Your biology’s been hacked.

Your naturally evolved appetite would allow you to eat exactly the right amount of food every day, except that most of us live in highly industrialised food environments today.

Two of nutrition’s most productive scientists explain how we ended up here, and how you can eat healthier in an imbalanced food environment.

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Why don’t animals need calorie trackers?

Baboons don’t know the difference between fats and carbs, don’t follow a keto diet and don’t track what they eat. Yet we humans, who have all this technology at hand, are facing an obesity epidemic when no other animal seems to struggle with healthy eating. How is that possible?

Professors Steve Simpson and David Raubenheimer have strived to answer that question for as long as they’ve worked together. By studying the feeding patterns of locusts and paying extra attention to protein, they’ve concluded that humans should be able to eat as well as the animals – but our modern food environment won’t let us.

Steve is Academic Director of the Charles Perkins Centre, and a Professor in the School of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Sydney, and Executive Director of Obesity Australia. David is the Leonard P Ullmann Chair in Nutritional Ecology at the University of Sydney.

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The Solutionists

This episode was produced by Liam Riordan with sound design by Jeremy Wilmot. Supervising producer is Andrea Ho. Executive editors are Kellie Riordan, Jen Peterson-Ward, and Mark Scott. Strategist is Ann Chesterman. Thanks to the technical staff at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Media Room.

This podcast was recorded on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. For thousands of years, across innumerable generations, knowledge has been taught, shared and exchanged here. We pay respect to elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Loneliness is becoming more common, and it’s making us sick. But why? Professor Melody Ding studies loneliness from a public health perspective, and she wants us to design communities where everyone has access to a flourishing social life.

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There have never been more people living on the planet than now. And yet loneliness has become a major health concern worldwide – it’s serious enough that the World Health Organisation has declared it a public health concern.

Professor Melody Ding examines loneliness and social isolation – how they differ, and how they overlap. While everyone’s experience is unique, the way we organise our communities can and does contribute to these problems. This means improvements, too, are within our reach.

Melody Ding explains the differences between loneliness and social isolation, examines causes, and looks at what systemic changes we can make to improve connectedness.

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The Solutionists

This episode was produced by Liam Riordan with sound design by Jeremy Wilmot. Supervising producer is Andrea Ho. Executive editors are Kellie Riordan, Jen Peterson-Ward, and Mark Scott. Strategist is Ann Chesterman. Thanks to the technical staff at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Media Room.

This podcast was recorded on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. For thousands of years, across innumerable generations, knowledge has been taught, shared, and exchanged here. We pay respect to elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What makes a childhood good? Every parent wants their kids to be safe, and for their childhoods to set them up for a productive and fulfilling adulthood. But what about the childhood itself? How do we make sure every child in Australia gets to truly be a kid? Universal childcare might be the answer...

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Do you ever wish you could be a kid again?

Remember the freedom of childhood – no job, no responsibilities, no worries... if you were lucky. In the lucky country, every child should have the opportunity to grow, explore and learn free from worry. But how?

Philosopher Luara Ferracioli says universal access to early childhood education and care is the key. Universal ECEC would make sure every Australian child gets an equitable education, as well as access to a social life beyond their own families.

Luara explains the ‘inherent goods of childhood,’ why they’re crucial for a flourishing childhood, and how universal childcare makes sure those goods are available to all children.

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The Solutionists is podcast from the University of Sydney, produced by Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with The Solutionists by following @sydney_uni on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

This episode was produced by Liam Riordan with sound design by Jeremy Wilmot. Supervising producer is Andrea Ho. Executive editors are Kellie Riordan, Jen Peterson-Ward, and Mark Scott. Strategist is Ann Chesterman. Thanks to the technical staff at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Media Room.

This podcast was recorded on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. For thousands of years, across innumerable generations, knowledge has been taught, shared and exchanged here. We pay respect to elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The widespread problem of substance abuse has plagued humans throughout history. It robs potential, ruins lives. Yet nothing we’ve tried has ever solved addiction. Professor Michael Bowen wants to change this. He went looking for a solution not in the human body, but in the brain.

And what he’s found could change the way we treat addiction forever.

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Addiction – substance abuse – is a wicked problem in our modern era. It robs potential, ruins lives.

Yet it isn’t a new problem. Over and over again, humans have tried to beat the scourge of addiction. And no matter the substance, or the treatment, every attempt at a cure has had limited success at best.

What if we’re thinking about it the wrong way?

What if the solution to addiction isn't to focus on the addictive substance, but on the experience of addiction itself? What if focusing on cravings is the key?

That’s the question Professor Michael Bowen is trying to answer.

Michael’s skills as a neuroscientist and psychopharmacologist give him unique insight into how substance abuse affects human brains and bodies.

And right now Michael and his team are testing a single drug that could change the way we treat every addiction.

If listening to this episode raised any concerns for you, follow the below links to access assistance:

Australian Government National Alcohol and Other Drug Helpline – 1800 250 015

Turning Point – Treatment & Support

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The Solutionists is podcast from the University of Sydney, produced by Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with The Solutionists by following @sydney_uni on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

This episode was produced by Liam Riordan with sound design by Jeremy Wilmot. Supervising producer is Andrea Ho. Executive editors are Kellie Riordan, Jen Peterson-Ward, and Mark Scott. Strategist is Ann Chesterman. Thanks to the technical staff at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Media Room.

This podcast was recorded on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. For thousands of years, across innumerable generations, knowledge has been taught, shared and exchanged here. We pay respect to elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Social media connects us to friends and family, and gives us an unprecedented window to the wider world. But how much do we really know about how social media, and the barons who run these platforms, shape our views and our communities? Former newspaper editor and current Meta advisor Alan Rusbridger sheds light on the question of whether social media is strengthening democracy – or strangling it.

Social media is now an inextricable part of our lives. It provides many social goods: connection to friends and family; more touchpoints to the world previously available only via mass media.

Yet the initial promise that social media might support democracy is souring, as increasing amounts of misinformation and disinformation flourish on these platforms.

With distrust in both legacy media and social media on the rise, how do we stay informed and maintain a civil society?

Alan Rusbridger is deeply interested in this question. Long-time editor-in-chief of The Guardian UK and current editor of Prospect Magazine, his achievements span traditional print media as well as The Guardian’s transition to a digital-first newspaper. A supporter of social media from its earliest days, Alan also serves on Meta’s Advisory Group.

On a recent visit to Australia, Alan discussed nothing less than media and the future of democracy with Mark Scott in a live event at the University of Sydney.

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The Solutionists is podcast from the University of Sydney, produced by Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with The Solutionists by following @sydney_uni on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

This episode was produced by Liam Riordan with sound design by Jeremy Wilmot. Supervising producer is Andrea Ho. Executive editors are Kellie Riordan, Jen Peterson-Ward, and Mark Scott. Strategist is Ann Chesterman. Thanks to the technical staff at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Media Room.

This podcast was recorded on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. For thousands of years, across innumerable generations, knowledge has been taught, shared and exchanged here. We pay respect to elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s in the name, sure... But is AI really ‘intelligent’? Does it ‘think’? What do you know about how these tools were made, who owns them now, and who determines the way they work? How can you turn AI to best advantage in business and personal spheres?

Now that AI’s on the tip of everyone’s tongues and offered as a service by almost every company you encounter, it’s time to examine your own relationship with the technology.

Dr Sandra Peter wants to make technology work for people. Through her research at the intersection of business and cutting-edge technology at the University of Sydney Business School, Dr Peter explores where AI where it is at this moment, where came from, and invites you to think about how to harness AI in your own life – and where to consider placing limits.

For more on the rise of AI, listen to Dr Sandra Peter in this forum held at the University of Sydney in 2023.

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The Solutionists is podcast from the University of Sydney, produced by Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with The Solutionists by following @sydney_uni on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

This episode was produced by Liam Riordan with sound design by Jeremy Wilmot. Supervising producer is Andrea Ho. Executive editors are Kellie Riordan, Jen Peterson-Ward, and Mark Scott. Strategist is Ann Chesterman. Thanks to the technical staff at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Media Room.

This podcast was recorded on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. For thousands of years, across innumerable generations, knowledge has been taught, shared and exchanged here. We pay respect to elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

THE SOLUTIONISTS SUMMER THROWBACK: Heatwaves are an invisible killer, and they’re becoming more common.

With another scorching summer already upon us, you need to know how to keep you and your family cool when temperatures soar. In this episode, originally published in 2023, heat expert Ollie Jay gives you a tour of his groundbreaking thermal ergonomics lab and teaches you how to stay safe during a heatwave.

Ollie explains how extreme heat affects the human body and shares easy, cost-effective ways to stay cool without resorting to an air conditioner.

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The Solutionists is podcast from the University of Sydney, produced by Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with The Solutionists by following @sydney_uni on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

This episode was produced by Monique Ross. Sound design by Jeremy Wilmot and field recordings by Harry Hughes. The executive producer is Rachel Fountain. Executive editors are Jen Peterson-Ward, Kellie Riordan and Mark Scott.

This podcast was recorded on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. For thousands of years, across innumerable generations, knowledge has been taught, shared and exchanged here. We pay respect to elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who gets to tell the story of Australia?

This is the question always at the forefront of Michael Dagostino’s mind. Michael’s the Director of Museums and Cultural Engagement at the University of Sydney, meaning he oversees its famous Chau Chak Wing museum. The museum houses tens of thousands of objects, all of which tell a story.

But how does an object tell a story? And how does the way we collect and house them affect that story?

Michael shares how art offered him a sense of place and identity as an outcast kid, and how he adopts the mindset of a journalist when curating an exhibition. You’ll also hear from Marika Duczynski, Chau Chak Wing’s Indigenous heritage curator, about her favourite objects in the museum and how they help her connect with women who lived in Sydney hundreds or even thousands of years ago.

And if you’re in Sydney, you can pay a free visit to the Chau Chak Wing museum FREE. Details here.

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The Solutionists is podcast from the University of Sydney, produced by Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with The Solutionists by following @sydney_uni on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

This episode was produced by Liam Riordan with sound design by Jeremy Wilmot and sound recording by Harry Hughes. Executive producer is Madeleine Hawcroft. Executive editors are Kellie Riordan, Jen Peterson-Ward, and Mark Scott. Strategist is Ann Chesterman. Thanks to the technical staff at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Media Room.

This podcast was recorded on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. For thousands of years, across innumerable generations, knowledge has been taught, shared and exchanged here. We pay respect to elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.