Big Ideas

Join a full house at the Sydney Opera House with Nobel winning scientist Jennifer Doudna and Big Ideas' presenter Natasha Mitchell to discuss the huge social, ethical, and scientific implications of the CRISPR gene editing revolution her groundbreaking discovery with Emmanuelle Charpentier and colleagues kicked off. From curative therapies to gene edited babies - will we use it to hack our own evolution - are we already? This event was presented in 2024 by the Sydney Opera House, Big Questions Institute (BQI), Sydney Writers’ Festival, UNSW Sydney.Original publication: 24 July 2024Speaker:Professor Jennifer Doudna2020 Nobel Prize for Chemistry co-winner Li Ka Shing Chancellor’s ChairProfessor, Departments of Chemistry and of Molecular and Cell BiologyFounder, Innovative Genomics InstituteUniversity of California, BerkeleyInvestigator, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteSenior investigator, Gladstone InstitutesFurther information and listens:Doudna LabJennifer Doudna in conversation with Natasha Mitchell at an event in 2018World's first CRISPR gene edited babies born - are we ready?(2018 Science Friction episode with Natasha Mitchell)The CRISPR gene-edited babies and the doctor who made them - what really happened? (2019 Science Friction episode with Natasha Mitchell)Out of jail, is the CRISPR-baby scandal scientist at it again? (2023 Science Friction episode with Natasha Mitchell)Feral science or solution? Unleashing gene drives (Science Friction episode with Natasha Mitchell)Making happier animals? Gene editing in the farmyard (Science Friction episode with Natasha Mitchell)Hear Natasha Mitchell learn how to do CRISPR gene editing in 2016 (as part of a 4-part Earshot series The Hidden History of Eugenics, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4)The science and ethics of genome editing with Jennifer Doudna and Kevin Esvelt (video of event hosted by Natasha Mitchell in 2018)Natasha Mitchell's review of Siddhartha Mukherjee's The Gene: An Intimate History

Stories help us to understand what is happening in the world and how it impacts us. Stories help us to relate to the experience of 'the Other' and their suffering building an emotional understanding. Journalist and academic Helen Vatiskopoulos describes the power of stories to share information to the masses and the problems that arise when the narrative is distorted. What is the responsibility of the media? How does media and social media impact on whose stories are being told and whose are being left out?What's the Story? Migration, Memories and the Importance of Controlling the Narrative, the Inaugural Oration for the 50th anniversary of the Multicultural Council of South AustraliaSpeakerDr. Helen VatsikopoulosWalkley Award-Winning Journalist; Industry Professional Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney

For 85 years, Meanjin has published the essays of Australian writers. The magazine's founding editor, Clem Christesen, wanted Meanjin's writers 'to reveal and clarify our life by showing it to us though a vision different from ours and deeper." In the wake of the news the magazine is closing, Big Ideas explores and celebrates the essay in all its forms.This conversation was recorded at the Words on the Waves Festival on 28 May 2025.SpeakersDavid Marr Presenter, Late Night Live, ABC Radio National, author, My Country: Stories, essays and speeches and moreEsther Anatolitis Out-going editor, Meanjin, editor, Essays that Changed Australia, Meanjin 1940 to Today, and author, When Australia Became a Republic, (out in October through Monash University Publishing's In the National Interest series)Brooke Boland Author, Gulp SwallowAshleigh Wilson (host) Author, Brett Whiteley: Art, Life and the Other Thing, A Year with Wendy Whiteley, and Transcendence: 50 Years of Unforgettable Moments at the Sydney Opera House

It's water and fireproof, versatile, warm and tough wearing. Wool not only expanded the British Empire, and created prosperity in the colonies, it also changed the nature of war and warfare. But wool's fortunes didn't last forever. This is the story of the rise and fall of wool.This conversation was recorded at the National Library of Australia on 31 July 2025.SpeakersTrish Fitzsimons Documentary film maker, exhibition curator, adjunct professor with Griffith Film School (Griffith University)Co-author of Fleeced: Unraveling the History of Wool and WarMadelyn Shaw Exhibition curator and co-author of Fleeced: Unraveling the History of Wool and WarAnnabelle Quince (host) Host, Rear Vision, ABC Radio National

Has your doctor ever told you to go on a diet? Does that conversation put you off going to them in the first place, even if you need treatment for something not related to your weight? Has being in a larger body ever meant you can't access surgery or IVF? Some are pushing for a weight-inclusive approach to healthcare, which de-centres obesity, and focuses on 'health-at-every-size'. But what does that really mean, and why does it matter?This event was held at the 11th Annual Weight Stigma Conference at Griffith University.SpeakersAna Ximena Torres, clinical psychologist and founder of the practice, Elemental Collective.Dr Fiona WillerDietitian, bioethicist, President of Dietitians AustraliaLecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics at Queensland University of TechnologyFounder, Health, Not Diets consultancyHost, Unpacking Weight Science podcast.Tracy Taylor-BeckManager, Strategy and Health Promotion (interim CEO at the time of this event)Women's Health in the North, a women's health promotion and advocacy organisation in Melbourne's North.Thanks to Dr Lily O'Hara from Griffith University, convenor of the conference.

In a world where rules are increasingly being broken, what role should business play in upholding human rights, international and domestic law, and environmental protection? And what are the rules and responsibilities of business to ensure supply chains, hiring practices, workplace safety, environment and social governance practices abide by global human rights standards?This event was recorded at the inaugural UN Business and Human Rights Regional Forum: Australia and New Zealand on 26 August 2025.SpeakersRobert McCorquodale Professor of International Law and Human Rights, UN working group on business and human rightsHelen Clark Head of the UN Development Programme, Co-Chair of the WHO Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, former Prime Minister of New ZealandSharan Burrow Former general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, former president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, fellow with the London School of EconomicsLinda Kromjong President, amforiPeggy O'Neal Vice Chancellor RMIT University, former president Richmond Football Club

Rock star and maverick Jimmy Barnes celebrates heritage, family, friends, music and the adventure of a grand life on stage. Get up close to the lead singer of Cold Chisel, author of Working Class Man and Working Class Boy. Learn how terrible experiences of family violence, but also a close bond to his brother shaped him into the performer he is now. Get a look behind the scenes of his music world, with wild characters and the occasional tall tale.This conversation was recorded live at the 2025 Melbourne Writers Festival.Listen to Big Ideas – Writers who rockSpeakersJimmy BarnesAustralian rock singer, solo performer and lead vocalist with Cold ChiselAuthor of Highways and Byways, Working Class Boy, Working Class ManBrian Nankervis (host)Co-host of the music quiz show RocKwiz, Saturday Breakfast on ABC Radio MelbourneWriter, actor and comedian

Hanna Rosin, Senior Editor at The Atlantic and author of The End of Men, joins Edwina Bartholomew, host of Sunrise. They dive into the shifting gender dynamics in America post-Trump, highlighting women's struggle for equality and financial independence. Hanna shares candid reflections on her media experiences during tumultuous times. The duo discusses societal expectations in marriage and parenting, the role of technology in intimacy, and the necessity for women to reclaim their narratives amid evolving political discourse.

In this insightful discussion, energy analyst Simon Holmes à Court, conservationist Geoff Cousins, and journalist Royce Kurmelovs dive into the nuclear energy debate in Australia. They explore the nation's long-standing ban and the political intricacies surrounding nuclear as a climate solution. The trio critiques the Coalition's failed nuclear strategy in the last election and examines the need for bipartisan support. They also reflect on global energy trends, contrasting Australia’s challenges with other nations’ approaches to nuclear and renewables.

In this insightful discussion, David Lindenmayer, a Professor of Ecology and Conservation Biology, and John Wamsley, founder of Australia's first wildlife sanctuary, explore the dire state of Australia's biodiversity. They tackle the alarming species extinction trends and the need for innovative conservation strategies. The duo shares inspiring community stories and highlights the impact of sustainable funding and technology in forest management. Their personal journeys reflect a commitment to positive change, urging listeners to take meaningful action for the environment.