Episode

The strange physics of tides

Podcast
Ultramarine: the science of our oceans and waterways
Published
Jan 27, 2026
Duration seconds
1131
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not_requested
Canonical source
https://shows.acast.com/ultramarine-the-science-of-our-oceans-and-waterways/episodes/the-strange-physics-of-tides
Audio
https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/693101a3fb6ea8e37846b815/e/6978499a4366b0662d9e7933/media.mp3
JSON
/v1/public/podcasts/ultramarine-the-science-of-our-oceans-and-waterways-7618302/episodes/the-strange-physics-of-tides
Markdown
/podcast/ultramarine-the-science-of-our-oceans-and-waterways-7618302/the-strange-physics-of-tides.md

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Summary

David Boldeman is joined by science journalist Ellen Phiddian to explore the strange and often misunderstood physics of tides. The conversation unpacks why most coastlines experience two tides a day, why tidal behaviour varies so dramatically around the world, and what tide charts are actually measuring. Along the way, they examine spring and king tides, the influence of geography and ocean shape, and how tidal forces affect not just the oceans, but the Earth and Moon over deep time including the possibility that tides played a role in the origins of life. For the latest science news and discoveries visit https://connectsci.au/news Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.