The Conversation Weekly

The life of limbo for people in immigration detention is often deeply traumatic. In this episode we talk to two experts on immigration detention in Australia and the UK about why people are waiting months, sometimes years, for a decision about their future – and the impact it's having on them. Featuring Madeline Gleeson Senior Research Fellow, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Sydney in Australia and Blerina Kellezi, associate professor in social and trauma psychology at Nottingham Trent University in the UK.And as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine pushes more than two million refugees to flee the country, we speak to sociologist Irina Kuznetsova, associate professor at the University of Birmingham in the UK, about Russia’s history of using refugees from Ukraine as geopolitical tools. (From 32m55)Finally, Martine Turenne, editor in chief for The Conversation in Montreal, Canada, recommends some recent stories tied to International Women's Day. (From 46m32)This episode of the The Conversation Weekly is supported by the UK/Australia Season Patrons Board, the British Council and the Australian Government as part of the UK/Australia Season, which centres on the theme Who Are We Now? The season's programme reflects on the two countries’ shared history, explores their current relationship, and imagines their future together.The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Mau Loseto. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode available here.Further readingThe Conversation's Ukraine war coverageHow people in immigration detention try to cope with life in limboAustralia’s asylum policy has been a disaster. It’s deeply disturbing the UK wants to adopt itToo few women reach the highest levels in their organisations – it's time to act"Stay" : how this love song conveys contempt and violence against women

Scientists on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change just published a stark new warning about the impacts climate change is already having on our planet. Some of these impacts are already irreversible. In this episode, we talk to three of the scientists involved in the report about what the future may hold – and the narrowing window of opportunity to adapt to climate change.Featuring Mark Howden, director of the ANU Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions at Australian National University, Balsher Singh Sidhu, postdoctoral research fellow in resources, environment and sustainability at the University of British Columbia in Canada and Edward R. Carr, professor and director of international development, community, and environment, Clark University in the US.And a section of a rocket is about to crash on the Moon. Paul Hayne, assistant professor of astrophysical and planetary Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder in the US tells us what he’s hoping to learn from studying the collision. (Listen from 36m)And Jonathan Este, international politics editor at The Conversation in Cambridge in the UK, recommends some recent analysis on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Listen from 46m30)The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode available here.Further readingMass starvation, extinctions, disasters: the new IPCC report’s grim predictions, and why adaptation efforts are falling behindIPCC report: Half the world is facing water scarcity, floods and dirty water — large investments are needed for effective solutions A rocket is going to crash into the Moon – the accidental experiment will shed light on the physics of impacts in space Putin’s invasion of Ukraine attacks its distinct history and reveals his imperial instincts Putin’s claim to rid Ukraine of Nazis is especially absurd given its history 

Scientists at a nuclear fusion lab in the UK just broke the world record for the amount of energy produced in a single fusion reaction. In this episode, we ask two nuclear experts what this means, and how long it’ll take before we can switch on the world’s first nuclear fusion power plant.Featuring Livia Casali, assistant professor in nuclear engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in the US and Angel Ibarra Sanchez, a research professor in fusion technology at the Center for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research in Madrid, Spain.And in our second story, we explore why living in a country that scores highly on global happiness rankings might not be all that it's cracked up to be. Brock Bastian, a professor of psychological sciences at the University of Melbourne in Australia, talks to us about his new research on the social pressure some people feel to be happy.And Eric Smalley, science and technology editor at The Conversation in Boston, recommends some recent analysis on the cybersecurity and technology dimensions of the unfolding Ukraine war.The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode available here.Further readingNuclear fusion: how excited should we be?Nuclear fusion: building a star on Earth is hard, which is why we need better materialsResearch finds countries that focus the most on happiness can end up making people feel worseWhat are false flag attacks – and could Russia make one work in the information age? Technology is revolutionizing how intelligence is gathered and analyzed – and opening a window onto Russian military activity around Ukraine 

Military juntas have seized power in a series of coups in recent months in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso. We ask three experts what the coups mean for the war against jihadi insurgents in the Sahel – and for the future of French and European soldiers in the region. Featuring Folahanmi Aina, PhD candidate at King's College London in the UK, Mady Ibrahim Kanté, lecturer at the University of Legal and Political Sciences of Bamako in Mali and Thierry Vircoulon, a researcher at the University of Paris in France.And, we talk to researcher looking for ways to alleviate discrimination faced by people who speak English with a foreign accent. Shiri Lev-Ari, a lecturer in psychology at Royal Holloway University of London in the UK, explains why people might discriminate against non-native speakers even if they are not prejudiced – and what to do about it. (From 31m40s)And Jack Marley, an environment editor for The Conversation in Newcastle, England, recommends some recent articles on the ethical questions raised by eating meat. (From 43m40s)The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode available here.Further readingMapping the contours of Jihadist groups in the SahelIn the Sahel, France is being pushed out (in French)France has started withdrawing its troops from Mali: what is it leaving behind?Here’s why people might discriminate against foreign accents – new researchCow documentary shows the need for fundamental legal rights for animalsThe meat paradox: how your brain wrestles with the ethics of eating animals

As frantic diplomatic efforts continue to avert a Russian invasion of Ukraine, Europe’s reliance on Russian gas supplies – and what would happen to them in the case of a war – remains an ever-present threat.We speak to two experts on the geopolitics of natural gas about the history of the energy relationship between Russia and Europe, and the role gas supplies play in the current diplomatic efforts to avoid war. Featuring Michael Bradshaw, professor of global Energy at Warwick Business School at University of Warwick in the UK and Anastasiya Shapochkina politics lecturer at Sciences Po in France.And, the Beijing winter Olympics are the first games to use 100% artificial snow. We talk to a Madeleine Orr, lecturer in sport ecology at Loughborough University in the UK about what that might mean for the athletes – and for the environment around the Olympic sites. (Listen from 30m30)Plus, Haley Lewis for The Conversation in the Canadian capital Ottawa recommends some recent analysis of protests by truckers against COVID-19 restrictions that continue to block the city's streets. (Listen from 42m50)The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode available here.Further reading:Can the US find enough natural gas sources to neutralize Russia’s energy leverage over Europe?Natural gas is a fossil fuel, but the EU will count it as a green investment – here’s whyBeijing’s scant snow offers a glimpse at the uncertainty — and risks — of future Winter OlympicsHow Canada’s ‘freedom convoy’ was overtaken by a radical fringeCould Ottawa police be sued for failing to arrest ‘freedom convoy’ protesters?

What is it like to discover a new COVID-19 variant? We hear the inside story from Jinal Bhiman at South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases, one of the scientists who first alerted the world to the omicron variant. And Shabir A Madhi, professor of vaccinology at the University of Witwatersrand, explains what lessons South Africa's experience can offer the rest of the world about future coronavirus variants. We’re joined by Ozayr Patel, digital editor for The Conversation based in Johannesburg for this story.And new research finds a person’s emotional reaction to music has a lot to do with their cultural background – we speak to George Athanasopoulos, a musicologist at Durham University in the UK. (From 34m15s)Plus, Laura Hood, politics editor for The Conversation based in London, recommends some recent analysis on the political pressures facing the British prime minister, Boris Johnson, over parties held during coronavirus lockdowns. (From 47m10s)The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode available here. A transcript of this episode is available here. Further reading:The hunt for coronavirus variants: how the new one was found and what we know so farSouth Africa has changed tack on tackling COVID: why it makes senseHow your culture informs the emotions you feel when listening to musicFour key takeaways from the ‘partygate’ investigation into Boris Johnson’s Downing StreetBoris Johnson pledges to ‘fix’ Downing Street after partygate – but this is a failure of his leadership

When the Beijing Winter Olympics open on February 4, diplomats from a number of countries, including the US, UK, Canada and Australia, will not be there to watch. Their diplomatic boycott hinges on concerns about human rights abuses in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. We talk to three experts about China’s long-term vision for Xinjiang, and what its strategy there means for the region’s persecuted Uyghurs. Featuring Darren Byler, assistant professor of international studies at Simon Fraser University in Canada; David Tobin, lecturer in east Asian Studies at the University of Sheffield in the UK; and Anna Hayes, senior lecturer in politics and international relations at James Cook University in Australia.And what toxic heavy metals are lingering in houses around the world? Cynthia Faye Isley, postdoctoral research fellow in environmental science at Macquarie University in Australia, explains what she's found analysing vacuum cleaner dust from around the world.Plus, Matt Williams, breaking news editor at The Conversation in New York, recommends his picks of recent analysis on the build-up of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border.The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode available here. A transcript is available here.Further reading:How an independent tribunal came to rule that China is guilty of genocide against the UyghursCan China win back global opinion before the Winter Olympics? Does it even want to?House dust from 35 countries reveals our global toxic contaminant exposure and health riskIt’s just a ‘panic attack’ – Russian media blames US for escalating Ukraine crisisThe US military presence in Europe has been declining for 30 years – the current crisis in Ukraine may reverse that trend

What are the evolutionary origins of sugar cravings? What makes something taste sweet? And what does too much sugar do to the brain? This week we talk to three experts and go on a deep dive into the science of sugar.Featuring Stephen Wooding, assistant professor of anthropology and heritage studies at the University of California, Merced; Lina Begdache, assistant professor of nutrition at the Binghamton University, State University of New York and Kristine Nolin, associate professor of chemistry at the University of Richmond.And after the Canadian government agreed in principle to pay CAN$40bn (US$32bn) over discrimination against First Nations children by the country’s child welfare system, we talk to Anne Levesque, assistant professor at the faculty of law at the University of Ottawa in Canada, about the long fight for justice. (From 29m20)Plus, Veronika Meduna, science and health editor at The Conversation in New Zealand, recommends analysis of the recent Tonga volcano eruption. (From 45m45)The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode available here. A transcript is available here.Further reading:Read more from The Conversation's series on sugar's effects on human health and cultureMaking sugar, making ‘coolies’: Chinese laborers toiled alongside Black workers on 19th-century Louisiana plantations, by Moon-Ho Jung, University of WashingtonAs a lawyer who’s helped fight for the rights of First Nations children, here’s what you need to know about the $40B child welfare agreements, by Anne Levesque, University of OttawaWhy the volcanic eruption in Tonga was so violent, and what to expect next, by Shane Cronin, University of AucklandThe Tonga volcanic eruption has revealed the vulnerabilities in our global telecommunication system, by Dale Dominey-Howes, University of Sydney

We dive into the world of crypto and digital currencies in this episode to take a close look at two countries approaching them in very different ways. In 2021, El Salvador made the cryptocurrency bitcoin legal tender, while Nigeria launched its own central bank digital currency. Experts talk us through why they've taken such radically different paths.Featuring Iwa Salami, Reader (Associate Professor) in Law at the University of East London in the UK and Erica Pimentel, Assistant Professor at the Smith School of Business at Queen's University, Ontario in Canada.And if the latest Matrix film has left you wondering whether we are really living in a simulation, we talk to Benjamin Curtis, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and Ethics at the Nottingham Trent University in the UK, on the long history of that idea. (At 30m20)Plus, Rob Reddick, COVID-19 editor at The Conversation in the UK, picks out some recent coverage of the wave of omicron cases sweeping the world. (At 42m10)The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here. And a transcript is available here.Further reading:Nigeria’s digital currency: what the eNaira is for and why it’s not perfect, by Iwa Salami, University of East LondonAfter a big year for cryptocurrencies, what’s on the horizon in 2022?, by Erica Pimentel, Bertrand Malsch, and Nathaniel Loh, Queen's University, OntarioFree Guy’s philosophy: could we just be lines of code in a grand simulation, by Benjamin Curtis, Nottingham Trent UniversityWhat are the symptoms of omicron?, by Tim Spector, King's College LondonWhy does omicron appear to cause less severe disease than previous variants?, by Paul Hunter, University of East Anglia

From new mRNA vaccines, to space mission and developments in robotic automation, in this episode we talk to three experts about some of the scientific advances they’re watching out for in 2022. Featuring Deborah Fuller, professor of microbiology at the School of Medicine at University of Washington in the US and an expert on mRNA and DNA vaccines; Monica Grady, professor of planetary and space sciences at The Open University in the UK; Teresa Vidal-Calleja, associate professor at the Robotics Institute at University of Technology Sydney.We also speak about what 2022 holds in store for global inequality with economist Carlos Gradín, research fellow at United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research in Helsinki in Finland. And Naomi Schalit, senior politics and society editor at The Conversation in Boston in the US, recommends some reading to mark the one year anniversary of the attack on the Capitol in Washington D.C. The Conversation Weekly is produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here. Full credits for this episode available here.Further reading:Material from asteroid Ryugu starts to give up secrets of early Solar System, by Monica Grady, The Open UniversityGlobal inequality may be falling, but the gap between haves and have-nots is growing, by Carlos Gradín, United Nations University & colleaguesThe ‘sore loser effect’: Rejecting election results can destabilize democracy and drive terrorism, by James Piazza, Penn StateAmerican support for conspiracy theories and armed rebellion isn’t new – we just didn’t believe it before the Capitol insurrection, by Amanda J. Crawford, University of Connecticut