x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Future Tense

A critical look at new technologies, new approaches and new ways of thinking, from politics to media to environmental sustainability.

society & culture tech news

All Episodes

0:29:08

Could Utopian thinking save democracy?

Future Tense ·

2025/01/30

Why does Utopian thinking get such a bad rap? It’s often derided as delusional and dangerous. But what if that stereotype is designed to limit our imagination and choices? We hear often that people are tired of democracy and turned off by short-term political thinking. So, is it time to be much more adventurous and ambitious – dare we say utopian – in our imagining of the future? GuestsProfessor William Paris – Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of

en

0:29:06

Future Tense

Future Tense ·

2025/01/26

Exploring new ideas, new approaches, new technologies — the edge of change.

en

0:29:06

How to ensure privatisation serves the public good

Future Tense ·

2025/01/23

Privatising public services like trains, hospitals or prisons — is a proven vote loser. But governments of both the left and right continue to privatise — when it suits them. And it suits them, it seems, when large sums of money are needed to pay down debt, or when a government seeks to off load risk and liability to the private sector. So, what conditions should be applied to ensure that privatisations truly serve the public interest and don't simply decrease

en

0:29:08

The vicious cycle of fear and anger — and how it...

Future Tense ·

2025/01/16

Authoritarians rule through fear. We can clearly see that from China to the Middle East to eastern Europe. But why do we constantly overlook the way in which fear also shapes democratic societies? It's fueling populism and distorting our future focus. Then there's anger. It's inspired generations to man the barricades and right society's wrongs. But anger is increasingly becoming a driver of commerce. There's billions to be made in getting you riled up and keeping you that way

en

0:29:08

Algorithms create a dull conformity — off and online

Future Tense ·

2025/01/09

Algorithmic feeds are meant to personalise our online experiences, but increasingly they're flattening our culture and fostering a dull conformity, according to best-selling author Kyle Chayka. And the influence they exert on our lives is increasingly physical not just digital. Also, data scientist Gloria Mark who has crunched the numbers on how our attention spans have fared over the past decade or so. If you can keep focused, you might find it fascinating.GuestsProfessor Gloria

en

0:29:08

The must-have skill for the future: Untangling...

Future Tense ·

2025/01/02

In our uber-connected world, the development and management of really anything is becoming increasingly complex. Planning for the future has to involve more than just grand ambitions, it also needs to be alert to unintended consequences. Otherwise things you didn't even dream about will go wrong and that can prove enormously costly. Part of the solution is to think past the immediate and adopt a systematic approach to thinking.GuestsDr Edward Crawley – Ford Professor of

en

0:29:08

Nostalgia can make you vulnerable to manipulation

Future Tense ·

2024/12/26

Nostalgia triggers our emotions and that in turn makes us vulnerable to manipulation. We speak with Richard King about the commodification and weaponisation of nostalgic sentiment. Also, New York Times critic-at-large, Jason Farago, on why he believes our cultural age might be the least innovative in half a millennium.GuestsRichard King – author and criticJason Farago – author, social commentator and critic-at-large, The New York TimesFurther informationRichard’s Griffith Review

en

0:29:08

The artificial secret behind "natural food"

Future Tense ·

2024/12/19

Most people want to eat better. And many of us have embraced the trend toward "natural" foods and conscious eating.We equate "natural" with healthy, nutritious and virtuous, but that can often be way off the mark. New research shows many healthy alternatives are anything but. And our embrace of the term natural is more about expressing identity and morality rather than healthy eating. Empowering people to understand what and how they should eat is what it should be about – and one

en

0:29:07

The role genetics could play in bringing down Methane...

Future Tense ·

2024/12/12

Methane levels are going up — not down, despite decades spent trying to reduce emissions from agriculture and landfill. But some countries are bucking the trend, we find out who and how.Breeding sheep and cattle to burp less is one way to reduce methane emissions. ABC Top 5 Science Residency recipient Luisa Olmo talks us through a genetic selection programme that could lead the way forward.GuestsDr Ed Clayton – Ruminant nutritionist, NSW Department of Primary Industries and

en

0:29:08

The cities that create rain; AI in warfare; and do...

Future Tense ·

2024/12/05

The design of your city contributes to how much rain you get. Researchers have found a 'wet island effect' and it's likely to shape the future construction of our cities. Also, better understanding how Artificial Intelligence is used in conflict; and the major Australian study that calls into question the effectiveness of carbon trading.GuestsDr Megan Evans – Senior Lecturer, Public Sector Management, UNSW CanberraProfessor Dev Niyogi – Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences,

en

0:29:08

Do we need new rules of war as conflict takes on a...

Future Tense ·

2024/11/28

Military spending around the world has reached a new peak, and it's still going up. All eyes are on Ukraine and the Middle East as new strategies and weapons are being put to the test. But are the traditional international rules of warfare too focussed on old technologies? Can they be adjusted to encompass cyber hacking and the use of online civilian proxies?GuestsProfessor Johanna Weaver – Director of the Tech Policy design Centre, Australian National University, ANUProfessor

en

0:29:08

Whatever happened to...?

Future Tense ·

2024/11/21

Sometimes, despite the hype, despite extensive funding, and despite clever and ingenious thinking, good ideas fail. Or at least don’t live up to their initial promise. There are lessons to be learnt and interesting anecdotes to be told. In this episode we look at four future-focused projects that have never really taken off: Google Glass, solar roads, space tourism and hyperloop technology. GuestsDr Paul Sutter – Astrophysicist, SUNY Stony Brook and the Flatiron Institute, New

en

0:29:08

A declaration on future generations

Future Tense ·

2024/11/17

The UN General Assembly has passed a Declaration on Future Generations. It’s designed to ensure the generations of tomorrow aren’t disadvantaged by the decisions we make today. But is it more than feel good symbolism? Could it one day be as powerful as the Declaration on Human Rights? Also, how a focus on the here and now restricts visionary thinking; and we get the results from the latest 4-day work week trial, this time in Germany. GuestsProfessor Thomas Hale – Blavatnik School

en

0:29:08

Robots in the home – friend or foe?

Future Tense ·

2024/11/07

Robot vacuum cleaners are so innocuous, many people treat them almost like pets. But they're also potential portals into our private life. Story Lab journalist, Julian Fell, learns how to hack a robot vacuum cleaner and uncovers some disturbing facts about the security of connected household appliances. Also, acts of aggression and abuse committed in virtual reality environments. So-called "metacrimes" may be cyber in nature, but they can feel very real and have physical world

en

0:29:08

Melting brains and climate anxiety

Future Tense ·

2024/10/31

The heating climate is now recognised as a threat to our inner world – to brain health and rationality. Extreme temperatures not only impact our ability to think and our decision-making they also increase the presence of neurotoxins in the environment. And that can lead to disease and mental degeneration. We speak with the head of the newly formed International Neuro Climate Working Group. Climate anxiety is also caused by changes in our brains. So, is that a blessing or a

en

0:29:08

Frozen frogs, tissues and cells — the health and...

Future Tense ·

2024/10/24

Rana Sylvatica is an unassuming wood frog with an extraordinary gift. In the depths of winter, it can slow down its metabolism, flood its cells with ice and remain in a state of suspended animation for months. But it's what it might be able to teach us about preserving human organs for transplant that has scientists really excited. Also, the menagerie in an icy test tube — San Diego's Frozen Zoo and the fight to preserve biodiversity.GuestsDr Ken Storey — Professor of Biology and

en

0:29:08

Sex tech, AI and the centrality of consent

Future Tense ·

2024/10/17

The demand for sex tech is booming. That is, toys and apps that can be used for pleasure, communication or to improve sexual health.Developers are using innovative ways to incorporate AI in a way that is respectful of both consent and the diversity of human desire.But it seems some male developers are intent on weaponising it against women.In this special episode of Future Tense, Stephen Stockwell, explores the power of the emerging technology, its potential benefits and harms, and

en

0:29:08

Wolf Warrior diplomacy — Have we finally seen an end...

Future Tense ·

2024/10/10

It was known as Wolf Warrior diplomacy – a brand of Chinese foreign ministry posturing that was as aggressive as it was unexpected. But has Beijing now changed tack? And if so, why? Also, does the theory of Institutional Amnesia explain why our preparedness for natural disasters is often found wanting?GuestsAssistant Professor Tyler Jost — Political Science, International and Public Affairs, Brown University (US)Dr Sarah Robertson – Research Fellow in sustainability, RMIT

en

0:29:08

Why China has tightened its belt and road

Future Tense ·

2024/10/03

Gone are the grandiose infrastructure projects, replaced by an emphasis on smaller development opportunities. China's Belt and Road initiative has entered its second decade — and it's changing. It now also includes a determined focus on green technology. But is the recalibration a sign of the project's overall success? Or a scaling back because of China's growing economic problems? And what has Beijing learnt about debt-levels and governance?GuestsProfessor Christoph Nedopil –

en

0:29:08

The year of the poll — democracy's mega test

Future Tense ·

2024/09/26

2024 has been an eventful year for democracies around the world. More than 80 countries, containing over half the world's population, are holding elections this year. It's democracy's mega test. The implications for the future of democracy and world order are profound.GuestsProfessor Nick Bisley – Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe UniversityDr Gorana Grjic – Senior Researcher, Swiss and Euro-Atlantic Security Team, ETH Zürich's Center for Security

en

333 results

Similar Podcasts

Voices of Life

APG Mannheim

Promo Estereo Podcast

Promo Estereo

Talking Timelines Podcast

Talkingtimelines

גיקונומי

ראם שרמן ודורון ניר

Drømmefanger

Drømmefanger