The Future Of

Are shark attacks sensationalised by the media, or do sharks truly have taste for human flesh? Learn the truth with Melissa Márquez, the Mother of Sharks.  Sharks have earned a reputation in popular culture for being ‘blood thirsty people eaters’ but research and statistics show that this label is misleading. In fact, up to 31 per cent of sharks face extinction, despite the important role they pla...

What is it that makes consumers tick and influences our purchasing habits?    With the festive season upon us and Australians estimated to have spent a record $5.4 billion on Black Friday sales, we’ve decided to revisit one of our favourite episodes: Understanding Consumers.  In this episode, our former host David Blayney was joined by Associate Professor Min Teah and Dr Luke Butcher from Curtin U...

New nano capsules could spell an alternate effective treatment for type-2 diabetes – the world’s fastest growing health condition. Jess is joined by two of the researchers behind the capsules, Dr Hani Al-Salami and Dr Ryu Takechi, to learn how the technology, which is filled with a combination of bile acids and the lipid-lowering drug Probucol, targets the inflammatory effects of diabetes. The res...

Cyber security attacks have become a global concern — so how can we protect ourselves online?  In this episode, Jessica is joined by Stefan Prandl, Associate Lecturer from Curtin’s School of Electronic Engineering, Computing and Mathematical Sciences and his colleague Tim Jones, CEO of Hyprfire, a cyber security startup. Together they discuss the evolving threat of cyber attacks and how we can pro...

Now transmitting data from space to Earth, we explore the next steps for Western Australia’s diminutive Binar-1 satellite. Jess is joined by the Director and Deputy Director of Curtin University’s Space Science and Technology Centre, the largest space science centre in the Southern Hemisphere and the governing centre of the Binar Space Program. In this special, part two episode, we discuss the his...

What makes junk food advertising so successful and how can these messages be counteracted? Jess is joined by consumer experts Doctors Isaac Cheah and Anwar Sadat Shimul, to discuss how advertising is exacerbating health issues in Australia and worldwide, and how their research can be used to inform the public health response. The researchers also clarify the difference between junk food and fast f...

What’s the holdup with energy utilities transitioning from coal-fired power to clean energy? This episode brings together diverse energy experts, to provide first-hand insights into the issues faced by energy utilities and the initiatives that aim to address those issues, in order to reduce household energy costs and carbon emissions. Much of the discussion centres around the new RACE (Reliable, A...

What’s the likelihood of a mass extinction event happening in our lifetime? In this episode, Jess is joined by world-renowned organic geochemist, Professor Kliti Grice, to discuss how researchers are using fossil analysis to learn from past mass extinction events, like the event that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. She clarifies when the next naturally occurring mass extinction event...

Launched on 29 August, Curtin University’s Binar-1 CubeSat satellite will provide easy access to space for students, researchers and industry.  In this episode, Jess is joined by Binar-1 Project Manager Ben Hartig to learn about the totally-Curtin-built satellite that’s smaller than a shoebox but playing a mighty role in the future of Australian space innovation. Binar-1 is a CubeSat — a type of s...

  Will a robot ever steal your job? In this special, live episode of  The Future Of , host Danelle Cross is joined by research fellow Giverny De Boeck, Associate Professor Jonathan Paxman and returning guest Dr Eleanor Sandry.  The guests speak about their work and industry partnerships, before discussing the type of robots that already exist and setting the record straight on how robots could imp...

Get-rich-quick schemes are known as too good to be true, so why do people continue to participate in these businesses? In this episode, Jessica is joined by Associate Professor Isaac Cheah and Associate Professor Billy Sung from the Curtin School of Marketing. They describe how get-rich-quick schemes work and why people continue to fall for them. They also explore whether social media will help or...

What are non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and why have they been selling for millions of dollars online? In this episode, Jess is joined by returning researcher Associate Professor Vidy Potdar, as well as the Managing Director at Natsoft Consulting, Australia, Srinivas Boyapati, to unpack this mysterious new application of blockchain technology. The two leading experts clarify how NFTs work, why NFTs ar...

Will COVID-19 lockdowns increase the public’s support for refugees and other individuals with restrictions to freedom of movement? In this episode, Jess and Amelia are joined by the Co-Directors of Curtin University’s Centre for Human Rights Education: Associate Professor Caroline Fleay and Dr Lisa Hartley. The researchers discusss why the right to move is so important, how COVID-19 lockdowns have...

Hundreds of thousands of stolen, Colonial Era artefacts are on display in Western museums. Will they ever be returned home? In this episode, Jessica is joined by Dr Yirga Gelaw Woldeyes, an expert in colonialist epistemic violence research. He describes the types of artefacts that have been stolen, why museums are starting to repatriate these artefacts and how their return will influence future in...

“OCD” is often used as an adjective to describe someone who enjoys cleanliness and organisation, but is that appropriate? In this episode, Amelia and Jessica are joined by Dr Rebecca Anderson, an expert in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) research. She describes the symptoms and types of OCD, how information about OCD has been muddled during the pandemic and how new treatments might help better...

What’s the impact of parents sharing content of their children online? And what rights do children have in this space? In this episode, Jessica is joined by Dr Anna Bunn, Deputy Head of Curtin Law School and Tama Leaver, Professor of Internet Studies at Curtin University to discuss “sharenting” – the growing practice of parents sharing images and data of their children online. The three examine th...

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have had a deep connection with the land, or “boodja” as it’s known in the Nyungar language, for more than 60,000 years.  This episode brings together Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal perspectives on how ancient Aboriginal knowledge of the environment, together with world-leading science, can be used to restore and conserve our land for future generations....

How can schools improve our understanding of consent, sexuality and sex positivity?  In this episode, Amelia and Jessica are joined by sexology expert Dr Jacqueline Hendriks. The three discuss which topics feature in Australia’s sex education curriculum and what changes could be made to promote more respectful and meaningful sexual relationships.  Starting sex education early [00:52] Differences b...

Everyday, we breathe in more hazardous chemicals and gases at home, work and in the environment than you think. In this episode, Amelia and Jessica chat with Associate Professor Debbie Silvester-Dean about the hazardous gases in our homes and workplaces, and how cutting-edge research in electrochemistry will drive innovation in the detection of hazardous substances.  In early 2021, Debbie won the...

What does it mean to be ‘gender diverse’? And should gender even matter? In this episode, Amelia and Jessica are joined by gender and sexuality expert Misty Farquhar from the Curtin University Centre for Human Rights Education. The three delve deep into gender diversity, inclusivity and the right age to transition. What’s the difference between sex and gender? [01:38] Using pronouns properly [05:2...

Why do people self-injure and what support do they need in their journey to recovery?  In this episode, released on international Self-Injury Awareness Day, Amelia and returning host, Jessica Morrison, are joined by Professor Penelope Hasking, the President of the International Society for the Study of Self-Injury. The three debunk misconceptions about self-injury and explore why it’s important to...

Snakes might seem pretty scary, but did you know they’re essential in maintaining the balance of their ecosystems? In this episode, Amelia is joined by Australian snake wrangler and wildlife ecologist Damian Lettoof. The two unpack the crucial role snakes play in regulating local food populations and discuss why the health of many top tier predator snakes are in decline. Why we need snakes in some...

While oil and gas continues to power most of our everyday lives – the industry’s environmental impacts are causing more countries to switch to renewable energy. But is this switch really feasible? In this episode, Amelia is joined by Professor Claus Otto and Dr Roberto Aguilera from Curtin University’s Oil and Gas Innovation Centre. They break down why countries are switching away from oil and gas...

Despite living in a global age, the rise of political extremism reflects a world that has never been more divided – we only need to look at the storming of the US Capitol to see the great rift that exists between the ‘left’ and ‘right’. How did we get here, and where to next?  In this episode, Amelia is joined by Dr Ben Rich and Michael Wieteska from the Curtin School of Media, Creative Arts and S...

One billion people live with a disability, each with their own unique experience of the world, yet the media still largely portrays people with disability using traditional and inaccurate stereotypes.  In this episode, Amelia is joined by Curtin University Professors Katie Ellis and Mike Kent, who discuss how disability is a social construct, rather than a medical one. They explore some of the way...