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Big Ideas
Big Ideas
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Feed your mind. Be provoked. One big idea at a time. Your brain will love you for it. Grab your front row seat... more

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Episodes

Supporting teenagers to thrive online

Teenagers 'live' online and on social media. How can they reap the many benefits that social media can offer? There... more

03 Apr 2025 · 54 minutes
Can storytellers change the world? Tim Winton and Rachel Perkins join Natasha Mitchell

Two of Australia’s most influential and legendary storytellers, author Tim Winton and filmmaker Rachel Perkins, join Natasha Mitchell at WOMADelaide’s... more

02 Apr 2025 · 53 minutes
Populist rage in America — history, causes and impacts

Populism is part of American political history. It has been and still is the dominant vocabulary of dissent. But the... more

01 Apr 2025 · 54 minutes
Good conversations — with writer and poet Ian WIlliams (CBC Massey Lecture 5)

What makes a good conversation? And do good conversations have anything in common? Ian Williams studies his daily conversations and... more

31 Mar 2025 · 58 minutes
Who can speak for whom to whom about what? — with writer and poet Ian Williams (CBC Massey Lecture 4)

We're in an era where many people feel an ownership over certain words, and how a community expresses itself. The... more

27 Mar 2025 · 53 minutes
Personal conversations — with writer and poet Ian Williams (CBC Massey Lecture 3)

Bookstores are full of titles that are supposed to help us deal with difficult conversations — about emotions, misunderstandings and... more

26 Mar 2025 · 53 minutes
Public conversations — with writer and poet Ian Williams (CBC Massey Lecture 2)

Public space is important for democracy. This is where we articulate our values, and perhaps change our minds. So how... more

25 Mar 2025 · 52 minutes
Why we need to have a conversation about conversations — with writer and poet Ian Williams (CBC Massey Lecture 1)

Ever felt that no one is really listening? At a time when we're more connected than ever, why does it... more

24 Mar 2025 · 52 minutes
Australians – the ‘aristocrats’ of Asia? The Lucky Country 60 years on

In his influential 1964 book The Lucky Country, Donald Horne wrote that Australians played an aristocratic role in Asia: "rich,... more

20 Mar 2025 · 55 minutes
Choices created Australia's housing mess, what choices will fix it? Natasha Mitchell and guests

Australia's housing crisis hasn't always been with us. So what choices created it, and what choices are now needed to... more

19 Mar 2025 · 58 minutes
Free your attention — meditation and mindfulness in the digital age

How many times have you checked your phone today? How many tabs are open in your web browser? Do you... more

18 Mar 2025 · 54 minutes
Today — you choose your family

The structures of families have gotten complex, even messy. Patchwork families are increasingly common. You can a birth mother, a... more

17 Mar 2025 · 54 minutes
Riverhood — oral histories in the Murray Darling Basin

The Murray Darling Basin is the most important river system in Australia, and the most contested. What does it mean... more

13 Mar 2025 · 53 minutes
Vested interests vs public interest? How the fossil fuel industry captures Australian governments

How has the fossil fuel industry wielded influence over Australian governments and their policies? What does it take to make... more

12 Mar 2025 · 54 minutes
France — a paradoxical country

The citizens of France have a notoriously conflicted relationship with the state. Their suspicion, if not resentfulness, of state power... more

11 Mar 2025 · 54 minutes
Can the International Criminal Court deliver justice?

The International Criminal Court has issued high-profile arrests warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu... more

10 Mar 2025 · 54 minutes
Helen Garner on footy, boys, and growing old

A "Homeric struggle", a desperate night-ballet, an ethical training ground for boys and men. Aussie Rules is a multimillion-dollar industry,... more

06 Mar 2025 · 54 minutes
Is America on the cusp of collapse under Trump? Natasha Mitchell and guests at Adelaide Writers Week

Donald Trump's return to The White House is up-ending the way America works — at home and on the global... more

05 Mar 2025 · 53 minutes
What does the internet know about you?

A trip to Bunnings, a Medibank or Optus account, a new smart car or vacuum, every facet of our daily... more

04 Mar 2025 · 54 minutes
Security in Europe hangs in the balance. Is NATO on the rocks?

Europe needs to rethink its strategies and policies to protect the continent in the future. Russia's invasion of Ukraine, China's... more

03 Mar 2025 · 1 hour, 10 minutes
Animals — Us and them? How does loving animals go together with industrial farming?

Humans have a conflicted relationship with animals: We love our pets and admire our wildlife. But we continue the industrial... more

24 Feb 2025 · 43 minutes
Animals — Us and them? Are you having a whale of a time?

Seeing a whale in the wild takes your breath away. But so much of what they do remains mysterious. Join... more

24 Feb 2025 · 53 minutes
Animals — Us and them? The cat catastrophe – pet or pest?

Cherished companions, or cunning predators? Cats kill five million native animals in Australia every day — so how can we... more

24 Feb 2025 · 53 minutes
Animals — Us and them? What is the purpose of zoos in an extinction crisis?

Zoos are changing — they are no longer just places for us humans to gawk at animals in cages. In... more

24 Feb 2025 · 52 minutes
Animals — Us and them? The true and the ugly of wildlife documentaries

Satyajit Das presents a provocative examination of the use and abuse of images of wild animals, and how they shape... more

20 Feb 2025 · 43 minutes
Jem Bendell, the fake green fairytale, and how to survive civilisational collapse

We’re past the brink of civilisational collapse. And many environmentalists are pushing a “fake green fairytale”. Jem Bendell’s arguments have... more

19 Feb 2025 · 54 minutes
A murder in Malta — how Daphne Caruana Galizia's fight for justice lives on in her son

For 30 years, Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia exposed corruption and wrong doing in her country. Her youngest son,... more

18 Feb 2025 ·
Empireworld — Sathnam Sanghera on how British imperialism shaped the globe

The British Empire was once the biggest in the world. But now, some countries are cutting ties, and some want... more

18 Feb 2025 · 41 minutes
Living out your mental illness in public paves the way to lasting change

Being who we are in public (with our mental illness) is the only way to create lasting change. Amanda Tattersall,... more

17 Feb 2025 · 53 minutes
Uncancelled culture — forgiveness and redemption in the digital age

Cancel culture has ruined careers and lives — but did they deserve it? What consequences should people face for what... more

13 Feb 2025 · 54 minutes
I can change the world! How these changemakers found their superpower

Sara Shams had both legs amputated at age six — it became her superpower. 15-year-old Taylor Ladd-Hudson turned a shark... more

12 Feb 2025 · 53 minutes
Re-thinking the relationship between brain and machine

Imagine a world where your brain is enhanced through cutting-edge technologies and next-generation AI, blurring the lines between organic and... more

11 Feb 2025 · 54 minutes
Video games — a new frontier in the fight for global influence?

With more than 3 billion people playing video games worldwide, they have the potential to wield tremendous power and influence.... more

10 Feb 2025 · 52 minutes
Don’t be a D**khead — with musicians Kasey Chambers and Clare Bowditch

When Kasey Chambers was growing up, her dad had one simple, yet profound piece of advice. Just don't be a... more

06 Feb 2025 · 53 minutes
Should scientists stand up as things fall down? Advocacy, activism, impartiality and the risks

President Donald Trump’s administration is already muzzling government-funded scientists. Closer to home, Australian scientists have their own stories to tell... more

05 Feb 2025 · 54 minutes
Minority report — the new shape of Australian politics, with George Megalogenis and Tory Shepherd

From the inner cities to the outer suburbs, to rural and regional Australia, just what is going on in minds... more

04 Feb 2025 · 52 minutes
Why Australian politicians welcomed fascists after the Second World War

Australia resettled fascists, even war criminals after World War II as part of a worldwide program led by the International Refugee... more

03 Feb 2025 · 51 minutes
What’s the secret to governments making wise decisions?

Take folly, friction, pain and empathy … mix well, and you get wise governmental decisions. If only it was that... more

30 Jan 2025 · 53 minutes
Merlin Sheldrake's Entangled Life — how fungi do things differently, and inspire us to as well

Have you noticed mushrooms are having a moment? Merlin Sheldrake's New York Times bestselling book Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our... more

29 Jan 2025 · 54 minutes
Nicky Winmar and Rhoda Roberts − showing racism in sport the red card

Nicky Winmar's iconic stand against racism was a wakeup call more than 30 years ago. But how much has really... more

28 Jan 2025 · 42 minutes
Chopsticks or fork? — Jennifer Wong and Lin Jie Kong with Annabel Crabb

Almost every country town across Australia has a Chinese restaurant. Why is that? And what role do they play in... more

27 Jan 2025 · 51 minutes
Writers who rock — on the art of music writing

You've got half an hour with Lou Reed/ Nick Cave/ Courtney Love: what do you ask them? Three of Australia's... more

23 Jan 2025 · 53 minutes
How surfing writer Tim Baker and doctor Peter Goldsworthy learnt to live well and laugh with cancer

Meet two men who will change the way you think about an experience most of us fear but will be touched... more

22 Jan 2025 · 54 minutes
The fight to protect abortion in the United States — with Dr Angel Foster

For 50 years, women in the United States had a constitutionally enshrined right to abortion. But in 2022, that right... more

21 Jan 2025 · 53 minutes
The Knowledge Gene — the incredible story of the supergene that gives us human creativity

Prepare to have your mind blown with a sweeping saga that connects human evolution, brains, genes, art, music, creativity, knowledge,... more

20 Jan 2025 · 54 minutes
Is there life on Mars?

It's a question that has focused the minds of astronauts, scientists, space entrepreneurs and enthusiasts alike — is there, could... more

16 Jan 2025 · 53 minutes
The delicate complexities of treating mental illness — Jonathan Rosen, Patrick McGorry with Natasha Mitchell

New York writer Jonathan Rosen’s memoir The Best Minds: a story of friendship, madness, and the tragedy of good intentions... more

15 Jan 2025 · 52 minutes
Mary Beard and the Roman Empire

For decades, Mary Beard has forged her own path through the male dominated field of academia, from the ruins of... more

14 Jan 2025 · 54 minutes
Looking to a healthy future with Helen Clark

We are living in an "age of crises," says former New Zealand prime minister, Helen Clark. With her leadership experience... more

13 Jan 2025 · 53 minutes
How traumatic stress hurts us — with Bessel van der Kolk

Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world's foremost experts on trauma, discusses his pioneering research into traumatic stress and... more

09 Jan 2025 · 53 minutes
Are national deficits a myth? Stephanie Kelton explodes an economic holy cow

When governments say they can't afford to fix climate change or lift kids out of poverty are they speaking the... more

08 Jan 2025 · 54 minutes
How to cut through political spin — Richard Denniss, Joelle Gergis, Yanis Varoufakis, Tom Keneally with Natasha Mitchell

Join host Natasha Mitchell and guests for some straight talk that cuts through spin and jargon. Has the way politicians speak... more

07 Jan 2025 · 54 minutes
Islands rising — life on the front lines of the climate crisis

Residents of the Pacific and Torres Strait Islands face an existential threat from climate change, as rising sea levels threaten... more

06 Jan 2025 · 52 minutes
Liberalism as the basis of life?

Liberalism isn't just a political philosophy but the basis of a truly meaningful life. That's the bold statement of philosopher... more

02 Jan 2025 · 53 minutes
Thriving not just surviving with Tibetan master Mingyur Rinpoche, a Sufi scholar and Indian philosopher of mind

Tibetan master Venerable Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche experienced terrifying panic attacks as a little boy. What did he learn about suffering,... more

01 Jan 2025 · 53 minutes
AC Grayling — How to live well, according to philosophy

You wouldn't be human if you hadn't from time to time wondered what the meaning is of all of this.... more

31 Dec 2024 · 55 minutes
Laurie Anderson on time and life

Pioneering electronic musician and performer Laurie Anderson invites you contemplate the wonders of time. Time is one of the most... more

30 Dec 2024 · 54 minutes
Hugh Mackay — Australian society in the 21st century

From loneliness, to our technology addiction, growing inequality and our shrinking middle class, our faith in God, to the complex... more

26 Dec 2024 · 56 minutes
Holly Ringland helps you to get creative

Best-selling author Holly Ringland says that everyone can be creative – yes, even you! Be it painting, cooking, knitting a... more

25 Dec 2024 · 53 minutes
Lifting the lid — the lost story of an extraordinary Egyptian coffin revealed

A wooden sarcophogas is sold in a Cairo market in the 1800s, transported to Australia, and held in a University... more

24 Dec 2024 · 57 minutes
Andrew O'Hagan — Literature and truth in the era of fake news, algorithms and artificial intelligence

The internet was supposed to make the world more open and connected, but things seem to have taken a dark... more

23 Dec 2024 · 53 minutes
Eric Bogle tells it all — his songs and his life

Folk legend Eric Bogle is opening up and talks about his life, his thoughts about death, friendship and love and... more

19 Dec 2024 · 54 minutes
The debate over shark nets: killers or life savers? With Natasha Mitchell and guests

They use of shark nets to protect us from sharks is highly controversial.  Do they work, what do they do to... more

18 Dec 2024 · 54 minutes
Meet the mothers of Australia's women's refuge movement

At a time when family violence wasn't even recognised by the law, a group of women broke into two vacant... more

17 Dec 2024 · 53 minutes
Is Australia overrun by feral animals? With Gardening Australia's Costa Georgiadis

Australia's unique biodiversity, a product of almost 50 million years of glorious evolutionary isolation, is in freefall. The threats are... more

16 Dec 2024 · 53 minutes
Benjamin Law’s butt, and the power and politics of portraiture

From Vincent Namatjira's painting of Gina Rinehart, to Jonathan Yeo's take on King Charles, what do portraits say about those... more

12 Dec 2024 · 54 minutes
The surfer and circumnavigator — the gobsmacking feats of Pauline Menczer and Bonnie Hancock

A freckle-faced kid from Bondi, Pauline Menczer fought the entrenched sexism of the pro-surfing scene to became women's world surfing... more

11 Dec 2024 · 54 minutes
President Petr Pavel – on why the war in Ukraine is a fight for geopolitical stability worldwide

Do you want to live in Putin’s vision of a world in which ‘the big boys’ dominate …. or in... more

10 Dec 2024 · 53 minutes
Memory, refugees and the Vietnam War — with Pulitzer Prize winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen

Born a refugee of the Vietnam War, and now a Pulitzer Prize winning American author, Viet Thanh Nguyen unpacks the... more

09 Dec 2024 · 56 minutes
Who gets to shape the story? Reporting on the conflict in the Middle East — with The Guardian’s Nour Haydar

There's been a move by Australian newsrooms to foster and champion the diversity of their staff. But when it comes... more

05 Dec 2024 · 59 minutes
50 years after Cyclone Tracy — powerful memories of horror and hope

Don't miss these previously unheard and powerful stories of ordinary people surviving extraordinary circumstances.  Cyclone Tracy destroyed 80 percent of... more

04 Dec 2024 · 52 minutes
Deaf defying: disability leadership as an act of resistance — with Dr Scott Avery

In outback New South Wales, on the dried up, ancient clay shores of Lake Mungo, is a story that has... more

03 Dec 2024 · 53 minutes
Trees, seeds, and ecotourism — the hidden histories Nature reveals about us

Can a single seed tell the story of a civilisation? What do the scars on the skins of 200-year old... more

02 Dec 2024 · 54 minutes
The right to discriminate? Religious schools and Australian human rights law

Human rights are meant to be universal, but what happens when those rights conflict with one another? For example, a... more

28 Nov 2024 · 51 minutes
Is it still possible for empathy to trump hate? Here's how. Rhonda Magee and Mariam Tokhi with Natasha Mitchell

Rhonda Magee grew up in segregated North Carolina in an abusive household. She knows firsthand the deep divides that define... more

27 Nov 2024 · 1 hour,
Busting the myths around menstruation and menopause, with Dr Jennifer Gunter

Is menstruation linked to the moon? Do women's periods sync up when they live together? Are girls getting their first... more

26 Nov 2024 · 52 minutes
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, 30 years on

Back in 1994, it was a pretty wild pitch for a movie: a troupe of drag queens road tripping across... more

25 Nov 2024 · 49 minutes
Together, or together alone? Teens and adults debate social media's good, bad and ugly

The Australian federal government wants to restrict social media to those aged over 16. Would that work? Adult and teen... more

21 Nov 2024 · 1 hour, 3 minutes
ADHD, autism, depression — is social media causing social contagion? Jean Twenge, Sonny Jane Wise, Alice Dawkins, Sandersan Onie with Natasha Mitchell

Is social media a contagious force harming young minds, a life saver helping people find their neurodiverse tribes and support,... more

20 Nov 2024 · 54 minutes
Negotiating peace against the odds can be murky business

Mediation in armed conflicts means sitting down with brutal war lords, hiding your true values and in an open dialogue... more

19 Nov 2024 · 43 minutes
The 4-Day-Week − creating a better work life balance or just more stress?

Pressing a full-time  workload into four days sounds like simply adding more stress to your job – even if you... more

18 Nov 2024 · 52 minutes
From Mumbai to Studio 54 — how Asha Puthli became India's first disco star

She was Andy Warhol's muse, she's been sampled by Notorious BIG, and her music was once voted on the ten... more

14 Nov 2024 · 53 minutes
Joanna Murray-Smith — You’re Right, I’m Wrong: The Artist's Role in a Shifting World

The leading playwright Joanna Murray-Smith makes a powerful case for the role of the arts in Australian public life, arguing... more

13 Nov 2024 · 56 minutes
The future of remembering wars past — school students speak frankly with Natasha Mitchell at the Shrine

How should we reflect on wars, past and present? Do the rituals of Remembrance Day and Anzac Day hold meaning... more

11 Nov 2024 · 54 minutes
Ending homelessness is possible

It needs strong leadership and good coordination. But most of all, it needs public opinion to rise up and push... more

07 Nov 2024 · 53 minutes
What's wrong with death? Sophia Club live philosophy with Natasha Mitchell and guests

When you're alive, the idea of dying feels weird, remote, alien. Yet it's the one experience we will all have.... more

06 Nov 2024 · 57 minutes
From Gatsby to Huck Finn — American literature in an age of polarisation

From To Kill a Mockingbird to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, there are no shortage of options to include on... more

04 Nov 2024 · 49 minutes
Old, new, best, true — the joy, power and heartache of friends

Friends are among the most important relationships we will have in our lives. So what makes someone a friend, how... more

31 Oct 2024 · 52 minutes
Unconventional women — a hidden story of nuns with Natasha Mitchell and guests

Why did acclaimed actor Melissa Jaffer step away from the spotlight and the swinging 60s to enter a strict cloister... more

30 Oct 2024 · 58 minutes
Candice Fox, Matthew Conon, Benjamin Stevenson – on the ethics of crime writing

Literature on crime is huge. Many of you just love to read about a good murder. But do you prefer... more

28 Oct 2024 · 53 minutes
SOS Democracy with Jon Faine — Can democracy survive social media?

From mis and disinformation to election interference, parts of the internet have become dystopian, due to a lack of regulation.... more

27 Oct 2024 · 57 minutes
SOS Democracy with Niall Ferguson and Barrie Cassidy — Is democracy doomed?

Ninety years ago, in the face of communism, fascism, and the Great Depression, Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies, asked the... more

25 Oct 2024 · 53 minutes
SOS Democracy with Scott Stephens — Saving democracy with decency

Democracy is in retreat, authoritarianism on the rise. But this has happened before. So how did big thinkers of the... more

25 Oct 2024 · 55 minutes
Spielberg, a tuba, and a shark named Bruce — the cultural impact of Jaws

When you're swimming in the ocean, do you ever startle at a piece of seaweed? Mistake a wave for a... more

24 Oct 2024 · 51 minutes
Brain amoeba, weird worms and the wild parasites (inside you too!) with Natasha Mitchell and guests

Remember the 8cm living worm found inside a woman's brain last year? Where the hell did it come from? Parasites... more

23 Oct 2024 · 54 minutes
SOS Democracy with Fintan O’Toole — The US elections and the politics of self-pity

Irish Times columnist and author Fintan O'Toole draws on the Irish experience to explain the rise of populism and authoritarianism... more

22 Oct 2024 · 54 minutes
From pointe shoes to jockstraps – David McAllister lifts the curtain on the secrets of ballet

David McAllister invites you backstage and reveals gloriously gossipy anecdotes about the stars he's met in his long dancing career.... more

21 Oct 2024 · 50 minutes
The dangerous rise in antisemitism – Sharon Nazarian

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has fought against antisemitism worldwide for over a century. It is now documenting a dangerous rise... more

17 Oct 2024 · 53 minutes
A plea for peace in the Middle East — Louise Adler and Nasser Mashni

Two Australians who are intimately connected to the conflict in the Middle East, one Jewish, one Palestinian, make their pleas... more

16 Oct 2024 · 53 minutes
SOS Democracy with Niki Savva — Can politicians and journalists do better?

One of Australia's most seasoned political journalists Niki Savva has seen the fractures in our democracy up closer than most.... more

15 Oct 2024 · 47 minutes
What makes you a top athlete: science, training or talent?

Are you a gazelle or a grizzly bear when you run? The bounce in your step defines whether you're a... more

14 Oct 2024 · 53 minutes
Cemeteries − the parks and public spaces of the future

Can you have a wedding between the graves? Why not! – as long as it's respectful. The future of cemetery... more

10 Oct 2024 · 53 minutes
The case for controversial ideas — philosopher Peter Singer with Natasha Mitchell

Renowned and controversial Australian philosopher and bioethicist Peter Singer is no stranger to contentious ideas — wrestling with the ethics... more

09 Oct 2024 · 54 minutes
How Edna Walling changed gardening — with Gardening Australia's Millie Ross

Big Ideas celebrates the blooming daphne with a look at the life, work and legacy of a pioneer of Australian... more

08 Oct 2024 · 53 minutes
From Gaza to Ukraine — is it harder to build peace, than to start war?

The United Nations was established after World War II in an attempt to maintain international peace, security, and cooperation. So... more

07 Oct 2024 · 53 minutes
Superheroes, pop stars, and “good enough tv” — The life of a culture critic in 2024

We've lived through the age of peak TV, (and wasn't it glorious). Then cinema was BACK, thanks to the hype... more

03 Oct 2024 · 58 minutes
Gold, Galahs and the Milky Way: unlocking the universe

Does the Milky Way have a sibling and how are stars formed? How can a telescope go back over 13... more

02 Oct 2024 · 53 minutes
Why autistic people make terrific employees

Every autistic person is different, with their own strengths and challenges. We shouldn’t be asking what jobs are suitable for... more

01 Oct 2024 · 52 minutes
Is depression a form of jetlag? Understanding the circadian rhythm

Surveys constantly reveal that a huge number of us are not sleeping well. What is that doing to our mental... more

30 Sep 2024 · 53 minutes
Restoring the fine art of traditional trades

The art and ethics of artisanal trades, from stone masonry to roof plumbing to limestone mortar plastering. What can be... more

26 Sep 2024 · 53 minutes
What rights for children in care?

Liana Buchanan is a guardian of the rights of our most precious asset - our children. In a keynote speech,... more

25 Sep 2024 · 53 minutes
Students win fight for climate justice before the world's highest court

Student activists from the Pacific Islands successfully got the International Court of Justice to define the responsibilities of nations to... more

24 Sep 2024 · 53 minutes
Housing as a human right? With Alan Kohler and Kevin Bell

The median Australian house price is now about $800,000 – almost eight times the average income – and well beyond... more

23 Sep 2024 · 55 minutes
Saving winter — the future of snow in Australia's Alpine region

Australia's high country is a spectacular and precious place. It's also a place that is changing, with shorter, less predictable... more

19 Sep 2024 · 53 minutes
Busting single motherhood myths

Frequently described as victims, as failures or even as women without morals, single mothers often get a bad rap. They... more

18 Sep 2024 · 53 minutes
How history shapes who we are — with Frank Bongiorno and Peter Stanley

History is the stories we choose to tell about ourselves and others. So how have those stories changed over time?... more

17 Sep 2024 · 55 minutes
Why a scary tale is good for you − Angela Slatter, Kathleen Jennings, Naomi Novik and Shelley Parker-Chan

What is the allure of gothic fiction? How does it give shape to your most unsettling impulses? A panel of... more

16 Sep 2024 · 53 minutes
Are we taking Orwell's name in vain?

What is the true meaning of Orwellian and what can George Orwell's writings teach us about navigating the 21st century?... more

12 Sep 2024 · 53 minutes
How valid is the Australian Constitution today?

It's the living force of the nation, but how much do we understand our Constitution?  Twenty five pages sets out... more

11 Sep 2024 · 53 minutes
Gas, tax and the free market — with Nobel prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz

The idea of "freedom" is one that's often used in relation to the economy: we have "the free market" and... more

10 Sep 2024 · 56 minutes
A maze with no exits — Ma Thida on Myanmar’s struggle for democracy

Just over a decade ago democracy was within reach in Myanmar, but now the country is in danger of becoming... more

09 Sep 2024 · 52 minutes
So you want to know what’s good for your kids?— with Norman Swan

It's a tough time to be a parent. From screens, to mental health, neurodiversity, gender, diet and schooling, this generation... more

05 Sep 2024 · 55 minutes
Milk — a misunderstood, maligned, miracle food?

From soy to oat to almond, plant mylks are all the rage. But is it possible that we've misunderstood and... more

04 Sep 2024 · 53 minutes
From landmines to killer robots — inside the campaigns to ban weapons of war

It was the stuff of scifi blockbuster movie The Terminator in the early 1980s, but now lethal autonomous weapons systems... more

03 Sep 2024 · 45 minutes
Richard Flanagan, Michael Robotham on the hidden costs of cheap books

We all love a bargain, but what is the real cost of those books we buy online or in a... more

02 Sep 2024 · 52 minutes
Caribbean identity in Australia — with Maxine Beneba Clarke and Sienna Brown

The connections between the Caribbean and Australia go back to white settlement, with deep links to the slave trade and... more

29 Aug 2024 · 53 minutes
Tim Flannery and the mystery of Big Meg — why did the world's largest predator disappear?

10 humans in length, weighing 50 small cars, and with a bite that could take out two of you in... more

28 Aug 2024 · 52 minutes
Intellectual influencers — the new generation of social media stars

A new generation of female and non-binary intellectuals are using social media to share their scholarship and reach younger audiences.... more

27 Aug 2024 · 52 minutes
Is bush tucker the future of food security?

Could our continent's ancient past help solve future food security crises? Or even offer new treatments for skin cancer and... more

26 Aug 2024 · 52 minutes
Public broadcasting is not as simple as ABC — with Kim Williams and Kerry O’ Brien

New ABC Chair Kim Williams wants to see change at Australia’s national public broadcaster. In a fragmented media landscape and... more

22 Aug 2024 · 59 minutes
In this climate, having kids is wrong! The Beaker St Festival Great Debate with Adam Spencer, Wendy Zukerman, First Dog on the Moon and more

It's an adults-only hour of high vaudeville to make you laugh and think. Two teams of brainiacs go head-to-head at... more

21 Aug 2024 · 45 minutes
The fairy wrens want to you to hear this. Rewilding our cities and why it matters.

"They paved paradise and put up a parking lot" sang Joni Mitchell.  Let's get wild and urban.  Sometimes nature can... more

20 Aug 2024 · 53 minutes
Insects — nature's ultimate superheroes

Meet the world's smallest superheroes. Insects are ecological warriors, but through the brilliance of biomimicry, they're also inspiring all sorts... more

19 Aug 2024 · 52 minutes
Night Sky LIVE – a wondrous encounter with the dark sky

Join Natasha Mitchell for a very special event live under our stunning Southern night sky, with guests and listeners from... more

15 Aug 2024 · 50 minutes
New Cold Wars — America’s struggle to defend the West, with David E. Sanger

What led to this current era of superpower conflict, and what will the outcome of the 2024 US presidential race... more

14 Aug 2024 · 59 minutes
How to overcome the fear and anxiety that are holding you back

Your biological responses to fear are at the core of depression, anxiety, failed relationships and much of human misery. But... more

13 Aug 2024 · 53 minutes
Postmortem — Why forensic science is nothing like CSI

Humans have long had a morbid fascination with murder and other crimes, as shown through the popularity of shows like... more

12 Aug 2024 · 1 hour, 2 minutes
Nobel laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah: Why we must listen to the Global South

The Global South has vital perspectives in addressing the most pressing issues of our times, including inequality, the climate catastrophe,... more

08 Aug 2024 · 53 minutes
The Men Who Killed the News — Eric Beecher's inside story of how media moguls abused their power, manipulated the truth, and distorted democracy

Eric Beecher joins Natasha Mitchell to discuss his riveting and excoriating new book The Men Who Killed the News: The... more

07 Aug 2024 · 1 hour, 1 minute
Meredith Whittaker on big data, mass surveillance and the AI gold rush

Have you been online recently and noticed the internet is changing? Everything from your Google searches to your social media... more

06 Aug 2024 · 56 minutes
If West Germany and Europe could reconcile after WW II − then we all can make peace

Whether in conflicts around the world or within society, irreconcilability seems to be the hallmark of our present times. But... more

05 Aug 2024 · 52 minutes
When world news hits home, with Benjamin Law

World conflicts can be overwhelming, or sometimes they feel very remote. But for many Australians, they are deeply personal, raw,... more

01 Aug 2024 · 52 minutes
Because I Am Not Myself You See — Ariane Beeston speaks fearlessly on mental health, motherhood, and postnatal psychosis

One day Ariane Beeston looked at her baby son in his pram and saw a dragon looking back at her.... more

31 Jul 2024 · 55 minutes
Tony Armstrong's extraordinary objects showcase Australian history

A vintage ute, a novelty cheque, shearing prize ribbons, a household trunk and blanket – even the simplest of things... more

30 Jul 2024 · 53 minutes
Lawfare in Hong Kong — the case of Jimmy Lai

Jimmy Lai was once considered Hong Kong's quintessential rags to riches success story. But now, the newspaper publisher and democracy... more

29 Jul 2024 · 53 minutes
Is Australia fit for the Olympics in 2032?

It's only eight years until the torch will be passed on to Brisbane. The countdown is on: Are we prepared?... more

25 Jul 2024 · 53 minutes
Nobel scientist Jennifer Doudna with Natasha Mitchell at Sydney Opera House — the gene editing revolution, ethics, and what's next?

Join a full house at the Sydney Opera House with Nobel winning scientist Jennifer Doudna and Big Ideas' host Natasha... more

24 Jul 2024 · 54 minutes
Read all about it! — why local news matters and what we can do to save it

Who's watching your local council, keeping you abreast of issues in your neighbourhood, and celebrating your community's achievements? That used... more

23 Jul 2024 · 53 minutes
Moral philosopher Raimond Gaita on Israel, Gaza and the student protests

Moral philosopher and writer Raimond Gaita wrestles with the moral and ethical dimensions of the Israel-Gaza war to try to... more

22 Jul 2024 · 56 minutes
Andrew O’Hagan's defence of literature and truth in the age of the machines

In the shadow of the AI revolution, as the tech giants vie for our data, our attention, and our money,... more

18 Jul 2024 · 53 minutes
The surprising bonds that make us, break us, move us — Ceridwen Dovey, Anna McGahan, Ahona Guha

Join Natasha Mitchell and guests for a conversation full of surprises on the bonds that make us and sometimes break... more

17 Jul 2024 · 54 minutes
Barkaa, Steph Tisdell and Rudi Bremer: Indigenous performers are expected to be perfect

For many Indigenous performers publicity comes with the burden of being a role model. Their only options seem to be... more

16 Jul 2024 · 42 minutes
The Australian far right today

Recent elections overseas have shown a rise in the popularity of far-right politics in Europe and elsewhere, fuelled by anti-immigration... more

15 Jul 2024 · 54 minutes
Ann Patchett, Lauren Groff and Tony Birch — when writing and selling books becomes a political act

In some parts of the United States, you're more likely to see a book banned in public libraries and schools,... more

11 Jul 2024 · 52 minutes
A reflection on Indigenous leadership, from Mabo and beyond

From land rights to health and education, working within the system or outside of it, what makes a great Indigenous... more

10 Jul 2024 · 53 minutes
State of democracy in Asia

Democracy is not necessarily the winner of the recent elections in Asia. More than a billion people across the region... more

09 Jul 2024 · 53 minutes
Black, White, and what next? A case for reconciliation after the Voice Referendum

In NAIDOC Week, is reconciliation between Black and White Australians dead, buried, or in need of re-imagining? The fallout of... more

08 Jul 2024 · 54 minutes
Hugh Mackay on Australia today

From loneliness, to our technology addiction, growing inequality and our shrinking middle class, our faith in God, to the complex... more

04 Jul 2024 · 57 minutes
Hope at the coalface — can this coal town thrive in a post-Carbon future?

Join Natasha Mitchell and guests in a coal country heartland. Communities in Muswellbrook and Singleton in the NSW Upper Hunter... more

03 Jul 2024 · 1 hour,
Why civilisations vanish

Throughout history, empires and civilisations have risen to greatness and then fallen into decline and vanish, leaving only ruins and... more

02 Jul 2024 · 53 minutes
Too posh, or not posh enough? — Polly Toynbee on the shackles and privileges of class

Through the lens of her own middle-class family, prolific British journalist Polly Toynbee explores the guilt of privilege, the myth... more

01 Jul 2024 · 54 minutes
AC Grayling on philosophy and life

You wouldn't be human if you hadn't from time to time wondered what the meaning of all of this is.... more

27 Jun 2024 · 55 minutes
The radical work of mourning — a toolkit for planet dwellers

Join Natasha Mitchell and guests for a poetic discussion on the ways you can create space to grieve for species... more

26 Jun 2024 · 54 minutes
Highway to Hell — Joelle Gergis on climate change and Australia’s future

Leading Australian climate scientist Dr Joelle Gergis takes a timely look at Australia's perilous future in a warming world. "Most Australians... more

25 Jun 2024 · 52 minutes
Marc Fennell on stuff the British stole

A huge number of ancient artefacts, First Nations' ceremonial objects and precious art sits in museums, galleries, private collections all... more

24 Jun 2024 · 54 minutes
Don Watson on democracy

Author, essayist and speechwriter Don Watson says that the price of democracy is energy, imagination, and unstinting hard work. Through... more

20 Jun 2024 · 53 minutes
The incredible saga of the world’s first peace treaty — it comes from the Middle East

On the doorstep of Gaza comes the remarkable story of the world's first peace treaty — a 3200-year-old text. Egyptologist... more

19 Jun 2024 · 54 minutes
Higher education for everyone in Australia — is it doable?

Disadvantaged and marginalised students often don't get the financial and teaching support that they need. Equity everyone, regardless of their... more

18 Jun 2024 · 54 minutes
Creativity in the Sri Lankan diaspora

Award winning playwright S. Shakthidharan has described his groundbreaking theatre work Counting and Cracking as "a radical act of belonging".... more

17 Jun 2024 · 52 minutes
Andre de Quadros on freedom dreaming

Drawing on his experiences working across continents in the "shatter zones" of society — jails, war zones, refugee shelters –... more

13 Jun 2024 · 1 hour, 5 minutes
Ocean bounty — deep sea mining, Sea Shepherd sagas, and seaweed solutions

Join Natasha Mitchell and guests at the 2024 Ocean Lovers Festival in Bondi. From deep sea mining to illegal fishing... more

12 Jun 2024 · 58 minutes
Queer journeys through the law

It took until the late 1990s for Australia to decriminalise homosexuality. Since then, the law has changed and evolved in... more

11 Jun 2024 · 52 minutes
What are the secrets to a long and happy life?

Firstly, make sure you become a grandparent. It apparently adds five years to your life. And it can make you... more

10 Jun 2024 · 46 minutes
The Art of Opposition

It's often said that democracies can't function well without a strong opposition to hold the government of the day to... more

06 Jun 2024 · 52 minutes
Uprooted and unprotected — 110 million displaced lives

From stopping the boats to building a wall, countries have gone to great lengths to stop the flow of people... more

05 Jun 2024 · 55 minutes
Is nuclear power the fastest way to decarbonise the planet?

Humanity faces two existential threats: catastrophic climate change and nuclear annihilation, according to former US Deputy Secretary of Energy turned nuclear... more

04 Jun 2024 · 53 minutes
Laura Tingle — Off course discourse

Laura Tingle delivers the 2024 John Button Oration at the Melbourne Writers Festival, looking at how our public discourse has... more

03 Jun 2024 · 44 minutes
Why we drink — the past and present of Australia’s relationship to alcohol

Australians love a drink, or at least, that's a perception that's deeply ingrained in our national identity... but how true... more

30 May 2024 · 53 minutes
Where is the soul in science?

Join Natasha Mitchell and guests to grapple with some gritty paradoxes about science and religion. In this era of misinformation,... more

29 May 2024 · 53 minutes
Not drowning, fighting — life on the front lines of the climate crisis

When you're faced with the reality that your home, livelihoods and culture will be swallowed up by the rising seas... more

28 May 2024 · 52 minutes
Big Ideas
What are the secrets to a long and happy life?What are the secrets to a long and happy life?What are the secrets to a long and happy life?What are the secrets to a long and happy life?
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Firstly, make sure you become a grandparent. It apparently adds five years to your life. And it can make you very happy... more