Quick Smart

Australia buys more clothes per person than any other country and most of it is made up of plastic. Thanks to fast fashion, even our op shops are becoming flooded with these polyester products. So, when did we start wearing plastic? And why did it take over the fashion industry? Guest: Anna Levy, ABC journo. Anna Levy’s article on the rise of not-so-fantastic plastic fashion can be found here .  A...

Australians love to crack open a ‘cold one’, but increasingly we’re turning to non-alcoholic beers, wines and spirits. How did NoLo drinks become so popular? What’s actually in them? And are they healthier than their boozy counterparts? Guest: Jacinta Bowler , ABC science reporter  If you’re into the science of what we eat and drink, check out our episode on the influx of random chip flavours or w...

Do you struggle with making big life decisions? Maybe it's moving overseas, quitting your job or deciding to have a baby. This week, how to ditch analysis paralysis and make a life-changing choice. Guest: Sana Qadar, host of All in the Mind . If you liked this chat, check out our episode on what makes someone an introvert or an extrovert . Sana also has a longer All in the Mind episode about how t...

Why do some people save every spare dollar, while others blow through their pay the moment it lands? It might have less to do with discipline and more to do with the way you were raised. Guest: Emily Stewart, ABC business reporter and author of Sensible Money If this episode has you feeling *triggered*, you can sign up to Emily’s handy money newsletter here (you're looking for Your Money Explained...

When many of us were growing up, the c-word was the worst thing you could say. Now, it’s having a renaissance. How has an "offensive and hateful” term transformed into a compliment? And why are drag queens, actors and K-pop girlies at the forefront of reclaiming "See You Next Tuesday”? Guest: Virginia Trioli, host of Creative Types on ABC TV and iview. Check out Virginia’s article on how the the c...

It feels like asbestos has been having more than it's fair share of limelight over the last few years. But it's manufacture, sale and import was banned in Australia in 2003. So, where is it coming from? Guest: Angelique Donnellan , reporter for ABC's 7:30 program .--------- If you liked this chat, you might also like our episode about whether Australia has a problem with class . You can find Angel...

The Victorian government has signed into law a historic Treaty with First Nations people. It’s supposed to help fix the effects of institutional harm. So, what will actually change?

Our personal data can be used to manipulate the prices we see, the disinformation we believe, and sometimes even who we vote for. So, how much does the internet know about you?

From pub bands and street buskers to TikTok-ing teens, the world is full of music covers. Some are admirable, others are average. Yet every so often, an artist will release a cover that flips a song on its head. So, why are we drawn to making the old new again? 

Democracy dates back to the ancient Greeks and is meant to give us a say on who’s in charge. But lately, some democratically elected leaders are acting more like kings than politicians. So, does democracy still work? And how do we stop “undemocratic” forces from manipulating us?

From a muddling Mr Darcy to Clueless diva Cher Horowitz, some of the most iconic characters in books, films and TV were conceived by Jane Austen — or based on her works. So, who was she, really? And what makes her classics... classic?

Google gets billions of searches every day. But now, the tech giant wants to be AI-fuelled “answer engine”, rather than a gateway to other sites. It poses a massive threat to journalism, but it’ll also affect the information we see and don’t see. 

If you needed a life-saving transplant, would you take a gene-edited organ from a pig? It sounds like science fiction, but this procedure has been researched for decades, and it could help solve the massive organ shortage. But is it ethical to use animals for their parts? And are there other risks? 

A Catholic and a Satanist walked into a bar ... and managed to fall in love? During the past two decades, more of us have become non-religious, but we’re also increasingly up for dating and marrying across the spiritual divide. So, how do interfaith couples make it work? And what can we learn from them?

Remember when you could drop off soft plastics at the supermarket and feel a little smug, because you knew they’d be recycled? Turns out that scheme was secretly stockpiling rubbish, not recycling it. So, why are soft plastics harder to recycle? And will a new scheme actually work? 

When you think of a saint, who do you picture? Chances are it’s not a tracksuit-wearing, video game playing teen, but that's exactly who the Catholic Church canonised recently. So, why was Carlo Acutis special? What miracles did he perform? And could his sainthood help drive younger people back to religion? 

At a stadium in Arizona, 63,000 people gathered to remember Charlie Kirk. Among them was President Donald Trump, who called the controversial right-wing figure a “martyr”. Who exactly was Kirk? Are politicians weaponising his death to crack down on their opposition?

While cinemas struggle to fill seats, horror films are bringing in billions. So, why do we enjoy being scared? And how come horror flicks are filled with nuns, crosses and other Christian imagery? --------  If you liked this chat, send it to the cinema buff in your life. You might also enjoy our eps on how cults are being targeted with coercive control laws and why certain female body parts are na...

From the sovereign citizen movement to vaccine conspiracy theories, extreme beliefs are on the rise, and they can make family gatherings super uncomfortable. Why do sensible people fall for irrational ideas? And can we challenge these ideas without alienating the people who hold them?

Love decluttering videos, but hate home organising in real life? Too much stuff can make us feel stressed, but parting with objects isn't always easy. This week, what your clutter says about you, and how you can get on top of it.

Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law. And yet, the Israeli government just approved almost 3,500 more of these homes. Meanwhile, settler violence against Palestinians is rising. So, who are the settlers and why are they allowed to exist outside the law?

If you had to dash out for a bottle of milk, could you just stroll to the supermarket? If the answer's yes, you might be living in a 15-minute city. What are these neighbourhoods, exactly, and why do conspiracy theorists hate them?

Financial woes, global conflicts, and world leaders who act like the rules don’t apply. The United Nations is at crisis point. So, 80 years since its creation, is the UN still relevant? And how might we fix it?

Like it or not, tax affects our incomes and grocery bills. It also helps pay for roads, hospitals and schools. But could the government be taking less from our salaries and more from big business, inheritance, or superannuation?

Late night TV legend Stephen Colbert is being taken off air, and suspicions are swirling. His US network CBS says it cancelled the talk show for financial reasons, but could President Donald Trump have something to do with it?