Big Ideas

Is the war on drugs unwinnable? Illegal drugs are killing hundreds of millions of people worldwide, and the largest drug market is the US. Most drugs there come into the country via Latin and Central America. But counter-drug programs, local incentives and changes to drug policies in Latin America don't seem to break the steady supply of drugs. So, is it better to try and reduce the demand – or reconsider to punish drug possession?

The war in Ukraine has up-ended the security landscape in Europe.The EU is using every measure , short of troops on the ground, to punish Putin and countries like Sweden and Finland want to join NATO .The Finnish Prime Minister , Sanna Marin, visited Australia recently to strengthen trade and security ties.

From the bush to our own backyards, the Eucalypt is the stalwart of the Australian landscape. With over 800 species spread across the country facing extreme heat, drought and bushfire, the future of the iconic eucalypt is tied to our own survival. From preserving genetic diversity and experimental adaptations, to applications of traditional knowledge – what solutions do we need to conserve our beloved gum tree?

The best of talks, forums, debates, and festivals held in Australia and around the world.

Australia belongs to a club you’d rather not join. We’re losing animal and plant species at an alarming rate. As one species goes extinct, it threatens the complex web of life that’s grown up around it. A three-part ABC TV documentary showcases our unique ecosystems and participants in the series join ABC science editor Jonathan Webb to discuss the need to preserve biodiversity.

Empathy has power – to maintain relationships and prevent conflict. But can empathy be learned? It seems empathy has never been more important: From natural disasters and fallouts of the pandemic, to the surge of women's voices against harassment and the plight of refugees. It's a quality increasingly in demand in corporate, political and private life. Big Ideas explores how storytelling can improve empathy; and how empathy for fictional characters can get transferred to the real world.

In an age of increasing tribalism, how can Australians break through groupthink and achieve bold reforms to address inequality? The answer is radical centre solutions. Shireen Morris was part of collaborative efforts which forged a progressive-conservative alliance in support of a First Nations voice. This taught her the value of engaging creatively across political and ideological divides.

What does it mean to 'age well', what gets in the way, and what needs to change? Ageist attitudes can be a barrier to ageing well, as can residential aged care — which tends to discourage older people from being more independent. But we can learn from so called 'blue zones'- those places around the world where people enjoy longevity, coupled with quality of life.

Governments argue if they spend too much on social services they’ll blow the budget. But economist Richard Denniss says that’s a choice not an iron law of economics. And ageing well at home or in residential care.

What exactly is the Metaverse? And is it really that new? Big Ideas explores our emotional connections to cyberspace, our feelings of presence and immediacy in online environments and what this means for the intensity of our experiences. Some of the technologies for the merging of the cyber and the physical are already used.