Future Tense

By ABC listen

What's Future Tense about?

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

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Future Tense episodes:

04.18.2024
Dark sky at night, everyone's delight
It's estimated that by 2030 more than 100 thousand satellites are likely to be buzzing around in low-Earth orbit – and the implications of that for our dark skies is potentially significant. We hear from the Executive Director of the...
04.11.2024
Nobel-Prize laureate Abhijit Banerjee on the world's largest UBI experiment
The world's largest Universal Basic Income trial is currently underway in Kenya. It involves 295 villages and more than 20,000 families. The trial has just reached the two-year mark and Nobel-Prize winning economist, Abhijit Banerjee, joins us to talk about...
04.04.2024
The manufacturing of "natural food" and how tech can demystify what we eat
Most people want to eat better. And many of us have embraced the trend toward "natural" foods and conscious eating. We equate "natural" with healthy, nutritious and virtuous, but that can often be way off the mark. New research shows...
03.28.2024
Self-destructive behaviour — the enemy within
Why do otherwise sensible people continue to do things that are bad for them, that impact negatively on their personal future? Also, what happens in the brain when you're trying to make or break a habit?  Temptation, addiction and habit...
03.21.2024
Fear and anger – the complicated emotions that govern our world
Authoritarians rule through fear. We can clearly see that from China to the Middle East to eastern Europe. But why do we constantly overlook the way in which fear also shapes democratic societies? It's fuelling populism and distorting our future...
03.17.2024
Algorithmic homogeny – why everything looks and feels the same
Algorithmic feeds are meant to personalise our online experiences, but increasingly they're flattening our culture and fostering a dull conformity, according to best-selling author Kyle Chayka. And the influence they exert on our lives is increasingly physical not just digital....
03.10.2024
The weaponisation of nostalgia; and has culture come to a standstill?
Nostalgia triggers our emotions and that in turn makes us vulnerable to manipulation. We speak with RICHARD KING about the commodification and weaponisation of nostalgic sentiment. Also, New York Times critic-at-large, Jason Farago, on why he believes our cultural age...
03.03.2024
Are we really becoming more isolated and less community minded?
Social cohesion is under strain. The result, researchers say, of economic, political and work-based pressures. At the same time levels of volunteering are falling and people are showing far less willingness to take part in community-based activities. Some even fear...
02.25.2024
TikTok's superstar economy – how live-streaming is turning social media into a game played for money
Fans are spending thousands of dollars a month to support their favourite streamers on TikTok Live, but most of the money is going to TikTok itself.
02.18.2024
Conversing with aliens and 'decentering' the human
Cambridge University has a new institute dedicated to understanding extraterrestrial languages. It's about being prepared for the possibility that intelligent life exists beyond our galaxy. Also, the dangers of being overly dramatic when talking about climate change; the link between...
02.11.2024
Does AI show we overestimate our human creativity? And what does creativity mean anyway?
Among the angst over the creative potential of Artificial Intelligence, some researchers and academics are now turning the spotlight back onto humans. If AI can be as imaginative as your average human being, they ask, what does that say about...
02.04.2024
Growing houses and running computers with help from bacteria — the future of synthetic biology
Scientists are changing the genetics of cells so that they can be used for a whole range of purposes never before imagined. Think building a biocomputer with a processor powered by bacteria or re-engineering microbes to make environmentally-friendly concrete. The...
01.28.2024
Building a new social contract
There’s a growing public sense that the current model of the social contract is broken, due in large part to rising inequality and the pursuit of profit over social progress. The “social contract” defines the relationship between citizens, their government and...
01.21.2024
The Great Regression and the "kidification" of adulthood
Many commentators bemoan the adolescent nature of modern society. Adults, they suggest, are acting like juveniles and thereby eroding our culture and destroying our politics. We hear two arguments to the contrary. Also, philosopher William MacAskill on his new book...
01.14.2024
Research productivity and innovation is declining
Our modern understanding of innovation isn't modern at all, it turns out. Historian, Iwan Rhys Morus, says we're being held back by Victorian-era notions of the future as a land to be conquered; and the lone-genius inventor as the standard...
01.07.2024
Managerialism ... and what it means for work
Exploring new ideas, new approaches, new technologies — the edge of change.
12.31.2023
Turning our back on alcohol
Are attitudes towards drinking changing as we learn more about the impact alcohol can have on our bodies? Drinking has been part of our social and cultural activities for centuries. But cultural norms appear to be shifting. So, could alcohol...
12.24.2023
Who are the beneficiaries of climate change?
It might be an uncomfortable idea for many, but in the short term climate change will produce "winners" as well as losers. Some countries, companies, communities and species will actually benefit from a warming world. But in what ways and...
12.17.2023
The Great Plunder – curbing human creativity through mass theft
Technology companies aren’t just stealing your intellectual property – your creative content - they’re making vast profits out of selling it back to you. AI-powered apps like ChatGPT are trained on vast amounts of stolen data. What’s worse, it’s all...
12.10.2023
Sweltering Cities – the cost of exponential urbanisation
It's estimated that by 2050 more than 70 per cent of the world's population will live in cities. Urbanisation carries many benefits, but it also threatens to intensify the climate crisis. So, how do we better design our cities to...
12.03.2023
Technology churn versus digital Inclusion
The constant upgrading of technology is wearing people down — one in five Australians now saying they feel "overwhelmed" by technological change, according to a recent report. Those at greatest risk of falling further behind include the elderly, the indigenous...
11.26.2023
How ancient trees could help in the fight against climate change
Unlike animals, trees don't have a biological clock, under ideal conditions they can live for thousands of years. Scientists say understanding how ancient trees have survived could help us protect forests from the ravages of climate change. But working out...
11.19.2023
Why knowing when to finish is as important as getting started
In this episode of Future Tense – why charities should have a limited future… getting academics and researchers to think about the end of their research, not just the beginning… and a thoughtful take on the outsourcing of our intelligence...
11.12.2023
The great scan — mapping below Earth's surface
Austrian archaeologist, Immo Trinks, has a grand ambition – to map the entire landscape of Europe, below ground! The 3D scanning technology he's using won't just uncover hidden archaeological treasures, it can also be used to check below our cities...
11.05.2023
Giving old technology a future-focussed twist
The hydrofoil looks set for a second coming – as a ferry. The boats, which are fitted with skis and electric batteries, literally plane across the top of the water. They're fast, less polluting than traditional passenger craft and could...
10.29.2023
Cory Doctorow: Platform capitalism and the curse of "enshittification"
Amazon now feels more like a racket than an open shopping platform; you can't find posts from your friends on Facebook because it's clogged with unsolicited advertising; and Uber no longer seems like a cool, efficient taxi service, it's morphed...
10.22.2023
Architecture's AI crossroads
Advanced Artificial Intelligence and new digital technologies are revolutionising the architectural industry. Architects in Brisbane, for example, have mapped every millimetre of historic Lamb House using a 3D scanner – inside and out – and the speed and accuracy of...
10.15.2023
People have to solve the climate crisis — technology alone is not the answer
Science and technology cannot solve our most challenging and complex environmental problems. At least not on their own, not without a greater emphasis on person-to-person engagement — people working together across knowledge systems. ABC Top 5 Science Media Resident, Dr...
10.08.2023
China's plan for a digital currency will have global implications
The Chinese Government, and its Central Bank, are currently experimenting with a digital currency. The hope is that it will make financial transactions faster, more efficient and cheaper for government, business and ordinary citizens. Some speculate it's about giving China's...
10.01.2023
Worshipping a divine AI and turning outer space into an art gallery
It's only a matter of time before people start worshipping Artificial Intelligence as a religion, that's what Philosopher and ethicist, Neil McArthur, believes. And he says while the emergence of AI-based religion would carry risks, there's no basis for discriminating...
09.24.2023
The normalisation of economic warfare
"Geoeconomic confrontation" ranks as one of the most severe risks facing the world, according to a recent World Economic Forum report. Trade is increasingly becoming a weapon of warfare, and the future consequences for world co-operation could be significant. So,...
09.17.2023
Considering unintended consequences is the new crucial skill for the 21th century
In our uber-connected world, the development and management of really anything is becoming increasingly complex. Planning for the future has to involve more than just grand ambitions, it also needs to be alert to unintended consequences. Otherwise things you didn't...
09.10.2023
The complexities of oversimplification
Have technologists lost the art of keeping it simple? Do the devices they design actually make our lives more complicated, not less? Striving for simplicity could positively impact many aspects of modern life. But oversimplification risks stereotyping individuals and confusing...
09.03.2023
The Circular Economy approach – thinking systemically about the environment
Much of the way we think about the economy and our environment is based on a linear model – a system of extraction, consumption and waste. But advocates for a "circular economy" approach argue it's time to start mimicking the...
08.27.2023
Should you pay to drive into your city centre — for the sake of the climate?
Authorities in New York city are planning to introduce a congestion pricing scheme. Vehicles entering certain parts of Manhattan will soon have to pay for the right to do so. Proponents of such schemes say they help reduce traffic, improve...
08.20.2023
Rethinking productivity and the pushback to shareholder capitalism
It's time to rethink what we mean by productivity, says work futurist, Dominic Price. What's important isn't output, but outcomes. And confusing the two, he says, is simply counter-productive! Also, benefit corporations — why many businesses are moving away from...
08.13.2023
Acoustic restoration of ecosystems — how the sound of love helps animals return to old habitats
Scientists are experimenting with sound to try and lure seabirds back to depleted environments. But not just any sounds – we're talking about the coos and calls associated with breeding. It's all part of an ecological approach called Acoustic Restoration...
08.06.2023
Air conditioning: keeping us cool but making the planet hotter
Around two billion air conditioners are currently in use across the globe but the amount of electricity they use is not sustainable, so what are some alternatives?
07.30.2023
Algorithmic Intimacy – self-love, liability and babies as click bait
Chatbots and other forms of interactive AI aren't just shaping our online preferences, they're gradually redefining the contours of what we mean by love, sexuality and intimacy. Sociologist Anthony Elliott warns the impacts will be society-wide, not just personal. Also,...
07.23.2023
Self-destructive behaviour — the enemy within
Why do otherwise sensible people continue to do things that are bad for them, that impact negatively on their personal future? Also, what happens in the brain when you're trying to make or break a habit?  Temptation, addiction and habit...
07.16.2023
The first ever drop in global energy sector emissions; and the battle for our brains
2023 could be the year we finally reach a tipping point in the fight against climate change. The energy think-tank Ember predicts global greenhouse gas emissions in the energy sector (which accounts for 30% of global emissions) are finally on...
07.09.2023
Should individuals bear the largest burden for climate action?
Exploring new ideas, new approaches, new technologies — the edge of change.
07.02.2023
Cory Doctorow: Platform capitalism and the curse of "enshittification"
Amazon now feels more like a racket than an open shopping platform; you can't find posts from your friends on Facebook because it's clogged with unsolicited advertising; and Uber no longer seems like a cool, efficient taxi service, it's morphed...
06.25.2023
A new lifeline for local news
Exploring new ideas, new approaches, new technologies — the edge of change.
06.18.2023
How Japan is redefining its military defence
Japan has long prided itself on its pacifist constitution. The country's future after WW II was defined by Article 9 which famously denounced aggression. But, in recent years security has become a paramount concern with increasing tensions around the status...
06.11.2023
Can mining the ocean floor go ahead without regulations?
Global permission to mine the ocean floor — the International Seabed Authority will soon meet and decide whether or not to allow seabed exploitation, and in what circumstances. We'll hear the arguments both for and against and get some background...
06.04.2023
Designing buildings for disasters
How best to build our homes so they can better withstand natural disasters? It's not just about designing for floods or fire, for example, but creating structures to withstand multiple threats. And to cope with any change of temperature on...
05.28.2023
Robots + bees = pollination
Robobees and building more hives – there's no easy solution to the global decline in bee population numbers and associated problems with pollination. Scientists around the world are seeking a better understanding of bee behaviour and how it can be...
05.21.2023
Advanced AI – are we repeating the mistakes of the past?
Toby Walsh is an expert on Artificial Intelligence. He recently declined an offer to sign an open letter calling for a moratorium on the technology's further development, but he's no techno-utopian. In this feature interview, recorded at the Brisbane Writers...
05.14.2023
Falling in love with an app! When Anthropomorphism, making things too human like, goes wrong
22-year old Effy lost her best friend and romantic pen pal unexpectedly. Liam was the victim of a change of algorithms — and he wasn't the only human-like chatbot to suddenly disappear. A timely reminder about the dangers of anthropomorphising...

What's Future Tense about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Future Tense episodes:

Dark sky at night, everyone's delight

Nobel-Prize laureate Abhijit Banerjee on the world's largest UBI experiment

The manufacturing of "natural food" and how tech can demystify what we eat

Self-destructive behaviour — the enemy within

Fear and anger – the complicated emotions that govern our world

Algorithmic homogeny – why everything looks and feels the same

The weaponisation of nostalgia; and has culture come to a standstill?

Are we really becoming more isolated and less community minded?

TikTok's superstar economy – how live-streaming is turning social media into a game played for money

Conversing with aliens and 'decentering' the human

Does AI show we overestimate our human creativity? And what does creativity mean anyway?

Growing houses and running computers with help from bacteria — the future of synthetic biology

Building a new social contract

The Great Regression and the "kidification" of adulthood

Research productivity and innovation is declining

Managerialism ... and what it means for work

Turning our back on alcohol

Who are the beneficiaries of climate change?

The Great Plunder – curbing human creativity through mass theft

Sweltering Cities – the cost of exponential urbanisation

Technology churn versus digital Inclusion

How ancient trees could help in the fight against climate change

Why knowing when to finish is as important as getting started

The great scan — mapping below Earth's surface

Giving old technology a future-focussed twist

Cory Doctorow: Platform capitalism and the curse of "enshittification"

Architecture's AI crossroads

People have to solve the climate crisis — technology alone is not the answer

China's plan for a digital currency will have global implications

Worshipping a divine AI and turning outer space into an art gallery

The normalisation of economic warfare

Considering unintended consequences is the new crucial skill for the 21th century

The complexities of oversimplification

The Circular Economy approach – thinking systemically about the environment

Should you pay to drive into your city centre — for the sake of the climate?

Rethinking productivity and the pushback to shareholder capitalism

Acoustic restoration of ecosystems — how the sound of love helps animals return to old habitats

Air conditioning: keeping us cool but making the planet hotter

Algorithmic Intimacy – self-love, liability and babies as click bait

Self-destructive behaviour — the enemy within

The first ever drop in global energy sector emissions; and the battle for our brains

Should individuals bear the largest burden for climate action?

Cory Doctorow: Platform capitalism and the curse of "enshittification"

A new lifeline for local news

How Japan is redefining its military defence

Can mining the ocean floor go ahead without regulations?

Designing buildings for disasters

Robots + bees = pollination

Advanced AI – are we repeating the mistakes of the past?

Falling in love with an app! When Anthropomorphism, making things too human like, goes wrong