Mine Blowing: Pepe Clarke, CEO of the Nature Conservation Council of NSW, mines the depths of carbon emissions, coal mining and related environmental issues which have recently seen some successes in the NSW courts.

Reeling in the problems Since the 19th century Australia has introduced a number of alien fish species into our river systems, including trout, redfin and carp. These have affected the way people fish in the basin in very different ways. Dr Jodi Frawley brings some highlights from her research and interviews with fisher people from the Murray Darling Basin to illustrate these relationships. The material was gathered as part of the Talking Fish research program supported by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority.

In defence of the fly: I've been surprised at just how many advertisements there are for products to control flies and other creepy crawly insects. It's as if we are terrified of letting them into our lives. But - are they really so problematic? Do flies really deserve the dreadful rreputation they have. Today we present the views of Dr James Wallman who is something of a fan of flies - not only because of the important role they play in the environment but also because of the interesting involvement they have in forensic science. where in fact it's not rally quite up to what we see on television. Will 2011 be remembered as the Year of Opinion? Where people express mere opinions and they are regarded as carrying as much weight as evidence based facts? It's much of the problem with the global warming debate where individuals simply express the opinion that it is all a hoax, it isn't real,, and this is regarded a equally important as extensive rigorous scientific data. Today we revisit a very informative and factual discussion with Professor Matthew England from the University of New South Wales who discusses this problem in relation to ocean warming.

Will 2011 be remembered as the Year of Opinion? Where people express mere opinions and they are regarded as carrying as much weight as evidence based facts? It's much of the problem with the global warming debate where individuals simply express the opinion that it is all a hoax, it isn't real,, and this is regarded a equally important as extensive rigorous scientific data. Today we revisit a very informative and factual discussion with Professor Matthew England from the University of New South Wales who discusses this problem in relation to ocean warming.

In the last few years AQOB has had the opportunity to produce a series of short environmental films and these are now available on You Tube. Since they are not only visually attractive but easy on the ears as a radio program, we're presenting two of them today. They are two in a series on the grey headed flying fox called 'Bat Wraps'. The first is about a wildlife carer who talks about her experiences in raising an orphaned baby flying fox Thomas. The second explores the experiences of Marjorie and Janet, who have devoted much of their time over the years to the cause of the very much endangered grey headed flying fox.

Strange weather for Christmas in Sydney .. or is it? As Earth strays from year to year in its wobbly way around the sun its varied tilts and turns have much to do with our cycles of unseasonable (?) weather. Memory and learning in - wait for it - bees. It seems short and long term memory and lateralisation of the efficient brain belongs to more species than just vertebrates.