Beyond Infinity

Understanding Risk - Gambling And Insurance

10 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Ian Storey, mathematician and lecturer in information systems and Guy West, professional share market investor and chess master, continue the disc...

Understanding Risk - The Maths And The Markets

06 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In Part 1 of a wide-ranging discussion, Piers asks Dr. Ian Storey, a mathematician and lecturer in information systems and Guy West, a professional sh...

A New Approach To Tackling Buruli Infections

26 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Activist Simon Mulvany of Save the Bees Australia discusses a new way of tackling mosquitos which spread bacteria causing buruli ulcers. Instead of ga...

Ingenious! First Powered Flight On Another Planet

21 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

NASA hits the bullseye with the successful deployment of its autonomous Ingenuity drone at Jezero Crater on Mars. This 'tech demo' paves the way for f...

A Beekeeper's Take On Wall St Bets

01 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Live-to-air radio interview with beekeeper, environmentalist and potential councillor Simon Mulvany. Simon gives his view on how and why the crowd can...

Black Hole Revealed In Exquisite Detail

25 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Since the April 2019 release of the first ever image of a black hole - the 6.5 billion solar mass beast at the heart of galaxy Messier 87, astronomers...

Wave Of Euphoria - Why Are Markets Running So Hot?

27 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Guy West, professional share market investor and a world chess master and Dr. Ian Storey, mathematician and information security expert share their th...

Picture Perfect Landing At Jezero

24 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As America passes 500,000 tragic covid deaths, it celebrates a flawless, tour-de-force landing of its Perseverance rover on Mars. The spacecraft has r...

Seven Minutes Of Terror - An Arrival On Mars Like Never Before

18 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

NASA's Perseverance spacecraft carries 23 cameras, including 7 for entry, descent and landing documentation. For the first time, we will see hi def vi...

Reigniting The Fear Factor - Victoria's Latest Statewide Lockdown Condemned

17 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Senior medical specialist Geoffrey Wells, organiser of the Covid Doctors Network, says 6 million Victorians did not need to be forced into stage 4 har...

Ranking Countries' Pandemic Response

05 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Australia's Lowy Institute has released an interactive online study of why and how some countries have done so much better than others in taming the c...

Signing Off On 2020

22 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A final word on a pretty ordinary year. Hope you enjoyed what we did and stand by for some cool new stuff in MMXXI

In Depth - The Onyx Boox Note Air

22 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

John Young gushes over his latest gadget, a versatile E Ink tablet. He loves the matt greyscale screen which he says is easy on the eye, the great bat...

Open For Business - Towards Covid Normal (Dec 7, 9, 14 & 16)

17 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Live-to-air radio interviews on RPPfm. Twice weekly covid reporting from Piers Cunningham with Brendon Telfer. - Asian immunity stemming from previous...

Pandemic Pivot - How A Melbourne VR Company Responded To The New Paradigm (Part 2)

14 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Piers talks with Simon Young, Head of Content at LithodomosVR, about how his company refocussed their business in 2020. LDVR is utilising its library ...

Pandemic Pivot - How A Melbourne VR Company Responded To The New Paradigm (Part 1)

14 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Piers hears from Simon Young, Head of Content at LithodomosVR, about how his company refocussed their business in 2020. As expert creators of digital ...

China's Beidou Satellite Tech Challenges America's GPS

09 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In June 2020, the 55th and final satellite in the Beidou constellation was successfully launched into geosynchronous orbit. The system provides global...

Big Changes For Windows In 2021

09 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

There are big changes foreshadowed for Windows 10. Expect to see tighter integration with the Android ecosystem, whereby apps can run on your PC, plus...

Open For Business - Towards Covid Normal (Nov 25, 30 & Dec 2)

06 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Live-to-air radio interviews on RPPfm. Twice weekly covid reporting from Piers Cunningham with Brendon Telfer. - theoretical elimination; vaccines; q...

Open For Business - Towards Covid Normal (Nov 16, 18 & 23)

06 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Live-to-air radio interviews on RPPfm. Twice weekly covid reporting from Piers Cunningham with Brendon Telfer. - the vital need for lots of testing; ...

Small Is Beautiful - Why The 12 Mini Is Apple’s Biggest Phone Ever

02 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

At last, the iPhone 12 Mini is here. For those who loved the form factor of 2012's iPhone 5 or lament smart phones' unrelenting increase in size and y...

In Deep With Oppo's Find X2

30 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

John Young's long-term report on Oppo's high-spec smart phone. He discusses its useability, controls and big beautiful OLED screen. He loves the great...

Open For Business - Towards Covid-Normal

26 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Live-to-air radio interviews on RPPfm. Weekly covid reporting from Piers Cunningham with Brendon Telfer. 2-9/11/20: Australian state border closures c...

Talking Laptops And The 2020 Macbook Pros

23 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A look at Apple's 2020 laptop line up - impressions of ownership, pros, cons and which one to choose. They all have the same premium feel and share ma...

PayPal Embraces Bitcoin

19 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In a major boost for Bitcoin and other leading cryptos, digital payment company PayPal is introducing the ability to buy, hold and sell cryptocurrenci...

Shooting At The International Space Station

15 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Tom Cruise is slated to make a movie in space. The action adventure star is renowned for doing his own stunts, so this should make for exciting entert...

Translating Brain Signals Into Synthesised Speech

12 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Research at the University of Bath's Center for Accountable, Transparent and Responsible Artificial Intelligence is developing a new technique that al...

No Greater Lie Than A Half Truth

07 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How sophisticated disinformation campaigns muddy the waters and make it harder to understand the truth about Covid-19 vaccines. Research at the Austra...

The 21st Century's Moon Race

02 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A look at the very ambitious plan for NASA and its international partners to land people at Shackleton Crater at the moon's South Pole in 2024. Projec...

Lockdown Radio - Coate Inquiry, Elimination/Suppression & The Numbing Betrayal Of Melbourne

28 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Live-to-air radio interviews on RPPfm. Weekly covid reporting from Piers Cunningham with Brendon Telfer. 16/10/20: Tough questions for the Premier fro...

Is There Life At Venus?

23 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In September 2020, the internet exploded with news of life existing at the Earth's twin planet. The James Clerk Maxwell telescope in Hawaii and the At...

Thoughts On Google's Keenly Priced Pixel 5

20 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

John explains why he didn't buy a new Pixel 5 (he bought an Oppo Find X2 Pro instead). But he's still a fan of this mid-range smart phone from Google....

Lockdown Radio - Depression & Anxiety In Young People

16 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Live-to-air radio interview on RPPfm. Weekly covid reporting from Piers Cunningham with Brendon Telfer and Shivani Pillai. 9/10/20: Melbourne GPs deal...

GPs Warn Of A Mental Health Crisis From Melbourne's Lockdown

13 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Piers talks with busy Melbourne GP Dr. Stacey Harris about the disturbing incidence of mental health issues among her young patients and new mothers. ...

Lockdown Radio - Modelling Covid & Renewed Calls To End Iso

11 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Live-to-air radio interviews on RPPfm. Weekly covid reporting from Piers Cunningham with Brendon Telfer and Shivani Pillai. 25/9/20: How good is the c...

Lockdown Radio - Doctors' Pleas To Government & Vaccine Espionage

09 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Live-to-air radio interviews on RPPfm. Weekly covid reporting from Piers Cunningham with Brendon Telfer and Shivani Pillai. 11/9/20: The Covid Doctor...

"Unreasonable, Unscientific & Causes More Harm Than Good" - Doctors Slam Victoria's Lockdown

05 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Box Hill Hospital urologist Geoff Wells says Melbourne's prolonged hard lockdown is causing depression and elevated anxiety, especially among adolesce...

Review - Jabra Elite 75T Earbuds

04 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Resident techie John Young recently took possession of a pair of Jabra Elite 75T in-ear buds and he's pretty impressed. He says they're comfy to wear ...

The Details Of Hacking (Part 2)

01 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Piers talks hacking with Dr. Ian Storey, lecturer in information systems at RMIT. Ian continues the discussion of a range of different hacking methods...

The Details Of Hacking (Part 1)

28 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Piers is joined by Dr. Ian Storey, lecturer in information systems at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. Ian shares his in-depth knowledge f...

China's Overseas Key Individuals Database Revealed

22 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A leaked database known as the Overseas Key Individual Database suggests China is collecting vast amounts of information on millions of prominent peop...

Is It Pointless For The ACCC To Take On Facebook And Google?

19 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Piers talks with digital marketer Michael Simonetti about the Australian Competition and Consumer Commissions's campaign to introduce revenue sharing ...

Thinking Beyond Fear - Victoria Needs Open Community Discussion To Restart

15 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Piers talks with Robert Millar, general surgeon and transplant specialist at Royal Melbourne Hospital and an original signatory of the Covid Doctors N...

Covid Normal - A Digital Roadmap To Recovery

11 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Piers talks with Michael Simonetti, the founder and CEO of digital agency Andmine, about what businesses can do to survive Melbourne's severe economic...

Competition Watchdog Takes On Google And Facebook

09 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is pressuring Google and Facebook to support locally produced news by agreeing to pay for material ...

Doctors Warn Of Serious Side Effects From Victoria's Covid Lockdown

05 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

On 31st August 2020, a group of thirteen senior Melbourne doctors signed an open letter to Victorian Premier Dan Andrews expressing deep concern with ...

Artificial Intelligence To The Rescue?

30 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A look back over 5 years of beyondinfinity.com.au coverage of artificial intelligence. While there are legitimate fears about misuse and abuse of the ...

Looking For Life Under Europa's Ice

26 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

NASA's Europa Clipper mission, set to launch to Jupiter in 2024, will carry 352kg of science instruments to study the moon Europa. Under its icy surfa...

The Amazing New Oppo Find X2 Pro

21 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our resident techie John Young finally gets his hands on the top of the range Oppo smart phone. He's impressed by its large and beautiful OLED screen,...

Vast Trove Of Human DNA Data Sold To Private Equity

17 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Ancestry.com, a global network with 20 billion family history records and the largest seller of home DNA testing kits, with an extensive database of D...

Five Incredible Years For Elon Musk

13 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The world's most visionary and ambitious entrepreneur continues to exceed expectations, with the recent successful launch of astronauts to the Interna...

Product Review - Google Nest Wifi

10 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Beyond Infinity's resident tech head John Young gives us the lowdown on Google's mesh router system. It's solved his wifi coverage issues and allows v...

Amid The Pandemic, NASA's Perseverence Rover Launches Safely To Mars

04 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Despite serious challenges on Earth, NASA has succeeded in launching the most sophisticated rover ever sent to Mars. We look at the mission's heritage...

How Useful Is Australia's COVIDSafe App?

27 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Piers chats with technology expert Michael Simonetti about Australia's COVIDSafe contact tracing app. How does it compare with overseas equivalents? W...

The Evolution Of Energy Part 2 - From Fossil Fuels To Renewables

20 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Ian Storey, lecturer at Australia's Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, outlines the evolution of battery technology over the past 250 years....

The Evolution Of Energy - From Fossil Fuels To Renewables

11 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We marvel at the extraordinary success of Tesla in becoming the world's most valuable car company. Meanwhile, driven by the environmental imperative o...

The Development Of Physics - Newton, Maxwell And Einstein

29 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Ian Storey, lecturer in information systems at RMIT, ties together Newton's work on mathematical physics, forces and acceleration, James Clerk Maxw...

2020 Vision - Our Take On Trump's First Term

22 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

With America reeling from violent social unrest and the Administration's disastrous response to coronavirus, the Presidential election on Tuesday Nove...

Smartphone Review - Oppo Find X2

15 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

John's been hunting for a new phone to replace his aging Pixel 2. He reckons mid-range makers are increasingly competitive with premium models and is ...

Trump Threatens To Shut Down Twitter

10 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

After presidential tweet “When the looting starts, the shooting starts” was deemed to violate Twitter Rules by glorifying violence, the White Hous...

NASA Astronauts Ride Crew Dragon To ISS

02 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A glaring hole in US space capability is finally filled after the safe arrival of SpaceX's new Crew Dragon at the International Space Station on 31st ...

The Rise (And Rise) Of The Surveillance State

28 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Here’s a ‘long form’ look at China's use of cutting-edge surveillance technology and artificial intelligence to monitor and control its populati...

Digital Paper Coming Of Age

22 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

John explains his enthusiasm for the upcoming Remarkable 2 - a large, ultra-thin E Ink tablet. Apparently the 2nd generation stylus feels just like a ...

A Brief History Of Mathematics

18 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Ian Storey, mathematician and lecturer in information systems at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, describes the evolution of mathematic...

How To Podcast From Home

12 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Piers and John explain how to podcast remotely on a budget. While they normally record and broadcast from Victorian station Radio Port Phillip, social...

Lingering Concerns Over The Privacy And Security Of Australia's COVIDSafe App

07 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Piers talks with Dr Ian Storey, a lecturer in Information Systems at Melbourne's RMIT, about the Federal Government's contact tracing app. While ackno...

From The Vault - Buruli, Superbugs, Candida Auris And Vaccinations

02 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Four important biotech stories from the past two years: Interview with leading scientists on the leprosy-like Buruli ulcer outbreak in southeastern Au...

Are We Cool With The COVIDSafe App?

28 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Piers discusses the Australian Government's new CovidSafe app with digital marketer Michael Simonetti. Will enough people use the virus tracking app? ...

4.5 Billion Souls In Lockdown - The Human, Social And Economic Costs

23 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Piers talks with Dr. Ian Storey, lecturer in information systems at RMIT, about the virus, economic shocks, the future of work and growing pressure to...

From The Vault - East Coast Hyperloop, Uber Air For Melbourne And Sun Cable

19 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When Australia's emerges from the the Covid-19 shutdown, the country will need some big infrastructure projects. Here are three high tech projects ann...

Humankind Grounded By Covid-19

11 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Several space missions have been delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic. And it's especially sad for Mars-bound spacecraft, as the next launch window is not...

Adapting To The New Paradigm

11 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Piers talks with Michael Simonetti, CEO of digital marketing agency AndMine, about the redefined business landscape we find ourselves in amid a global...

Working From Home

07 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

John gives us a rundown on how he's set himself up to do his office job from his house. He talks productivity, software, servers; the importance of ro...

The Time That Is Given Us

01 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Musings on a planet changed with blinding speed and our shared futures. Quotes from an Italian author in isolation and a fantasy classic hatched in th...

From The Vault - The Life Of A Scientist And Neuroplasticity

29 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Physicist Dr. Tony Heyes outlines his career – from study at Cambridge with Hawking and how myopia led to his invention of the parking sensor throug...

Building Influence On Social Media (Part 2)

27 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Activist Simon Mulvany pursued his passions through very effective use of social media. He explains how he engaged with both fans and foes to build bi...

Building Influence On Social Media (Part 1)

26 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Activist Simon Mulvany built up big followings on Facebook and Instagram and used his influence to crowd fund an expensive legal battle, mobilise opin...

From The Vault - Negative Reviews; Predicting Suicide; Fake Meat; Mars Perseverance; TikTok's Music

19 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Melbourne dentist fights 'unfair' anonymous online reviews; Tapping big data to predict and prevent suicide; Fancy a fake steak??; NASA's new tech ena...

The Importance Of Truth In Advertising

27 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We chat with beekeeper activist Simon Mulvany about the need for more clarity on Australian food packaging, which allows consumers to make informed an...

Honey Giant Withdraws Legal Action Against Activist Simon Mulvany

26 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The legal battle that has ground on for years between beekeeper activist Simon Mulvany and Capilano Honey (now Hive and Wellness Australia) is finally...

CO2 From Air Into Beer

25 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

CSIRO has found a way of capturing carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere using sponge-like metal-organic frameworks. The project, called Airthen...

UAE's Hope Orbiter Heading To Mars

24 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Mars is a busy place in 2020. Four more spacecraft are set to blast off to the red planet: Mars 2020 rover from NASA, the ExoMars Europe/Russia rover,...

Tackling Negative Online Reviews

20 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In groundbreaking legal action, a Melbourne dentist has persuaded the Federal Court of Australia to ask Google for a damaging online business review t...

Corona Virus Travel Advisory

18 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

More than 10% of the world’s entire human population is in lock down. We outline the World Health Organisation's recommendations at a time of rising...

New Moto Razr Disappoints

17 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

John reports that the latest 'flip phone' from Motorola is a lemon. He says it suffers from poor durability, screen flickering, green lines and squeak...

Real Time Prediction Of Suicide

14 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our digital fingerprints are everywhere. Big data allows all sorts of insights into human behaviour - some for good, some ill. Researchers at the Univ...

Chinese Tech Alliance To Challenge Google Play

13 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Huawei, Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi are teaming up to create the Global Developer Service Alliance. It'll provide a platform for international developers to...

Solar Orbiter Launched To The Sun's Poles

11 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Sunday February 9, 2020 saw the successful launch of an Atlas V from Cape Canaveral carrying Solar Orbiter on a ground-breaking mission to the Sun. Th...

New Hope For Those With Peanut Allergies

09 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

An expensive new treatment promises gradually to protect allergic children from accidental exposure to small amounts of peanuts.

Software Helping Opiod Makers Push Their Wares

09 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The US Department of Justice accused San Francisco startup Practice Fusion of creating software to increase pain med prescriptions by medical practiti...

Hunting Ghost Particles At The South Pole

06 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A look at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the amazing astrophysics research taking place above and below the ice. The observatory is looking for ...

Precision Landing For Mars 2020 At Jezero

05 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As its July 2020 launch date approaches, more information is coming to light about NASA's sophisticated new rover headed for Mars. Expect to see hi-re...

A New Theory Suggests Aliens Could Use Neutrinos Or Gravitational Waves To Communicate

26 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine a super-advanced civilisation capable of building on a galactic scale, enjoying complete mastery of the most exotic laws of physics. You'll ne...

Microsoft Cuts Support For Windows 7 Leaving Millions Vulnerable

25 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Software experts, including our own John Young, are urging Windows users to upgrade to Windows 10 as a decade of support for 7 winds up. It's estimate...

3D-Printed Fake Fish To Hit Supermarket Shelves

23 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

San Diego start-up BlueNalu has found a way to make a plant-based fillet of yellowfish. Crucially, the lab-made seafood can be cooked by direct heat w...

Is Extreme Weather The New Normal?

22 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

With bushfires still burning out of control in South Eastern Australia, the nation's capital Canberra was hit by an ice storm, damaging thousands of c...

Post Fires, Will Australia Reconsider Climate Change? (Part 2)

18 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The bushfire emergency has killed over a billion animals and decimated national parks and old growth forests. Now seems a good time to listen again to...

Post Fires, Will Australia Reconsider Climate Change?

15 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

With 1.5% of Australia's land mass burnt in disastrous bushfires - an area bigger than Scotland - and 1.25 billion animals lost, we revisit an in-dept...

US Lawmakers Concerned About Personal Data Hosted In China And Russia

19 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

There are mounting fears about foreign-made apps hoovering up sensitive personal data. The proposed National Security and Personal Data Protection Act...

Climate Change, Not Just A Rogue Asteroid, Killed The Dinosaurs

17 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Fossilised Antarctic seashells show the planet was unstable, warmed by intense volcanism, long before it was smashed by the notorious space rock impac...