Future Tense podcast

Future Tense

A critical look at new technologies, new approaches and new ways of thinking, from politics to media to environmental sustainability.

A critical look at new technologies, new approaches and new ways of thinking, from politics to media to environmental sustainability.

 

#244

Are we turning the housing crisis into a living crisis?

We build more and more homes for growing urban populations. But doing so without providing... more

09 Oct 2025

29 MINS

29:05

09 Oct 2025


#243

Reviving the past and digital mapping for the future

The remote Canadian island of Oikiqtaruk is disappearing fast, but its cultural and enviro... more

02 Oct 2025

29 MINS

29:06

02 Oct 2025


#242

Are we kidding ourselves about decarbonisation?

Australian rooftops are resplendent with solar panels, but sustainability expert, Martin B... more

25 Sep 2025

29 MINS

29:06

25 Sep 2025


#241

Is globalisation dying?

Globalisation isn’t what it used to be thanks to the legacy of the Covid-19 lockdown and, ... more

19 Sep 2025

29 MINS

29:08

19 Sep 2025


#240

Taxing carbon on the border and at sea

The European Union is implementing a groundbreaking new tax: a carbon border tax. It's mea... more

11 Sep 2025

29 MINS

29:05

11 Sep 2025


#239

Existential hope vs Existential Fear

Existential risks to human life abound, from the threat of nuclear Armageddon; to an uninh... more

04 Sep 2025

29 MINS

29:00

04 Sep 2025


#238

Cooperation, not conflict on the High Seas

We're now halfway through the UN-designated "Ocean Decade" — new research initiatives have... more

28 Aug 2025

29 MINS

29:06

28 Aug 2025


#237

Convenience culture's inconvenient truth

Humans have an evolutionary bias toward seeking convenience, experts say. But what happens... more

21 Aug 2025

29 MINS

29:06

21 Aug 2025


#236

Perspectives on the potential of AI-powered policing

Policing has always embraced new technologies and Artificial Intelligence is, of course, t... more

14 Aug 2025

28 MINS

28:56

14 Aug 2025


#235

The truth about AI and productivity

How real is the link between Artificial Intelligence and increased productivity? Jon Whitt... more

07 Aug 2025

29 MINS

29:08

07 Aug 2025


#234

Sinking Cities

Cities across the world are beginning to sink — some by as much as 10 centimetres a year. ... more

31 Jul 2025

29 MINS

29:09

31 Jul 2025


#233

How to balance the population needs on our planet

We face multiple looming demographic crises — and our responses seemingly contradict each ... more

24 Jul 2025

29 MINS

29:08

24 Jul 2025


#232

Lessons from South Korea's security dilemma

South Korea is a test case in how to maintain democracy against sustained pressure from di... more

17 Jul 2025

28 MINS

28:38

17 Jul 2025


#231

A turning point for the United Nations

Suffering internal division and stymied by geopolitical bullying, the United Nations is fa... more

10 Jul 2025

28 MINS

28:38

10 Jul 2025


#230

The potential benefits and risks of developing "mirror life"

Synthetic biologists are hard at work developing artificial biological molecules as the fi... more

03 Jul 2025

28 MINS

28:38

03 Jul 2025


#229

The world after us!

What will Earth look like when humans become extinct? What "technofossils" will paleontolo... more

26 Jun 2025

28 MINS

28:38

26 Jun 2025


#228

How to start your own golden age

History has many lessons for how to develop a successful civilisation. The trick is to und... more

19 Jun 2025

28 MINS

28:38

19 Jun 2025


#227

Australia and Canada — Strategic partners, but near total strangers?

Australia and Canada share much in common, politically, historically and socially. Why the... more

12 Jun 2025

28 MINS

28:38

12 Jun 2025


#226

Reassessing the laws of war; and why progress isn't always a straight line

The International commitment to ban landmines is wavering. Several European countries are ... more

05 Jun 2025

28 MINS

28:39

05 Jun 2025


#225

Beyond the cloud — storing data in space

Researchers and corporations are already working to relocate data servers beyond the Earth... more

29 May 2025

29 MINS

29:10

29 May 2025


#224

Forgetting, not memory, moves us forward

Forgetting is the only safe response to the world's problems, from a geopolitical perspect... more

22 May 2025

28 MINS

28:38

22 May 2025


#223

Bitcoin boom or digital deception?

Donald Trump is establishing a US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. He wants it to rival the coun... more

15 May 2025

28 MINS

28:38

15 May 2025


#222

Can the oceans solve our carbon removal problems?

There's been growing research and investment in projects that use the oceans to artificial... more

08 May 2025

29 MINS

29:10

08 May 2025


#221

YouTube turns 20; and the interesting side of boredom

YouTube is the second biggest website in the world, containing more than 14.8 billion vide... more

01 May 2025

28 MINS

28:34

01 May 2025