NASA, SpaceX, and Mars One are all scrabbling to get to the red planet. To understand why, I speak with a Mars One candidate and two co-founders of a satellite startup. What’s the overview effect? How do you build a PocketQube? And will humans really become an interplanetary species?

00:00 - Josh's story / 11:05 - The space economy (ft. Picosat Systems) / 36:25 - Mars 2031

GUEST BIOS: 

Josh Richards is one of 100 astronaut candidates for Mars One's 2031 mission to permanently colonise Mars. His background is in physics, with a full spectrum of experience ranging from front-line military units to stand-up comedy. Currently, he is speaking about Mars One's mission, leadership, and small group dynamics in schools & corporate events throughout Australia, Europe, and the US. 

Conrad Pires (CEO) and Stuart McAndrew (CTO) are tech entrepreneurs. Together, they founded Picosat Systems, a small-satellite solutions company. By bringing satellite hardware, systems, and services to different industries, Picosat Systems takes advantage of the small satellite revolution to accelerate space-led innovation on Earth.

‘He wouldn’t have hurt a flea.’ There are only 250 forensic entomologists in the world, and my guest this episode is one of them. As I follow her journey from FBI school in Tennessee to film set in Cinecittà (Italy’s Hollywood), we discover the unexpected pieces to the puzzle that often crawl around crime scenes.

GUEST BIO: 

Dr Paola Magni is a forensic biologist whose work focusses on the analysis of entomology (insects), taphonomy (decomposition until fossilisation), and aquatic biology. Trained in Australia, Europe, and the USA, Paola has 10 years of experience researching, teaching and acting as an expert witness in Italian courts. She is the developer of ‘SmartInsects – Forensic Entomology’, and the scriptwriter for the Italian version of CSI.

Startups are in. Tech is in. So what do we get out? In this episode, I meet an 18-year-old founder - four years later. Sharing his experiences as a young entrepreneur, we talk business, the new economy, and Stanford - where he’s headed next year.

GUEST BIO:

Mark Shelton is a software engineer and social entrepreneur. For four years, he led Bloom, a non-profit he co-founded to provide young entrepreneurs with mentoring, workshops, and co-working space. He has also been involved with StartupWA, Teach Learn Grow, Goldman Sachs, Boston Consulting Group, the Fogarty Foundation and the Telethon Kids Institute. Having recently graduated with a degree in Computer Science and Psychology, he will be pursuing further study at Stanford University next year.

Lots of people claim to have seen the world, but few see it like a diplomat. Between understanding Bengali jokes, shattered space equipment, and finding a new way to look at 'home', my guest this week is full of fascinating stories. She tells them to me over a cup of tea at her house, as we chat about life and current affairs. 

GUEST BIO:

Dr Sue Boyd is the former Head of Australian Diplomatic Missions. During her thirty-three year career with the DFAT, she led missions in Fiji, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Bangladesh, as well as postings at the UN in New York and the former East Germany. She speaks seven languages, was the first female president of the UWA Student Guild, and is currently an executive coach at Foresight Global Coaching Partnership.

Encore: I am back with my guest from Episode 4, with more discussions about life as seen by an astrophysicist. Sit back, close your eyes, and imagine along as we take a trip to the known edges of existence - the cosmic web. 

GUEST BIO:

Dr Danail Obreschkow is an astrophysicist at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR-UWA). After completing his PhD at Oxford, he spent two years as an R&D manager in the automobile industry, as well as coordinating microgravity flights for the European Space Agency. Currently, his research is focussed on the evolution of galaxies. Danail was the developer of Cosmic Eye, an app that visualises the smallest and largest known scales of the universe.

Imagine sitting at your desk, but trying to look at something two million light years away. That's the daily for an astrophysical researcher, who takes a break from bright stars by ... speaking with me.

GUEST BIO:

Dr Danail Obreschkow is an astrophysicist at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR-UWA). After completing his PhD at Oxford, he spent two years as an R&D manager in the automobile industry, as well as coordinating microgravity flights for the European Space Agency. Currently, his research is focussed on the evolution of galaxies. Danail was the developer of Cosmic Eye, an app that visualises the smallest and largest known scales of the universe.

Eleven years ago, the founder of Colosoul Group Inc. set out to be a journalist. Instead, she ended up building an arts and media organisation from thin air. So how does it run without wages or products?

GUEST BIO:

Tricia Ray is the CEO of Colosoul Group Inc., a not-for-profit she founded in response to the growing need for hands-on youth participation within the arts and media industry. Collectively, the organisation runs six publications and eight social enterprises, as well as community events and an annual fashion show.

Science is all around us, but not everyone understands it. As I find myself in the office of Scitech's CEO, we discuss the work involved in leading a science centre, the role of STEM in contemporary society, and beer-drinking races.

GUEST BIO:

Alan Brien is the 17-year-running CEO of Scitech, an interactive science centre that welcomes more than 300 000 visitors through its doors annually. He has played a major role in managing Australia's largest science outreach programs, developing world-travelling science exhibitions, and leading the Australia-Pacific Network of Science & Technology Centres.

This week, I Skype call a clinical hypnotist from Atlanta, GA. Join me as I find out what a Laughter Ambassador does, how laughter yoga works, and then try it out for myself.

GUEST BIO:

Dave Berman has extensive training and experience in Hypnosis, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Life Coaching. He is a Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher and Laughter Ambassador, Ivy League graduate, and prolific author & public speaker. Dave currently sees clients on Skype while traveling internationally on his #HelpTheWorldLaugh tour. In 2016, he launched Daily Laughers, creating an intentional laughter video each day aimed at inspiring people to adopt a daily practice of laughing on purpose.