How are your Facebook posts impacting the health of the planet? It might sound like a contradiction in terms but this episode from Think: Sustainability’s Jake Morcom explores the environmental impact of online data. Jake chats to Ella Barclay, an artist and graduate student at the University of Technology Sydney; Senior Analyst Rodney Getta; and Lecturer Tanya Notley from the Institute for Culture and Society at Western Sydney University.
Jun 04, 2018•20 min•Season 1Ep. 82
On April 25th 2018, 25 year old Alex Minassian drove a passenger van into pedestrians on a crowded Toronto footpath, killing 10 people and injuring 16 others. Moments before the attack Minassian posted a message on his facebook shedding light on his motive. The message voiced admiration for a man who killed six college students in California in 2014, and announced his allegiance to a internet hate group called the incels, short for “involuntary celibate”. In this episode we hear from Heidi Matth...
May 28, 2018•24 min•Season 1Ep. 81
If you’ve tuned in to news from China over the past couple of months you’d be forgiven for thinking Xi Jinping spent the Summer reading Orwell and is now trying to convince 1.3 billion people how rad it is. From AI facial recognition tech to the nightmarish social credit system, surveillance tech in China is on the rise. This episode we hear two perspectives on the state of surveillance tech in the Middle Kingdom. We look into the historical roots of the social credit system with Wanning Sun (Un...
May 21, 2018•24 min•Season 1Ep. 80
If your toddler is accidentally watching gory videos on Youtube Kids, or your Facebook feed won’t stop recommending you ads for formal track pants - you might be the victim of a broken algorithm. Algorithms are often cited as the architects of our digital lives, but how much do they actually influence what we consume online? We watch Youtube with James Meese (University of Technology Sydney), understand the ecosystem with social media researcher Babak Abedin (UTS), and dissect algorithmic cultur...
May 14, 2018•24 min•Season 1Ep. 79
The recent anti-sex trafficking bill SESTA-FOSTA sent shock waves through sex industries around the world. But it’s not just income sex workers are losing when their business is forced offline. We chat to Cameron Cox, CEO of Sex Worker Outreach Project; Andre Shakti, sex worker, activist and journalist; Eurydice Aroney (University of Technology Sydney); and John Scott (Queensland University of Technology). WARNING: Explicit Content Further links: The Lysistrada Emergency Fund Third Wave Fund Sex...
May 07, 2018•24 min•Season 1Ep. 78
Behind every major technological innovation is an engineer. Whether inventing, planning, or building, engineers are instrumental to stuff getting done. They’ve built the world around us, but do they have what it takes to save it to? We meet Scott McKeon (From the Ground Up), a student pushing for a human centred approach in engineering. We then chat to Abbas El-Zein (Sydney University) and Sam Perkins (Engineers Without Borders) about what this means for the discipline. Finally, we meet a classr...
Apr 09, 2018•22 min•Season 1Ep. 77
With five times more viewers than the NRL Grand Final, and a higher prize money than Wimbledon, the world of competitive video gaming has flown curiously under the radar in Australia. Producer Myles Houlbrook-Walk takes us into the growing Australian Esports scene. First, we delve into the underground culture with Alex Walker (editor Kotaku). Next, we meet some of the players who have gone pro, like FIFA eLeague player Mark Brijeski, Overwatch player Connie Ko, and train alongside Australia’s to...
Apr 03, 2018•21 min•Season 1Ep. 76
Thanks to overpopulation and man made climate change, global food stocks are running low. Enter the “future foods” - the gross, weird and wonderful things clickbait articles tell us will be on our dinner plate in ten years time. But there’s more to this debate than just eating worms. We talk to the colonial gastronomer Jacqui Newling (Sydney Living Museums) about how we didn’t use to be so squeamish. Then we meet researchers Janice McCauley (University of Technology Sydney) and insect farmer Oly...
Mar 26, 2018•23 min•Season 1Ep. 75
You might have seen the headlines proclaiming astronaut Scott Kelly has returned from a year on the International Space Station with a whopping 7% change in his DNA. That was when compared to his identical twin, Mark Kelly, back on earth. Space travel affects our bodies in ways we still don’t quite understand, but there’s more to this headline than meets the eye. We go behind the news with Digital Futures regular Joshua Chou, Director of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Technology Syd...
Mar 23, 2018•9 min•Season 1Ep. 74
When you think about Puerto Rico—decimated by Hurricane Maria, a debt crisis and the longest power blackout in US history—most people see destruction. To a small group of cryptocurrency millionaires, it’s a chance to build a new type of society from scratch. A society built on blockchain technologies. We chat to Dr Pip Ryan (University of Technology Sydney) and Nathan Waters (founder of Peerism) about what a blockchain based society might look like. Then we speak to journalist Antony Loewenstein...
Mar 19, 2018•25 min•Season 1Ep. 73
The first episode of 2018 tackles the biggest question of our time: does anyone actually care whether or not we’re living in a computer simulation? As our understanding of the universe expands, the question of whether we’re living in a computer simulation has shifted from the domain of philosophers into a problem for astrophysics. Because at their astonishingly fast rate of discovery, astrophysicists will be the first ones to know. We chat to astrophysicists Martin Bell (University of Technology...
Mar 12, 2018•22 min•Season 1Ep. 72
A recent report revealed the NSW Police Force are using an algorithm based on the idea of "predictive policing". It's aim is to trawl through police records spotting potential re-offending criminals before they've committed a crime. It's called the Suspect Target Management Plan and it's designed to reduce violence in the community. So why is it targeting Aboriginal children? Producer/Presenter: Cheyne Anderson Speakers: Lotte, Social Worker Jo Travaglia, Professor of Health Services and Managem...
Dec 06, 2017•22 min•Season 1Ep. 71
Australia's internet speeds are notoriously poor. This is backed up by a recent report ranking us 51st in the world when it comes to connection speeds. But what does a ranking like this actually mean and can the much-maligned National Broadband Network lift us back up? Producer/Presenter: Cheyne Anderson Speakers: Robin Braun, Professor of Telecommunications Engineering at the University of Technology Sydney Alice & Jason
Nov 26, 2017•21 min•Season 1Ep. 70
When it comes to what we don't know about the human brain...well, there's a lot we don't know. So when it comes to melding our brains with computers, there's a lot of sticky questions we need to answer. Brain Machine Interfaces (BCI's) have the potential to change the way we understand ourselves and the world around us. So should they be used for commercial, recreational or medical purposes? Producers/Presenters: Cheyne Anderson, Ellen Leabeater, Miles Herbert Speakers: CT Lin, Professor in the ...
Nov 19, 2017•27 min•Season 1Ep. 69
Knowledge is power. So when we tick 'yes' on the terms and conditions and volunteer information about the minuscule details of our online lives, what are we actually giving corporations the power to do? The invisible processes of big data collection are starting to seep out into our offline lives. It's changing everything from healthcare to criminal justice. This episode features a conversation with two researchers calling for a sociology of data. We need to take a closer look at the social cons...
Nov 12, 2017•21 min•Season 1Ep. 68
Virtual reality immerses us in artificial experiences of the real world. It has the power to give equal access to the hidden corners of the natural world, and allow us to see nature from a new perspective. Research also shows VR can create empathy with the environment you're experiencing. But how far does this empathy go? This is the second half of our exploration of the relationship between technology and the environment. Producer/Presenter: Cheyne Anderson Speakers: Ryan Watson, Head of Commun...
Nov 05, 2017•22 min•Season 1Ep. 67
When City of Melbourne launched the Urban Forest Visual strategy to gather data on the city's 77,000 trees, something happened they didn't plan for. In an attempt to engage the community in the data collection process, they added an email function so residents could notify the council if a tree needed help. Instead, the council received an outpouring of love letters, drawings and tributes to the urban environment. So they decided to write back... This is the first half of a two-part episode view...
Oct 30, 2017•19 min•Season 1Ep. 66
From robots in the classroom to apps that track your pre-schooler's every move, this episode explores the ways technology is integrating into the school environment. What role can tech take on in the classroom, and could they one day do a better job than humans? Producers/Presenters: Cheyne Anderson & Jason L'Ecuyer Speakers: Mark Woodland, CEO of Xplor Nour Azar, new parent Damien Maher, Senior Lecturer in Teacher Education at University of Technology Sydney Muneeb Ahmad, PhD student at Wes...
Oct 22, 2017•23 min•Season 1Ep. 65
It's 2SER's Supporter Drive so we're replaying some of our favourite stories from this season. We're also asking our listeners to call us on 95149500 or head to 2ser.com/donate to support independent journalism and help keep us on air. Traditionally, democracy and technological innovation went hand in hand. In the 19th century, the printing press let the public share their views for the first time. In the 20th century, television and radio helped news spread across the globe. But in the 21st cen...
Oct 16, 2017•23 min•Season 1Ep. 64
It's 2SER's Supporter Drive so for the next two weeks you'll be hearing some of our highlights from the year so far. In the meantime, we're asking listeners to make a donation to keep us on air. Go to 2ser.com/donate to support community radio. Close your eyes. What can you hear? Our sense of hearing is often overlooked but our ears are capable of communicating information to us in ways we don't even realise are happening. The growing field of sonification is all about harnessing our sense of he...
Oct 11, 2017•22 min•Season 1Ep. 63
There's a growing movement of people who want to harness the technological revolution in order to push our minds and bodies beyond biological limitations. They're called "transhumanists" and their aim is humble: digital immortality. Producer/Presenter: Cheyne Anderson Speakers: Meow Ludo, founder of Bio-foundry Peter Xing, co-founder Transhumanism Australia Avinash Singh, PhD Researcher at the University of Technology Sydney
Oct 02, 2017•22 min•Season 1Ep. 62
We're in the middle of a "Bitcoin boom". The price of the digital currency is shooting past the price of gold. And it's not the only cryptocurrency having a moment with Ethereum even beating Bitcoin for steepest rise in value. But despite all the hype around cyrptocurrencies, you still can't buy a pizza with them. At least, not in Sydney anyway. Will the influence of Bitcoin ever break out of tech circles and seep into the "real" world? How can Bitcoin change our day to day lives? Producer/Prese...
Sep 24, 2017•20 min•Season 1Ep. 61
Our lives are increasingly being lived on the internet. Everything from social interaction, buying groceries, to committing crimes now happens online. Today's show examines how the digital age has transformed not just how people commit crimes, but how forensic scientists, police, and citizens are turning to the internet to seek justice outside the traditional criminal justice system. Producer/Presenter: Miles P Herbert Speakers: Layla Betts: Reddit Moderator Claude Roux: Professor of Forensic Sc...
Sep 17, 2017•26 min•Season 1Ep. 60
With commercial space flights fast becoming a reality, there's every chance you might travel to outer space in your lifetime. But we are boldly going where humans aren't supposed to go. At least, not from a medical standpoint. From brittle bones to flat eyes, this episode is about all the terrifying impacts of space travel on the human body. Producer/Presenter: Cheyne Anderson Speakers: Joshua Chou, Director of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Technology Sydney Nial Wheate, Pharmaceut...
Sep 10, 2017•27 min•Season 1Ep. 59
We often hear about the need to close the "digital divide" in Australia - that is, the gulf between those who are digitally included and those who are not. But when we picture the divide this way we lose sight of the myriad of cultural, economic and political issues that prevent people in Australia from participating in the digital sphere. These are problems that the NBN alone can't fix. So, it's time to re-frame the debate. This episode features two conversations that challenge our assumptions ...
Sep 04, 2017•27 min•Season 1Ep. 58
From communications satellites to commercial space flights, our atmosphere is open for business. And with the space industry currently generating more money than some countries, everybody wants in on the action. Gone are the days of the Cold War-era space race, they've been replaced by a new generation of tech entrepreneurs. This "New Space" network of Silicon Valley visionaries dream of pushing the boundaries of human exploration in their aim of building a space utopia. But are we really drawn ...
Aug 27, 2017•27 min•Season 1Ep. 57
Close your eyes. What can you hear? Our sense of hearing is often overlooked but our ears are capable of communicating information to us in ways we don't even realise are happening. The growing field of sonification is all about harnessing our sense of hearing. An increasing number of artists, researchers and storytellers are using sonification to challenge the ways we imagine our future. Presenter/Producer: Cheyne Anderson Speakers: Gail Priest, Sound Artist Mark O'Connor, Learning Technologist...
Aug 13, 2017•21 min•Season 1Ep. 56
When William Butler invented one of the first electromagnetic stimulators in the 1880s, he was pretty chuffed. His unwieldy machine appeared to be a genius solution to help doctors struggling to keep up with the growing cases of hysteria - a chronic illness of distress peculiar to frustrated women. What he didn't realise at the time was that he had just invented one of the first vibrators. This vibrator was designed to allow doctors to give women the only known relief for hysteria - an orgasm. S...
Aug 06, 2017•22 min•Season 1Ep. 55
With 830 million users worldwide, when a video goes viral on WeChat it really goes viral. Last year, a dark genre of videos featuring grisly accidents captured on CCTV spread across the app at lightning speed. What draws people to the spectacle of death? And how does the notoriously censor-heavy Chinese government respond to this? This episode features a conversation with Professor Wanning Sun from the University of Technology Sydney, discussing the digital age in China and whether there's somet...
Jul 30, 2017•21 min•Season 1Ep. 54
Traditionally, democracy and technological innovation went hand in hand. In the 19th century, the printing press let the public share their views for the first time. In the 20th century, television and radio helped news spread across the globe. But in the 21st century, social media is opening the floodgates for an age of information overload. Can a healthy democracy still operate in 140 characters or less? Producers/Presenters: Cheyne Anderson & Miles P Herbert Speakers: Emma Balfour, Honour...
Jul 23, 2017•23 min•Season 1Ep. 53
