Quick Smart

Linguists have discovered that teenage girls play a significant role in shaping our future vocabulary.But how do 16-year-old girls end up being the arbiters of what we will and won't say? Guest: Fiona Pepper for Future Tense 

Where is the case now and when will mushroom murder-accused Erin Patterson face trial? We find out and get into the weeds about the legality and ethics of making a true crime podcast happening in real time. If you liked this episode of Quick Smart you might like this other episode we did about The truth behind reality TV villains or this one about The mysterious disappearance of Agatha Christie

Shelby Traynor, an expert in the crossover of gaming, creativity, and psychology, dives into the Tetris Effect and its fascinating implications. Learn how prolonged gaming can shape our dreams and enhance creativity through guided dreaming techniques. Discover the interplay between dreams and advertising ethics, especially in quirky marketing experiments. Shelby also touches on how pre-sleep thoughts can influence dream quality, opening a window to harnessing sleep for creativity and productivity.

Nick Baker, a journalist from The Money and ABC Digital, dives deep into the dark intersection of gaming and money laundering. He reveals how cryptocurrency and platforms like Counter-Strike are exploited for illicit financial activities. The Axie Infinity case showcases huge heists linked to North Korean hackers. Baker discusses the challenges of regulation in an evolving digital landscape and reassures gamers about their smaller risks. Discover how traditional money laundering tactics transform through the lens of video games and blockchain.

If you’re a woman between 25 and 45 on Instagram there’s a good chance you’ve seen ads for egg freezing. And in recent years, the popularity of IVF clinics has sky rocketed - so much so that the clinics are are actually starting to run out of storage space. So what has led to the huge uptick in people wanting to freeze their eggs and is it actually the insurance policy that people think it is?Guest: Sophie Kesteven for ABC NewsAnd if you liked this episode check out our episodes about office romances with Zoe Ferguson or the woman who got a Pap smear everyday for 21 years with Belinda Smith.

The Olympic Games are about to kick off and athletes from all over the world will make their way to France to compete. The event is watched by billions, there's a massive increase to local tourism and of course an eye watering amount of advertising dollars at stake so it’s wild to think that at one stage - the Olympics was almost cancelled for good. Guest: Jack Schmidt for God Forbid

In the back of our minds we all know that there’s very little that’s real about reality TV… but you might be shocked to discover just how deceptive – and ethically questionable – some of the television tactics really are. So are the humans behind these characters we love to hate really so awful? And how does being cast as a TV villain impact a person’s mental health and life outside the show?And a content note: this episode contains discussion of suicide and mental health. Guest: Annika Blau for Background Briefing

Social media is a huge part of our lives. We use it to talk to friends, to read about what’s happening in the world, and to find out whether or not something is cake. But recently there’s been talk of banning people under the age 16 from using social media because of the negative impact on their mental health and to protect them from harm. So is the government’s plan for age restriction really the best way to tackle this crisis? And will it actually improve the wellbeing of kids or will it just push their social media use underground? Guest: Ange Lavoipierre Technology Reporter for ABC News

AI is impacting every creative industry - and movies are no exception. If a young Harrison Ford can be churned out of a computer, what does the future of film look like? And would you feel differently about your favourite TV show if you knew the characters in it were created by a computer?Guest: Bev Wang for Stop Everything!This episode was originally published in January 2024

Whether you're singing in a karaoke room at 2am, or at a more reasonable time with a local choir, there’s something about singing without inhibition that feels great. Our brains get this warm fuzzy feeling when we come together and sing as a group - and it turns out there's neuroscience that backs that up. So what are the health benefits for our brain and mental health? Should we all be joining a community choir?Guest: Lucy Sweeney for ABC Online