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Offence versus Defence Nature's Ultimate Battle for Survival Some animals attack. Some defend. And some adapt over time (adaptation) to form secret weapons that sound like superhero powers! Deep in the darkness of an Australian paddock, an extraordinary battle is taking place. In one corner, a hungry Microbat armed with a remarkable hunting ability. In the other, a Tiger Moth with a few extraordinary defensive tricks of its own. These two tiny creatures have been locked in an evolutionary arms race for millions of years. Every time one develops a new strategy, the other seems to find a way to counter it. Senior Field Researcher Tom Bramble joins biologist and entomologist Dr Georgina Binns to investigate this incredible battle of offence and defence. But that's not all! Reports have arrived of a horse with zebra stripes. Could such a creature really exist? Children's author Rebecca Green, whose upcoming book A Girl. A Boy. A Horse and a Zorse arrives in November, helps Tom investigate. Meanwhile, Mia is on Wombat Watch, and our latest Real or Not? guest is a creature with a rather questionable obsession with poo. Who will win the battle? What's a Zorse? And why is someone bringing a dung beetle a gift? Grab your Field Notebook, Junior Researchers. The investigation begins now! Observe. Question. Imagine. Investigate. Visit extremelyquestionablecreatures.org to explore the Creature Archives and discover more about the animals featured in this episode.

CAN A BIRD REALLY IMITATE SOUNDS SO ACCURATELY THAT IT FOOLS PEOPLE LISTENING?  Deep in the Australian forest lives a bird with an extraordinary talent. The Superb Lyrebird is famous for its remarkable ability to mimic the sounds around it. Other birds are part of its repertoire, but reports suggest its performances can sound far stranger than that. Senior Field Researcher Tom Bramble and the Institute team investigate the Extraordinary Mimic, exploring how and why lyrebirds copy sounds and what this remarkable behaviour tells us about animal communication. Plus, there are also reports of another legendary bird that may rise from the ashes. And, the team revisits one of the strangest chapters in Australian history. The Great Emu War. The episode encourages students to explore animal behaviour, adaptation, communication and mimicry, while asking an important Institute question: When you hear something in the natural world, can you always trust your ears?

The Megalodon and the Mystery Bite Marks Something strange is happening beneath the waves. Large sea creatures are turning up with mysterious, perfectly round bite marks. And at the same time, reports are coming in that an enormous shark, that was thought to have disappeared millions of years ago, might still be lurking in the ocean. Could the Megalodon really be back? Senior Field Researcher Tom Bramble and the team from the International Institute for the Study of Extremely Questionable Creatures dive into the evidence, investigate the mystery bite marks, and discover that sometimes the truth is even stranger than the legend. Meanwhile, Coops heads out in search of answers, another extremely questionable creature faces the Institute's REAL or NOT? investigation, and the case takes a few unexpected turns. 🎧 Listen. Examine the evidence. Make your prediction. Then decide for yourself: Is the Megalodon still out there? The International Institute for the Study of Extremely Questionable Creatures Observe. Question. Imagine. Investigate.

The Curious Case of the Frozen Frog  A frog freezes solid. Its heart stops beating. It stops breathing. And somehow … this might not be the end of the story. In the very first investigation from the International Institute for the Study of Extremely Questionable Creatures, Senior Field Researcher Tom Bramble opens a case file that sounds almost impossible. With help from Mia Sullivan, field researcher Coops, the ever-watchful HQ, and wildlife expert Dr George, the team investigates one of nature's strangest survival stories.  Plus, there's a mysterious hole in the ground, a possible Drop Bear sighting, and another creature waiting to face the Institute's most important question: REAL or NOT?   🎧 Listen. Make your prediction. Then decide for yourself. The International Institute for the Study of Extremely Questionable Creatures Observe. Question. Imagine. Investigate.

The Extremely Questionable Creatures Podcast is an educational entertainment podcast that uses humour, storytelling and genuine scientific investigation to encourage children to observe carefully, ask questions, examine evidence and stay curious about the natural world.   Each episode of the Extremely Questionable Creatures Podcast opens a new Creature Case File, our Junior Researchers are presented with reports of an unusual creature, extraordinary animal behaviour or mysterious claim. Their job is to investigate the evidence and decide, is the creature:   REAL. LEGENDARY. An INSTITUTE ORIGINAL. OR NOT YET DETERMINED.   To help with the investigation, we speak with scientists, researchers and animal experts who can explain what we know, what we don't know, and how scientists investigate questions about the natural world. Sometimes we'll investigate animals so strange you'll be convinced someone made them up. Animals with transparent heads. Frogs that freeze solid. Spiders that dance. Fish that walk. And creatures that can survive in some of the most extreme environments on Earth.   Other times we'll investigate legendary creatures. Creatures people have reported seeing for hundreds, or even thousands of years. And occasionally, we'll investigate creatures that may exist only within the confidential archives of the Institute.