Where Are We At With...?
A podcast that brings you up to date with the promises of the future, made in the past.
Play Latest Episode
Recent Episodes
Where Are We At With Eucalyptus?
Eucalyptus trees define the Australian landscape. However, what sustained First Nations Australians for millennia mystified and frightened European colonisers. Now, Eucalypts are grown around the world, often causing immense damage to the local economy, environment and culture. One of the world's most respected botanists, Professor Stephen Hopper from the University of Western Australia, explains what modern science can tell us about these trees, and how ancient knowledge can help prote…
Where Are We At With Consciousness?
What does our brain do when we dream? Can we tell if someone is dreaming just by scanning their brainwaves? What do we mean by conscious? Does ADHD make the brain act like it's dreaming during the day? How many people are actually aware during hospital operations?
Just some of the deep and challenging questions that people like Professor Nao Tsuchiya from Monash University are trying to answer, using science, philosophy, psychology and maths.
"Operation Winston"
1943. The British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, is dealing with the greatest threat to his nation since the Spanish Armada. But somehow, he makes it known that he wishes Australia to send him some live platypuses. Incredible, but true. This is a bonus addition to our most recent episode, "Where Are We At With Platypuses?".
Where Are We At With Platypuses?
Lots of people don't believe the platypus is a real creature. Bill like a duck, tail like a beaver, body like an otter and venom like a cobra. It's like someone hit the "Randomise" button in the character creation section. They are real, but with their numbers declining in many areas, who knows for how long? Dr Tahneal Hawke from UNSW and Taronga Conservation Society joins us to talk all things ornithorhynchus.
Where Are We At With Universal Translators?
Apps like Google or Microsoft Translate claim to have removed the language barrier. But few people would trust an app to interpret their complex medical history, or relay critical information in a court case. Human translators and interpreters have formed critical links between civilisations and thinkers for millennia. Professor Marc Orlando from Macquarie University tells us where things can still get lost in translation.
Where Are We At With Fashion Part 2
The global fashion industry contributes to modern slavery, environmental destruction, and unrealistic body images. But there are solutions. People like Professor Alice Payne from RMIT are working towards a sustainable, responsible and circular process that allows those of us who wear clothes to make the best choices for ourselves and the planet.
Recent Blog Posts
Idea-ology
The one question asked more than any other, yes, even more than "How can I pay your show lots of money to keep making these fantastic episodes?", is "How do you come up with ideas?".I could say it's the WAWAWPod "Magic Eight Ball" or dial phone nu…
The wonder, and pain, of AI
For authors, it's the cover of the book. For podcasters, it's the show's logo.A creative design that everyone sees the first time they encounter the show. It has to be more than the title, but it also has to give a feel for the theme, character an…
This thing has momentum, and an insatiable appetite.
It's been a long time between drinks. And by drinks I mean productive outputs that aren't just dad jokes, or cooking family dinners. For several years now, a variety of podcast ideas have been flashing, shiny objects flaring in my head, and, in true…
About the Host
Podcast host
David Curnow is an award-winning journalist, newsreader, and television and radio host with more than 20 years’ experience. His endless curiosity, and delight in speaking to smart people about the incredible work they do works hand in hand with the desire to find out what’s going on with all those stories of the next big thing or world-changing technology.
Let’s be honest, journalists and podcasters are all just gossips wanting to be the ones to tell you something. It’s just in this case it’s well worth knowing.