About the Show
Air Times
Saturdays at noon, Mondays at 11:00 p.m., Wednesdays at 3:00 p.m. (in some markets only)
Saturdays at noon, Wednesdays at 3:00 p.m. and Fridays at 5:00 a.m. (ET)
Quirks & Quarks is the award-winning radio science program of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The program is heard by a national audience in Canada of nearly 800,000 people, and by thousands more around the world on our weekly podcast.
For the past 40 years, Quirks & Quarks has brought its listeners to the cutting edge of scientific inquiry. Every week, the program presents the people behind the latest discoveries in the physical and natural sciences – from the smallest sub-atomic particle to the largest objects in the sky and everything in between. The program also examines the political, social, environmental and ethical implications of new developments in science and technology. Quirks & Quarks is a program for people fascinated by the world above, below and around them. And you don’t need a PhD to enjoy it.
Join host Bob McDonald each week to find out the latest in science, technology, medicine and the environment. We cover every aspect of science, from the quirks of the expanding universe to the quarks within a single atom…and everything in between.
Awards and Accolades
Over its lifetime, Quirks & Quarks has won more than 80 national and international awards for science journalism.
The Producers
Behind the scenes, Bob works with a team of talented producers to bring you the show each and every week.
The executive producer is Nick McCabe-Lokos. The producers are Jim Lebans, Sonya Buyting, Tina Verma and Mark Crawley.
About the Host
The host of Quirks & Quarks is Bob McDonald. One of Canada’s best known science journalists, Bob has been presenting the program since 1992. Bob is also a regular science commentator on CBC News Network, and science correspondent for CBC TV’s The National. Before joining Quirks & Quarks, Bob was the host of CBC Television’s children’s science program Wonderstruck. He is also the author of two books based on the program, Wonderstruck Iand II.
Fall 2000 saw the release of Bob’s book, Measuring the Earth with a Stick: Science as I’ve seen it. The book, which was short-listed for the Canadian Science Writers Association Book Award, is a collection of essays reflecting on his 25 years as a science journalist. And in 2015, Bob’s latest book was published: Canadian Spacewalkers, which was also shortlisted for CSWA Book Award.
Bob also hosted and wrote a children’s TV science series, Heads Up!, which ran for 3 seasons on TVO and the Knowledge Network. In addition, he is Chairman of the Board for Geospace Planetarium.
Bob has been personally honoured for his contributions to the public awareness of science with the 2001 Michael Smith Award for Science Promotion, from NSERC; the 2002 Sandford Fleming Medal from The Royal Canadian Institute; and in 2005, the McNeil Medal for the Public Awareness of Science from the Royal Society of Canada – completing the ‘triple crown’ of medals for science communication in Canada. In 2010, Bob was named as an honorary life member of the Sigma Xi Society, the first Canadian to be so honoured by America’s oldest scientific body.
And in November, 2011, Bob was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.
It’s Dr. Bob McDonald. Bob McDonald has been awarded 11 honorary degrees.
In 2015, he received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Toronto. Previously, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from Athabasca University in Alberta and an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Western University in London, Ontario – both in June, 2013.
In addition, Bob received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Calgary and an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Winnipeg – both awarded in June, 2010; an honorary Doctorate of Science from McMaster University in June, 2008 and a Doctorate of Letters from Laurentian University in Sudbury in October, 2007.
You can watch his speech to the students at Western here.
You can also watch his speech to the students at U of TÂ here.
In 2005, Bob received an honorary degree from Carleton University. The university awarded him a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, “In recognition of his outstanding contribution to helping the public understand and appreciate science”.
Bob was also recognised by The University of Guelph in 2003, with an honorary Doctorate of Letters.
Bob received two more honorary doctoral degrees in 2017, from Memorial University of Newfoundland, and from Royal Roads University in Victoria, bringing his total to 11.
His convocation address in in the second video on this page, starting at 38:23
(The CBC Archives have dug up some great old video, starring our very own Bob McDonald – in his younger days – check it out. )
Books
Check out Bob’s new book, Canadian Spacewalkers, which profiles the 3 Canadian astronauts who have walked in space. In stores – or order online now
Our latest book is Nasty, Brutish and Short: The Quirks & Quarks Guide to Animal Sex and Other Weird Behaviour . Look for it in your local bookstore or online store, and order the paperback or the e-book
And you can still order The Quirks & Quarks Guide to Space from any online bookstore. It’s also available as an e-book. Watch video of Bob and producer/author Jim Lebans, discussing the Guide to Space.
And our first book, The Quirks & Quarks Question Book, is still in print, or available as an e-book.
Science Books on Quirks
Want to hear about some of the latest popular science books from the people who wrote them? Check out our list of recent interviews with science authors.
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