Future Tense

The crisis in Ukraine, like all wars, is a testing ground for new tactics and weapons. It’s also a conflict fought off the battlefield – on people’s computers, televisions and smartphones So, what have we learnt about the power of propaganda and disinformation during the current conflict? Also, the urge to shut-down – why governments of varying persuasions keep pulling the plug on their own internet services.

In this program we explore an ambitious science project aimed at to documenting the genomes of all known creatures; we'll hear why the future of the Anglican church is female; and explore the latest research into public perceptions of facial recognition technology.

Concerns that we'll soon have too many people on the Earth sit alongside apprehension that we are facing a looming demographic crisis. So how do we address both issues without further damaging the planet?

The use and misuse of our data can have enormous personal and societal consequences, so what ethical constraints are there on data scientists?

The idea that history is circular is called Cliodynamics and it’s currently in vogue with many commentators on international affairs. But do such theories help or hinder our understanding of history and its predictive powers?

Boosting your productivity by up to 25% - what industry wouldn't want to do that? That’s the future big tech promises for agriculture – one where extensive data is gathered on every aspect of the supply chain. But farmers are worried about privacy. And there are also questions about environmental impacts of big ag getting into big data.

Over the past two decades we’ve become increasingly sensitive to the overuse of plastic and more concerned about its environmental impact – but to what effect? Feel-good campaigns aside, the signs for the future are far from promising.

There are currently around 150 of these funds in the world worth in excess of $USD 9 trillion.

Scientists are busy testing ways to build a giant solar farm in space. Also, what to do about the increasing levels of space junk finding its way into our oceans?

Satire has been around for thousands of years, but is its power dwindling?