A weekly Australian science podcast exploring the people and stories behind discovery. It Starts With... curiosity, ideas, accidents, problems, or a passion — and it leads everywhere, from fossils to AI, microplastics to Mars, the microscopic to the galactic.
David Boldeman talks to scientists, researchers and others about the journey behind the science and how they got there.
It Starts With... is a ConnectSci podcast, produced by CSIRO Publishing, Australia's trusted source for fact-based content.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Content warning: this episode discusses suicide and mental health. If you need support, in Australia call Lifeline 24/7 on 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14. In the US or Canada, call or text 988.
Many people wait months to see a psychologist, while clinicians are stretched thin and burning out.
Psychologist and Ecko Health (https://www.eckohealth.ai/) founder Marika Conomos (https://marikaconomos.com/) joins David Boldeman to explain why there aren't enough psychologists to meet demand, what led her to build an AI platform to support both clinicians and patients.
They also discuss how Ecko differs from general-purpose chatbots like ChatGPT, the limits of AI and what it can't yet see in a session.
It Starts With... (https://connectsci.au/news/pages/podcasts) is a ConnectSci podcast. ConnectSci (https://connectsci.au/) delivers trusted, fact-based content, including peer-reviewed journal articles, eBooks and science news articles. It is operated by CSIRO Publishing (https://www.publishing.csiro.au/), a not-for-profit, editorially independent publisher based in Australia.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
13 Oct 2026
Are the dinosaurs in our museums out of date?
Palaeontology has changed enormously in recent decades, but many museum and theme park dinosaurs still look like they came straight out of last century.
Palaeontologist James Ronan joins David Boldeman to explain why that matters, how his Dinosaur Accuracy Audit grades exhibits on everything from posture to feathers, and why Jurassic Park's raptors are still shaping what we see today.
For more information on James' work visit james-ronan.co.uk
It Starts With... (https://connectsci.au/news/pages/podcasts) is a ConnectSci podcast. ConnectSci (https://connectsci.au/) delivers trusted, fact-based content, including peer-reviewed journal articles, eBooks and science news articles. It is operated by CSIRO Publishing (https://www.publishing.csiro.au/), a not-for-profit, editorially independent publisher based in Australia.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
6 Oct 2026
Digital cows: how AI is reshaping farms
Can AI tell when a cow is getting sick before a farmer?
An Australian team is working on using farm data to create a digital version of each cow and look for signs of illness before they become obvious.
The technology can help prevent issues to improve milk production and keep animals healthy.
David Boldeman discusses the future of farming with Alex Barakat from Digibus AI (https://www.digibus.ai/), who is helping build the technology, and dairy industry consultant Peter Best from Agstrat (https://agstrat.co/).
It Starts With... (https://connectsci.au/news/pages/podcasts) is a ConnectSci podcast. ConnectSci (https://connectsci.au/) delivers trusted, fact-based content, including peer-reviewed journal articles, eBooks and science news articles. It is operated by CSIRO Publishing (https://www.publishing.csiro.au/), a not-for-profit, editorially independent publisher based in Australia.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
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