Big Ideas

Meet the world's smallest superheroes. Insects are ecological warriors, but through the brilliance of biomimicry, they're also inspiring all sorts of human inventions.From new medicines to air safety systems — don't underestimate the larger-than-life impact of the planet's tiniest beings.Presented at the World Science Festival Brisbane.SpeakersDr Chris BurwellQueensland Museum Senior Scientist and Curator of insectsDr Andrew WalkerPostdoctoral Fellow, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of QueenslandProfessor Elena IvanovaAnobiotechnologist/biophysicist, RMIT UniversityRebecca Levingston (host)Presenter and broadcast ABC Radio Brisbane

Discover why preserving dark skies is crucial for our health, wildlife, and cultural heritage. Experts discuss the enchanting beauty of celestial events and the escalating issue of light pollution in urban areas. Learn about the surprising impacts of artificial lighting and space debris on our night skies. Hear inspiring stories from astronomers and the importance of local observatories. Plus, find out how integrating Indigenous knowledge can enhance our understanding of darkness and spark curiosity for future generations.

What led to this current era of superpower conflict, and what will the outcome of the 2024 US presidential race will mean for the geopolitical dynamics shaping the world?SpeakersDavid E. Sanger National Security and White House Correspondent, New York TimesAuthor New Cold Wars: China's rise, Russia's invasion, and America's struggle to defend the West and othersDr Michael Green CEO, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney

Your biological responses to fear are at the core of depression, anxiety, failed relationships and much of human misery. But you can change how your body reacts to threats – some steps are as simple as adjusting your breathing. Fear has evolved as a set of powerful physical reactions for surviving predators. In modern life we face very different threats, but the same ancient, automatic fear responses are triggered. And that doesn't end well. It has a huge impact on our physical and mental health, our behaviour, our capacity to think clearly and our ability to relate to each other.Reflections on Fear, Anxiety and Depression was provided by the York Festival of Ideas. The Festival is led by the University of York, UKSpeakerMichael GuildingPsychotherapist and trainerFurther informationMichael Guilding's articles on complex trauma

Humans have long had a morbid fascination with murder and other crimes, as shown through the popularity of shows like CSI and Silent Witness. But how close are these tv dramas to the real thing? Three forensic pathologists spill the beans on what it's really like to work in the science of death.This Sisters in Crime event was recorded on 24 May 2024 as part of Victorian Law Week.SpeakersAssociate Professor Linda IIes Head of forensic pathology services, Victorian Institute of Forensic MedicineDr Melanie Archer Forensic entomologist and pathologist, Victorian Institute of Forensic MedicineAdjunct senior lecturer, Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash UniversityDr Samantha Robotham Forensic Anthropologist, Victorian Institute of Forensic MedicineAdjunct Research Fellow, Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash UniversityLiz Porter (host) Author, Written On The Skin: An Australian forensic casebook, Cold Case Files: Past crimes solved by new forensic science and morePhD, LaTrobe University

The Global South has vital perspectives in addressing the most pressing issues of our times, including inequality, the climate catastrophe, the mass displacement of humans, and the technologisation of life. Why aren't we listening? … Listening also to African diasporic writers when they correct the often unflattering stories about their home countries.Speaking from the South was presented by the University of AdelaideAfrica Now was presented by the Sydney Writers FestivalSpeakersAbdulrazak GurnahZanzibar-born Nobel-prize winning author of 10 novels, his latest is AfterlivesOliver TwistWriter, actor and Comedian – shows Jali and GriotSara El SayedEgyptian-born writer and Sessional Academic working at the Queensland University of TechnologyAuthor of Muddy PeopleProfessor Tina Steiner (host – Speaking from the South)Chair of the English Department at Stellenbosch University in South AfricaSisonke Msimang (host – Africa Now)Columnist and author of Always Another Country: A memoir of Exile and Home

Eric Beecher joins Natasha Mitchell to discuss his riveting and excoriating new book The Men Who Killed the News: The inside story of how media moguls abused their power, manipulated the truth, and distorted democracy.  A longtime journalist, editor and media proprietor, Erich Beecher is chair and the largest shareholder of Private Media, which owns the news website Crikey. In 2023, Fox Corporation’s Lachlan Murdoch paid Crikey $1.3million in legal costs after withdrawing his much publicised defamation suit against the publication over an opinion piece about Fox News, the Capitol Hill riots, and election fraud allegations. This event was organised by Christine Gordon of Readings Bookshop and held at the Cinema Nova in Naarm/Melbourne.Speaker:Eric BeecherJournalist, editor, media proprietorChair and largest shareholder of Private Media (owner of Crikey and various other news websites)Author, The Men Who Killed the News: The inside story of how media moguls abused their power, manipulated the truth, and distorted democracy (Simon & Schuster, 2024)Chair, Australian Communities Foundation

Have you been online recently and noticed the internet is changing? Everything from your Google searches to your social media profiles are now being used to train artificial intelligence. So, do you have a problem with that?This event was recorded at the Vice-Chancellor's Annual Democracy Forum at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) on June 19, 2024.SpeakersMeredith Whittaker President, SignalProfessor Peta Wyeth Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, UTSAssociate Professor Ramona Vijeyarasa Director of the Juris Doctor Program, Faculty of Law, UTSChief Investigator with the Gender Legislative IndexEdward Santow (host) Co-founder and Director of Policy and Governance, Human Technology Institute, UTS

Whether in conflicts around the world or within society, irreconcilability seems to be the hallmark of our present times. But it doesn't have to be that way. Many thought that reconciliation between West Germany and the UK and France after World War II was absolutely impossible. History taught us otherwise. What's the lesson of this process for today? What are the tools that lead to successful and lasting peace?Analysing Reconciliation and Irreconcilability from a Historical Perspective: The Example of Germany and Britain was presented by the German Historical Institute London.SpeakerChristine KrügerProfessor of Modern and Contemporary History at the University of Bonn

World conflicts can be overwhelming, or sometimes they feel very remote. But for many Australians, they are deeply personal, raw, and real. So what's it like when world news is not about 'other' people, but about 'your' people? This lively forum was hosted by Benjamin Law for QPAC and Multicultural Australia as part of the Changing the Conversation series on June 25, 2024.SpeakersAmok Dhuol South Sudanese Australian youth mentor, advocate with the Queensland African Communities CouncilArunn Jegan  humanitarian affairs lead, Médecins Sans Frontières, curator of Ted-X SydneyProfessor Peter Greste Adjunct Professor, University of Queensland, former foreign correspondentBenjamin Law (host) Writer, broadcaster, screenwriter, author of The Family Law, Gaysia, Moral Panic (Quarterly Essay), and editor of Growing Up Queer in Australia