Science Write Now

Brain preservation. It sounds like science fiction, right? Neuroscientist and author Dr Ariel Zeleznikow-Johnston is determined to prove otherwise in his recent, game-changing book, The Future Loves You: How and Why We Should Abolish Death.

This week on the SWN podcast, we chat to neuroscientist, author and passionate advocate for brain preservation, Dr Ariel Zeleznikow-Johnston. Over at Monash University’s Neuroscience of Consciousness Lab (MoNoC), Ariel is investigating the ways in which we characterise the nature of consciousness, or what it is like “to be”— from the decline, preservation and rescue of cognitive function at different stages of the lifespan, through to comparing our conscious embodied experience. This line of enquiry, of course, passes through the chasm of life and death. But should we accept the natural, inevitable way of things? Or is there another path our future could take?

The Future Loves You makes the medical, scientific, philosophical and ethical case for how we can preserve the dying to enable their future revival. Contributing to cutting edge research in the field, Ariel clarifies the neurobiological, cognitive, and emotional basis of what it is to be alive, and he hopes to accelerate the development of the medical infrastructure that will help prevent him and everyone else from dying.

Join Ariel and SWN host, Bianca Millroy for a fascinating tour of the brain: our source of self, memory and consciousness, and how our understanding of it is radically redefining death.

Show notes: visit scienceritenow.com/listen/cognitive-conversations-7-on-brain-preservation-and-existential-optimism-with-dr-ariel-zeleznikow-johnston for the full show notes, including further resources and recommended reading. 

Ariel's book, The Future Loves You is available now in hardback, ebook and audiobook.

Connect with Ariel and find out more about his research on his website (including supplementary material), and follow him on Bluesky @arielzj. 

Ariel's Substack blog is Preserving Hope. 

Listen to Ariel speak on ABC's Conversations with Richard Fidler, and on All In The Mind with Sana Qadar live at World Science Festival Brisbane!

Content note: This episode discusses topics such as death and terminal illness, as well as descriptions of biological function and medical procedures.

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Science Write Now is dedicated to accessibility, connectivity, inspiration and collaboration across disciplines. Our content is free to access and we want to keep it that way, so if you’re keen to be part of this growing community of creative writing inspired by science, hit subscribe!

We’ll be back with another episode soon, and more conversations inspired by science and creativity to come!

We acknowledge the Jaegara and Turrbal People, Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is created, and the unceded cultural lands on which our guests live and continue to make and tell stories.

Space: the final frontier. Beautiful. Intriguing. Mysterious… but if you go there, YOU WILL DIE!Join astrophysicist Dr Eileen O'Hely and graphic artist Nico O'Sullivan in-conversation with Jacinta den Besten LIVE at Books@Stones!

The human body is perfectly adapted to the conditions on Earth. But blast that fragile body into the extreme and varying environments of space and it won't fare so well – and that’s only if you survive the take-off!

From scorching million degree temperatures, to pressures that would instantly SQUISH you to the size of a ping pong ball, O'Hely and O'Sullivan present, 50 Ways to Die in Space – in excruciating and scientifically accurate detail – the physics and physiology of existing (and ceasing to exist) in deep space.

Meet our guests

Dr Eileen O’Hely is an award-winning children's writer and literary competition judge. Eileen holds a double degree in Arts/Science (Hons) from Melbourne University and a PhD in Astrophysics from UNSW. Her day jobs have included university tutor, English teacher, website producer, and sports journalist. When Eileen is not making lists of all the ways space tries to kill humans, she tells planetarium audiences about how fascinating it is.

Nico O’Sullivan is an emerging illustrator with a love for fun characters and wonderful worlds. With his childhood and teenage years filled with a passion for art and illustration, Nico is excited to bring his first graphic novel to life, sparking curiosity and adventure in young readers.

Jacinta den Besten is a physics educator with a degree in Science (Hons) and graduate diploma in Education from the University of Melbourne. Her research career spans condensed matter physics, teaching in secondary and tertiary education settings, and public outreach in astronomy and mathematics, sometimes all at the same time. Jacinta is a staunch supporter and advocate for women and girls in science and loves combining maths with art and craft.

This episode was recorded on-site at Books@Stones in Meanjin/Brisbane, and produced and edited by Bianca Millroy (SWN). 

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Science Write Now is dedicated to accessibility, connectivity, inspiration and collaboration across disciplines. Our content is free to access and we want to keep it that way, so if you’re keen to be part of this growing community of creative writing inspired by science, hit subscribe!

We’ll be back with another episode soon, and more conversations inspired by science and creativity to come!

We acknowledge the Jaegara and Turrbal People, Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is created, and the unceded cultural lands on which our guests live and continue to make and tell stories.

This week on the podcast, Bianca is joined live by two psychiatrist-creatives, Dr Warren Ward and Dr Rory Hutchinson, discussing philosophies of the brain and mind. Journey into the labyrinth to learn what incited these two creative/medical practitioners to pursue a career devoted to the science of the mind and brain. Hear their generous insights on using narrative techniques in their day-to-day practice, and where the creative process, autonomy, ethics and philosophy all fit into this picture. Finally, we explore how scientific and medical practice could be approached differently through the lens of art, philosophy, and the humanities - what it is about the combination of art and science that ignites endless curiosity?

Content note: This episode touches on mental illness, PTSD, eating disorders, suicidality and other aspects of psychiatric medicine. Please take care when listening and reach out to support services available 24/7 when needed.

Meet our guests

Dr Warren Ward is a psychiatrist who writes about philosophy, culture, travel and the history of ideas. His first novel-length work, Lovers of Philosophy, explores the love lives of seven continental philosophers. Warren is an experienced psychiatrist who specialises in eating disorders, and is Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Queensland.

Dr. Rory Hutchinson is a highly qualified psychiatrist who uses his extensive knowledge and experience in the Medical Humanities to deliver evidence-based, compassionate care that can make a real difference in people's lives. Rory is also working on a nonfiction project exploring the final works by great artists to understand what art can teach us about life and death. 

Bianca Millroy (SWN host) is an emerging science writer, editor, podcaster and PhD student based in Meanjin (Brisbane). Find out more about Bianca on SWN. 

This episode was recorded live at the State Library of Queensland on Kurilpa Point, Place of the Water Rat, overlooking the beautiful Maiwar River. 

Enjoyed this episode? Share the SWN love!

If you liked this episode, leave us a review and share it far and wide.

Science Write Now is dedicated to accessibility, connectivity, inspiration and collaboration across disciplines. Our content is free to access and we want to keep it that way, so if you’re keen to be part of this growing community of creative writing inspired by science, hit subscribe!

We’ll be back with another episode soon, and more conversations inspired by science and creativity to come!

We acknowledge the Jaegara and Turrbal People, Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is created, and the unceded cultural lands on which our guests live and continue to make and tell stories.

In this episode of Cognitive Conversations, Bianca Millroy (SWN) is joined by Dr Jules Mead and Diane Clarke for a deep dive into how speech pathology informs dialogue in creative writing and the rather touchy subject of pain: why our human vocabulary seems to fall short of describing it, and why we find it so hard to answer “on a scale of one to ten, how much pain are you in?” In this fascinating interview, Jules and Diane share their expertise as creative and clinical practitioners, and how they came to specialise in paediatric pain and speech pathology.

Dr Jules Mead (nee Richards) is a Nurse Practitioner who has worked with young people dealing with persistent pain for over twenty years. She has a PhD in creative writing, in which she explored the lived experience of young people with persistent pain through a fictional narrative. She is interested in transdisciplinary research and establishing links between the creative arts, education and health. Jules is passionate about advocating for young people with persistent pain and increasing awareness of their lived experience.

Diane Clarke is a retired Brisbane-based Speech Pathologist, who migrated to Australia in 1996 from the UK. Diane specialised in working with children and adults with complex communication needs, alternative and augmentative communication and completed her career as State-Wide Advisor for the Queensland Health Medical Aids Subsidy Scheme. She is the author of two books, The Photograph and The Bracelet where she draws on her knowledge of communication to write authentic dialogue and character interaction.

Diane’s latest novel, The Bracelet is being launched on Saturday 29 March 2025 at Chermside Library (Brisbane) and is available now. The Bracelet has been described as “a masterful family drama and murder mystery which explores themes of identity, inheritance and the impact of buried secrets.” (ooh, ah!) Connect with Diane via her author website and follow her on Instagram and Facebook. Register to attend the book launch via TryBooking. 

Jules’ debut novel Translating Emma is out in early April 2025. Check out Jules’ author website and connect on LinkedIn. 

This episode was recorded in-person at the State Library of Queensland on the Maiwar or Brisbane River on Kurilpa Point, Place of the Water Rat. Hosted, produced and edited by Bianca Millroy, PhD intern at Science Write Now.

Enjoyed this episode? Share the SWN love!

If you liked this episode, leave us a review and share it far and wide.

Science Write Now is dedicated to accessibility, connectivity, inspiration and collaboration across disciplines. Our content is free to access and we want to keep it that way, so if you’re keen to be part of this growing community of creative writing inspired by science, hit subscribe!

We’ll be back with another episode soon, and more conversations inspired by science and creativity to come!

We acknowledge the Jaegara and Turrbal People, Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is created, and the unceded cultural lands on which our guests live and continue to make and tell stories.

In this episode of the Science Write Now podcast, Amanda interviews Brisbane artist Joachim Froese to discuss one of the earliest photography techniques, the art of salt printing, and how he uses it in his artistic practice. 

We go behind-the-scenes to explore ‘slow art’, the history of salt printing, and the photographic inspiration behind the artwork. Joachim discusses how he blends traditional and contemporary printing techniques to manipulate images taken by the Mars Rover to transport the viewer into the alien landscapes of Mars, and the fascinating work he is doing with seedlings. Amanda and Joachim also speculate on the future of AI in art and photography, and how art can provide a frame of reference for accessing and understanding science in everyday contexts.  

Joachim Froese lives and works in Australia and Germany as a photographer and an educator. His artwork has been exhibited across the world, and many of his images are held in public collections, including in the National Gallery of Australia and the National Portrait Gallery of Australia. He has a PhD (Arts) from RMIT University in Melbourne and is an honorary lecturer at the University of Queensland. Currently, some of his work is being displayed at the Museum of Brisbane as part of the New Light: Photography Now + Then exhibition. 

Find out more about Joachim by visiting his official website and connecting with him on Instagram. 

Enjoyed this episode? Share the SWN love!

If you liked this episode, leave us a review and share it far and wide.

Science Write Now is dedicated to accessibility, connectivity, inspiration and collaboration across disciplines. Our content is free to access and we want to keep it that way, so if you’re keen to be part of this growing community of creative writing inspired by science, hit subscribe!

We’ll be back with another episode soon, and more conversations inspired by science and creativity to come!

We acknowledge the Jaegara and Turrbal People, Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is created, and the unceded cultural lands on which our guests live and continue to make and tell stories.

Buckle up as we embark on a wild, cross-country road trip from the red Trump-thumping heart of America’s badlands to the remote reaches of Aotearoa: Land of the Long White Cloud to interrogate the growing phenomenon of “prepping”.

In this exclusive interview, Dr Tom Doig regales us with tales of crossing paths with preppers, interviewing them to learn about their practices and motivations, and discovering why this subculture differs so vastly from place to place. As a researcher, Tom’s focus is on interdisciplinary approaches to the accelerating climate crisis, and its associated social, cultural, and psychological effects — including prepping. 

Tom is currently documenting survivalists, doomsday preppers, climate activists and other subcultures of imminent collapse around the world for his forthcoming book, We Are All Preppers Now. His research for the book has taken him across the globe from Aotearoa to Australia and more recently to the (not-so) United States of America. 

We chat about the importance of free, independent press: what writers, journalists and science communicators should keep in mind when communicating urgent stories and translating complex and wicked problems (such as the climate crisis) for a wider audience.

Episode highlights:

• Prepping 101 - what is a prepper? What is the difference between survivalism and prepping? What does this look like in practice?
• Tom shares with us his (exhaustive) list of essential items in a DIY bug-out kit and how (not) to bury a food cache in the forest
• What’s the deal with all the billionaires buying up bunkers? Would you really want to live in a cavity 70-metres below sea level that once housed a nuclear missile? ...and so much more!

Dr Tom Doig is an investigative journalist, academic and author researching and writing about climate disaster, survivalism and prepping. Tom has written two nonfiction books about the unprecedented 2014 Hazelwood mine fire disaster: Hazelwood (2020) and The Coal Face (2015). He also authored a humorous travel memoir, Mörön to Mörön: Two men, two bikes, one Mongolian misadventure and was the contributing editor of Living with the Climate Crisis: Voices from Aotearoa (2020). Tom is the recipient of the 2024 Hilary McPhee Essay Award and in 2023 he won the $25,000 New Zealand Copyright Licensing and NZ Society of Authors Award.

Connect with Tom on Instagram or LinkedIn, visit his academic profile and check out his collaborative project ‘Preppers and Survivalism on the AustLit Database’.

Enjoyed this episode? Share the SWN love!

If you liked this episode, leave us a review and share it far and wide.

Science Write Now is dedicated to accessibility, connectivity, inspiration and collaboration across disciplines. Our content is free to access and we want to keep it that way, so if you’re keen to be part of this growing community of creative writing inspired by science, hit subscribe!

We’ll be back with another episode soon, and more conversations inspired by science and creativity to come!

We acknowledge the Jaegara and Turrbal People, Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is created, and the unceded cultural lands on which our guests live and continue to make and tell stories.

Out of the Box: Navigating Neurodivergence is a one-stop guide covering pre-school to early adulthood, from classroom to workplace; it is both compact and compelling for its concise, accessible language and inclusive storytelling. In this exclusive interview with SWN, co-author and renowned journalist Madonna King introduces us to Out of the Box, and how it came together through harnessing the power of community and own voices. This is a timely call-to-action and much-needed insight into navigating neurodivergence from a range of perspectives: parents, carers, teachers and expert researchers and educators, and most importantly, voices from the neurodivergent community.

Topics covered in this interview include:

• viewing neurodivergence as a “colour wheel” rather than a linear spectrum
• adjacent explanations, such as anxiety and depression, OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) and PDA (pathological demand avoidance). 
• various traits and behaviours associated with autism and ADHD, such as masking or camouflaging, meltdowns, and stimming. 
• why there is no “one size fits all” strategy when it comes to our neurodiverse population, and why neurodiversity should be recognised, supported and embraced as a difference, not as a disorder to “fix”or change. 

Co-authored by teen educator and host of ABC’s Parental As Anything, Rebecca Sparrow, Out of the Box is “the only Australian book that brings together expert advice, lived experience, interviews and up-to-date resources to help neurodivergent children thrive.”

Join us, as we embark on this fascinating, mind-opening and neuro affirming conversation. 

Meet our guest: Madonna King

Madonna’s work as a journalist, author and speaker spans politics, business and social policy. She has chaired panels around Australia, written twelve books and advises corporations and governments on understanding teenage girls, the subject of her most recent books, Being 14 (2017), Fathers and Daughters (2018) and Ten-Ager (2021). Connect with Madonna: Instagram | Website.  

Purchase your copy of Out of The Box online, or from your local independent bookshop, and explore more online resources via rebeccasparrow.com

Enjoyed this episode? Share the SWN love!

If you liked this episode, leave us a review and share it far and wide.

Science Write Now is dedicated to accessibility, connectivity, inspiration and collaboration across disciplines. Our content is free to access and we want to keep it that way, so if you’re keen to be part of this growing community of creative writing inspired by science, hit subscribe!

We’ll be back with another episode soon, and more conversations inspired by science and creativity to come!

We acknowledge the Jaegara and Turrbal People, Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is created, and the unceded cultural lands on which our guests live and continue to make and tell stories.

What lurks in a house of slime hidden in the middle of a forest? Is there a place for psychedelics in our medicine cabinets? Why are scientists talking about the formula p(doom) – and what does it mean for humanity? 

SWN In-Conversation: The Best Australian Science Writing 2024 with Carl Smith, Amanda Niehaus and Bianca Millroy – LIVE from Books@Stones, 12 December

This week, we’re excited to share a special bonus episode on the podcast, coming to you live from Books@Stones, a local indie bookshop in Brisbane where we recently hosted an in-conversation event with two incredible humans of the science and storytelling world to celebrate the launch of this much-loved anthology – now in its fourteenth year! In this conversation, Bianca Millroy is joined by co-editor and ABC science journalist Carl Smith along with contributor and SWN's Editor-in-Chief, Dr Amanda Niehaus.

The Best Australian Science Writing selects the most riveting, urgent science stories from Australian writers, poets, and scientists. Over one science-packed hour, you’ll hear a reading from ‘Dog People’ , Amanda’s superb braided essay that placed runner-up in this year’s Bragg Prize for Science Writing. We also put Carl and Amanda in the hot seat to discuss the current state of science journalism and the challenges facing writers more broadly; as well as how we can ensure better representation for First Nations' stories, scientific contributions and knowledge-sharing, (and stick around to find out who wins our “p(doom)” bingo!)

Get your copy of The Best Australian Science Writing 2024 online, or from your local independent bookshop (limited signed copies available at Books@Stones!), and for more summer reading (and listening), visit sciencewritenow.com to explore all ten editions of creative writing inspired by science.  

The Science Write Now podcast is proudly produced on Jaegara and Turrbal Country, with funding from Creative Australia. 

Enjoyed this episode? Share the SWN love!

If you liked this episode, leave us a review and share it far and wide.

Science Write Now is dedicated to accessibility, connectivity, inspiration and collaboration across disciplines. Our content is free to access and we want to keep it that way, so if you’re keen to be part of this growing community of creative writing inspired by science, hit subscribe!

We’ll be back with another episode soon, and more conversations inspired by science and creativity to come!

We acknowledge the Jaegara and Turrbal People, Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is created, and the unceded cultural lands on which our guests live and continue to make and tell stories.

Writing through the body, about life and death, illness and everything in-between is what connects people and allows us to see humanity anew. Come along for this deep dive on Narrative Medicine and writing mind and body with three fascinating storytellers…

In this episode, Dr Fiona Reilly takes us through the fundamentals of what Narrative Medicine is, and what it looks like in practice, describing the tremendous work she and colleague Dr Mariam Tokhi are doing at the forefront of delivering the country’s first dedicated narrative medicine program.  

Award-winning author Carly-Jay Metcalfe speaks candidly about her first-hand experience navigating the medical system before, and since, her life-giving double lung transplant at 21. Carly shares her experiences of care in a medical setting, and where she sees narrative medicine fitting into this picture. 

Dr Melissa Dickson enriches the discussion with her expertise on the history of medicine, and enduring love for Victorian-era science, art and literature. A self-confessed ‘Victorianist’ at heart, Melissa illuminates how medicine has evolved since the reign of the Victorians and their ‘lack of disciplinary boundaries’.

‘Narrative Medicine: On Writing the Mind and Body’ is the third episode in Cognitive Conversations, a series where we tackle the big questions in art and science. This series is hosted and produced by Bianca Millroy, an emerging science writer, editor and podcaster based in Meanjin (Brisbane). 

Enjoyed this episode? Share the SWN love!

If you liked this episode, leave us a review and share it far and wide.

Science Write Now is dedicated to accessibility, connectivity, inspiration and collaboration across disciplines. Our content is free to access and we want to keep it that way, so if you’re keen to be part of this growing community of creative writing inspired by science, hit subscribe!

We’ll be back with another episode soon, and more conversations inspired by science and creativity to come!

We acknowledge the Jaegara and Turrbal People, Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is created, and the unceded cultural lands on which our guests live and continue to make and tell stories.

‘Under the Microscope’ is the next episode in Cognitive Conversations, a series where we tackle the big questions in creativity and neuroscience. This conversation delves into the creative process, visual art and storytelling, the science of colour, environmental science, and so much more. This series is hosted and produced by Bianca Millroy, for Science Write Now. 

Meet our guests

Dr Katerina Bryant is a writer based in Adelaide on Kaurna Land. Her first book, Hysteria: A Memoir of Illness, Strength and Women’s Stories Throughout History was published in 2020. Katerina completed her PhD, a hybrid memoir/biography of the first woman clown in America, in 2022. She is currently a South Australian Literary Fellow at the State Library of South Australia, working on a manuscript about women and chess. Visit Katerina’s website | @katerina_bry

Ashley Kalagian Blunt is a writer, speaker and podcaster based in Sydney on Gadigal Land of the Eora Nation. Her bestselling psychological thriller, Dark Mode, was shortlisted for the 2024 Ned Kelly Award and the ABIA General Fiction Book of the Year. She is the author of two previous books, How to Be Australian, a memoir, and My Name Is Revenge, a thriller novella and collected essays. Ashley is a frequent speaker and panel moderator, and co-hosts a podcast on writing, creativity and health. Visit Ashley’s website | Instagram | X | Facebook

Chelsea Hopkins-Allan is a visual artist based in Western Australia (Minang Noongar land). Chelsea started painting at 24 when she became unwell with a rare neurological and metabolic condition that went undiagnosed for the next 12 years. Her paintings began as something purely personal and functional in a difficult time when she could no longer work as an environmental scientist. Chelsea lives in Albany with her small rescue-parrot Opal and dog Django who keep her company while she paints. Visit Chelsea’s website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube 

Enjoyed this episode? Share the SWN love!

If you liked this episode, leave us a review and share it far and wide.

Science Write Now is dedicated to accessibility, connectivity, inspiration and collaboration across disciplines. Our content is free to access and we want to keep it that way, so if you’re keen to be part of this growing community of creative writing inspired by science, hit subscribe!

We’ll be back with another episode soon, and more conversations inspired by science and creativity to come!

We acknowledge the Jaegara and Turrbal People, Traditional Owners of the land on which this podcast is created, and the unceded cultural lands on which our guests live and continue to make and tell stories.