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Sometimes, despite the hype, despite extensive funding, and despite clever and ingenious thinking, good ideas fail. Or at least don’t live up to their initial promise. There are lessons to be learnt and interesting anecdotes to be told. In this episode we look at four future-focused projects that have never really taken off: Google Glass, solar roads, space tourism and hyperloop technology.
Guests
Dr Paul Sutter – Astrophysicist, SUNY Stony Brook and the Flatiron Institute, New York
Sarah Marquart – freelance journalist, editor of From Quarks to Quasars
Andrew Hawkins – Transportation editor, The Verge
Quinn Myers – Chicago-based journalist and author 'Google Glass'
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The UN General Assembly has passed a Declaration on Future Generations. It’s designed to ensure the generations of tomorrow aren’t disadvantaged by the decisions we make today. But is it more than feel good symbolism? Could it one day be as powerful as the Declaration on Human Rights? Also, how a focus on the here and now restricts visionary thinking; and we get the results from the latest 4-day work week trial, this time in Germany.
Guests
Professor Thomas Hale – Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University
Professor Brett Bowden – Professor of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, School of Humanities & Communication Arts, Western Sydney University
Professor Julia Backmann – University of Münster
Further information
University of Münster - Germany’s four-day working week trial
Blavatnik School of Government - Implementing a Declaration on Future Generations
Brett Bowden - Now is Not the Time: Inside our Obsession with the Present
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Fehlende Folgen?
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Robot vacuum cleaners are so innocuous, many people treat them almost like pets. But they're also potential portals into our private life. Story Lab journalist, Julian Fell, learns how to hack a robot vacuum cleaner and uncovers some disturbing facts about the security of connected household appliances. Also, acts of aggression and abuse committed in virtual reality environments. So-called "metacrimes" may be cyber in nature, but they can feel very real and have physical world consequences.
Guests
Dr Milind Tiwari – Postdoctoral research fellow, Charles Sturt University
Dennis Giese – independent security researcher
Sean Kelly – robot vacuum owner
Daniel Swenson – US-based victim of robot vacuum hack
Donald Dansereau – senior lecturer, Australian Centre for Robotics, University of Sydney
Yong Zhi Lim – former cybersecurity tester, TUV SUD
Further information
ABC News - Hackers take control of robot vacuums in multiple cities, yell racial slurs
ABC News - We hacked a robot vacuum — and could watch live through its camera
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The heating climate is now recognised as a threat to our inner world – to brain health and rationality. Extreme temperatures not only impact our ability to think and our decision-making they also increase the presence of neurotoxins in the environment. And that can lead to disease and mental degeneration. We speak with the head of the newly formed International Neuro Climate Working Group. Climate anxiety is also caused by changes in our brains. So, is that a blessing or a curse?
Guests
Clayton Page Aldern – Neuroscientist, author and senior reporter, Grist.
Dr Burcin Ikiz – Neuroscientist and Chair of the International Neuro Climate Working Group
Professor Joshua Carlson – Director of the Cognitive X Affective Behaviour and Integrative Neuroscience Lab, Northern Michigan University
Further information
Clayton Aldern - The Weight of Nature.How a Changing Climate Changes Our Minds, Brains and Bodies
The Melting brain
Joshua Carlon - The Age of Climate Anxiety
Climate change on the brain: Neural correlates of climate anxiety
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Rana Sylvatica is an unassuming wood frog with an extraordinary gift. In the depths of winter, it can slow down its metabolism, flood its cells with ice and remain in a state of suspended animation for months. But it's what it might be able to teach us about preserving human organs for transplant that has scientists really excited. Also, the menagerie in an icy test tube — San Diego's Frozen Zoo and the fight to preserve biodiversity.
Guests
Dr Ken Storey — Professor of Biology and Biochemistry, Carleton University, Canada.
Dr Saffron Bryant – Senior lecturer, Department of Physics, RMIT University
Marlys Houck – Curator, Frozen Zoo, San Diego Wildlife Alliance
Dr Justine O’Brien – Manager, Conservation Science,Taronga Conservation Society Australia
Further information
Youtube video of a frozen frog thawing
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The demand for sex tech is booming. That is, toys and apps that can be used for pleasure, communication or to improve sexual health.
Developers are using innovative ways to incorporate AI in a way that is respectful of both consent and the diversity of human desire.
But it seems some male developers are intent on weaponising it against women.
In this special episode of Future Tense, Stephen Stockwell, explores the power of the emerging technology, its potential benefits and harms, and the need to keep a clear focus on consent.
Guests
Madison Griffiths – Melbourne-based writer, artist and producer
Bryony Cole – host of the Future of Sex Podcast
Professor Alan McKee – pornography researcher and Head of the School of Art, Communication and English, University of Sydney
Ashley Neale – founder of My Peach AI
Further information
Madison Griffiths - Orifice.ai, and the Arousal of Rejection
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It was known as Wolf Warrior diplomacy – a brand of Chinese foreign ministry posturing that was as aggressive as it was unexpected. But has Beijing now changed tack? And if so, why? Also, does the theory of Institutional Amnesia explain why our preparedness for natural disasters is often found wanting?
Guests
Assistant Professor Tyler Jost — Political Science, International and Public Affairs, Brown University (US)
Dr Sarah Robertson – Research Fellow in sustainability, RMIT University
Dr Paul Barnes — Senior Research Fellow and emergency and risk management expert, Griffith University
Dr Alastair Stark – Associate Professor in Public Policy, School of Political Science and International Studies, Queensland University
Further information
Future Tense - The best response to disasters: centralised strength or community mitigation?
Select Committee on Australia's Disaster Resilience
Have China's Wolf Warriors Gone Extinct?
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Gone are the grandiose infrastructure projects, replaced by an emphasis on smaller development opportunities. China's Belt and Road initiative has entered its second decade — and it's changing. It now also includes a determined focus on green technology. But is the recalibration a sign of the project's overall success? Or a scaling back because of China's growing economic problems? And what has Beijing learnt about debt-levels and governance?
Guests
Professor Christoph Nedopil – Director of Asia Institute, Griffith University
Associate Professor Chong Ja Ian – Political Science, National University of Singapore
Associate Professor Jessica Liao – Political Science, North Carolina State University
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2024 has been an eventful year for democracies around the world. More than 80 countries, containing over half the world's population, are holding elections this year. It's democracy's mega test. The implications for the future of democracy and world order are profound.
Guests
Professor Nick Bisley – Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University
Dr Gorana Grjic – Senior Researcher, Swiss and Euro-Atlantic Security Team, ETH Zürich's Center for Security Studies (CSS)
Dr Priya Chako – Associate Professor, International Politics, University of Adelaide
Dr Raul Sanchez-Urribarri – Senior Lecturer in Crime, Justice and Legal Studies, Department of Social Inquiry, La Trobe University
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Could the realities of an aging population and a declining birth rate soon make our obsession with youth a thing of the past? It's not just an equity issue it also has implications for politics and economics, because the citizens and consumers of the future will inevitably be older. So, how do we reframe our perceptions of aging to make the most of a very different future workplace?
Guests
Assistant Professor Sven Brodmerkel – Advertising and Integrated Marketing Communications, Bond University
Assistant Professor Nicole Dalmer — Associate Director of the Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging, McMaster University (Canada)
Avivah Wittenberg-Cox — CEO of the consultancy 20-first — specialising in gender and generational balance
Dr Markus Wettstein – Research Assistant, Department of Psychology, Humboldt University of Berlin
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Chat GPT pioneer, Sam Altman, reckons democratic countries will need to re-write their social contracts once AI reaches its full potential, such is its power to shape the future. But to quote a famous political aphorism: "he would say that, wouldn't he?" Princeton computer scientist, Arvind Narayanan, joins us to talk about the hype, the reality and the true limits of Artificial Intelligence. His new book is called "AI Snake Oil: What Artificial Intelligence Can Do, What it Can't, and How to Tell the Difference". Also, AI's dirty secret – it's a huge consumer of both power and water. And the more popular it becomes, the thirstier it gets.
Guests
Professor Arvind Narayanan – Professor of Computer Science and Director of the Center for Information Technology Policy, Princeton University
Gordon Nobel – Research Director, Business, Economy and Governance, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney
Associate Professor Shaolei Ren — Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Riverside
Further information
Narayanan, Arvind — AI Snake Oil: What Artificial Intelligence Can Do, What it Can't, and How to Tell the Difference
Making AI Less "Thirsty": Uncovering and Addressing the Secret Water Footprint of AI Models
IT and Data Centre Sustainability in Australia
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Every crisis, they say, presents an opportunity. But history tells us differently. Social philosopher, Roman Krznaric, spells out the vital elements needed to initiate rapid change – and why a better understanding of the way we respond to crises could help in the fight against climate change.
Guests
Dr Roman Krznaric – Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, Oxford University
Dr Stefan Peters – Senior Lecturer in Geospatial Science, University of South Australia
Further information
Krznaric, Roman – History for Tomorrow: inspiration from the Past for the Future of Humanity
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Do we underestimate the value of Liberalism? Political philosopher, Alexandre Lefebvre, says liberalism underpins the modern Western world, even if we sometimes struggle to define it. And even when its brand is coopted by party-politics. Rediscovering its pure form, he argues, could be the key to a more tolerant and prosperous future. Also, is the European Union losing its taste for regulation, particularly where big tech is involved?
Guests
Dr Alexandre Lefebvre – Professor of Politics and Philosophy, University of Sydney
Laura Petrone – Analyst, Thematic Intelligence Team, Global Data
Dr Anabela Malpique – Senior lecturer, Department of Education, Edith Cowen University
Further information
Alexandre Lefebvre – Liberalism as a Way of Life
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In a world where Donald Trump embraces anti free-trade protectionism and "leftish" governments are going heavy on law and order, do the old political labels of Left and Right really make sense? Is it time for a new way of thinking and talking about political difference? And how do ordinary voters actually choose their political positions? Are their decisions based on ideology or simple tribalism?
Guests
Dr Gregory Millard – Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Kwantlen University, Canada
Dr Simon Otjes – Assistant Professor, Institute of Political Science, Leiden University, The Netherlands
Dr Verlan Lewis – Stirling Professor of Constitutional Studies, Utah Valley University. Visiting scholar, Center for American Political Studies, Harvard University
Further information
Lewis, Verlan – The Myth of Left and Right
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The Anthropocene – the idea that we now live in a geological age shaped by human activity — is a controversial topic. It irritates those who reject the whole notion of adverse climate change — and it's also now causing a fight among geologists themselves. So, what's behind the scientific contention?
Also, why some argue that textiles are the new "hidden" plastic plague.
Guests
Dr Erle Ellis – Professor of Geography and Environmental Sciences, University of Maryland
Dr Francine McCarthy – Professor of Earth Studies, Brock University, Canada
Dr Rebecca Van Amber – Senior Lecturer in Fashion and Textiles, RMIT University
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The night sky is getting brighter by about ten per cent each year — that's the scientific estimate. While new forms of lighting technology can reduce the amount of light pollution, the sheer impact of a global boom in artificial lighting is just too much. It threatens the health of both humans and other animals. Historically, darkness has been seen in a negative social and cultural context, so can we change our attitudes and learn to embrace the dark sky? In other words, see the light about the beauty of darkness!
Guests
Ruskin Hartley – Executive Director, Dark Sky International
Dr Paul Bogard – Associate Professor Hamline University (US) and author of The End of Night: Searching for Natural Darkness in an Age of Artificial Light
Dr Tim Edensor – Cultural Geographer, Manchester Metropolitan University
Further information
DarkSky International: Five principles for responsible outdoor lighting
Nick Dunn/Tim Edensor - Dark Skies: Places, Practises, Communities
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If we're genuinely concerned about the impact livestock can have on our environment, why aren't we equally worried about pets? The pet industry is booming and despite the many positive psychological and emotional benefits of pet ownership, concerns about global pet numbers and environmental sustainability are mounting. So, do we need to rethink how we live with domesticated animals? And how can we strike a balance between our seemingly insatiable desire for fur-babies and their subsequent impact on the natural world and our hip pocket?
Guests
Dr Jen Gale – Veterinarian and Director of Vet Sustain (UK)
Dr Emily Hemendinger – Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, University of Colorado
Dr Andrea Laurent Simpson – Research Assistant Professor, Southern Methodist University; Author of Just Like Family: How Companion Animals Joined the Household
Dr Andrew Rowan – founder of the Tufts Centre for Animals and Public Policy; President, Wellbeing International
Dr Belinda Jane Dunstan – Principal Lead, Creative Robotics Lab, University of New South Wales
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The rate of technological advancement in sport is unprecedented. From data analytics to robotic umpiring to smart equipment, technologies are reshaping what it means to achieve and compete. Even the International Olympic Committee has now developed an AI strategy.
It's also big business with the sport industry conservatively estimated at around one per cent of global GDP.
So, when does ingenious innovation become cheating? And if technology pushes us past the point of physical capacity, why bother with human competitors at all?
Guests
Professor Sascha Schmidt – Director of the Centre for Sports and Management, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management
Louis Weston – Barrister and sports lawyer, Outer Temple Chambers, London
Dr John Holash – Assistant Professor, Faculty of Kinesiology, The University of Calgary
Robert Marchiori – CEO Cognizant Australia
Further information
21st Century Sports. How Technologies Will Change Sports in the Digital Age
International Olympic Committee - Olympic AI Agenda
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Global media players now dominate the entertainment business and hold the whip-hand when it comes to accessing local news content. In this program we get an update on Meta's ban on Canadian news content, specifically how it's impacted production of serious news and what's been the public reaction. We also get a reality check on just how interested the giant US steaming services are in Australian content.
Guests
Aengus Bridgman – Director, Media Ecosystem Observatory (Canada)
Matthew Deaner – CEO, Screen Producers Association
Professor Anna Potter – Digital Media and Cultural Studies, Queensland University of Technology
Further information
When journalism is turned off: Preliminary findings on the effects of Meta’s news ban in Canada
Australian Television Drama’s Uncertain Future: How Cultural Policy is Failing Australians
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NASA's new telescope will revolutionise the search for non-Earth based life. It's to be called the Habitable Worlds Observatory and will be powerful enough to peer into the atmosphere of planets outside of our solar system.
But if, or when, we do find evidence of a life form beyond our solar system what do we do next? And who should decide whether or even how we make contact? A new research hub at the University of Andrews is among those drawing up a plan.
Guests
Dr Megan Ansdell – Program Manager, Habitable Worlds Observatory, NASA
Professor Adam Frank – Astrobiologist and astrophysicist, University of Rochester, New York
Dr John Elliott – Computational linguist and Coordinator of the SETI Post Detection Hub, University of St Andrews
Professor Ian Roberts — Theoretical and Applied Linguistics, University of Cambridge
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