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A critical look at new technologies, new approaches and new ways of thinking, from politics to media to environmental sustainability.

Future Tense

We're now halfway through the UN-designated "Ocean Decade" — new research initiatives have been launched, and global cooperation has been strengthened as scientists work to learn more about our oceans and to harness their potential in the fight against adverse climate change. But there are still questions to be answered:

 • How firm are the commitments made under the Ocean Decade arrangement?
 • Why are many countries still lagging behind in ratifying the "High Seas" treaty?
 • And what will a reduction in US funding mean for ongoing ocean research?

Also, the ocean-going drones deployed to improve climate monitoring; and a new system for helping ships navigate more efficiently.

Guests

Julian Barbiere — Head of the Marine Policy and Regional Coordination Section, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, UNESCO; also Ocean Decade Coordinator

Dr Meghan Cronin — Research Oceanographer, NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory; and co-chair of the Observing Air-Sea Interactions Strategy (OASIS), an endorsed programme of the UN Ocean Decade

Dr Shane Keating — Associate professor, University of New South Wales; also founder of the company CounterCurrent

Dr Sarah Lothian — Senior lecturer and Academic Barrister, Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security, University of Wollongong

Further information

UN Ocean Decade

Sarah Lothian — Marine Conservation and International Law, Legal Instruments for Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction

Cooperation, not conflict on the High Seas

Humans have an evolutionary bias toward seeking convenience, experts say. But what happens when the desire for convenience becomes a dominant social and economic expectation? Future Tense explores the hidden costs of convenience for the environment and the economy. Making things too easy can in fact be bad for you.

Guests

Alison Angus — Head of Practice – Innovation Research, Euromonitor

Dr Paul Harrison — Director of MBA Programme, Deakin University. Unit Chair of Consumer Behaviour, Department of Marketing, Deakin Business School

Sloan Wilkins — Founder and Financial Coach, Everyday Money Live

Dr Alex Curmi — Consultant psychiatrist

Chris Williams — Founder and Chief Executive, ISB Global

Convenience culture's inconvenient truth

Policing has always embraced new technologies and Artificial Intelligence is, of course, the flavour of the month. Working out when and why it should be used is crucial, according to law enforcement specialists. What’s also important is ensuring appropriate human oversight. 

Future Tense - The creeping militarisation of our police

Guests

Dr Marion Oswald – Professor of Law, Northumbria University 

Philip Lukens – Former Police Chief, Alliance, Nebraska. Data-driven policing analyst 

Dr Nick Evans – Lecturer and researcher, Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies, University of Tasmania 

Dr Terry Goldsworthy – Associate Professor in Criminology, Bond University

Perspectives on the potential of AI-powered policing

How real is the link between Artificial Intelligence and increased productivity? Jon Whittle from the CSIRO, one of Australia's leading science agencies, has been examining the latest research. He helps us sort facts from fiction. Also, literacy and problem-solving skills have taken a dive in many developed countries — could an over-reliance on technology be part of the problem? And why understanding the literary style "Magic Realism" could help in developing better regulation for AI.

Guests

Jovan Kurbalija — Executive Director, Diplo Foundation

Professor Jon Whittle — Data61 Director, CSIRO

Andreas Schleicher — Director for Education and Skills, OECD

The truth about AI and productivity

Cities across the world are beginning to sink — some by as much as 10 centimetres a year. A recent study suggests that more than a third of urban Chinese resident now live in a sinking city. The cause is often ascribed to climate change, but is there something else at play? Could our thirst for water actually be the culprit? Also, how much do our urban environments contribute to the heating of the planet? A call to finally get serious about the climate impacts of city design.

Guests

Jeff Goodell — Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council. New York Times Best Selling author of "The Water Will Come"

Dr Philip Minderhoud — Assistant Professor and Veni laureate at the University of Wageningen

Associate Professor Anna Hullimann — Melbourne School of Design, University of Melbourne

Further information

Jeff Goodell — The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities and the Remaking of the Civilized World

Anna Hurlimann — Integrating Climate Change Action Across the Built Environment: A Guide for Transformative Action

Sinking Cities

We face multiple looming demographic crises — and our responses seemingly contradict each other. 

A rapidly aging population means that we need more children to be born. But it's foreseeable that resources on Earth simply can't sustain many more people.

How can we solve this conundrum?

Original broadcast on May 22, 2022

Guests

Dr Stuart Gietel Basten — Professor of Social Science and Policy, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Dr Marco Amati — Associate professor of International Planning, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University

Deborah Devis — Science Communicator

Dr Anumitra Mirti — Senior Associate — Sustainability, Beca

Professor Nick Parr — Demographer, Macquarie University

How to balance the population needs on our planet

South Korea is a test case in how to maintain democracy against sustained pressure from dictatorship. The innovative and entrepreneurial country lives in the shadow of China and Russia, and its capital Seoul lies only 50km from the North Korean border. It hasn't been easy, but the difficulties South Korea faces and the way it deals with them could prove invaluable for other regional neighbours in responding to future economic and military aggression.

Journalist Matt Smith has this special report…

Guests

Dr Troy Lee Brown — Research Fellow, Defense and Security Institute, University of Western Australia

Professor Bec Strating — Director, La Trobe Asia and Professor of International Relations at La Trobe University

Dr Mike Bosack — Special Advisor for Government Relations, Yokosuka Council for Asia-Pacific Studies

Dongkeun Lee — Policy Fellow, Asia-Pacific Leadership Network

Dr Duyeon Kim — Adjunct Senior Fellow, Indo-Pacific Security Program, Centre for New American Security

Lessons from South Korea's security dilemma

Suffering internal division and stymied by geopolitical bullying, the United Nations is facing a future of diminishing influence. As the organisation marks its 80th birthday, it's also dealing with a serious financial shortfall brought on by both China and the United States, its two biggest donors. Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, has launched a major internal reform programme, but there are questions about whether his approach will rescue the global body or just cause further damage.

Guests

Associate Professor Chris Ogden — Director of Global Studies, University of Auckland

Eugene Chen — Senior Fellow, Center on International Cooperation, New York University

Richard Gowan — Director of UN Affairs, International Crisis Group

Roland Rich — former Australian ambassador. Director of the United Nations and Global Policy Master of Arts program, Rutgers University

A turning point for the United Nations

Synthetic biologists are hard at work developing artificial biological molecules as the first step toward developing a mirror cell that would be immune from infection. If they're successful, it could transform the world of medicine. But while the potential of mirror life is great, so too are the risks. There are warnings of a catastrophic impact if the cells can't be controlled. And that's prompted calls for a moratorium on the research.

Guests

Associate Professor Kate Adamala — Synthetic biologist and professor of genetics, University of Minnesota

Professor Andrew Ellington — Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, University of Texas at Austin

Professor Heather Douglas — Department of Philosophy, Michigan State University

Ajay Kshatriya — CEO Aizen Therapeutics

The potential benefits and risks of developing "mirror life"

What will Earth look like when humans become extinct? What "technofossils" will paleontologists of the future unearth and no doubt ponder over? Will we be remembered for our achievements or merely our rubbish? Also, which animals might rise to fill our role at the top of the pecking order? And is the future of live music really as dire as many predict?

Guests

Professor Sarah Gabbott — Paleobiologist, University of Leicester

Joanna Thompson — Freelance science journalist based in New York

Dr Christen Cornell — Research Fellow and Manager of Research Partnerships, Creative Australia

Musical artists heard in this episode - Jim Beavis, The RandomiZZZed Experience

Further information

Listening In Research series

The world after us!

Stories like opinions have become a necessity of modern life. Everybody is encouraged to have an opinion and everybody – in the vernacular of countless motivation speakers – is encouraged to be the “hero of their own story”. But are we in danger of making too much of them? If the story becomes the central device for much of our communication, do we risk losing our sense of objective reality?

The power of storytelling – a cautionary tale

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