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They say the best things in life are free – or at least, Emrys Westacott seems to think so.

For those who have the choice, the rejection of extravagance is deemed highly virtuous. Many of the great thinkers of history have advocated the moral value of frugal living, but in our culture of excess the temptation to indulge can be difficult to overcome.

William Isdale spoke with Emrys Westacott, a Professor of Philosophy at Alfred University, New York, about how a return to simple living could bring greater happiness in our increasingly complex world – though there’s a case to be made for the cultural value of extravagance, too.

Emrys Westacott is the author of The Wisdom of Frugality: Why Less Is More - More or Less, a philosophically informed reflection on the benefits of frugal living.

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Emrys Westacott received a summer stipend from the National Endowment for the Humanities in 2010 to support the writing of his last book, 'The Wisdom of Frugality.'

William Isdale does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

During Xi Jinping’s opening address at the Communist Party’s 19th National Party Congress last week, the Chinese president outlined his vision of a “new era” for China – one that will see “China moving closer to centre stage”.

China’s economic and foreign policies have significant implications for Australia. More than 30% of our exports go to China, more than 1 million Chinese tourists visit Australia every year, and about 30% of international students in Australia are Chinese, contributing billions to the economy.

It is obvious that Australia needs to maintain a strong relationship with China as it transitions to a “new era”. But the relationship is often complicated by the perception that Australia needs to choose between our military ally, the US, and our biggest trading partner, China.

William Isdale spoke with Bates Gill, professor of Asia-Pacific strategic studies at Macquarie University, about Australia’s complex relationship with China and how we must adapt to meet China’s evolving needs. Gill recently co-authored a book, China Matters: Getting it Right for Australia, which explores the importance of the relationship between the two countries.

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William Isdale does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

We’re a nation of pet lovers: 60% of Australian households have some kind of pet. And with dogs in 39% of those homes, it’s only natural that we’re starting to see dogs sitting happily alongside human diners at places like cafes and pubs.

But while we have one of the highest levels of pet ownership in the world, our rights and infrastructure planning don’t seem to be built around this reality. No Australian cities allow dogs on public transport – something that’s commonplace in many cities in Europe – and many tenants find that looking for a rental property with a pet is virtually impossible.

Dallas Rogers speaks with Emma Power, urban cultural geography senior research fellow at Western Sydney University, and Jennifer Kent, urban planning research fellow at the University of Sydney, about why a nation of pet lovers doesn’t seem very interested in planning for pets.

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Dallas Rogers has received funding from The Henry Halloran Trust, AHURI, Urban Growth, the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia, the University of Sydney and Western Sydney University.

The Spanish Flu of 1918 is estimated to have infected around 500 million, and killed between 20 and 40 million, people around the world - all within the space of a year. It is perhaps the deadliest pandemic in human history.

We have seen nothing as devastating since, but outbreaks such as influenza, HIV/AIDS, Zika and Ebola highlight that infectious diseases are a constant threat.

William Isdale spoke with Dr. John Gerrard about predicting the next major infectious disease threat, and how we can prevent a pandemic from establishing itself in Australia.

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William Isdale does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Airbnb has turned sharing our homes and living spaces with strangers from a fringe idea into a multi-million dollar business. It’s changed the way many of us travel.

But its growth has turned many suburbs and apartment buildings that are zoned for residential use into hotels, with temporary residents who have no long-term investment in the neighbourhoods they inhabit.

In cities like Sydney, Barcelona and Lisbon, where housing costs and vacancy are increasingly outpacing the wealth of citizens, Airbnb puts more power in the hands of landlords and threatens to push up prices for everyday tenants.

The University of Sydney’s Dallas Rogers speaks with Nicole Gurran, professor in urban and regional planning at the University of Sydney, about what different cities around the world are doing to regulate Airbnb, what the benefits and costs are of the “sharing economy” model in accommodation, and what data actually exists for researchers and policymakers in this growing industry.

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Dallas Rogers has received funding from The Henry Halloran Trust, AHURI, Urban Growth, the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia, the University of Sydney and Western Sydney University.

Due to advances in medicine, hygiene and nutrition we are now living longer than ever before. In our region, the percentage of people over the age of 60 doubled in just 20 years - something that took 120 years in Europe and the United States.

And while there are definitely losses as we age – fine motor skills and a higher probability of conditions like dementia – there’s evidence that for many people brain development continues healthily into their eighties.

So how do we leverage the knowledge and social capital that older people accrue over their lives and help them to feel engaged, supported and energised during what has traditionally been characterised as a time of decline?

The University of Melbourne’s Will Isdale spoke with Nancy Pachana, Professor of Clinical Geropsychology at the University of Queensland and author of the book Ageing: A Very Short Introduction, about what we can do to plan for a healthy, engaged senior population.

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William Isdale does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

The role of declared gifts and donations has driven a lot of discussion around government corruption in recent years. But what about the clique of developers, banks and superannuation companies who reap the benefits of policies and approvals that preserve monopolies?

How do we decide who the winners and losers are in society, without even going into the more obvious acts of money changing hands for sweetheart deals between friends?

Cameron Murray is a lecturer in economics at the University of Queensland and the co-author (with Paul Frijters) of the Game of Mates. The book explores the murky world of “grey gifts”: favours and promises given to bureaucrats and politicians in order to secure favourable decisions and judgements.

The University of Melbourne’s William Isdale spoke with Murray on how these arrangements occur, who benefits, and who ultimately foots the bill.

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William Isdale does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Since the discovery of antibiotics in the mid-20th century, millions of lives have been saved from bacterial infections. But the over-prescription of these drugs has led to some types of bacteria becoming resistant to treatment.

It’s estimated at least two million people are infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the United States each year. These “superbugs” can spread rapidly and stopping them is increasingly challenging as new antibiotics need to be developed to treat them.

William Isdale spoke to Dr Mark Blaskovich about the the overuse of antibiotics and the risks superbugs pose to communities.

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William Isdale does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

What if humans are genetically unfit to overcome challenges like climate change and the growing inequality that looks set to define our future?

Julian Savulescu, visiting professor at Monash University and Uehiro professor of Practical Ethics at Oxford University, argues that modifying the biological traits of humans should be part of the solution to secure a safe and desirable future.

The University of Melbourne’s William Isdale spoke to Julian Savulescu about what aspects of humanity could be altered by genetic modifications and why it might one day actually be considered unethical to withhold genetic enhancements that could have an overwhelmingly positive effect on a child’s life.

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William Isdale does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

CRISPR, or clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, is a technology that is able to alter DNA.

While this sounds like the realms of science fiction, right now scientists are investigating its potential to eliminate genetic diseases in humans by repairing or replacing defective genes.

The University of Melbourne’s William Isdale spoke with Professor Peter Koopman from the University of Queensland about his research into CRISPR and the possibilities it could offer to future generations, as well as those suffering from genetic conditions right now.

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William Isdale does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.