Episodes
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Ever wondered what makes us tick as individuals, or why societies thrive or fall apart? Michael Muthukrishna, the mind behind the groundbreaking A Theory of Everyone has the answers. By blending psychology, anthropology, and economics into a revolutionary framework Muthukrishna dives into how cultural evolution and social learning shape everything from our daily decisions to the fate of entire civilisations.
Whether you’re curious about the roots of human behaviour or looking for fresh insights into global challenges like inequality and cooperation, this talk with UNSW Scientia Professor Rob Brooks provides a blueprint for a better future.
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Despite rapid technological advancements, increasing affluence and population growth continue to strain our planet. Currently not a single country in the world is operating at sustainable level of resource use – and yet that is what we need to aspire to if we’re going to slow climate change, reduce inequality and increase our quality of life. So, how do we get there?
Listen to UNSW’s sustainability scientist Tommy Wiedmann and Professor of Law Bronwen Morgan, CSIRO researcher Sabrina Chakori, and former Deputy Lord Mayor and author of Glimpses of Utopia Jess Scully as host, discuss sustainability and the urgent challenge we face to create a world which ensures human needs are met without sacrificing a sustainable, inclusive future.
Presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas.
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Missing episodes?
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Why do we know so little about women’s bodies? Over half the world’s population have had a period or could be having a period right now – so why do menstruation and menopause remain such medical mysteries? And why are doctors still scratching their collective heads when asked to explain how female anatomy works? Well, New York Times bestseller Jennifer Gunter is hoping to change that.
In conversation with Caroline Ford, Jennifer will unpack why she’s sick of women being sidelined by the medical profession, and outline the steps we need to take to put women’s bodies and healthcare in the spotlight.
Presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas and UNSW Medicine & Health as a part of National Science Week.
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Haben Girma would prefer not to be called inspiring. But, as the first Deafblind woman to make Harvard history and living in defiance of great social and physical barriers, it is a term often used to describe her achievements. Girma developed a powerful path to success despite facing many social and physical barriers. Overcoming all with an insatiable appetite for social justice as well as a wicked sense of humour, she’s become a leading advocate for people living with disabilities. Girma has been named one of the Forbes 30 Under 30 and was awarded the White House Champion of Change, presented by former President of the United States, Barack Obama.
In an evening of conversation with ABC’s Nas Campanella, Girma shares how she overcame adversity, how we can all advocate for more inclusive design principles, the importance of patience and understanding, and her opinions on Vegemite, in an inspiring discussion.
Presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas as a part of Diversity Festival.
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Has climate chaos, the cost-of-living crisis and the threat of AI overlords got you feeling like the end is nigh? Don’t stress. As psychologist and evolutionary biologist Athena Aktipis points out, humankind is hardwired to survive big existential crises.
In this engaging talk, Athena—armed with her trusty ukulele—and UNSW’s Rob Brooks journey through history, psychology, and shared humanity to uncover the tools that will help us survive—and thrive—amidst the chaos. Tune in to the podcast and you can expect to learn about the psychology of stress, tips for prepping (hint: duct tape is essential!), and how embracing our communal nature can turn even the direst situations into opportunities for growth and connection.
Presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas and UNSW Science as a part of National Science Week.
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In today's fast paced digital age where misinformation spreads like wildfire, the importance of science communication has never been more critical. From bogus health claims to pseudoscientific theories, the online landscape is rife with inaccuracies that undermine public trust in science. But New York Times bestseller Jennifer Gunter is trying to change this. Dubbed the internet’s gynaecologist, Gunter became an overnight celebrity when she debunked Trump’s medical examination letter and she continues to educate the masses each day.
In conversation with NSW Deputy Chief Scientist Darren Saunders, hear Jen shed light on the challenges facing modern science communicators and offer invaluable insights on how to navigate this uncharted terrain.
This event is presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas, UNSW Medicine & Health and UNSW Science as a part of National Science Week.
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From the celestial ballet of exploding supernovae to the cosmic whispers of gravitational waves, acclaimed astrophysicist Tamara Davis’ journey through the cosmos promises to captivate and inspire. With over two decades dedicated to unravelling cosmic mysteries, Tamara Davis has played a pivotal role in monumental astronomical surveys, uncovering over half a billion galaxies and illuminating the enigmatic nature of dark energy.
Listen as she shares her groundbreaking research with UNSW's Dean of Science, Sven Rogge, which has revealed that not only is the universe accelerating, but the very essence driving this expansion may be evolving over time.
Presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas, Australian Institute of Physics and UNSW Science as a part of National Science Week.
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When it comes to climate change, answers can be difficult to nail down. Will the world reach net zero in time? What does a climate change future even look like? Will the changes come in my lifetime – or is it my kids or grandkids who will suffer? With every uncertainty, you can feel your head sink a little deeper into the sand...
What is it about our lives, and the way we do, or don’t, think about climate change, that makes it so difficult to change our behaviors? And what’s being done to help motivate people in high-risk areas to prepare?
This episode features:
Ray Langenfelds – Atmospheric Scientist, CSIRO Tommy Wiedmann – Professor of Sustainability, UNSW Engineering Ben Newell – Professor of Psychology, UNSW Science Candice Boyd – Associate Producer of Geography and Registered Clinical Psychologist, University of Melbourne Jeremy Moss – Professor of Philosophy, UNSW Arts, Design and Architecture Brian Cook – Associate Professor of Geography, University of MelbournePreppers is created by the UNSW Centre for Ideas.
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The Earth is cracking under the weight of our expectations, with growth held up as the economic north star. Meanwhile, wildlife populations are collapsing, the ocean is acidifying, and carbon emissions are still increasing. Despite everything we know about what’s wrong and what to do about it, we cling to our current way of life.
Civilizations have collapsed before. Could it be happening again? And if it is, what can we be doing to prepare for it?
This episode features:
Richard Kingsford – Professor of Ecology and Director of the Centre for Ecosystem Science, UNSW Science Tommy Wiedmann – Professor of Sustainability, UNSW Engineering Mark Diesendorf – Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, UNSW Sydney Jem Bendell – Emeritus Professor of Sustainability Leadership, University of CumbriaPreppers is created by the UNSW Centre for Ideas.
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We. Love. Heat. Bring on the summer! Right? But as each month sees another heat record broken, should we start thinking about heat differently?
What’s happening on a local and global level to prepare us for extreme weather events – and for a much sweatier future?
This episode features:
Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick – Professor of Climate Science, ANU Lan Ding – Associate Professor of Built Environment, UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture William Craft – Sustainable Design Researcher, UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture Shayne Gary – Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, UNSW Business School Giovanni Cunico – PhD Candidate, UNSW Business School Tommy Wiedmann – Professor of Sustainability, UNSW Engineering Tim Howlett – Team Leader Growth Planning Projects, Dubbo Regional CouncilPreppers is created by the UNSW Centre for Ideas.
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As we struggle to reduce carbon emissions, environmental markets are creating a world where money really does grow on trees. But does putting a price on nature, and forcing the economy to value the things it’s always taken for granted, really work? And can it help us prepare for climate change?
This episode features:
Miri (Margaret) Raven – Senior Scientia Lecture, UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture Megan Evans – Senior Lecturer, UNSW Canberra William Glamore – Professor of Environmental Engineering , UNSW Engineering Tommy Wiedmann – Professor of Sustainability, UNSW EngineeringPreppers is created by the UNSW Centre for Ideas.
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In the popular imagination, preppers are busy hoarding tinned food in their bunkers while they wait for the end of the world. But is this what most prepping looks like? And is climate change as bad as all that?
The bin fire of the last few years has ramped the eco-anxiety up to an 11. But as we go about our lives, studying, feeding our families, paying off our debts and waiting for the next season of The Great British Bake Off, have we all put our heads a little too far into the sand? Sure, we’re all worried, but we can’t be thinking about it all the time, much less heading to the hills to shoot our dinner and drag it back to our underground bunkers. Besides, it won't come to that... will it?
Is there anything we can learn from the prepping mindset as the reality of climate change comes barrelling toward us?
This episode features:
John Scarinci – President, Australian Preppers Survival League Kezia Barker – Senior Lecturer in Geography, Liverpool John Moores University Tommy Wiedmann – Professor of Sustainability, UNSW EngineeringPreppers is created by the UNSW Centre for Ideas.
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Get ready to confront the uncomfortable truths about climate change with investigative humorist and climate action enthusiast Dan Ilic in Preppers, a podcast by the UNSW Centre for Ideas that dives deep into the realities we often avoid.
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Intuition isn’t just hippie-dippie or woo-woo – it saves lives, averts disasters and drives countless innovative business decisions. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, for one, regularly relied on his gut instincts.
Leading Australian neuroscientist and psychologist Joel Pearson’s The Intuition Toolkit: The New Science of Knowing What, Without Knowing Why presents five scientifically solid strategies for developing intuition that anyone can learn to harness and trust.
Listen to unlock the mysteries of human consciousness as Joel teaches us when it’s safe to rely on intuition in decision-making.Presented by Sydney Writers' Festival and supported by UNSW Centre for Ideas.
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Humankind stands at a crossroads: will artificial intelligence make us superhumanly productive, liberating us from life’s most mundane tasks? Or have we opened Pandora’s box, unleashing sentient technology that will eventually destroy us?
In a colossal contest of persuasion and wit, two teams of our best and brightest debate whether artificial intelligence is better than the real thing.
Listen and help us decide once and for all who wins in the battle of man vs. machine with team captains Annabel Crabb and David Marr, as they duke it out alongside teammates Matilda Boseley, Rhys Nicholson, Tracey Spicer and Toby Walsh.Presented by Sydney Writers' Festival and supported by UNSW Centre for Ideas.
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Physician and writer Abraham Verghese, author of Cutting for Stone, crafts a masterly narrative of three generations of a family in Kerala, through the eyes of a young girl, from her arranged marriage at the turn of the 20th century to her emergence as the matriarchal figure, Big Ammachi.
Solving the mystery of a family affliction – in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning – the book brings to life a vanished past and the impact of change on lives and communities.
Examine the marriage of medicine and literature with Abraham, joined by host Roanna Gonsalves.Presented by Sydney Writers' Festival and supported by UNSW Centre for Ideas.
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In the wake of a shift in the global power balance, how can Australia best protect itself?
Two of Australia’s most interesting foreign policy thinkers take a fresh look at Australia’s place in the world and come to some surprising conclusions. Clinton Fernandes (Sub-Imperial Power) and Sam Roggeveen (The Echidna Strategy: Australia’s Search for Power and Peace) tackle the big questions about the US alliance, the threat of China, and underneath it all, what kind of country Australia really is.
Listen as Sam and Clinton reshape Australia’s understanding of itself in the international arena, in conversation with Verity Firth AM, Vice-President Societal Impact, Equity and Engagement at the University of New South Wales.Presented by Sydney Writers' Festival and supported by UNSW Centre for Ideas.
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Money in the 21st century is increasingly cheap, digital and mobile. Looking at the risks and opportunities of low interest rates, cryptocurrencies and the global mobility of money, economist Richard Holden looks at the impact of these forces on our wallets, on the block chain and on major economies.
Presented by Sydney Writers' Festival and supported by UNSW Centre for Ideas.
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Explore the literary histories of Charmian Clift, Shirley Hazzard and Elizabeth Harrower.
Following her biography The Life and Myth of Charmian Clift, Nadia Wheatley contributed the afterword to The End of the Morning, Clift’s final manuscript, which was recently published more than 50 years after her death. Literary scholar Brigitta Olubas (Shirley Hazzard: A Writing Life) joins forces with journalist Susan Wyndham to collate Shirley Hazzard and Elizabeth Harrower: The Letters, which reveals the deep and vexed friendship between two of Australia’s greatest writers.
Learn more about these fabled authors’ work and writing lives with the scribes who are salvaging their stories from the archives.Presented by UNSW Centre for Ideas and Sydney Writer's Festival.
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Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna made not just any scientific breakthrough, but uncovered a tool that promises unparalleled control over DNA - the core of existence teetering on the brink between amazing potential and great danger.
Hear the fascinating discussion between Jennifer Doudna and Merlin Crossley as they discuss the mentors who fuelled her scientific passion, the collaborations that led to her incredible discoveries, her experience as a leading woman in STEM, and how her Innovative Genomics Institute is enabling equitable access to CRISPR technology.
Presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas and UNSW Science.
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