Big Ideas
736 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 40 ratingsBig Ideas brings you the best of talks, forums, debates, and festivals held in Australia and around the world, casting light on the major social, cultural, scientific and political issues
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Episodes
In politics and law, does art matter?
November 13, 2019 09:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBSome of the world's most celebrated works of art are explicitly political. Like Picasso's Guernica, for example. But does art still matter when it comes to contemporary political issues? What relationship does art have with law?
Is your memory playing tricks on you?
November 12, 2019 09:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBYou think you have a rock-solid recollection of events but science says your memory is unreliable and malleable. Over time it’s shaped and altered by subsequent events and conversations. So where does the truth lie?
The writing of war history
November 11, 2019 09:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBWriting the history of wars is a complex process. A panel of historians explores the role of memory, private documents and official archives in shaping the narratives of the past. It’s not only important for the public understanding of what’s happened – it also informs strategies for future wars.
Will Extinction Rebellion succeed where others have failed?
November 07, 2019 09:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBTwenty years of climate change campaigning has been a failure. Extinction Rebellion says civil disobedience is the answer. So is it time to take to the streets?
Younger people drinking less alcohol
November 06, 2019 09:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBDo you enjoy a glass of wine or two? If you’re an older Australian – in the baby boomer age group – the chances are may be drinking too much. Younger people are drinking less. Join us for a fascinating discussion a new generational divide.
The power of political cartoons
November 05, 2019 09:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBA good political cartoon is more than just funny. It makes you think about current events, holds truth to power and is a tool of criticism. What’s the power of political cartoons in the 21st century? Has their role changed?
Are white women shutting down discussions about race and racism?
November 04, 2019 09:05 - 54 minutes - 49.6 MBLebanese-Syrian writer, raised in Australia, Ruby Hamad, says privileged white women are using "white tears" to marginalise women of colour and shut down discussions about race and racism
The challenges of social justice campaigning
October 31, 2019 09:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBHostility to human rights is growing around the world. It’s making social justice work more difficult. Elizabeth Broderick says self-care is the ultimate act of empowerment, and in some cases – political defiance.
Klaus Fuchs – the most dangerous spy in history
October 30, 2019 09:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBPhysicist Klaus Fuchs leaked details about the development of the atomic bomb and the hydrogen bomb to the Russians – during the Second World war and the Cold War. Author Frank Close reveals insights into the life and work of the most dangerous scientist in history.
Is personalised medicine a triumph of hype over hope?
October 29, 2019 09:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBWould you pay thousands of dollars to get your DNA profile, in the hope of getting personalised medical treatment? Two decades after the human genome was sequenced, conventional medicine is still more successful and cheaper.
Does evil exist?
October 28, 2019 09:05 - 59 minutes - 54.4 MBIs there such a thing as evil? Why do we so readily resort to labelling certain crimes and behaviours as evil? Paul Barclay asks criminal psychologist, Dr Julia Shaw.
Democracy is failing the people
October 24, 2019 09:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBDo people get the democracy they deserve? And, is our democracy serving us well, or is it failing us? Do things like a better standard of living indicate democratic success, or are phenomena like our high turnover of Prime Ministers mean democracy is failing?
Why public health is the answer to almost everything
October 23, 2019 09:05 - 54 minutes - 49.6 MBDo you feel grateful for avoiding smallpox, dyptheria or dying in childbirth? Perhaps these things rarely cross your mind. Hear why we need to pay more heed to public health expertise, with its multi-disciplinary and evidence-based approach touted as the answer to almost everything. Even, how to approach the challenge of climate change.
Why changing your behaviour for the better is so difficult?
October 22, 2019 09:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBClimate change, the obesity crisis, plastic pollution in our oceans. Many crucial problems of our time require a change in behaviour – as individuals and as a society. But why is it so difficult to do that? Big Ideas looks at the challenges of behaviour change and how to do it.
Class, poverty, and the importance of place, in country Australia
October 21, 2019 09:05 - 1 hour - 55 MBThree Australian writers talk to Paul Barclay about poverty, class, race, and social and political change in regional and rural Australia.
What is life and how does it begin?
October 17, 2019 09:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBCould the flow of information be the fuel that powers life? Astrophysicist Paul Davies says we need a new science which connects quantum physics and biology to answer this fundamental question. He draws on an earlier thought experiment of a mysterious force , dubbed the demon in the machine, which directs the transfer of information.
The story of the Jews
October 16, 2019 09:05 - 54 minutes - 49.6 MBHistorian Simon Schama explores the story of the Jewish people from ancient times to the present day. Without the imprint that Jewish culture has made, he says, our world would be almost unrecognisable, and our sense of modernity would be completely different.
Craig Foster on sport and human rights
October 15, 2019 09:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBSBS soccer commentator Craig Foster believes that sport has the power to change the world . Craig was part of the successful campaign to rescue refugee footballer Hakeem al-Araibi. Now he wants to see a human rights code implemented in all aspects of professional sport.
Free speech and the news media
October 14, 2019 09:05 - 57 minutes - 52.2 MBThe AFP raids on the ABC and a News Corp journalist brought into focus how national security laws can impede a free media. But there are other dimensions to media freedom and free speech
Dr Michael Mosley on how to eat and what to eat
October 10, 2019 09:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBDr Michael Mosley is the man behind the 5:2 diet . He argues that a Mediterranean Diet and intermittent fasting will reduce your risk of chronic disease. So why does it work? What is the science telling us?
Does Australia need a charter of human rights?
October 09, 2019 09:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBCritics say that Australian governments are chipping away at our civil liberties. They point to anti-terror legislation, recent media raids and the prosecution of whistleblowers. Is a legislated Charter of Rights the answer or should Parliament reign supreme?
Can we afford to feed companion animals?
October 08, 2019 09:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBDogs and cats need a high-energy diet and producing pet food generates millions of tonnes of greenhouse gases. The choices we make when we feed our pets affect other animals, the environment and even our own well-being. Should we stop keeping meat-eating pets?
Street art and national identity
October 07, 2019 09:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBPeter Drew is a street artist who, paradoxically, doesn’t much like political art. But he designs, prints and puts up striking posters with a decidedly political message. He is speaking to Paul Barclay about what he is trying to achieve.
Science fiction compulsory reading for future leaders
October 03, 2019 10:35 - 17 minutes - 16 MBAustralia's Chief Scientist says leaders and policy makers should read more science fiction. Science fiction is a hub of ideas for future technology and the social and ethical challenges it brings.
Science fiction predicts the future of work
October 03, 2019 10:05 - 36 minutes - 33.6 MBScience fiction has a habit of becoming science fact. Many of the gadgets we now use and the social challenges of technology were first imagined by science fiction writers . So what does science fiction have to say about the future of work?
Science fiction and the future of work
October 03, 2019 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBWhat science fiction says about the future of work and why science fiction should be compulsory reading for leaders and policy makers
Murchison meteorite reaches back to the origins of the solar system
October 02, 2019 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBMeteorites have a story to tell about the origins of the solar system. Fifty years ago a meteorite fell near the small town of Murchison in Victoria. Scientists who study the Murchison meteorite say this chunk of rock lets us look back to where it all began 4.6 billion years ago.
Travelling everywhere
October 01, 2019 10:30 - 22 minutes - 20.7 MBCo-founder of Lonely Planet, Tony Wheeler, has inspired generations of travellers to explore the four corners of the planet. But in an age where travel is more accessible than ever, what does it really mean to have been ‘everywhere’?
Mystery of gold & travel
October 01, 2019 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBGold is the foundation of most economies around the world because it keeps its value. This consistency can in fact be traced back to Roman times. And Tony Wheeler, co-founder of Lonely Planet, takes you to some of the world’s most interesting tourism destinations.
The mysteries of gold
October 01, 2019 10:05 - 30 minutes - 28.3 MBGold has always been significant to our lives. How did such an unreactive element become essential to economies around the world? And what makes gold so useful to chemists?
Creating a healthy masculinity
September 30, 2019 10:05 - 58 minutes - 53.6 MBToxic masculinity, and a 'boys will be boys' culture, is harmful to women and men. It can lead to violence against women, and mental illness in men. How do we change cultural attitudes?
True crime in Australian history
September 26, 2019 10:05 - 54 minutes - 50.1 MBThroughout Australian history there have been countless infamous crimes, and criminals. Books, television programs, movies, and podcasts that we consume, reveal a public penchant for true crime stories. Why are we we so fascinated with crime?
Women in the era of strongmen
September 25, 2019 10:35 - 20 minutes - 18.5 MBA feature of the current wave of populist leaders is the pushback against women's rights and freedoms. Tough-guy politicians, from Russia to South America, use sexual language to put down their female opponents and champion a return to traditional gender roles. The governments they lead chip away at gender equality measures.
Riding the wave of populism and nationalism
September 25, 2019 10:05 - 33 minutes - 31 MBTurkish political journalist Ece Temelkuran talks about the need to pushback against right-wing populism and nationalism. She argues that disillusioned communities look to authoritarian leaders to restore their place in society and that every country is vulnerable to the attack on democracy and human rights.
Populism and women in the era of strongmen
September 25, 2019 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBTurkish journalist Ece Temelkuran on the the impact of right-wing populism and a discussion on authoritarian leaders and womens rights
Indigenous Australians' historic travels to Britain
September 24, 2019 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBSince the late 18th centuries, Indigenous Australians have travelled to Britain in significant numbers to gain new knowledge and report their observations back home - making sense of their changing world. It's largely unreported in historic documents. Historian Jack Maynard provides an Indigenous perspective of these journeys.
Cleaning up chemical contaminants
September 23, 2019 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBChemicals in the air, soil and water which are the by-product of manufacturing can pose a risk to human health. In this era of social media there's often conflicting information about hazardous chemicals and the best way to clean them up. Who do communities turn to for information and remediation?
Why are voters so disaffected with – everything?
September 18, 2019 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBMany voters are angry or frustrated about what’s happening at every level of government. But their disaffection doesn’t erupt in major street protests but leads to disinterest and cynicism. So, do voters see through the spin? Are they gullible or plain stupid?
Living longer
September 17, 2019 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBWhat happens to your body as you age and can you turn back the clock? Biochemists are unlocking the secrets of ageing which drive the increased risk of chronic disease. We now have a better understanding of why diet and exercise works.
Australia and the European Union
September 16, 2019 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.6 MBIf Britain leaves the EU, where does that leave us? It may be an opportunity to strengthen our relationship. The European Union’s our second largest trading partner and trade-wise, we might score a better deal. We also have a common interest in a rules-based international order and regional security.
Adapting to digital disruption
September 12, 2019 10:35 - 18 minutes - 16.7 MBDigital technology is transforming how we work, play and communicate. It's a battle to retain any privacy with dollar signs attached to all our data. Can we pushback and change the daily ritual of using the internet and social media?
AI in developing countries and digital disruption
September 12, 2019 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBHow will artificial intelligence transform developing countries and are we taming digital disruption?
The backroads of artificial intelligence
September 12, 2019 10:05 - 35 minutes - 32.9 MBHow does the future look to you? Worried machines will take your job? For workers in developing countries, the digital revolution could make life even more precarious. Join an urban sociologist as he travels along the backroads to observe the impact of artificial intelligence.
Which subjects are taboo in children's books?
September 11, 2019 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBChildren's authors are now writing about dark, complex and controversial issues. But is that what children should be reading? Join children’s author Morris Gleitzman as he talks taboos with a librarian and a teacher-educator. You might have second thoughts about those fairytales.
Healthy oceans - a lifeline for the Pacific
September 10, 2019 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBOn their own communities in the Pacific can’t protect their ocean from overfishing, pollution and coastal erosion. It’s a global problem and doesn’t only affect the environment on a big scale, but also the economy.
Resilience in the face of adversity
September 09, 2019 10:05 - 1 hour - 55.2 MBWhen adversity strikes, it is often out of the blue. A day like any other, then a bolt from the blue, and everything changes. How do you bounce back from trauma and tragedy?
Art has benefits for people with dementia
September 05, 2019 10:40 - 14 minutes - 12.9 MBAre you learning sudoku and chess to reduce your risk of dementia? Learning to paint might be just as effective. Art activities can also improve the quality of life for those living with dementia.
The sense of self and a diagnosis of dementia
September 05, 2019 10:05 - 40 minutes - 36.7 MBThe risk of Alzheimers Disease and other dementias increases as we age. Psychiatrist Julian Hughes says we underestimate the capacity of dementia sufferers to be active and engaged citizens and retain their sense of self. He argues this philosophy should be at the heart of dementia care.
Dementia, art and neuroplasticity
September 05, 2019 10:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBRetaining a sense of self after a diagnosis of dementia and art and neuroplasticity
Australia’s defamation laws – unfit for the digital age
September 04, 2019 10:05 - 40 minutes - 37.1 MBAustralia's defamation laws weren't written with social media in mind. Increasing numbers of you turn to the courts to protest defamatory comments made to you online or to defend yourselves against defamation accusations. Does Australia’s defamation law need a rigours overhaul?