast Five Shorts 6:33

8d ago6:33

6:33

Fabletics achieves 95-97% fill rates and 20% sales boosts with comprehensive RFID rollout. Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso, Shoptalk’s Ben Miller joined Chris and Anne to explore why RFID is becoming the GPS moment for apparel retail and why every retailer should be paying attention. For th…

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BNPL Goes North - Walmart Canada's Klarna Rollout | Fast Five Shorts 6:19

12d ago6:19

6:19

Walmart Canada deploys Klarna's buy-now-pay-later service across 400+ stores. Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso, Shoptalk’s Ben Miller joined Chris and Anne to debate whether BNPL will become ubiquitous in stores within three years or if credit cards will capture this market instead. For the …

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Best Buy Goes Broader - Third-Party Marketplace Debut | Fast Five Shorts 5:46

12d ago5:46

5:46

Best Buy officially launches its third-party marketplace with 500 vetted sellers. Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso, Shoptalk’s Ben Miller joined Chris and Anne to discuss what Best Buy needs to do right to succeed and how this could create new opportunities for Geek Squad upselling. For the …

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Rental Cars Go Retail - Hertz Joins Amazon Autos | Fast Five Shorts 6:10

12d ago6:10

6:10

Hertz Car Sales launches on Amazon Autos, bringing thousands of pre-owned vehicles to the marketplace. Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, Quorso, Shoptalk’s Ben Miller joined Chris and Anne to discuss how this partnership could finally disrupt the car buying experience and what it means for the future of…

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"The Fidelke Faux Pas" - Target's CEO Succession Controversy | Fast Five Shorts 14:37

13d ago14:37

14:37

Target names Michael Fiddelke as next CEO in a move that's sparking industry debate. Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso, Shoptalk’s Ben Miller joined Chris and Anne to break down why this internal succession might be the wrong move for the struggling retailer. Chris argues this could be "The F…

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Episode 473 - Thick Lightning (Pentyrch UFO) 1:24:25

8d ago1:24:25

1:24:25

Hey there friends and weirdos! This week we travel to Wales to learn about a bizarre UFO sighting that may have led to a government cover-up. Did a bunch of Welsh folks in the countryside see military craft get into a battle with an extraterrestrial craft? How does this flying object shoot so-called "thick lightning"? Did a portal to another dimens…

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Whales, Wildlife, and Conserving Threatened Species with Prof. Carolyn Hogg (441) 27:29

10d ago27:29

27:29

From collecting urine samples in Antarctica to sampling whale snot to study reproduction, Dr. Carolyn Hogg's career is anything but ordinary. In this episode, she shares how her passion for protecting threatened species led her down some unexpected paths, including earning the nickname ‘Dr. Snot’. We chat about her PhD on whale behaviour, wild whal…

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Changing seasons, vape smoke and heat cream vs. hand lotion 42:00

12d ago42:00

42:00

What would happen if we all jumped at once? Is there anything a black hole can't swallow? And what cooks faster, baked or boiled sweet potato? Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith.By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Amazon Autos, Best Buy’s Marketplace & The Potential Target Fiddelke Faux Pas | Fast Five 59:28

17d ago59:28

59:28

In this week’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso, Shoptalk’s Ben Miller joined Chris and Anne to discuss: Target’s CEO Succession – Michael Fiddelke named as next CEO, sparking debate about internal vs. external leadership choices (Source) Hertz Car Sales on Amazon…

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Beam, Jam, Burn: How EW and Lasers Will Break Drone Swarms 19:06

18d ago19:06

19:06

Drone swarms are changing the battlefield by making mass cheap and scalable. Hundreds of low-cost drones can overwhelm sensors, saturate defenses, and force militaries to burn through expensive interceptors just to stay alive. In this episode, we unpack why swarms are so difficult to stop and why the old math of defense no longer works. The solutio…

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Lightning Round: Crocs Go Pro, Harry Potter Donuts & Back-to-School Pawn Shopping | Fast Five Shorts 4:12

19d ago4:12

4:12

Chris and Anne tackle the week's quirkiest retail stories in rapid-fire format! Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso. From NFL-themed Crocs to Harry Potter donuts and pawn shops becoming back-to-school destinations, discover the unexpected retail trends shaping consumer behavior. For the full ep…

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Target & Ulta Beauty Partnership ENDS In 2026 - Retail's Biggest Breakup | Fast Five Shorts 6:33

19d ago6:33

6:33

Target and Ulta Beauty are ending their successful shop-in-shop partnership in August 2026, shocking the retail world. Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso. Chris delivers harsh criticism of Target's strategy while Anne worries about the retailer's future without one of its biggest traffic drive…

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IKEA Inside Best Buy: Genius Partnership or Expensive Mistake | Fast Five Shorts 5:28

19d ago5:28

5:28

IKEA is opening mini showrooms inside select Best Buy stores, focusing on kitchen and laundry products with IKEA designers on-site. Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso. Chris and Anne disagree on whether this partnership makes sense - is it smart space utilization or an over-engineered branding…

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Warby Parker Kills It's Signature Home Try-On Program - What This Means for Growth | Fast Five Shorts 4:33

19d ago4:33

4:33

Warby Parker is ending its iconic Home Try-On program by year-end, citing that most customers now live within 30 minutes of a store. Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso. Chris and Anne analyze what this cost-cutting move signals about Warby's growth challenges and whether the Target partnership…

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Why Starbucks Is Killing It's Mobile-Only Pickup Stores For Better "Vibes" | Fast Five Shorts 4:25

19d ago4:25

4:25

Starbucks is shutting down 80-90 mobile-only pickup stores because they lack "warmth and human connection." Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso. CEO Brian Niccol's surprising strategy shift prioritizes coffee house "vibes" over efficiency. Chris and Anne debate whether this move makes sense or …

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Why Amazon's Fresh Food Delivery Won't Kill Walmart (Yet) | Fast Five Shorts 6:02

20d ago6:02

6:02

Amazon launches same-day delivery for perishable foods across 1,000+ US cities - but is it a real threat to Walmart and Instacart? Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso. Chris and Anne break down why this might not be the grocery game-changer everyone expects. From infrastructure challenges to co…

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Episode 472 - Betting for the Church (Kingdom of Yahweh, Part 2) 1:20:56

20d ago1:20:56

1:20:56

Hey there friends and weirdos! This week we conclude our exploration of the Kingdom of Yahweh and the story of its founder, Dr. Joe Jeffers. How does the Doctor of Divinity and True Son Joe run this cult-y UFO-adjacent scheme into the ground? How much more disturbing legal trouble can one man run into before it catches up with him? And how many wiv…

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Lightning, Fertiliser, and the Future of Green Nitrogen with Professor PJ Cullen (440) 29:53

17d ago29:53

29:53

In this episode, Professor PJ Cullen, Chemical Engineering expert from the University of Sydney, breaks down the global nitrogen challenge. We explore why nitrogen is essential for life, the history of fertiliser - from the Guano Wars to the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process - and how today's nitrogen production is harming the planet. Cullen int…

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Science with Dr. Karl LIVE - Hosted by Lucy Smith: Part Two! 39:00

18d ago39:00

39:00

Whether you listen on the radio every Thursday, on YouTube or from your podcast feed, we've taken the show you know and love and brought it to the live stage!By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Manifestation, earthquakes and sun sneezes 41:00

23d ago41:00

41:00

Why does saliva assist suction (get your head outta the gutter!)? Can our eyes really change colour? And which planet would host the best for gigs? Dr Karl answers these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith.By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Amazon’s Same-Day Push, Warby & Why Ulta Won’t Be Target’s Last Shop-In-Shop Regret | Fast Five 44:50

24d ago44:50

44:50

In this week’s Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso, Chris and Anne discussed: Amazon adding perishable foods to its same-day delivery offering across 1,000+ U.S. cities (Source) Starbucks abandoning its mobile order, pickup-only store format due to lack of “warmth an…

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Eighty Years After the Bomb: Evidence vs. Myth 15:28

26d ago15:28

15:28

Eighty years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the debate over the atomic bombings is still alive—and often shaped more by myth than evidence. Were the Japanese already ready to surrender? Was the bomb uniquely evil compared to other destruction in the war? Could a simple “demonstration” have ended the conflict without killing civilians? In this episod…

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Episode 471 - Dual Pulpit (Kingdom of Yahweh, Part 1) 1:21:31

27d ago1:21:31

1:21:31

Hey there friends and weirdos! This week we learn the story of Dr. Joe Jeffers and his religious cult, the Kingdom of Yahweh. What are the origins of the Kingdom of Yahweh's religious zealotry? How did a fire-and-brimstone Baptist preacher gain a following of devout Sayers of the True Name? How did the inaugural 1947 flying saucer flap influence th…

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Staying Safe Online Part 2 with Troy Hunt (439) 27:01

24d ago27:01

27:01

In part two with Online Safety Consultant Troy Hunt (Have I Been Pwned), we unpack the risks of online age verification in light of Australia’s social media ban, including the personal data (often times photos or government documents) sites may demand, and how these security practices can be questionable. Troy explains why we should be thinking mor…

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Science with Dr. Karl LIVE - Hosted by Lucy Smith: Part One! 54:00

24d ago54:00

54:00

Whether you listen on the radio every Thursday, on YouTube or from your podcast feed, we've taken the show you know and love and brought it to the live stage!By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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3I/ATLAS, The Great Attractor and parent black holes 41:00

27d ago41:00

41:00

What's on the other side of a black hole? How hot does 'hot' go? And seriously, what came first: the chicken or the egg? Dr Karl and Krystal De Napoli answer these questions and more on triple j Mornings with Lucy Smith during National Science Week.By Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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U.S. Invasion of Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury) 26:32

1M ago26:32

26:32

In this episode, we explore Operation Urgent Fury, the U.S. invasion of Grenada in 1983, highlighting the political crisis, rapid military operations, and intense combat engagements that reshaped Cold War dynamics. You'll hear about the tense airborne and amphibious landings, dramatic rescues of American medical students, and the strategic challeng…