Future Tense

Bruce Springsteen says we’re living in a post-authentic world. Authenticity has become a goal not a quality. We’re encouraged to manufacture it—to fake it! It used to be sincerity we all craved, says political commentator Denis Atkins—he’s one of several guests who help us explore the modern world’s strange and at times ambiguous relationship with the truth. (Please note this program was originally broadcast on the 23rd of September 2012)

It’s the curse of the modern information age and the bad news is that there’s more of it to come. But what is spam? How is it changing? Who’s sending it? And why do they think so many of us need Viagra or a penis enlargement! (Please note this program was originally broadcast on the 19th of February 2012)

Rick Tumlinson is a US businessman whose ambition is to mine asteroids and to then use the material he extracts to power space craft and satellites. He talks of developing galactic ‘gas stations’. In part three of our special summer series we look at the technical, political and legal issues involved in ‘off-earth mining’. (Please note this program was originally broadcast on the 10th of March 2013)

Imagine being an astronaut and planning for a space mission you know you have no chance of joining; a journey that won’t even happen in your lifetime, or possibly even your children’s. We meet the long-term thinkers and planners—the space visionaries not afraid to think outside the square. Or the solar-system as the case may be! (Please note this program was originally broadcast on the 24th of February, 2013)

Astrophysicist Ray Norris reckons we’ve entered a 'golden age' of astronomy. Powerful new telescopes are allowing us to explore the once unimaginable. But astronomy is fast becoming as much about data management and interpretation as it is about stargazing. Computers are one solution, but as we’ll discover, nothing beats the human eye and mind when it comes to making sense of the cosmos. (Please note this program was originally broadcast in February 2013)

Elephants and Komodo dragons in Australia? Bears and wolves roaming freely throughout European villages and towns? It might sound a bit far-fetched, but this all fits within a new strand of conservation theory known as Rewilding. (Please note this program was originally broadcast in June 2013).

From wearable technology to 3D printing, science fiction is often credited with influencing technological change. But does science fiction predict the future, or inspire it? In a special session recorded at the 2013 Brisbane Writers Festival, three authors discuss sci-fi’s complex relationship with science and the future.

Social media is meant to make our lives better. It helps us to connect with others and to stay in touch. But University of Michigan psychologist Ethan Kross recently published the results of a study into Facebook usage. His findings suggest that using the social network could lead to feelings of sadness and loneliness. We also get an update on the Raspberry Pi and Fairphone.

MIT Professor Sandy Pentland is concerned for the digital ecology of our online world. Like nature, it works best when it’s open and interconnecting, he believes. And keeping it that way is no small task. In this program, we get three very different perspectives on sustaining a healthy digital ecology.

Sci-fi author and digital rights activist Cory Doctorow talks about a coming 'war on general purpose computing', which could have far reaching consequences for our society. In the race to regulate the internet, governments of all persuasions are looking at ways to control how our digital devices work, and to narrow their functionality. We also get a tour of the Think Ahead exhibition in Melbourne. (Our apologies. In our original program we incorrectly described Cory Doctorow as a US blogger. He is in fact Canadian. We’ve updated the podcast to correct that mistake).