Big Ideas
Episodes
Brain amoeba, weird worms and the wild parasites (inside you too!) with Natasha Mitchell and guests
23 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Remember the 8cm living worm found inside a woman's brain last year? Where the hell did it come from? Parasites have bizarre and whacky stories to te...
SOS Democracy with Fintan O’Toole — The US elections and the politics of self-pity
22 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Irish Times columnist and author Fintan O'Toole draws on the Irish experience to explain the rise of populism and authoritarianism in the United Stat...
From pointe shoes to jockstraps – David McAllister lifts the curtain on the secrets of ballet
21 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
David McAllister invites you backstage and reveals gloriously gossipy anecdotes about the stars he's met in his long dancing career. But it's not all...
The dangerous rise in antisemitism – Sharon Nazarian
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has fought against antisemitism worldwide for over a century. It is now documenting a dangerous rise in antisemitism...
A plea for peace in the Middle East — Louise Adler and Nasser Mashni
16 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Two Australians who are intimately connected to the conflict in the Middle East, one Jewish, one Palestinian, make their pleas for peace, and share t...
SOS Democracy with Niki Savva — Can politicians and journalists do better?
15 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One of Australia's most seasoned political journalists Niki Savva has seen the fractures in our democracy up closer than most. Hear her timely advice...
What makes you a top athlete: science, training or talent?
14 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are you a gazelle or a grizzly bear when you run? The bounce in your step defines whether you're a stronger sprinter or long-distance runner — and ...
Cemeteries − the parks and public spaces of the future
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Can you have a wedding between the graves? Why not! – as long as it's respectful. The future of cemetery design is multi-functional, as public spac...
The case for controversial ideas — philosopher Peter Singer with Natasha Mitchell
09 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Renowned and controversial Australian philosopher and bioethicist Peter Singer is no stranger to contentious ideas — wrestling with the ethics of h...
How Edna Walling changed gardening — with Gardening Australia's Millie Ross
08 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Big Ideas celebrates the blooming daphne with a look at the life, work and legacy of a pioneer of Australian landscape gardening, Edna Walling.This e...
From Gaza to Ukraine — is it harder to build peace, than to start war?
07 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The United Nations was established after World War II in an attempt to maintain international peace, security, and cooperation. So why now, in the fa...
Superheroes, pop stars, and “good enough tv” — The life of a culture critic in 2024
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We've lived through the age of peak TV, (and wasn't it glorious). Then cinema was BACK, thanks to the hype of Barbenheimer. So, in this post Hollywoo...
Gold, Galahs and the Milky Way: unlocking the universe
02 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Does the Milky Way have a sibling and how are stars formed? How can a telescope go back over 13 billion years ago to the Cosmic Dawn? The ASTRO 3D C...
Why autistic people make terrific employees
01 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Every autistic person is different, with their own strengths and challenges. We shouldn’t be asking what jobs are suitable for them. Rather: How ca...
Is depression a form of jetlag? Understanding the circadian rhythm
30 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Surveys constantly reveal that a huge number of us are not sleeping well. What is that doing to our mental and physical health?This event was recorde...
Restoring the fine art of traditional trades
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The art and ethics of artisanal trades, from stone masonry to roof plumbing to limestone mortar plastering. What can be done to revive many of these ...
What rights for children in care?
25 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Liana Buchanan is a guardian of the rights of our most precious asset - our children. In a keynote speech, the Principal Commissioner for Children an...
Students win fight for climate justice before the world's highest court
24 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Student activists from the Pacific Islands successfully got the International Court of Justice to define the responsibilities of nations to combat cl...
Housing as a human right? With Alan Kohler and Kevin Bell
23 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The median Australian house price is now about $800,000 – almost eight times the average income – and well beyond the reach of many people, witho...
Saving winter — the future of snow in Australia's Alpine region
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Australia's high country is a spectacular and precious place. It's also a place that is changing, with shorter, less predictable snowfall. So, what d...
Busting single motherhood myths
18 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Frequently described as victims, as failures or even as women without morals, single mothers often get a bad rap. They are part of Australian statist...
How history shapes who we are — with Frank Bongiorno and Peter Stanley
17 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
History is the stories we choose to tell about ourselves and others. So how have those stories changed over time? And how has that shaped new underst...
Why a scary tale is good for you − Angela Slatter, Kathleen Jennings, Naomi Novik and Shelley Parker-Chan
16 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What is the allure of gothic fiction? How does it give shape to your most unsettling impulses? A panel of masters of the genre explore the creepy hou...
Are we taking Orwell's name in vain?
12 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What is the true meaning of Orwellian and what can George Orwell's writings teach us about navigating the 21st century? Since his book 1984 was publi...
How valid is the Australian Constitution today?
11 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's the living force of the nation, but how much do we understand our Constitution? Twenty five pages sets out our laws, roles of government and p...