Antony Funnell

Resisting temptation in the modern world feels almost like a superpower. But how does it work? And can anyone learn to do it?

It’s only a matter of time before people start worshipping Artificial Intelligence as a religion, that’s what Philosopher and ethicist, Neil McArthur, believes. And he says while the emergence of AI-based religion would carry risks, there’s no basis for discriminating between AI-based religions and more established ones. Also, why artists are sending their creations into the heavens and what makes for good “space art”.

The Chinese Government, and its Central Bank, are currently experimenting with a digital currency. The hope is that it will make financial transactions faster, more efficient and cheaper for government, business and ordinary citizens. Some speculate it’s about giving China’s currency an edge over the PRC’s major economic competitor, the United States. But whether Beijing’s experiment succeeds or not will depend on matters of trust, surveillance and international appeal.

Science and technology cannot solve our most challenging and complex environmental problems. At least not on their own, not without a greater emphasis on person-to-person engagement — people working together across knowledge systems. ABC Top 5 Science Media Resident, Dr Rohan Fisher, says sci-tech too often avoids the difficult, social-political and cultural dimensions. Human-generated problems require human-centric solutions, he argues. In this episode we explore how to utilise tech and science…

Advanced Artificial Intelligence and new digital technologies are revolutionising the architectural industry. Architects in Brisbane, for example, have mapped every millimetre of historic Lamb House using a 3D scanner – inside and out – and the speed and accuracy of their modelling saves money and prevents error. The opportunities for creativity are enormous, particularly where AI is concerned. But is the industry inadvertently making itself redundant?

For centuries, women have been part of battlefields, including on the frontline. So why do we seem to have so much trouble acknowledging and commemorating them?

Anger and fear dominate our world right now, but experts say those who are engineering these emotions are often doing so for the money.

Globally, around 300 million people consider themselves “influencers” or professional content creators. In the United States alone the number is approximately 13 million – that’s roughly the same size of the US manufacturing sector. It’s a precarious profession and the reasons for choosing to become an influencer are many and varied. So, what does their rise tell us about the modern workforce? Also, building islands to create offshore energy hubs; and a warning about the dangers of normalising t…

The night sky is getting brighter by about ten per cent each year — that's the scientific estimate. While new forms of lighting technology can reduce the amount of light pollution, the sheer impact of a global boom in artificial lighting is just too much. It threatens the health of both humans and other animals. Historically, darkness has been seen in a negative social and cultural context, so can we change our attitudes and learn to embrace the dark sky? In other words, see the light about the beauty of darkness! Guests Ruskin Hartley – Executive Director, Dark Sky International Dr Paul Bogard – Associate Professor Hamline University (US) and author of The End of Night: Searching for Natural Darkness in an Age of Artificial Light Dr Tim Edensor – Cultural Geographer, Manchester Metropolitan University  Further information DarkSky International: Five principles for responsible outdoor lighting Nick Dunn/Tim Edensor - Dark Skies: Places, Practises, Communities

Most people want to eat better. And many of us have embraced the trend toward "natural" foods and conscious eating. We equate "natural" with healthy, nutritious and virtuous, but that can often be way off the mark. New research shows many healthy alternatives are anything but. And our embrace of the term natural is more about expressing identity and morality rather than healthy eating. Empowering people to understand what and how they should eat is what it should be about – and one way to do that is by using a food labelling app. Guests Professor Sarah Bridle – Chair in Food, Climate and Society, University of York Alan Levinovitz – Associate Professor of Religious Studies, James Madison University Laura Marchese – Researcher, Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University Julie Chapon – Co-founder of the Yuka app Lisa – Brisbane-based food-rating app user Further information Sarah Bridle: Food and Climate Change -- Without the Hot Air, UIT Cambridge Climate Stack Cal