Big Ideas

ABC

4.4 (1.1K)
SOCIETY & CULTURE
UPDATED DAILY

Feed your mind. Be provoked. One big idea at a time. Your brain will love you for it. Grab your front row seat to the best live forums and festivals with Natasha Mitchell.

47 MINS AGO

The Knowledge Gene — an incredible story of the origins of human creativity

Prepare to have your mind blown with a sweeping saga that connects human evolution, brains, genes, art, music, creativity, knowledge, dyslexia, autism, Indigenous memory systems, and more. A big, beautiful and biological saga about how to learn like a human again. Joining Natasha Mitchell are Australian Senior Memory Champion, scientist and author Dr Lynne Kelly with artist Jane Rusden and musician and educator Hilary Blackshaw. This event was hosted by the 2024 Mountain Festival in Macedon, Victoria. Original broadcast January 20, 2025. Speakers Dr Lynne KellyScience writerAuthor, The Knowledge Gene: the incredible story of the supergene that gives us human creativity (Allen and Unwin, 2024)Author, The Memory Code (Allen and Unwin, 2016) Adjunct Research Fellow, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe UniversityHonorary Fellow, School of Physics, University of MelbourneHilary BlackshawMusician and musical educatorBendigo Musical Instrumental Program Jane RusdenArtist

54 min
21 HRS AGO

Sarah Churchwell asks — Will American democracy survive the Dark Enlightenment?

Historian Sarah Churchwell takes you on a gripping and confronting journey into America's recent past to explain its extraordinary present, starting with dark story at the heart of that American classic Gone with the Wind. Knowledge lies at the heart of a healthy democracy, and its many custodians include libraries, universities, cultural institutions, and a free and independent media. So what happens when these institutions are intimidated, dismantled or destroyed, as is happening in America, under the government of President Donald Trump? This event was recorded at the University of Technology Sydney's Vice Chancellor's Democracy Forum on 14 May 2025. Original broadcast on June 17, 2025. Speakers Sarah ChurchwellProfessor of American Literature and Chair of Public Understanding of the Humanities at the University of LondonAuthor, The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe, Careless People: Murder, Mayhem and The Invention of The Great Gatsby, Behold, America: A History of America First and the American Dream, and The Wrath to Come: Gone with the Wind and the Lies America TellsDirector, Being Human festival and Living Literature event seriesJudge, Man Booker Prize Anna Funder (host)Author, Wifedom, Stasiland and All That I AmLuminary and Ambassador, University of Technology Sydney Roy Green (host)Emeritus Professor and Special Innovation Advisor at University of Technology SydneyFormer Dean of the UTS Business SchoolChair of the UTS Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Hub Further information From Gatsby to Huck Finn — American literature in an age of polarisation - Sarah Churchwell on Big Ideas, ABC Radio National 4 November 2024

55 min
2 DAYS AGO

2025 Grammy winner Ruthie Foster talks about her life and music

After five nominations, Ruthie Foster has taken home the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album - affirming her status as an American music legend. In this intimate conversation, she shares what made her want to be a singer; the roles of her grandmother and mother in her life; why faith is so important to her and why she wants to sing about real people. And much more… A Heartlands Conservation presented at the Blue Mountains Music Festival. Original broadcast May 12, 2025. Speakers Ruthie FosterAmerican singer-songwriter of blues and folk music. 2025 Grammy Award winner for Best Contemporary Blues Album Gregg Borschmann (host)Writer, radio producer and oral historian for the National Library of Australia

54 min
6 DAYS AGO

Childless on purpose — the fertility crisis and the big decision

When you enter your childbearing years, it can feel like everyone from the treasurer, your mum, and probably your Instagram reels really wants you to have a kid. But is it the right decision? Few women escape this conundrum of modern family-making, and unfortunately there is no easy or simple answer. But in this talk presented by the Sydney Opera House at the All About Women Festival 2025, you’ll get the context, prompts and profound reflections to help you think through this decision, whether it’s in your own life or for someone you love. Original broadcast on June 26, 2024

54 min
17 DEC

Surfer Tim Baker and doctor Peter Goldsworthy on living well with cancer

Meet two men who will change the way you think about an experience most of us fear but will be touched by in some way. In Patting the Shark, surfing writer Dr Tim Baker describes his wild ride to reclaim a sense of control and agency after a cancer diagnosis. Celebrated author and GP Peter Goldsworthy’s memoir The Cancer Finishing School started out as a journal but became so much more.They join Natasha Mitchell for intimate an intimate, revelatory, funny, and generous conversation about the Big C and how medicine needs to change. This event was hosted by the 2024 Queenscliffe Literary Festival Original broadcast on January 22, 2025. Speakers Dr Tim BakerJournalist, editor, patient advocate, and facilitator of the Peter Mac Book GroupResearch Fellow, Prostate Cancer Research Group, Monash Biomedical Discovery InstituteAuthor, Patting the Shark: A surfer's journey — learning to live well with cancer (Ebury Australia/Penguin, 2022) Dr Peter GoldsworthyGP, author, librettist, poetAuthor, The Cancer Finishing School —lessons in laughter, love, resilience (Penguin, 2024)

55 min
16 DEC

Understand your microbiome

Are fermented foods really good for us? Do antibiotics destroy our gut flora? And have you heard about poo transplants? Our gut is teeming with trillions of microbial cells, and we are learning more all the time about how this affects everything from our digestion, to immunity, to mental health. So crack open your kombucha, because these leading researchers will cut through the noise with some hard facts and pioneering science about the microbiome. This event was recorded at the World Science Festival Brisbane 30 March 2025. Original broadcast on June 25, 2025. Speakers Paul GriffinProfessor of Medicine, Clinical Unit Head and Director of Infectious Diseases, University of Queensland and Mater Hospital Felice JackaDistinguished Professor in Nutritional PsychiatryFounder and director, Food and Mood Centre Deakin UniversityAuthor, There's a Zoo in my Poo Gene TysonMicrobial ecologist, bioinformatician, and founder, Centre for Microbiome research, Queensland University of Technology Dr Norman Swan (host)Presenter, Health Report and What's That Rash? ABC Radio National

55 min
15 DEC

Doctor Who at 60 — still as attractive as ever

Doctor Who has acted as a mirror to more than six decades of social, technological and cultural change. It's been able to evolve and adapt more radically than any other fiction. Why we are so addicted to fiction, and why does this wonderful wandering time traveller mean so much to so many. This talk was provided by the York Festival of Ideas. The Festival is led by the University of York, UK. Original broadcast on July 21, 2025. Speaker John HiggsAuthor of Exterminate/Regenerate: The Story of Doctor Who (Weidenfeld & Nicolson 2025)

54 min
11 DEC

The role of spirituality and religion in mental health care

The connection between body and mind is well established. But mental health expert Daniel Fung also includes the soul in this 'ecosystem' that shapes your overall wellbeing. He envisions a future for mental health services, that is person-centred, holistic and consciously uses digital tools and social media. Beautiful minds, Loving hearts: Asian Mental Health Ecosystems in 2050 was presented at TheMHS (Mental Health Services) conference 2025 in Brisbane Listen to Big Ideas — How to overcome the fear and anxiety that are holding you back Speakers Daniel Fung - CEO Institute of Mental Health, Singapore Barbara Disley - Board Member, TheMHS Learning Network Further information Mindline - digital first-stop touchpoint for mental health in Singapore

55 min

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Paul Barclay

Host
Natasha Mitchell

Host

4.4

out of 5

1,108 Ratings

Always stimulating!

21 Aug

Anthony Zwi

Excellent podcast among my short-list of #podrecs - the programming is excellent, interviewers and chairs great, guests always invigorating and stimulating. Worth tuning in, following and sharing.
Adam Liaw

28 July

digit2021

Big ideas is always good but I was so stimulated by this show as Adam traversed issues of politics, culture, science and food. We are so blessed to have our Aunty sharing her sage advice through such interesting people.
Unconventional Women

01/11/2024

RuthMMcC

Loved the podcast on unconventional women. Rare to hear about the lives of nuns in Australia during such a historic time. Thanks for this insight.
Highly biased

5 June

LeiSaff

The presenter pushed their left wing and near sighted narrative way too hard and this thinking about feeling sorry for any one type of person who does not build the strength of the country up really needs to cease. I won’t be listening to such trollup anymore, could you please get more intelligent directors of the programming.

Feed your mind. Be provoked. One big idea at a time. Your brain will love you for it. Grab your front row seat to the best live forums and festivals with Natasha Mitchell.