Episodes

  • Nature or nurture: can genes make us behave ‘badly’?

    Nature or nurture: can genes make us behave ‘badly’?
    Jun 30 2026
    How much do our genes determine about our lives, and could they influence traits like risk-taking, antisocial behaviour or even violence? Ian Sample talks to Kathryn Paige Harden, a behavioural geneticist and professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin who studies how genetic factors shape human behaviour. In her book Original Sin she explores how nature and nurture combine to influence our likelihood of committing crimes, and asks whether the ‘cause’ of our actions matters for how we think about culpability
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    19 mins
  • How a Melbourne womans death is shining light on the dangers of non-medical births

    How a Melbourne womans death is shining light on the dangers of non-medical births
    Jun 29 2026
    In September 2025, Melbourne wellness influencer Stacey Warnecke decided to give birth at home, free of all medical help. No one else was present when she went into labour except her husband and a woman named Emily Lal. Warnecke later died in hospital. Lal, who describes herself as a ‘birth keeper’, had no formal medical training and had taken an online course offered by the Free Birth Society – a multimillion-dollar business that trains unregulated birth support workers. Warnecke is one of a growing number of women choosing medically unassisted births, known as ‘freebirths’, and non-medically trained supporters for their pregnancies. Unpacking why is a key question being considered by a coroner, Therese McCarthy. Reged Ahmad speaks to the medical editor, Melissa Davey, and investigations correspondent Sirin Kale on the inquest so far and what we know about the Free Birth Society
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    23 mins
  • The dawn of the designer baby

    The dawn of the designer baby
    Jun 28 2026
    Jenny Kleeman investigates ‘Biotech Barbie’ Cathy Tie, the controversial entrepreneur hoping to revolutionise human reproduction by letting parents edit their embryos
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    32 mins
  • Back to Back Barries: Angus Taylor’s multiculturalism mess

    Back to Back Barries: Angus Taylor’s multiculturalism mess
    Jun 26 2026
    Tony Barry and Barrie Cassidy examine a big week in politics. Will Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender prove successful with their new centrist political party? Is Angus Taylor in trouble after a week of stumbles responding to One Nation policies? And what lessons should Anthony Albanese learn from Keir Starmer’s downfall?
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    28 mins
  • Newsroom Edition: What can Albanese learn from Starmer's fall?

    Newsroom Edition: What can Albanese learn from Starmer's fall?
    Jun 25 2026
    This week, Anthony Albanese’s UK counterpart, Keir Starmer, succumbed to mounting pressure and resigned as prime minister. A number of comparisons have been made between the pair, including resounding election wins followed by a decline in the polls while insurgent rightwing parties gained ground. Josephine Tovey speaks with Mike Ticher, Gabrielle Jackson and Guardian Australia’s international editor, Virginia Harrison, about how Albanese can avoid Starmer’s fate
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    23 mins
  • The podcast that ended Karl Stefanovic’s time at Nine

    The podcast that ended Karl Stefanovic’s time at Nine
    Jun 24 2026
    Earlier this year, Karl Stefanovic launched his own independent podcast, which has hosted a range of guests from the Anthony Albanese to Pauline Hanson. In one of his latest episodes, Stefanovic was in the UK to interview the far-right activist Tommy Robinson, a man with numerous criminal convictions who promotes Islamophobic conspiracy theories and is accused of inciting violent race riots. The episode was online for several hours before being taken down. Nour Haydar speaks to media correspondent Amanda Meade and senior correspondent Ben Doherty about why Stefanovic is embracing the far right and whether his future at Nine is in doubt
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    19 mins
  • Decoding America: Is Trump making JD Vance the fall guy of his war?

    Decoding America: Is Trump making JD Vance the fall guy of his war?
    Jun 24 2026
    Reged Ahmad and Jonathan Yerushalmy are back after a short break and in this episode they examine the on-again, off-again talks to end the Iran war and why Donald Trump says it’s now all up to his deputy to deliver an outcome. Jonathan looks at the latest Kennedy to run for public office and asks: are Americans tired of political dynasties? And will Trump get his reflection pool finished in time for 4 July celebrations?
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    27 mins
  • How worried should we be about bird flu?

    How worried should we be about bird flu?
    Jun 23 2026
    Having wiped out millions of birds worldwide and devastated wildlife populations around the globe, Australia has watched as the H5N1 strain of bird flu crept ever closer. And now it’s here, on the last continent to be hit. Birds have been discovered on beaches in Western Australia and tested positive for the virus. Reged Ahmad speaks to Graham Readfearn about how governments and wildlife experts alike are anxiously waiting to see if this is just the beginning
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    14 mins