Anna Whitfeld

From seductive sirens in ancient Greece to Disney’s Ariel, our fascination with mermaids has spanned centuries and cultures. But lesser known are the ancient Indigenous mermaid stories from our own country, which still hold meaning today.

The Sicilian mafia is one of the world’s most infamous criminal organisations, but it didn’t always have a bad reputation. In fact, it may have started out as a protector of lemon trees.

Rehabilitation and racism both played a role in the decades-long program in the US that saw half a million prisoners receive plastic surgery for free.

The former radio and TV broadcaster was part of many memorable moments at the ABC, including covering the Olympics and broadcasting from a telephone exchange.

When the editors of the Oxford English Dictionary decided to crowdsource for the words to be included in the dictionary they probably did not expect murderers, lunatics and pornographers to respond or such a significant number of women. Over 3000 people contributed words and now their identities have been revealed. Guest: Sarah Ogilvie, author of The Dictionary People: The unsung heroes who created the Oxford English Dictionary

After Japan's recent election, there are now 73 women in the lower house of parliament. While this is the highest number yet, it still is only 15%. Japan ranks 118 out of 146 countries when it comes to gender equality. Why do women in such a wealthy and highly educated country still struggle to get into positions of power in Japan? Guest: Freelance journalist and activist, Chie Matsumoto

Kings Cross in Sydney has a reputation as the the home of sex workers, strip clubs and organised crime. But what is it really like today? A new walking tour takes participants on a journey through the legal and social history of the area recounting how the area has changed over time, as laws have changed and society has changed. Two of the tour guides share some of the highlights of the tour. Guests:  Joanna Megan, sex-worker and CEO of the Sex Worker Outreach Project Katie Green, CEO of the Inner City Legal Centre You can join the waitlist for a spot on the tour here: Sex Work: A Legal and Social History Walking Tour

It is hard enough to complete a PHD, but imagine doing it without access to libraries or the Internet. One inmate from the maximum security Macquarie Correctional Centre in Wellington in Central West NSW has completed a PHD designing and constructing  hydroponic garden that grows fresh vegetables for the prison population. How did he do it? Guest: Dr Christian Tietz, Senior Lecturer, Industrial Design, UNSW How maximum security prison inmates and officers worked together to create a farm behind bars The Conversation.

Kirli Saunder is a Gunai woman from East Gippsland Victoria who’s written nine books including the poetry collections, Kindred, and Returning  and in February this year Eclipse. She is a multi media artist connecting poetry with music and digital  technology to produce light shows, drone shows and films. Guest: Kirli Saunders, poet, artist, singer and teacher. Kirli Saunders is performing at the Poetry Month Gala on Thursday 28th August at the State Library of NSW --  AND the Shortwave x Red Room Poetry: Short Films film night on Wednesday 3rd September  at the Sydney Opera House -- an evening of new and recent short films, that celebrate the diversity of contemporary poetry beyond the page.  Song: Daises performed by Cooee

The sheep dog is part of Australia's farming identity. But as good dogs become more expensive and pressure mounts on farmers, could they be replaced by cheaper robodogs? Ian Sinclair is working on a research project based at the University of the Sunshine Coast and thinks that robodogs have a real future on Australian sheep farms. Guest: Ian SInclair, Senior Innovation and AI Analyst at the University of Sunshine Coast