Can science… be creative? And can art…. Be scientific? Join us today for a wonderful perambulation through the world of art, and science, on today’s episode of Thoughts That Bug Me! Today we’ll be revisiting the Australian national insect expo to interview a very special guest. Gerard Geer's artworks are equal parts whimsical and macabre, using a range of biological preservation processing and techniques. But how similar are these fabulous creations to what scientists do in the lab? We spoke to Eva Dimitriadis, Professor in Reproductive Biology at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Melbourne to find out.

Artwork/script by Clarisse Sawyer, editing by Zofia Witkowski-Blake. This podcast was created on the unceded lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung, Taungurung, Boonwurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples.

See Gerard's artworks here: gerard-geer.com

Or on instagram @articulated_imagination

Gay bugs! Celebrity stick insects! Pulling out insect poo with tweezers on the coffee table!

Lauri Pavlovich is the artist behind the work, Bugs Against the Binary, which was shown at Melbourne's Science Gallery. This artwork was all about challenging conventional notions of sex, sexuality and gender using really cool bugs.

When some of the stick insects naturally passed away during the exihibit, Zofia saw an opportunity... to enlist Clarisse's help in making gay bug art for her girlfriend.

Many thanks to Teeb Lake for original music, and Simon Pampena for mentorship and listening notes. Artwork by Clarisse Sawyer, script/editing by Zofia Witkowski-Blake. This podcast was created on the unceded lands of the Boonwurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples.

See photos from Lauri's exhibit here: https://melbourne.sciencegallery.com/break-the-binaries-exhibits/bugs-against-the-binary#:~:text=What%20can%20we%20learn%20from,is%20full%20of%20rule%20breakers.

In our VERY FIRST episode, Clarisse and Zofia journey to the National Entomology Insect Expo to find out: who are Insect Collectors? Why do they collect? Is collecting environmentally sustainable? What happened that time Clarisse was almost arrested for insect smuggling? All this and more!

This episode aired as a segment on The Science Show on ABC RN on 18/5/24.

Many thanks to @insectexpo, Cleve Herd for speaking to us, Teeb Lake for original music, and Simon Pampena for mentorship and listening notes. Artwork and script by Clarisse Sawyer, editing by Zofia Witkowski-Blake. This podcast was created on the unceded lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung, Taungurung, Boonwurrung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples.