The Quicky

It's hard to ignore the news, especially when so many bad things are happening across the world all at once. Between the pandemic, floods and Ukraine conflict, it's been a lot to deal with recently. So if you want to stay informed and be able to talk about the news with your family, but also avoid feeling increasingly distressed by the headlines, what can you do to protect your mental health? The...

As the inquest continues into the death of Hannah Clarke and her three children at the hands of her estranged husband, grim details about a string of abuses that occurred in the lead-up to their violent murders are coming to light. At the same time, in a very different part of the world, people are watching on as Kim Kardashian continues to face harassment from her ex-husband Kanye West, but despi...

Red lipstick has been worn for thousands of years across many different genders and cultures, interpreted as a sign of power, feminism, sexuality and pride. But why do we place so much emphasis on this particular beauty product? And why do some of us either love or loathe wearing it? To find out how a lipstick became such a powerful statement about who we are as individuals and a society, and how...

It's been one month since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops to invade Ukraine. Since then, rolling news coverage has brought the horrors of the conflict into our homes, but what is it like for Australian-Ukrainians and those who still have family in Europe having to watch these events unfold on screen? The Quicky speaks to two Ukrainian women about their personal experiences, inc...

Every year, tens of thousands of Aussies undergo weight loss surgery in a bid to finally regain control of their health, a process that comes at great personal and economic cost, yet the procedure is still regularly treated with disdain by others. So why is bariatric surgery to help people who can't lose weight any other way seen by some as 'cheating', even when diet and exercise have failed to he...

As humid and wet weather continues to impact millions of Aussies, you might find that your favourite jacket, shoes or even your walls are increasingly being covered with mould. It's not just gross, it can also be a real risk to your health, especially if you or someone else in your home has asthma, or is vulnerable in other ways, so how can you safely remove it without further risking your wellbei...

As petrol prices continue to soar past $2 a litre, there are now reports that we could be paying up to $7 for a coffee by the end of the year! So what is going on with the cost of living in Australia, and why is everything getting so expensive? The Quicky speaks to an expert economist to find out the reasons behind the price surges on everyday products, how long we can expect big bills at the chec...

If you take a look at the back of your closet, what do you see? Perhaps something from your childhood, a favourite outfit from your youth, or even a hand-me-down garment from an older relative? Many of us keep clothes that no longer fit, we haven't worn for years and will likely never put on ever again, so why do we hold on to them? The Quicky speaks to an expert in identity and clothing to find o...

Just when you thought talking about viruses was a thing of the past, a new illness spread through mosquito bites has resurfaced in Australia amid all of the wet and humid weather. Japanese Encephalitis was first discovered over 100 years ago, but its sudden resurgence particularly down the east coast is causing some concern among the scientific community and the public, but how worried should you...

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, you might have started hear more and more about a group of super-rich men referred to as 'oligarchs' who are increasingly being targeted with sanctions. But who are these billionaires, what is their relationship with Putin, and could we be unknowingly helping to fund the war in Ukraine through them? The Quicky speaks to an expert in Russian politics and...

In the past two weeks, three well known Australians all aged 52 have suffered serious heart attacks, tragically leaving two of those people deceased and the third needing to undergo a life-saving operation. Is it just a coincidence that Shane Warne, Senator Kimberley Kitching and former AFL player Dean Wallis all suffered similar medical episodes at the same age, or are there things we can learn f...

The recent flooding in New South Wales and Queensland has left thousands of people homeless, as entire towns were enveloped by rising floodwaters, with many still at risk. While floods and extreme weather are not uncommon in Australia, they are happening more frequently and with greater intensity, so it is time to re-think how we rebuild and recover from these disasters? The Quicky speaks to a reg...

For thousands of years women have had a unique relationship with cats in many different cultures, often associated with fertility and protection, yet somehow in modern representations, women with cats are often portrayed as sad and lonely. So how did we go from revering women with cats, to pitying and stereotyping them as 'crazy'? The Quicky speaks to two experts of cats and the history of the 'cr...

You might have seen a new ad on TV targeting women telling us that we should stop drinking alcohol as soon as we start trying for a baby, which goes beyond the traditional advice that we need to abstain from booze once we actually become pregnant. So what has brought about this new campaign, and why is it that the opinions and advice about how much alcohol is safe to consume during pregnancy and w...

It's been nearly two weeks since Russia invaded Ukraine, and already there are reports that thousands of people have died, and numerous efforts to end the conflict peacefully through diplomatic talks between the two nations have failed. Everyone witnessing the violence is desperate for the devastation to stop and the conflict to end once and for all, but how can peace be achieved when Russian Pres...

Today is International Women's Day and this year's theme is Break The Bias, in which we imagine what a world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination would look like, but do you know just how many bias' impact you on a daily basis? And what should you say when  that guy inevitably gets in your face to ask, "Oh well, what about International Men's Day?!", how can you respond to that? The Q...

When Australia's international border finally reopened in November, many of us started immediately planning and booking that much longed for trip overseas, feeling relieved that we'd finally be able to see loved ones and the world once again. But with the emergence of conflict in Ukraine, which is impacting many countries in Europe, airlines had to urgently start diverting planes away from the who...

It feels like every year we're told that the Australian property bubble is about to burst and we should all be poised to rush out and buy our dream home at a bargain price, but could this actually be a reality in 2022 and beyond? Philip Lowe, the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia has hinted that record low interest rates could finally rise later this year, but while that should slow down h...

For weeks rain has continued to pour down across much of the east coast of Australia, causing floods of historic proportions in many towns and cities, cutting people off from communities and help. Tragically several people and countless animals have died, and while flood waters in some areas are starting to recede, the danger is far from over. The Quicky speaks to a woman trapped in Lismore with h...

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is front and centre in news headlines as his country continues its efforts to repel the Russian military following the invasion late last week, but how much do we really know about him? You might have heard that he used to be a comic and actor, who almost lucked his way into the top job after playing the Ukrainian President on TV, but is that true? And has he...

If you are or have ever been a woman aged anywhere between about 16 and 50, no doubt you will have been asked at some point whether you're pregnant, or when you're planning to have a baby, but why does anyone think it's their business to ask? It can be not only incredibly annoying, but also upsetting if it impacts your body image, triggering if you have struggled with fertility, and just downright...

Have you ever received an unsolicited dick pic? If you said yes, you're not alone. Millions of women and men all over the world are being sent pictures of someone's junk every day and despite many of us saying we don't want to receive them, men continue to send them.  In this episode we look at the psychology of dick pics, why men send them and what they're hoping to get in return. CREDITS&nb...

Late yesterday afternoon our time, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a live televised address, saying Russia had no intention of occupying Ukraine. Then minutes after that TV appearance authorised a military operation in the country’s Donbas region. So what does this mean for the world? What does this mean for Ukraine? And is there anything that can stop Vladimir Putin from starting a po...

Last week a video of a man being fatally attacked by a shark in Sydney went viral. Hundreds, if not thousands of people were viewing and sharing this video on various social media platforms.  But before social media there were shockumentaries, before them, public executions where people would go to watch a person's final moments, so why are some of us so interested in watching someone die? In...

Sweden, Denmark, Norway, the UK - what do these countries have in common? They're all winding back or removing their Covid restrictions completely, despite the virus case numbers still rising each week. And now it seems Australia might start joining them, with some states looking to remove a number of restrictions or having done so already, but are we ready to really live with covid? In today's ep...