The Yarn

This week, we're bringing you another episode of News Bites, a series of live interviews about the craft of journalism.   Today’s guest is Khalid Amiri, who was a prominent news presenter for the Afghan state broadcaster RTA. He’s known for his courageous reporting and outspoken criticism of the Taliban.   After Kabul fell in August 2021, Khalid and his family fled to Australia, where he’s pursuin...

In Victorian London, a persistent rumour spread of a murderer who could leap between the city’s alleyways to avoid detection. Newspapers called him spring-heeled jack—one of the first ever urban legends.  He wasn’t real, but the fears that inspired him were. Fears of rapidly changing urban spaces and the upheavals of industrialization.   This week, we’re bringing you stories about similar mythical...

A decade before the global internet even existed, William Gibson coined the term "cyberspace". He was describing a realm of pure information in his 1983 novel Neuromancer. The story unfolds in a future where data flows form the arteries of an interconnected world.  It’s one of many inventions that appeared in novels and films years   before they materialised in reality, along with spaceships, Arti...

Back in the 13th Century, a catastrophic eruption in Indonesia ushered in a “volcanic winter”. Sulfur smothered the sky, causing crop failure and famine as far away as Europe.   Almost 800 years later, geoengineers are considering replicating this effect on purpose . The theory goes that plumes of aerosols could shield us from the sun and combat climate change. Experts say it could work, but not w...

When we think of navigation, we imagine satellite imagery mapping our world with laser-point precision.  But not all maps are for navigating reality.   "World building” describes the mapping of entire fictional realms. Think the vast continent of Middle Earth in Lord of the Rings, or the expansive galaxies of Star Trek.  But it doesn’t end there. It can extend to complex political systems, ancient...

2030. That’s the date renowned futurist Ray Kurzweil says humans could merge with machines and achieve immortality. He's is a disciple of transhumanism — a movement aiming to cheat death through technological innovations.     We might not get there by 2030, but this week, we’re bringing you stories about the breakthroughs paving the way. Stories about breaking free from human limits.  It’s the fir...

For Australian whistleblowers, the truth often comes at price.  The Human Rights Law Centre says federal whistleblowing laws have failed to protect a single person since their inception, and those who speak out risk exorbitant fines or even jail time.  Today, you’ll hear from a panel of experts who say reforms are long overdue: Kieran Pender (an expert in legal frameworks for whistleblower protect...

Today we're returning to our News Bites series which spotlights the work of staff and students at the Centre for Advancing Journalism.  This week’s guest is podcaster, PhD candidate, and former journalism student Dylan Bird. You might recognise his voice from Triple R’s Future Perfect program, which Dylan hosts. He also works behind the scenes on the CAJ podcast Masterclass.   On top of this, he’s...

24 hours after announcing a partial victory, the pro-Palestine encampment at the University of Melbourne is still intact and students are still occupying the Arts West building.   It’s not what they were anticipating yesterday. During a press conference last night, a pro-Palestine spokesperson said the university had agreed to a deal that could end the encampment.  The protesters were set to pack...

On Wednesday, dozens of pro-Palestine protesters occupied the University of Melbourne’s Arts West building. They say this sit-in will last until they are either forcibly removed or their demands are met. They’re calling for the divestment of university funds from weapons manufacturers.   The university has threatened those involved with severe consequences. Last night, police were given the green...

Coming up to its third week, the Gaza solidarity camp at the University of Melbourne is growing — It’s almost quadrupled to at least ninety tents.  But the encampment is coming under increasing pressure.  Last Thursday, pro-Israel demonstrators marched across campus, culminating in a face off with pro-Palestine students amid a heavy police presence. And this week, Petter Dutton called for encampme...

On ANZAC Day last week, protesters set up camp at the University of Melbourne’s Parkville campus. Since then, the “Gaza solidarity encampment” has been the epicentre of several peaceful demonstrations attracting hundreds of participants.  On Monday, more than 300 protesters marched on campus demanding the university to cut ties with weapons manufacturers and take an “ethical stance” against Israel...

Melbourne’s status as Australia's live music capital is under threat. Since the start of the pandemic, one third of small and mid-sized venues nation-wide have closed their doors for good.   This week we’re bringing you stories about how performers along the number 19 tramline are getting by.  It's the third episode of Tram Tales. Our new series about Melburnians who live, work, and travel along t...

Ask a group of teenagers about their dream jobs and you’ll likely hear a familiar list: doctor, lawyer, architect, psychologist...  According to an OECD survey, these are some of the most desired jobs among students worldwide.  But what about all the jobs they don’t even know exist?   This week, we’re bringing you stories from off the beaten career path. Stories about people along the number 19 tr...

The number 19 tramline is Melbourne’s backbone, taking passengers all the way from Coburg north to Flinders Street Station. Our new series, Tram Tales, shares the stories and struggles of people who, live, work, and travel along this central artery.   For our first episode, we're focusing on an issue that’s top of mind for most Australians — the cost-of-living crisis.  Energy, housing, and food co...

In the days of hunter-gatherers, social exclusion meant certain death. Humans have evolved with a primal need for belonging — and we still suppress our differences so we can fit in. But what happens when we buck this trend?   This week, we’re bringing you stories about embracing our differences.   It’s the sixth episode of Not Natural, a series about the tension between the natural and the artific...

According to an old urban myth, a frog suddenly dropped in boiling water will instantly leap out to safety. But if the water is tepid and gradually heated, the oblivious frog will slowly boil to death. This process is a metaphor for human psychology — especially when it comes to ecological decline.   Over time, gradual changes can make unprecedented catastrophes feel normal .   This week, we’re br...

Every day, our brains take cognitive shortcuts.  Our limited time and attention make it easy to fall back on familiar biases.  Among the most deeply ingrained is the assumption that “natural” always means “healthier”.  This week, we’re interrogating this idea with stories about “natural” and   synthetic remedies.   It’s the fourth episode of Not Natural, a series about the tension between the natu...

In the throes of addiction, people can enter a time warp. The clock seemingly stops when cravings are met and dopamine floods the brain.  But I’m not talking about drugs. I’m talking about social media.    Heavy users can squander hours per day on TikTok binges. And the App’s developers see this as a feature, not a flaw.    This week, we’re bringing you stories about how social media is rewiring o...

Social media feeds can make Botox and fillers seem as commonplace as getting a haircut. On TikTok alone, the plastic surgery hashtag has 22 billion views.   Is this newfound acceptance democratising beauty, or making beauty obligatory? And who gets to decide what counts as beautiful?  This week, we’re binging you stories about our increasingly narrow beauty standards.   It’s the second episode of...

There’s this phrase God Mode that was born out of the gaming world. It refers to a notorious cheat code in the 1993 shooter game, Doom. Once activated, a player becomes invincible and vanquishes opponents with ease.  Nowadays, God mode is a slang term for achieving superhuman feats in real life, and in our era of artificial intelligence and cybernetic implants, it’s becoming more and more pertinen...

Since July, the cost of living crisis has gotten a whole lot worse for international students. Thanks to the reinstatement of pre-pandemic work restrictions, their maximum working hours have been limited to 24 hours per week. Experts call it a return to "normal", but those facing financial peril say otherwise.  This week, Wuxi Fan talks to three students whose lives have been turned upside down by...

Rules have been following us from the moment we were born. Children follow the rules set by parents, students follow the rules set by schools, workers follow the rules set by companies, and citizens follow the laws set by governments. But what happens when international students face rules in different countries and cultures? This week on Subclass 500, Xuyang Liu investigates the stories of two in...

This episode explores long-distance relationships for international students. Part one is about the problems faced by a couple who are dating long distance. The second part introduces the phenomenon of life partners based on the story of a Melbourne-based Chinese student's relationship.   Credits: Series Producer: Yuxuan Liu  Senior Producer: Songyu Wu, Xuyang Liu Host: Cissy Sound Design: Elliot...

The number of international students in Australia is rapidly increasing, and some of them want to stay here to work and live. But they will face various difficulties and challenges. They have all put in a lot of effort. However, their future is still uncertain. The first interviewee, Michael Zhao, studies engineering and will graduate at the end of this year. He is very dissatisfied with the emplo...