Podcasts – Views & Research – The Conversation

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Robert F Kennedy Junior standing next to a screen showing data on autism

Amid alarm over a US ‘autism registry’, people are using these tactics to avoid disability surveillance – podcast

Woman peeling adhesive tape off her mouth

What makes some people self-censor while others speak out? Podcast

Guns on a table in Mexico.

How trafficked American guns fuel Mexico’s cartel violence – podcast

Where do cuts to USAID leave the future of foreign aid in Africa? Podcast

People wait in line at a clinic.

People wait in line at a clinic.

Three scientists speak about what it’s like to have research funding cut by the Trump administration

A sign saying science helps you held up by a protestor.

A sign saying science helps you held up by a protestor.

Illustration of arrows plotting path through blocks mark tax to show tax avoidance.

The 15% solution

Why the global tax system needs fixing – podcast

Illustration of a hand holding a globe with multiple currencies

The 15% solution

Four years after a 15% global minimum tax deal, the world remains divided on how to implement it – podcast

A doctor holding up MRI scans of a brain of someone with Alzheimer's

New theories of Alzheimer’s taking the search for a cure in a different direction – podcast

Cash for sharks: the unintended consequences of paying fishermen to release sharks caught in their nets – podcast

A wedgefish caught in a net in Indonesia.

A wedgefish caught in a net in Indonesia.

Fake cures and vaccine passports for sale: the conspiracy communities in Brazil monetising the anti-vax movement – podcast

Two protestors holding anti-vaccination signs in Brazil.

Two protestors holding anti-vaccination signs in Brazil.

How AI could influence the evolution of humanity – podcast

Illustration of evolution of humanity from primates to an unknown future with a blue light.

Illustration of evolution of humanity from primates to an unknown future with a blue light.

Birkin v Wirkin: the backlash against the global elite and their luxury bags – podcast

A Hermes bag with a view of a city skyline behind

A Hermes bag with a view of a city skyline behind

A reconstruction of a Trypillian settlement

COVID modelling reveals new insights into ancient social distancing – podcast

A doctor in front of two oxygen tanks in Iquitos, Peru.

A glimpse into a surreal abyss: how COVID ravaged a remote city in the Amazonian jungle – podcast

Scam Factories

Scam Factories: the inside story of Southeast Asia’s brutal fraud compounds

Scam Factories: the inside story of Southeast Asia’s brutal fraud compounds

‘It seemed like a good job at first’: how people are trafficked, trapped and forced to scam in Southeast Asia – Scam Factories Ep 1

Buildings under construction in Sihanoukville.

Buildings under construction in Sihanoukville.

‘Your life becomes a nightmare’: how scam operations exploit those trapped inside – Scam Factories Ep 2

A man who was trafficked to a compound praying.

A man who was trafficked to a compound praying.

‘I thought about escaping every day’: how survivors get out of Southeast Asia’s cybercrime compounds – Scam Factories podcast, Ep 3

A man who was trafficked to a scam compound.

A man who was trafficked to a scam compound.

Listen to all episodes of Scam Factories on The Conversation Weekly podcast

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Shipping containes with barbed wire in front.

Why the US return to tariffs and protectionism ‘reeks of hypocrisy’ – podcast

The PKK says it will lay down its arms. What are the chances of lasting peace between Turkey and the Kurds? Podcast

Supporters of a pro-Kurdish political party with flags in Turkey.

Supporters of a pro-Kurdish political party with flags in Turkey.

Taung child: the controversial story of the fossil discovery that proved humanity’s common origins in Africa – podcast

Cast of the Taung child fossil skull.

Cast of the Taung child fossil skull.

A ‘Google maps for the sea’, sails and alternative fuels: the technologies steering shipping towards lower emissions

A cargo ship burning fossil fuel

A cargo ship burning fossil fuel

Silicon Valley’s bet on AI defence startups and what it means for the future of war – podcast

Warfare analytic operator using virtual reality glasses checking coordination of the military team with tablet device augmented device.

Warfare analytic operator using virtual reality glasses checking coordination of the military team with tablet device augmented device.

Where support for Germany’s far-right AFD is growing and why – podcast

Laura Hood, The Conversation

Mugs being sold with AFD slogans on them.

Mugs being sold with AFD slogans on them.

How close are quantum computers to being really useful? Podcast

A quantum computer

A quantum computer

Plastic waste at a recycling plant.

How the world fell in love with plastic without thinking through the consequences – podcast

How wildfire, humans and a warming climate led to the extinction of California’s big mammals 13,000 years ago – podcast

Flames and smoke in Los Angeles wildfires.

Flames and smoke in Los Angeles wildfires.

Brain implants, agentic AI and answers on dark matter: what to expect from science in 2025 – podcast

An illustration of a little robot performing tasks on a computer.

An illustration of a little robot performing tasks on a computer.

From grieving orcas to opposums playing dead: how animals respond to death – podcast

A baby orca among family.

A baby orca among family.

Decentralised social media offers an alternative to big tech platforms like X and Meta. How does it work? Podcast

A phone with icons for Bluesky, Mastodon, X

A phone with icons for Bluesky, Mastodon, X

Donald Trump and Joe Biden meet in the White House.

Why distrust in powerful politicians is part of a functioning democracy – podcast

A fisherman fillets a cod.

Why Canada’s decision to lift a ban on cod fishing in Newfoundland after 32 years is so controversial – podcast

Know your place: what happened to class in British politics

Nigel Farage speaking.

Nigel Farage, AI and the revolt of the squeezed middle: class politics is about to get messier than ever – Know Your Place part 5

When did class stop predicting who people vote for in Britain? Know Your Place part 1

Boris Johnson stands in front of a blow-up version of himself.

Boris Johnson stands in front of a blow-up version of himself.

Thatcher, Blair and a brief history of class in British politics – Know Your Place part 2

Tony and Cherie Blair shake hands of supportes outside Downing Street.

Tony and Cherie Blair shake hands of supportes outside Downing Street.

What does class mean today in Britain? Know Your Place part 3

A man on his phone in an alleyway, next to two delivery cyclists taking a break on their phones.

A man on his phone in an alleyway, next to two delivery cyclists taking a break on their phones.

Does Britain have a working-class parliament? What Labour’s election win means for representation – Know Your Place part 4

Angela Rayner swearing on a bible in the House of Commons.

Angela Rayner swearing on a bible in the House of Commons.

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More from The Conversation Weekly

Victor Ambros walking into a room with his wife Rosalind Lee

Victor Ambros on the team effort behind his Nobel-prize winning discovery of microRNA – podcast

Fifty years after the discovery of Lucy, it’s time to ‘decolonise paleoanthropology’ says leading Ethiopian fossil expert – podcast

Close-up of a man holdiing a replica of an ancient hominin skull.

Close-up of a man holdiing a replica of an ancient hominin skull.

As Amazon workers prepare to strike on Black Friday, the story of one warehouse in the UK that pushed to unionise – podcast

Amazon workers hold up a banner saying 'We demand the right to unionise'

Amazon workers hold up a banner saying 'We demand the right to unionise'

Stories of gangsters who’ve left their life on the streets behind – podcast

A photo of a man in a farm holding some plants.

A photo of a man in a farm holding some plants.

Death penalty: how Zimbabwe reached the point of abolition – podcast

Prisoners in a yard at a maximum security prison in Zimbabwe.

Prisoners in a yard at a maximum security prison in Zimbabwe.

Why mpox in Africa was ignored for too long and children are dying as a result – podcast

A woman holds her son who has mpox.

A woman holds her son who has mpox.

HIV prevention: why a new injectable drug could be such a breakthrough – podcast

A clinician holds a vial of a drug called lenacapavir

A clinician holds a vial of a drug called lenacapavir

Himpathy: the psychology of why some people side with perpetrators of sexual misconduct – podcast

Donald Trump in the lobby of Trump tower.

Donald Trump in the lobby of Trump tower.

The emotional toll of dating apps and why they’re no longer about finding love – podcast

A woman swiping on her phone.

A woman swiping on her phone.

Iceberg in Arctic melting

Geoengineering: the scientists who argue modifying the climate could buy the world time – podcast

Sun and clouds in an orange sky.

Solar geoengineering: the risks and distractions of trying to reflect sunlight to cool the Earth – podcast

Aerial map in multiple colours of the Ngoye Forest taken with drones.

A lonely and ancient plant needs a female partner and researchers are using drones and AI to find it – podcast

Four people sitting on sofa watching TV.

Sharing that moment: can collective experiences bring people closer together? Podcast

Who designed the FGC-9? Unmasking the man behind the world’s most popular 3D-printed gun – podcast

Disassembled components of the FGC-9 shadow gun.

Disassembled components of the FGC-9 shadow gun.

Scientists can’t agree on how fast the universe is expanding – why this matters so much for our understanding of the cosmos

A picture from the James Webb Space Telescope of galaxies.

A picture from the James Webb Space Telescope of galaxies.

Chronic pain: emerging treatment options for patients after the opioid crisis – podcast

Man with back pain stretches at desk

Man with back pain stretches at desk

Fightback gains pace against trade deals fossil fuel investors can use to sue countries over climate action – podcast

A woman holds up a sign that says Exit the Energy Charter Treaty.

A woman holds up a sign that says Exit the Energy Charter Treaty.

Illustration of jazz saxophonist.

Creative flow: what’s going on inside the brain when everything just clicks – podcast

Computer science culture often means anybody’s data is fair game to feed the AI algorithm – but artists are fighting back

An illustration of a woman with underlying digital measurements.

An illustration of a woman with underlying digital measurements.

Assisted dying: Canada grapples with plans to extend euthanasia to people suffering solely from mental illness

A doctor with a clipboard holds the hand of a patient on a bed.

A doctor with a clipboard holds the hand of a patient on a bed.

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The Conversation's Curious Kids

Northern lights in the sky.

Does magic really exist? The Conversation’s Curious Kids podcast

Can chameleons change colour in their sleep?

A chameleon.

A chameleon.

If an asteroid hit Earth and all the humans died, would the dinosaurs come back?

Illustration of a tyrannosaurus.

Illustration of a tyrannosaurus.

Why is my dog so cute?

A puppy and a little girl.

A puppy and a little girl.

Do whales sneeze?

A humpback whale breaching.

A humpback whale breaching.

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What happened to Nelson Mandela's South Africa?

What happened to Nelson Mandela’s South Africa? A new podcast series marks 30 years of post-apartheid democracy

Thabo Leshilo, The Conversation

A man wearing a suit and tie raises his right hand to take an oath, wtacxhed by a male judge.

A man wearing a suit and tie raises his right hand to take an oath, wtacxhed by a male judge.

Part 1: After the euphoria of Nelson Mandela’s election, what happened next

A grey-haired and smiling man wearing a loose long-sleeved shirt holds a piece of paper above a ballot box, while other people stand around him

A grey-haired and smiling man wearing a loose long-sleeved shirt holds a piece of paper above a ballot box, while other people stand around him

Part 2: South Africans tasted the fruits of freedom and then corruption snatched them away

Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma

Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma

Part 3: Persisting inequality has made many young South Africans question the choices made by Nelson Mandela – podcast

Two young men wearing graduation gowns lead protesters carrying placards saying 'We are young and capable'.

Two young men wearing graduation gowns lead protesters carrying placards saying 'We are young and capable'.

Listen to What happened to Nelson Mandela's South Africa on The Conversation Weekly podcast

Great Mysteries of Physics

Many clocks overlapping.

Part 1: is time an illusion?

Part two: is the universe fine-tuned for life?

Cartwheel Galaxy.

Cartwheel Galaxy.

Part three: is there a multiverse?

The microwave sky as seen by the Planck satellite.

The microwave sky as seen by the Planck satellite.

Part four: does objective reality exist?

Woman closing eyes in street.

Woman closing eyes in street.

Part five: do we really need a theory of everything?

The LHC at Cern.

The LHC at Cern.

Subscribe to the Great Mysteries of Physics podcast

Inside the Oslo Accords

Inside the Oslo accords: a new podcast series marks 30 years since Israel-Palestine secret peace negotiations

Inside the Oslo accords: a new podcast series marks 30 years since Israel-Palestine secret peace negotiations

Inside the Oslo accords: a new podcast series marks 30 years since Israel-Palestine secret peace negotiations

Jan Egeland remembers the secret negotiations that led to the Oslo accords – podcast

Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin, Bill Clinton and Yasser Arafat, right, pose holding t-shirts that say seeds of peace.

Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin, Bill Clinton and Yasser Arafat, right, pose holding t-shirts that say seeds of peace.

Hanan Ashrawi and Yossi Beilin on what happened after the Oslo accords handshake – podcast

James Baker, Faisal Husseini, Zakaria Al-Agha, Sari Nusseibah and Hanan Ashrawi

James Baker, Faisal Husseini, Zakaria Al-Agha, Sari Nusseibah and Hanan Ashrawi

Israel-Palestine: the legacy of Oslo and the future of a two-state solution – podcast

Tower blocks on a hill show the West Bank settlement of Modiin Ilit

Tower blocks on a hill show the West Bank settlement of Modiin Ilit

Listen to Inside the Oslo Accords on The Conversation Weekly podcast

Unchartered Brain: decoding dementia

An image of a brain scan.

Unlocking new clues to how dementia and Alzheimer’s work in the brain – Uncharted Brain podcast series

How a study which began just after the end of the second world war is discovering clues to Alzheimer’s

A man playing with a puzzle in the shape of the brain.

A man playing with a puzzle in the shape of the brain.

Families of athletes with dementia linked to brain trauma on watching somebody you love disappear

American football players collide on the pitch.

American football players collide on the pitch.

Do viruses play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s?

Negatively-stained transmission electron micrograph of numerous herpes simplex virions

Negatively-stained transmission electron micrograph of numerous herpes simplex virions

Stories behind research

Busy soundscapes of seagrass meadows and the animals that live there revealed in new recordings – podcast

Busy soundscapes of seagrass meadows and the animals that live there revealed in new recordings – podcast

Interoception: the sixth sense we use to read hidden signals from our body – podcast

A hospital monitor showing body signals.

A hospital monitor showing body signals.

Breakthroughs and setbacks on the hunt for a universal snakebite antivenom – podcast

A cobra with its mouth open.

A cobra with its mouth open.

Why some descendants of Holocaust survivors choose to replicate a loved one’s Auschwitz tattoo – podcast

A woman in a black shirt holds up her arm on which there is a tattooed number.

A woman in a black shirt holds up her arm on which there is a tattooed number.

How we solved the mystery of the pink sand on South Australia’s beaches – podcast

Pink sand on a beach near Adelaide.

Pink sand on a beach near Adelaide.

Climate Fight: the world's biggest negotiation

Promotional artwork for Climate Fight podcast series

Climate fight: the world’s biggest negotiation

Jack Marley, The Conversation

Listen to Climate Fight on The Anthill Podcaset

Expert guide to conspiracy theories

How to spot a conspiracy theory – Expert guide to conspiracy theories part one

Part 1: How to spot a conspiracy theory

Part two: Who believes in conspiracy theories and why?

Who believes in conspiracy theories and why? Listen to part two of our expert guide

Who believes in conspiracy theories and why? Listen to part two of our expert guide

Part three: A short history of conspiracy theories

A short history of conspiracy theories – listen to part three of our expert guide

A short history of conspiracy theories – listen to part three of our expert guide

Part four: How conspiracy theories spread

How conspiracy theories spread – listen to part four of our expert guide

How conspiracy theories spread – listen to part four of our expert guide

Part five: How dangerous are conspiracy theories?

How dangerous are conspiracy theories? Listen to part five of our expert guide

How dangerous are conspiracy theories? Listen to part five of our expert guide

Listen on The Anthill Podcast

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