In this episode, I sit down with Marian-Andrei Rizoiu, Associate Professor and head of the Behavioral Data Science Lab at the University of Technology Sydney. Drawing on a three-year research project into the misinformation ecosystem, he reveals that online conspiracies aren’t just about false facts. Instead, they meet deep human needs for belonging and identity. 

We explore the idea that misinformation is less a content problem and more a human problem, fueled by the attention economy. Rizoiu also weighs in on the growing debate around restricting social media use, such as proposed bans for under-16s, unpacking the potential benefits and drawbacks.

Keep your ears peeled for Part 2 next week Linkedin: Marian-Andrei Rizoiu

In this episode, we sit down with two of today’s most prominent defenders of science: Professor Michael Mann, world-renowned climate scientist, and Professor Peter Hotez, vaccine researcher and advocate for global health equity. Together, they’ve co-authored Science Under Siege, a powerful new book exposing the forces behind the global anti-science movement.

We explore the surprising parallels between climate denial and vaccine misinformation, and how both Mann and Hotez have faced personal attacks simply for standing by the evidence. They break down the five key drivers of anti-science - plutocrats, professionals, propagandists, petrostates, and the press - and reveal how these forces shape public discourse and policy.

This conversation is not just about diagnosing the problem, but about pathways forward: the urgent role of science communication, strategies to counter misinformation, and reasons to remain hopeful in the fight to reclaim trust in science.

www.michaemann.net

www.peterhotez.org

www.scribepublications.com.au/books-authors/books/science-under-siege-9781761381669

In part two of our conversation with Professor Carolyn Hogg, Research Manager of the Australasian Wildlife Genomics Group at the University of Sydney, we dive deeper into the science and strategy behind threatened species management.

Carolyn shares how her team is developing crucial genetic data to guide conservation, including breed-and-release programs with species like the Tasmanian devil. We discuss the vital role of biodiversity in sustaining planetary health, and the ambitious Earth Biogenome Project, which aims to map the genomes of all 12 million species of eukaryotic life on Earth.

Beyond the lab, Carolyn reveals how genetic insights are shaping real-world decisions—bridging the gap between cutting-edge science, social change, and the policies that determine the future of our ecosystems. Linkedin: Carolyn Hogg X: @HoggCarolyn, @BioplatformsAus, @ThreatenedSpGen https://wildlife-genomics.sydney.edu.au/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/bioplatforms-australia/  

From collecting urine samples in Antarctica to sampling whale snot to study reproduction, Dr. Carolyn Hogg's career is anything but ordinary. In this episode, she shares how her passion for protecting threatened species led her down some unexpected paths, including earning the nickname ‘Dr. Snot’.

We chat about her PhD on whale behaviour, wild whale facts, and the creative ways scientists gather data in the field. There was so much to cover, we had to split it into two! Part 2 dives into her groundbreaking work in conservation genetics.

Linkedin: Carolyn Hogg X: @HoggCarolyn, @BioplatformsAus, @ThreatenedSpGen https://wildlife-genomics.sydney.edu.au/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/bioplatforms-australia/  

In this episode, Professor PJ Cullen, Chemical Engineering expert from the University of Sydney, breaks down the global nitrogen challenge. We explore why nitrogen is essential for life, the history of fertiliser - from the Guano Wars to the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process - and how today's nitrogen production is harming the planet. Cullen introduces PlasmaLeap, his startup using non-thermal plasma to mimic lightning and fix nitrogen sustainably. We also dive into the risks of nitrogen storage, the 2020 Beirut explosion, and the urgent need to electrify chemical industries. 

https://www.plasmaleap.com/ Linkedin: PJ Cullen

In part two with Online Safety Consultant Troy Hunt (Have I Been Pwned), we unpack the risks of online age verification in light of Australia’s social media ban, including the personal data (often times photos or government documents) sites may demand, and how these security practices can be questionable.  Troy explains why we should be thinking more about data minimisation and the dangers of unnecessary data retention. We go through the safest multi-factor authentication methods, from SMS to physical keys, and Troy shares a personal phishing story, reminding us that no-one is immune to hacking thanks to increasingly sophisticated phishing techniques. https://haveibeenpwned.com/ Linkedin: Troy Hunt

In this episode, we’re joined by Troy Hunt, Australian online security consultant, creator of Have I Been Pwned, and one of the world’s leading voices on data breaches. He breaks down the key differences between encryption and hashing, and what they mean for keeping your data safe. We dive into infamous data breaches, including the Ashley Madison case, and explore the often hidden, long-term impacts these leaks can have on people’s lives. With online scams and breaches costing Australians over $3 billion every year, we also look at the rising threat of ransomware and why it’s so hard to fight. This conversation opened so many cans of worms, we had to save the rest for part two. https://haveibeenpwned.com/ Linkedin: Troy Hunt

In this episode, we sit down with Australian climate scientist Professor Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick to explore the story of climate science, how we first discovered the planet was warming, and what we now know about the forces driving it. Sarah breaks down the role of carbon dioxide in trapping heat like a planetary blanket and shares insights from her cutting-edge research on long-term climate modelling. What would happen if we stopped emitting CO₂ today? The answers are sobering, yet they also offer hope, underscoring why optimism remains essential in the fight for a livable future.

Linked in: Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick

https://www.21centuryweather.org.au/

I had the honor of sitting down with Professor Donna Strickland, Nobel Prize-winning physicist the third woman in history to receive the prestigious award in physics. In our conversation, we discuss her groundbreaking work in laser physics and the journey that led her there. From her early academic interests to the moment she received the life-changing call from the Royal Swedish Academy at 5AM (?!), Donna shares insights into her discovery of chirped pulse amplification (CPA), a revolutionary technique that changed the field of high-intensity lasers. We discuss the science behind CPA and the moment she accidentally broke the fibre optic cable required for her PhD research. Donna reflects on the role of perseverance, collaboration, and the underestimated metric of "luck” in scientific discovery.