Where is the case now and when will mushroom murder-accused Erin Patterson face trial? We find out and get into the weeds about the legality and ethics of making a true crime podcast happening in real time. 

If you liked this episode of Quick Smart you might like this other episode we did about The truth behind reality TV villains or this one about The mysterious disappearance of Agatha Christie

When you fall asleep do you dream of falling Tetris pieces? There’s a name for this – the Tetris Effect. Scientists have been investigating its use in boosting creativity and productivity and brands are trying to figure out how to monetise it. So just how malleable does playing video games make our minds? And is it possible for companies to use this research to hijack our dreams? Guest: Shelby Traynor for All In The Mind

If you liked this episode of Quick Smart you might like this other episode we did about whether we're all too addicted to our phones or this one about how to find out whether you're in introvert or an extrovert

Cryptocurrency and block chain technology has dramatically shifted the way criminals launder money - so what are the techniques some criminals are using to clean dirty money and what does it have to do with a video game about salamanders? Guest: Nick Baker for The Money and ABC Digital 

And if you liked this episode check out some of the other episodes we've made with The Money like this one about how the RBA wants you to lose your job, or this one about how the Australian housing crisis got so bad. 

If you’re a woman between 25 and 45 on Instagram there’s a good chance you’ve seen ads for egg freezing. And in recent years, the popularity of IVF clinics has sky rocketed - so much so that the clinics are are actually starting to run out of storage space. So what has led to the huge uptick in people wanting to freeze their eggs and is it actually the insurance policy that people think it is?Guest: Sophie Kesteven for ABC News

And if you liked this episode check out our episodes about office romances with Zoe Ferguson or the woman who got a Pap smear everyday for 21 years with Belinda Smith.

The Olympic Games are about to kick off and athletes from all over the world will make their way to France to compete. The event is watched by billions, there's a massive increase to local tourism and of course an eye watering amount of advertising dollars at stake so it’s wild to think that at one stage - the Olympics was almost cancelled for good. Guest: Jack Schmidt for God Forbid

In the back of our minds we all know that there’s very little that’s real about reality TV… but you might be shocked to discover just how deceptive – and ethically questionable – some of the television tactics really are. So are the humans behind these characters we love to hate really so awful? And how does being cast as a TV villain impact a person’s mental health and life outside the show?

And a content note: this episode contains discussion of suicide and mental health. Guest: Annika Blau for Background Briefing

Social media is a huge part of our lives. We use it to talk to friends, to read about what’s happening in the world, and to find out whether or not something is cake. But recently there’s been talk of banning people under the age 16 from using social media because of the negative impact on their mental health and to protect them from harm. So is the government’s plan for age restriction really the best way to tackle this crisis? And will it actually improve the wellbeing of kids or will it just push their social media use underground? 

Guest: Ange Lavoipierre Technology Reporter for ABC News

AI is impacting every creative industry - and movies are no exception. If a young Harrison Ford can be churned out of a computer, what does the future of film look like? And would you feel differently about your favourite TV show if you knew the characters in it were created by a computer?

Guest: Bev Wang for Stop Everything!

This episode was originally published in January 2024

Whether you're singing in a karaoke room at 2am, or at a more reasonable time with a local choir, there’s something about singing without inhibition that feels great. Our brains get this warm fuzzy feeling when we come together and sing as a group - and it turns out there's neuroscience that backs that up. So what are the health benefits for our brain and mental health? Should we all be joining a community choir?

Guest: Lucy Sweeney for ABC Online

What makes a man, a man? Well eating copious amounts of red meat of course – at least according to certain corners of the internet. The alt-right has made mass beef consumption their business, and this comes at a time where climate scientists and animal activists are urging people to eat less meat to help the planet. So why is the alt-right so focused on eliminating “soy boys” and getting into that Bronze Age Grindset?

Guest: Jonathan Green for Blueprint for Living

This episode was originally published in November 2023