Big Ideas

International humanitarian law, the law of armed conflict, was meant to protect civilians from the worst of war. But in today's wars civilians have become targets, and the rules meant to shield them are breaking down. What happens when the law of war no longer works? And can it be rebuilt to protect civilians once again? Presented by the American Academy in Berlin. Speakers Oona HathawayGerard C....

Most of us, in our lives, will witness things we cannot comprehend, when words fail to do justice to the moment. In those moments, to whom or what can we turn? To God? To philosophy? To music? To ourselves, or to our fellow humans? In a noisy world, Stan Grant wrestles with the fragility of language, and the power of silence, and of listening, to find a path to connection, compassion, and love. Th...

Conspiracy theories have always been with us, but now they're finding new ways to get inside our heads and take hold — and Australia is seeding some uniquely homegrown varieties. Investigative technology journalists Ariel Bogle and Cam Wilson went down the rabbit hole for their book Conspiracy Nation: Exposing the dangerous world of Australian conspiracy theories. To discuss the why, what, and how...

Forty years ago this January, the Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrated on its way into orbit. All seven astronauts on board were killed. Dr Karl Kruszelnicki and Fiona Pepper investigate how the Challenger disaster unfolded – and what that has meant for space exploration from 1986 to now. In the days after the tragedy, the world wanted answers. What really caused the shuttle to explode? And shou...

Meet Dwayne Fernandes, a man training to be the first double amputee in space. He brings you a powerful perspective based on his lived experience: in zero gravity, his disability disappears and human potential soars free. He explores how the social model of disability transforms our understanding of accessibility, showing that environments either create barriers or unlock possibility. His message...

From the world's oldest continuous living culture, to the arrival of Captain Cook, the goldrush to the ANZACs, from Federation to elections to referendums, and beyond, our understanding of Australian history has evolved dramatically over recent years. Six esteemed scholars have six minutes each to wrestle with how our past unites, divides, and defines us. Who will win? The Great Debate was recorde...

He’s been called a “hypercapitalist”, a “new authoritarian” and a “post fascist”. Twelve months into Donald Trump’s second term as United States President, he has certainly reshaped the country and the world in ways that have shocked and surprised. So how should we understand his political ideology?  The conversation Is It Fascism Yet? was recorded at the Sydney Opera House on 28 September 2025. ...

Don't miss meeting these four resilient women creating the change they want to see in the world. At 20, Monique “Mermaid” Murphy’s had a catastrophic accident. Two years later she won Silver at the Paralympics. At 21, Larisha Jerome turned homelessness into buying her first home. Now she advocates for financial justice for other First Nations people. At 14, Nasteho Mukhtar arrived in Australia wit...

He jumped off a plane, exchanged the notorious briefcase on a park bench and got his identity blown by an asset under torture. Sounds like fiction? But the real stories still differ remarkably from novels and films. A discussion about the realities of espionage and the stories that surround it - filled with intrigue and hidden truths for your ears only.  Spies, Lies and Secretes was recorded live...

DNA testing has helped family history researchers fill in the blanks in their family trees. While that can be a good thing, it can also lead to unexpected consequences. From "non-parental events", to big data hacks, to unauthorised use of DNA in criminal investigations, this is everything you need to know about genetic genealogy. This event was recorded at the State Library of NSW for Family Histo...

How has the fossil fuel industry wielded influence over Australian governments and their policies? What does it take to make ambitious change in the public interest, without vested interests getting in way? Join Natasha Mitchell and guests at Adelaide Writers Week. Origninal broadcast on March 12, 2025. Speakers Dr Richard Denniss Economist and Executive Director of The Australia Institute Author...

A workforce we rarely hear about, lives in limbo, and stories from the coalface. From economic gains and cultural exchanges to exploitation and absconding,  what are the successes and problems of the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme? Who picks and processes those yummy strawberries you're about to put in your shopping trolley, or the crisp veggies you might stir-fry tonight? Did you...

At face value, collaboration sounds like a good thing: collaboration in the classroom, with colleagues, or between nations. But throughout history, collaboration was not always considered a virtuous act, and those who were identified as collaborators were shunned, humiliated or worse. This talk explores how people justify their involvement in wrongdoing, and how, when collaboration devolves into c...

Your personal safety is big business, so much so that it’s given rise to “security capitalism”, a phenomenon where attempts to buy personal safety shape the world around us.  As security becomes just another status symbol, do these gadgets make us safer or do they create a whole new list of anxieties – a self-fulfilling prophecy of perceived threat and risk aversion?  This conversation 'Trapped: D...

 "Homeric struggle", a desperate night-ballet, an ethical training ground for boys and men. Aussie Rules is a multimillion-dollar industry, but at its heart, to thousands of people, it's much more than that. Including to Australian literary great, Helen Garner. This event was recorded at the National Library of Australia on 20 February 2025. Original broadcast March 6, 2025. Speakers Helen GarnerA...

We’re past the brink of civilisational collapse. And many environmentalists are pushing a “fake green fairytale”. Jem Bendell’s arguments have inspired the Extinction Rebellion movement’s civil disobedience pushing for climate change action. But Jem doesn’t think protest is enough now. Find out why the self-confessed eco-libertarian and author of Breaking Together: A freedom-loving response to col...

We know them as Zuckerberg, Musk, Bezos, Gates, Jobs. But to Kara Swisher, they're Mark, Elon, Jeff, Bill, and Steve. She was once a Silicon Valley insider, but now she's one of big tech's most vocal critics. This event was recorded at Adelaide Writers Week on Monday 3 March 2025. Original broadcast on April 15, 2025. Speakers Kara SwisherAuthor, Burn Book: A Tech Love Story , aol.com: How Steve C...

Imagine a world where your brain is enhanced through cutting-edge technologies and next-generation AI, blurring the lines between organic and digital realms … and unlocking unprecedented potential.  We are already some steps on the way in such a future.  What would this mean for intelligence, human agency and consciousness? Your Brain on AI From organoids to consciousness was presented by the Sydn...

You've got half an hour with Lou Reed/ Nick Cave/ Courtney Love: what do you ask them? Three of Australia's best music writers share their craft, and reveal what it's like to sit down with some of music's biggest names. This event was recorded on 2 November 2024 at the Art Gallery of Ballarat. Original broadcast on January 23, 2025. Speakers Stuart Coupe Author, journalist, radio broadcaster, musi...

Two of Australia’s most influential and legendary storytellers, author Tim Winton and filmmaker Rachel Perkins, join Natasha Mitchell at WOMADelaide’s Planet Talks to discuss the power of stories and the role of artists to create change in the world. Original broadcast on April 2, 2025. SpeakersRachel PerkinsMulti-award-winning filmmaker, and founder of Blackfella films Director, presenter, co-wri...

Populism is part of American political history. It has been and still is the dominant vocabulary of dissent.  But the current resurrection of authoritarian politics in the US is different. While the two parties could absorb populist movements in the past, this time populism has absorbed the party. Presented at the American Academy in Berlin Original broadcast on April 1, 2025. Speaker Jefferson Co...

How many times have you checked your phone today? How many tabs are open in your web browser? Do you feel in control of your attention?  In the digital age, attention is now a commodity. Can practices like meditation and mindfulness help us feel more free to focus on what really matters? This event was hosted at the Brunswick Ballroom by the Sophia Club in partnership with the University of Melbou...

Satyajit Das presents a provocative examination of the use and abuse of images of wild animals, and how they shape our relationships with the natural world.  These pictures can create an impression of abundance and untouched ecosystems, and lull us into a false sense of security, at a time when the natural world faces ecological calamity. The Attenborough Effect — Shaping Our Relationship With Wil...

Prepare to have your mind blown with a sweeping saga that connects human evolution, brains, genes, art, music, creativity, knowledge, dyslexia, autism, Indigenous memory systems, and more. A big, beautiful and biological saga about how to learn like a human again. Joining Natasha Mitchell are Australian Senior Memory Champion, scientist and author Dr Lynne Kelly with artist Jane Rusden and musicia...

Historian Sarah Churchwell takes you on a gripping and confronting journey into America's recent past to explain its extraordinary present, starting with dark story at the heart of that American classic Gone with the Wind. Knowledge lies at the heart of a healthy democracy, and its many custodians include libraries, universities, cultural institutions, and a free and independent media. So what hap...