Podcasts about Monash University

Sentient Seas: Archaeologies of Seascapes and Maritime Rituals (UP Florida, 2026), published by University Press of Florida (2026), offers a global perspective on maritime cultures, examining how societies across time and space have understood and interacted with the sea. Synthesizing archaeological evidence, historical documents, and ethnographic accounts, Ian McNiven explores maritime traditions from ancient civilizations in the Middle East and Mediterranean to medieval Europe and Scandinavia to contemporary Indigenous communities in the South Pacific. McNiven investigates diverse cultural practices including shipbuilding, the treatment of shipwrecks and shipwreck victims, and maritime resource use, interpreting the evidence through the perspectives of mariners who understood the seas to be sentient and capable of acting with intentionality. He introduces the concepts of “terrestrial seascapes” and “ontological switching” to illustrate how land-based shrines and votive offerings extend maritime cosmologies and maintain a liminal transition from land to sea. By bridging anthropological and archaeological research with transdisciplinary blue humanities scholarship, Sentient Seas approaches seas as spiritscapes, recontextualizing folkloric beliefs about maritime superstitions. Ian J. McNiven is Research Professor of Indigenous archaeology at the Monash Indigenous Studies Centre at Monash University in Melbourne, and a Chief Investigator with the Australian research Council Centre of Excellence for Indigenous and Environmental Histories and Futures. He is coeditor of The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Indigenous Australia and New Guinea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Sentient Seas: Archaeologies of Seascapes and Maritime Rituals (UP Florida, 2026), published by University Press of Florida (2026), offers a global perspective on maritime cultures, examining how societies across time and space have understood and interacted with the sea. Synthesizing archaeological evidence, historical documents, and ethnographic accounts, Ian McNiven explores maritime traditions from ancient civilizations in the Middle East and Mediterranean to medieval Europe and Scandinavia to contemporary Indigenous communities in the South Pacific. McNiven investigates diverse cultural practices including shipbuilding, the treatment of shipwrecks and shipwreck victims, and maritime resource use, interpreting the evidence through the perspectives of mariners who understood the seas to be sentient and capable of acting with intentionality. He introduces the concepts of “terrestrial seascapes” and “ontological switching” to illustrate how land-based shrines and votive offerings extend maritime cosmologies and maintain a liminal transition from land to sea. By bridging anthropological and archaeological research with transdisciplinary blue humanities scholarship, Sentient Seas approaches seas as spiritscapes, recontextualizing folkloric beliefs about maritime superstitions. Ian J. McNiven is Research Professor of Indigenous archaeology at the Monash Indigenous Studies Centre at Monash University in Melbourne, and a Chief Investigator with the Australian research Council Centre of Excellence for Indigenous and Environmental Histories and Futures. He is coeditor of The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Indigenous Australia and New Guinea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/native-american-studies

Sentient Seas: Archaeologies of Seascapes and Maritime Rituals (UP Florida, 2026), published by University Press of Florida (2026), offers a global perspective on maritime cultures, examining how societies across time and space have understood and interacted with the sea. Synthesizing archaeological evidence, historical documents, and ethnographic accounts, Ian McNiven explores maritime traditions from ancient civilizations in the Middle East and Mediterranean to medieval Europe and Scandinavia to contemporary Indigenous communities in the South Pacific. McNiven investigates diverse cultural practices including shipbuilding, the treatment of shipwrecks and shipwreck victims, and maritime resource use, interpreting the evidence through the perspectives of mariners who understood the seas to be sentient and capable of acting with intentionality. He introduces the concepts of “terrestrial seascapes” and “ontological switching” to illustrate how land-based shrines and votive offerings extend maritime cosmologies and maintain a liminal transition from land to sea. By bridging anthropological and archaeological research with transdisciplinary blue humanities scholarship, Sentient Seas approaches seas as spiritscapes, recontextualizing folkloric beliefs about maritime superstitions. Ian J. McNiven is Research Professor of Indigenous archaeology at the Monash Indigenous Studies Centre at Monash University in Melbourne, and a Chief Investigator with the Australian research Council Centre of Excellence for Indigenous and Environmental Histories and Futures. He is coeditor of The Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Indigenous Australia and New Guinea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/book-of-the-day

Here is the MIST study Courtney referenced; ⁠⁠Intranasal Treatments for Children With Sleep-Disordered Breathing: The MIST+ Randomized Clinical Trial | Trials | JAMA Pediatrics | JAMA Network⁠⁠The MIST (Medical vs Interventional Steroid for Sleep-Disordered Breathing) and MIST+ studies, conducted by researchers at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) and Monash University in Australia, investigated simple saline (salt water) nasal sprays as a first-line treatment for children with obstructive sleep-disordered breathing. Key FindingsSurgery-Sparing Solution: The trials found that nearly one in three (29.5%) children aged 3–12 improved with a saline spray alone, with their snoring and breathing symptoms completely resolving. Saline vs Steroids: The MIST studies discovered that a simple 0.9% saline nasal spray was just as effective as an anti-inflammatory steroid nasal spray in reducing symptoms. Reduced Need for Surgery: After 12 weeks of use, symptoms had resolved in half (50%) of the study cohort, potentially halving the number of children needing tonsil or adenoid removal surgery. Safe for Daily Use: Saline sprays and rinses are a safe, low-cost, and non-pharmacological treatment.Water Safety: If you or your child are preparing your own saline rinses at home (using a Neti pot or squeeze bottle), always use distilled, sterile, or previously boiled and cooled tap water to prevent dangerous infections.How They WorkSaline nasal sprays and rinses alleviate nasal congestion by mechanically flushing out allergens, irritants, and excess mucus. They also help to reduce inflammation in the nasal passages and improve the function of the respiratory mucosa. Safety & RecommendationsLink to T&A Natural Solutions Toolkit: ⁠⁠Tonsil & Adenoid Toolkit – Natural Relief & Airway Support⁠⁠Facebook Group for Parents: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1LScNKt1V1/⁠⁠Courtney's practice ⁠⁠https://www.functionalfaceomt.com⁠⁠Courtney's Facebook ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/functionalface.omt/⁠⁠Courtney's Instagram ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/functionalface/⁠⁠Dr Mahony's practice⁠⁠ https://www.fullfaceorthodontics.com.au⁠⁠Dr Mahony's Instagram ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/fullfaceorthodontics/⁠⁠Dr Mahony's Book ⁠⁠https://amzn.asia/d/04fBdCQM⁠⁠Dr Mahony's Australian Tour, where he is speaking to patrents, teachers, allied health professionals and doctors, on how to recognise early sign of sleep disorders in children, as well as how and when to intervene ⁠⁠https://www.derekmahony.com/events⁠⁠

Welcome back Rana McKay! Renu was on a flight to Europe this week so Rana jumped into her seat in the GU Cast studio this week to have a chat about the intriguing ARASEC trial which she presented at the AUA Annual Meeting recently. Plus her thoughts on the ARACOG data presented at ASCO last month. And then a great chat with our other studio guest, Professor Renea Taylor, translational scientist at Peter Mac and Monash University, about the very interesting Early Onset Prostate Cancer project, an international collaboration which herself and Rana are both very involved with, looking at the reasons behind why younger men are turning up with aggressive prostate cancer. This is a Themed Podcast supported by our Gold Partners, Bayer Pharmaceuticals. Even better on our YouTube channelLinks:ARASEC trial at AUA 2026 ARACOG trial at ASCO 2026 

Monash University head of ovarian biology lab Professor Karla Hutt joined Jimmy Bartel and Mark Allen to discuss new research which could protect fertility for women over a longer period of time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good morning from Pharma Daily: the podcast that brings you the most important developments in the pharmaceutical and biotech world. The first quarter of 2026 has brought a wave of significant changes and advancements in the industry, marked by crucial regulatory updates, strategic acquisitions, and shifts in the competitive landscape. A pressing issue for many companies is the looming patent cliff for several branded biologics. This situation presents both challenges and opportunities for biosimilars in the U.S. market. The introduction of biosimilars for major products like AbbVie's Humira, Johnson & Johnson's Stelara, and Regeneron/Bayer's Eylea is shifting the narrative from slow adoption to a more competitive biosimilar market landscape. Vertex Pharmaceuticals has achieved a milestone with the FDA expanding the label for its gene therapy Casgevy, now approved for treating children as young as two with sickle cell disease or transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia. This expansion emphasizes the potential of gene therapies to revolutionize treatment options for younger patients suffering from these conditions. In a pivotal development, Novartis announced a significant acquisition of UK biotech Myricx. With an upfront payment of $1.1 billion and potential total value up to $1.5 billion, this acquisition is set to enhance Novartis' antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) pipeline by incorporating Myricx's novel payload technology and NMT inhibitor payloads. This move reflects Novartis' focus on precision oncology by improving ADC efficacy through targeting critical enzymatic pathways involved in tumorigenesis. Amgen faced a setback with a voluntary recall of approximately one million bottles of its heart medication Corlanor due to potential contamination, highlighting the critical importance of maintaining rigorous manufacturing quality control to ensure drug safety. The regulatory landscape continues to evolve, illustrated by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Department of Health and Human Services revoking lingering COVID-19 emergency authorizations. This signals a transition towards post-pandemic normalcy and an evolving focus on pandemic preparedness frameworks. Sanofi's Genzyme unit in Ireland faced criticism after an FDA inspection linked to Altuviiio resulted in a Form 483 notice. This incident underscores ongoing challenges in maintaining compliance with stringent regulatory standards and emphasizes the importance of robust quality assurance mechanisms. Lonza is expanding its capacity for producing ADCs and enhancing its partnership with a large U.S. drugmaker, aligning with industry trends toward outsourcing complex biologics manufacturing amid growing demand for ADCs. Genentech is undergoing restructuring, resulting in 103 layoffs as part of a strategic rethink of its early development group. Despite these changes, Genentech entered a $490 million collaboration focused on breast cancer, demonstrating its commitment to innovation amid organizational shifts. AstraZeneca continued its collaborative efforts by signing a $1.7 billion kidney drug discovery pact with Chinese biotech CSPC Pharmaceutical. This partnership emphasizes AstraZeneca's strategy to leverage global collaborations to accelerate drug discovery and development efforts. Scribe Therapeutics filed for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) to advance its CRISPR-based gene editing technologies targeting cardiovascular diseases at a genetic level, highlighting an ongoing shift toward personalized medicine. Celea Therapeutics raised $180 million in venture funding to advance Deupirfenidone into late-stage clinical trials for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), signaling confidence in its therapeutic potential amid ongoing investment trends targeting rare diseases. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency expanded approval for Novo Nordisk's Wegovy for Metabolic-Associated Steatohepatitis with moderate-to-advanced liver fibrosis. This expansion represents significant progress given MASH's rising prevalence and progression risks. BridgeBio's ATTRibute-CM study yielded promising results with Acoramidis offering kidney-protective benefits in transthyretin amyloidosis cardiomyopathy patients—a potential new approach managing this rare disease. Revolution Medicines reported encouraging data for its KRAS inhibitor Zoldonrasib in combination therapies targeting metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma—offering new strategies against aggressive cancer types. Brii Bio's phase 2b trial results show promise for a combination therapy aimed at achieving a functional cure for chronic Hepatitis B Virus infection—offering hope for millions affected by this condition. Robust fundraising activities continue within biotech sectors as Monash University and Atisama Therapeutics secure funding from MRFF grants developing therapies targeting chronic lung diseases. Overall, these developments highlight dynamic transformations reshaping therapeutic landscapes through precision medicine approaches leveraging cutting-edge technologies promising improved patient care across various domains within pharmaceutical industries globally.Support the show

Send us Fan MailEveryone talks about getting humans to Mars. But almost nobody talks about the harder question - how do you keep them alive once they get there? My guest today says the answer isn't bigger rockets - it's plants.Mark Ciotola is CEO and Co-Founder of Sustain Space ( https://www.sustainspace.com/ ), a company focused on developing regenerative life-support technologies for future space missions while translating those innovations to improve agriculture and sustainability on Earth. Through Sustain Space's Orbital Genomics initiative, he is helping advance research into growing plants in space environments - an essential capability for long-duration missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.Mark's career spans entrepreneurship, academia, industry, and government, including work with NASA, Genentech, Applied Biosystems, Intuit, Carnegie Mellon University, Monash University, San Francisco State University, and Singularity University, where he served as Entrepreneur-in-Residence and faculty member in Space and Physical Sciences.A physicist, entrepreneur, educator, and sustainability advocate, Mark is particularly interested in regenerative ecosystems, closed-loop life-support systems, space agriculture, and the broader question of how humanity can build a sustainable future both on Earth and beyond it.Important Episode Link - HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology -https://www.hudsonalpha.org/#MarkCiotola #SustainSpace #SpaceAgriculture #SpaceFarming #MarsColonization #MoonBase #NASA #SpaceBiology #Astrobiology #PlantScience #OrbitalGenomics #ControlledEnvironmentAgriculture #VerticalFarming #Hydroponics #SyntheticBiology #FutureOfFood #SpaceTechnology #SpaceExploration #LifeSupportSystems #ClosedLoopSystems #MarsMission #MoonMission #Humanity #Innovation #SciencePodcast #STEM #FutureOfHumanity #ProgressPotentialPossibilitiesSupport the show

Privatising Humanity: How Our Essential Human Needs Became Financial Assets (Manchester UP, 2026) is the latest book from Dr Kate Bayliss, a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Economics at SOAS, University of London. Dr Bayliss' excellent title, published with Manchester University Press, is a critical examination of the privatisation paradigm. In the book, Dr Bayliss specifically analyses the history, processes, political economy and outcomes of privatisation policies in Britain across three major economic sectors – that of water, energy, and housing. Infamously, Britain was arguably in the vanguard of a proliferation of privatisation policies in the 1980s, courtesy of then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, a key proponent of the neoliberal revolution at this time. Privatisation was touted as a solution for increased efficiency, the creation of a shareholder society, and relieving taxpayer burdens. Dr Bayliss' book, Privatising Humanity, is a crucial tool to understand how privatisation policies were applied, who benefited, and whether the outcomes lives up to these expectations. It is both an exceptionally detailed account of the web of interests that have profited from privatisation, on the one hand, and on the other, a highly accessible volume that is critical reading in this current moment. Elliot Dolan-Evans is a sessional lecturer and tutor in law at Monash University and RMIT. His research investigates the political economy of global capitalism, forms of international governance, and questions of war and peace. His first book, Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF and the Conflict in Ukraine, is now out with Bristol University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Privatising Humanity: How Our Essential Human Needs Became Financial Assets (Manchester UP, 2026) is the latest book from Dr Kate Bayliss, a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Economics at SOAS, University of London. Dr Bayliss' excellent title, published with Manchester University Press, is a critical examination of the privatisation paradigm. In the book, Dr Bayliss specifically analyses the history, processes, political economy and outcomes of privatisation policies in Britain across three major economic sectors – that of water, energy, and housing. Infamously, Britain was arguably in the vanguard of a proliferation of privatisation policies in the 1980s, courtesy of then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, a key proponent of the neoliberal revolution at this time. Privatisation was touted as a solution for increased efficiency, the creation of a shareholder society, and relieving taxpayer burdens. Dr Bayliss' book, Privatising Humanity, is a crucial tool to understand how privatisation policies were applied, who benefited, and whether the outcomes lives up to these expectations. It is both an exceptionally detailed account of the web of interests that have profited from privatisation, on the one hand, and on the other, a highly accessible volume that is critical reading in this current moment. Elliot Dolan-Evans is a sessional lecturer and tutor in law at Monash University and RMIT. His research investigates the political economy of global capitalism, forms of international governance, and questions of war and peace. His first book, Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF and the Conflict in Ukraine, is now out with Bristol University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

This week we welcome recently retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria, The Honourable Christopher Beale - and, for the first time on Lives in the Law, we welcome a second guest later in the episode: Chris's eldest son, Max, a well-known and much-loved member of Melbourne's legal community.Chris became known around the world as the presiding judge in the case of Erin Patterson, the so-called “mushroom murders.” We will hear about that experience in detail, but despite the global attention the case attracted, it is far from the most compelling chapter in his life.Across his career, Chris has seen the criminal law from every angle, starting young at the Victorian Bar, lecturing in criminal law at Monash University, working as a Crown Prosecutor, and later presiding over some of the state's most significant cases. Along the way, he also authored and continues to update Pocket Evidence Law - an iconic and freely available resource relied upon by practitioners across Victoria. It was an absolute pleasure to welcome Chris and Max to the show, and hear about their Lives in the Law.www.greenslist.com.au/podcastwww.themelbournemap.com.au

Privatising Humanity: How Our Essential Human Needs Became Financial Assets (Manchester UP, 2026) is the latest book from Dr Kate Bayliss, a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Economics at SOAS, University of London. Dr Bayliss' excellent title, published with Manchester University Press, is a critical examination of the privatisation paradigm. In the book, Dr Bayliss specifically analyses the history, processes, political economy and outcomes of privatisation policies in Britain across three major economic sectors – that of water, energy, and housing. Infamously, Britain was arguably in the vanguard of a proliferation of privatisation policies in the 1980s, courtesy of then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, a key proponent of the neoliberal revolution at this time. Privatisation was touted as a solution for increased efficiency, the creation of a shareholder society, and relieving taxpayer burdens. Dr Bayliss' book, Privatising Humanity, is a crucial tool to understand how privatisation policies were applied, who benefited, and whether the outcomes lives up to these expectations. It is both an exceptionally detailed account of the web of interests that have profited from privatisation, on the one hand, and on the other, a highly accessible volume that is critical reading in this current moment. Elliot Dolan-Evans is a sessional lecturer and tutor in law at Monash University and RMIT. His research investigates the political economy of global capitalism, forms of international governance, and questions of war and peace. His first book, Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF and the Conflict in Ukraine, is now out with Bristol University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/politics-and-polemics

Privatising Humanity: How Our Essential Human Needs Became Financial Assets (Manchester UP, 2026) is the latest book from Dr Kate Bayliss, a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Economics at SOAS, University of London. Dr Bayliss' excellent title, published with Manchester University Press, is a critical examination of the privatisation paradigm. In the book, Dr Bayliss specifically analyses the history, processes, political economy and outcomes of privatisation policies in Britain across three major economic sectors – that of water, energy, and housing. Infamously, Britain was arguably in the vanguard of a proliferation of privatisation policies in the 1980s, courtesy of then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, a key proponent of the neoliberal revolution at this time. Privatisation was touted as a solution for increased efficiency, the creation of a shareholder society, and relieving taxpayer burdens. Dr Bayliss' book, Privatising Humanity, is a crucial tool to understand how privatisation policies were applied, who benefited, and whether the outcomes lives up to these expectations. It is both an exceptionally detailed account of the web of interests that have profited from privatisation, on the one hand, and on the other, a highly accessible volume that is critical reading in this current moment. Elliot Dolan-Evans is a sessional lecturer and tutor in law at Monash University and RMIT. His research investigates the political economy of global capitalism, forms of international governance, and questions of war and peace. His first book, Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF and the Conflict in Ukraine, is now out with Bristol University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/finance

Privatising Humanity: How Our Essential Human Needs Became Financial Assets (Manchester UP, 2026) is the latest book from Dr Kate Bayliss, a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Economics at SOAS, University of London. Dr Bayliss' excellent title, published with Manchester University Press, is a critical examination of the privatisation paradigm. In the book, Dr Bayliss specifically analyses the history, processes, political economy and outcomes of privatisation policies in Britain across three major economic sectors – that of water, energy, and housing. Infamously, Britain was arguably in the vanguard of a proliferation of privatisation policies in the 1980s, courtesy of then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, a key proponent of the neoliberal revolution at this time. Privatisation was touted as a solution for increased efficiency, the creation of a shareholder society, and relieving taxpayer burdens. Dr Bayliss' book, Privatising Humanity, is a crucial tool to understand how privatisation policies were applied, who benefited, and whether the outcomes lives up to these expectations. It is both an exceptionally detailed account of the web of interests that have profited from privatisation, on the one hand, and on the other, a highly accessible volume that is critical reading in this current moment. Elliot Dolan-Evans is a sessional lecturer and tutor in law at Monash University and RMIT. His research investigates the political economy of global capitalism, forms of international governance, and questions of war and peace. His first book, Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF and the Conflict in Ukraine, is now out with Bristol University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Privatising Humanity: How Our Essential Human Needs Became Financial Assets (Manchester UP, 2026) is the latest book from Dr Kate Bayliss, a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Economics at SOAS, University of London. Dr Bayliss' excellent title, published with Manchester University Press, is a critical examination of the privatisation paradigm. In the book, Dr Bayliss specifically analyses the history, processes, political economy and outcomes of privatisation policies in Britain across three major economic sectors – that of water, energy, and housing. Infamously, Britain was arguably in the vanguard of a proliferation of privatisation policies in the 1980s, courtesy of then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, a key proponent of the neoliberal revolution at this time. Privatisation was touted as a solution for increased efficiency, the creation of a shareholder society, and relieving taxpayer burdens. Dr Bayliss' book, Privatising Humanity, is a crucial tool to understand how privatisation policies were applied, who benefited, and whether the outcomes lives up to these expectations. It is both an exceptionally detailed account of the web of interests that have profited from privatisation, on the one hand, and on the other, a highly accessible volume that is critical reading in this current moment. Elliot Dolan-Evans is a sessional lecturer and tutor in law at Monash University and RMIT. His research investigates the political economy of global capitalism, forms of international governance, and questions of war and peace. His first book, Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF and the Conflict in Ukraine, is now out with Bristol University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/british-studies

Privatising Humanity: How Our Essential Human Needs Became Financial Assets (Manchester UP, 2026) is the latest book from Dr Kate Bayliss, a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Economics at SOAS, University of London. Dr Bayliss' excellent title, published with Manchester University Press, is a critical examination of the privatisation paradigm. In the book, Dr Bayliss specifically analyses the history, processes, political economy and outcomes of privatisation policies in Britain across three major economic sectors – that of water, energy, and housing. Infamously, Britain was arguably in the vanguard of a proliferation of privatisation policies in the 1980s, courtesy of then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, a key proponent of the neoliberal revolution at this time. Privatisation was touted as a solution for increased efficiency, the creation of a shareholder society, and relieving taxpayer burdens. Dr Bayliss' book, Privatising Humanity, is a crucial tool to understand how privatisation policies were applied, who benefited, and whether the outcomes lives up to these expectations. It is both an exceptionally detailed account of the web of interests that have profited from privatisation, on the one hand, and on the other, a highly accessible volume that is critical reading in this current moment. Elliot Dolan-Evans is a sessional lecturer and tutor in law at Monash University and RMIT. His research investigates the political economy of global capitalism, forms of international governance, and questions of war and peace. His first book, Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF and the Conflict in Ukraine, is now out with Bristol University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/book-of-the-day

Tessa campisi speaks to Jack Manera, who studies behavial ecology and ecotoxicology at Monash University, to talk about some of his ~amazing~ experiments investigating the impacts of pharmaceutical contaminants on how fish think. Read up on Jack's other research: www.jackmanera.comDonate to Out of the Blue this radiothon!www.givenow.com.au/cr/outoftheblue2026 Image credit: Jack L. Manera, Eleanor R. Moore, Jake M. Martin, Michael G. Bertram, and Bob B. M. Wong, Environmental Science & Technology 2026 60 (14), 10640-10650. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6c00552

In this episode with Daniel Ross, we do a deep dive into AI. Though I've been thinking about AI (https://marioveen.com/2004/06/14/intelligent-artificiality/) I didn't really address it on this podcast yet. And who better to start this theme with than a philosopher of technology. Daniel Ross obtained his doctorate from Monash University in 2002. He is the author of Violent Democracy (Cambridge University Press, 2004) and Psychopolitical Anaphylaxis: Steps Towards a Metacosmics (Open Humanities Press, 2021 -free to download). He is also the co-director with David Barison of the feature documentary The Ister (rent or buy on Vimeo), which premiered at the Rotterdam International Film Festival in 2004, and which won awards in Montreal and Marseille. Through that film, he met the French philosopher Bernard Stiegler, and has subsequently published twelve volumes of translation of Stiegler's work, most recently The Age of Disruption: Technology and Madness in Computational Capitalism (Polity Press, 2019) and Nanjing Lectures 2016–2019 (Open Humanities Press, 2020 - free to download), along with the collective volume by Stiegler and the Internation Collective entitled Bifurcate: ‘There Is No Alternative' (Open Humanities Press, 2022 - free to download). The most recent translation is Immense Regression (K. Verlag). This is the first volume of Stiegler's work What is called caring? and we will discuss it in a future episode. This is my substack: https://marioveen.substack.com/ and my website https://marioveen.com/.  You can now order my Dutch language book about Plato's allegory of the cave: https://noordboek.nl/boek/hoe-plato-je-uit-je-grot-sleurt/ (also available as e-book). I hope you enjoy the episode! Mario http://lifefromplatoscave.com/   

Send us Fan MailCan listening to music help protect your brain as you age?In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks talks with Professor Joanne Ryan about her research on music, dementia risk, cognitive decline, and healthy aging.Drawing on data from thousands of older adults participating in the ASPREE Longitudinal Study of Older Persons (ALSOP), Professor Ryan discusses findings suggesting that frequent music engagement—including listening to music and playing a musical instrument—was associated with a lower risk of dementia and better cognitive outcomes over time.The conversation explores:• Whether listening to music can help reduce dementia risk• How playing a musical instrument may affect brain health• Proposed biological and cognitive mechanisms behind music's effects on the brain• Music, memory, and why some people with dementia can still remember and perform music• Whether certain types of music may be more beneficial than others• The limitations of observational research and what questions still remain unansweredIf you've ever wondered whether your favorite playlist is doing more than entertaining you, this episode explores what the science currently says about music, memory, cognition, and the aging brain.About Professor Joanne RyanProfessor Joanne Ryan is a Principal Research Fellow and leader of the Biological Neuropsychiatry and Dementia research team at Monash University in Australia. Her research focuses on understanding the causes, prevention, and early detection of neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly dementia and depression.Her team investigates biological, lifestyle, and environmental risk factors that influence brain health and works to identify preventive strategies that may reduce the incidence of dementia and cognitive decline. The group also studies biomarkers that may improve the timing and accuracy of diagnosis and help evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. Professor Ryan has published extensively on aging, cognition, dementia risk factors, mental health, and preventive approaches to healthy brain aging.Work with me? Perhaps we are a good match. Keep Causes or Cures Ad-Free with Listener SupportYou can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Follow on X. Follow Public Health is WeirdOr Facebook here.On Youtube.Or TikTok.SUBSCRIBE to her Newsletter here! (the bits not posted on socia media)Support the show

There is a lot of discussions happening these days about the future of university and higher education in general. How does it keep pace with rapidly changing and disruptive technologies? How does it meet the needs of young people and become responsive and flexible enough to generate much needed transformations in research and development, knowledge creation, and capability building? And how does it adapt to the increasing volatility in all aspects of social, political, economic and ecological life that we are seeing everywhere?In October last year Monash University published a report called 'Advancing University Living Labs' (https://www.monash.edu/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/4137481/Monash-University-Advancing-University-Living-Labs-Report-October-2025.pdf) on a fascinating new approach that universities and other communities and multi-stakeholder environments are taking in response to some of these fundamental questions. As I learned more about Living Labs I was introduced to more of the inspiring community of practitioners around the world who are using it. So this week it's my great pleasure to bring together a number of these Living Labs experts. If you're new to this approach, hopefully this episode will give you an overview, as well as some examples and use cases. And if you want to go deeper there are loads of links below. A big thank you to Lars Fuhrmann (https://www.linkedin.com/in/larsthimof/) for coordinating and bringing everyone together!Anja Overdiek: https://www.linkedin.com/in/overdiek12345/www.lulu.com/search?sortBy=RELEVANCE&page=1&q=Anja+overdiek&pageSize=10&adult_audience_rating=00Sam Rye: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samrye/Advancing University Living Labs (Report)ENoLL Origins, Developments & Future Perspectives Landscape Typology of Living Labs (fieldnote article)Dinda Ciptaviana: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasia-dinda-ciptaviana/Kampung Kollektief: https://www.instagram.com/kampung_kollektief/ Linktree of projects from Kampung Kollektief including the 'What if Lab' and Living Lab:  https://linktr.ee/kampung_kollektief Lotte Troost: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lottetroost/NL Knowledge House Living Lab with Kampung Kollektief NL Knowledge House Living Labs Heleen Geerts: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heleen-geerts-911b354/www.lulu.com/search?sortBy=RELEVANCE&page=1&q=Anja+overdiek&pageSize=10&adult_audience_rating=00European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL): https://enoll.org/ OpenLivingLab Days 2026 coming up in September: https://enoll.org/events/openlivinglab-days-2026/

Sugar-Free Diets Disrupted Gut Microbiome and Metabolism A 16-week sucrose-free, low-fat diet study presented at ENDO 2026 found mice developed insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, gut microbiome imbalance, intestinal inflammation, and fatty liver disease signs despite no weight gain or calorie difference. Host Dave Asprey breaks down why eliminating sugar entirely may be more detrimental than previously thought, the gut-bacteria-to-metabolism cascade that explains the metabolic damage, and why balanced nutrition matters more than simply removing sugar from your stack. Sources: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260614011843.htm https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-eliminating-sugar-may-alter-the-gut-microbiome-mouse-study https://nypost.com/2026/06/13/health/going-sugar-free-can-mess-with-your-gut-and-metabolism/ ~~ Taurine Did Not Boost Acute Aerobic Performance A randomized, triple-blind, cross-over study of 16 physically active young adults found acute 1-gram taurine ingestion one hour before exercise produced no significant improvements in peak oxygen consumption, time to exhaustion, respiratory compensation point, or lipid/glycolytic metabolism variables. Host Dave Asprey explains why taurine remains popular in energy drinks and pre-workouts despite limited scientific evidence, what dosages and activity types future research should test, and why a reality check on a billion-dollar supplement category is exactly the kind of truth biohackers need. Sources: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42268287/ https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260611024609.htm ~~ Copper Therapy Improved Memory and Reduced Alzheimer's Proteins in Mice Lab trials from Monash University published in ACS Chemical Neuroscience found Cu(ATSM), a copper-delivery compound, increased P-glycoprotein abundance by 24.1 percent at the blood-brain barrier, reduced toxic amyloid-beta by 42 percent over 56 days, and improved spatial learning by nearly 44 percent in an Alzheimer's mouse model. Host Dave Asprey breaks down why repairing the brain's waste-clearing pump is a potential new therapeutic avenue for neurovascular dysfunction, why Cu(ATSM) has strong potential to fast-track into human clinics since it's already tested for Parkinson's and ALS, and why biometal therapies like this could be the next frontier in Alzheimer's treatment. Sources: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260615/Lab-trials-prove-copper-therapy-enhances-cognitive-function-and-spatial-learning.aspx https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/copper-drug-restores-memory-and-clears-toxic-alzheimers-proteins https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acschemneuro.6c00252 ~~ Socioeconomic Factors Biologically Embedded in Children's Brains A study of 2,300+ 9- and 10-year-olds published in Science found socioeconomic factors—household income, education, neighborhood quality—were the dominant variable affecting brain development, with MRI-visible differences in sensory processing and motor control regions linked to less sleep, more stress, and higher social media use in lower-income neighborhoods. Host Dave Asprey explains why socioeconomics became “biologically embedded” in preteen brains, how sleep-stress-screen circuits alter wakefulness and alertness, and why earlier studies focusing on IQ or mental health without accounting for environment may require reevaluation. Sources: https://www.npr.org/2026/06/11/nx-s1-5849937/child-brain-development-stress-sleep-neighborhood-economics https://abcdstudy.org/ ~~ Strength Training Sweet Spot for Longevity Is 90–120 Minutes Per Week A 30-year observational study of 147,374 participants published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found 90–119 minutes per week of strength training delivered 13 percent lower all-cause mortality, 19 percent lower cardiovascular mortality, and 27 percent lower neurological mortality, with no additional benefit above 120 minutes. Host Dave Asprey breaks down why more isn't always better when it comes to resistance training, why combining strength with aerobic exercise dropped mortality risk by 45–58 percent at highest levels, and why 15–20 minutes a day or 30–40 minutes three times weekly is the minimum effective dose for longevity. Sources: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260611024609.htm https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/48/8/zsaf127/8129074 https://www.bmj.com/content/bsjspor/early/2025/06/11/bjsports-2025-110503 ~~ This episode is designed for biohackers, longevity seekers, and high-performance listeners who want mechanism-level clarity on sugar-free diet metabolic risks, taurine supplement efficacy, copper-based Alzheimer's therapeutics, childhood environmental brain development, and strength training longevity dosing. Host Dave Asprey connects preclinical animal data, randomized human trials, observational cohort research, and population neuroscience into actionable frameworks for extending healthspan, optimizing metabolism, and staying ahead of the science. New episodes every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Keywords: sugar-free diet gut microbiome, insulin resistance sugar elimination, taurine aerobic performance, taurine supplement myths, Cu(ATSM) copper Alzheimer's therapy, blood-brain barrier P-glycoprotein, amyloid-beta reduction copper drug, spatial learning Alzheimer's mouse, socioeconomic brain development children, ABCD Study brain MRI, childhood biohacking environment, strength training longevity 90-120 minutes, British Journal Sports Medicine strength, weekly strength training dose, all-cause mortality resistance training, biohacking news 2026, longevity researchThank you to our sponsors! - Viome | Check it out at viome.com and use code 10DAVE for 10% off. It's time to stop guessing and start knowing your body. - Beyond Wonderland Conference | Oct 13 - 14, 2026. Get your ticket now at wonderlandconference.com. - iRestore | Reverse hair loss at www.irestore.com/DAVE and get exclusive savings on the iRestore Elite, use code DAVE Resources: • Get My 2026 Clean Nicotine Roadmap | Enroll for free at https://daveasprey.com/2026-clean-nicotine-roadmap/ • Get My 2026 Biohacking Trends Report: https://daveasprey.com/2026-biohacking-trends-report/ • Dave Asprey's Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today. • Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15 • My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off) • Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off) • Dave Asprey's BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com • Dave Asprey's New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated • Join My Substack (Live Access To Podcast Recordings): https://substack.daveasprey.com/ • Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com Timestamps: 0:00 – Intro 0:20 – Story 1: Copper & Alzheimer's 2:42 – Story 2: Sugar-Free Diet 4:05 – Story 3: Strength Training Minimum Dose 5:48 – Story 4: Childhood Environment & Brain Development 7:42 – Story 5: Taurine 9:49 - Takeaways See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week Pauline Hanson addressed the National Press Club and a new poll showed she is Australia's preferred prime minister. Today, columnist, author and academic, Waleed Aly, on how One Nation could win the next election and why it's so hard for the major parties to stop the rise of Pauline Hanson. Featured:  Waleed Aly, co-host of The Minefield on ABC Radio National, a columnist, author and politics lecturer at Monash University 

As Pauline Hanson's appeal seemingly grows by the week, at least according to opinion polls, how is she building a coalition that might not deliver her government but could make One Nation the second biggest party in the next parliament? Senator Hanson has never been an explicitly religious politician but there is small but important religious constituency that she is trying to woo.  India is in the midst of statue-building frenzy, with monuments springing up all over the country to the 17th century Hindu leader known as Shivaji. The warrior king has become a symbol – yes, another – of the rising power of Hindu nationalism, given his history of fighting the Mughal empire. But are his most ardent fans misreading Shivaji's legacy?  We have an image of Ethiopia as a harsh, even forsaken place, of famine and a landscape literally cracked by rising global temperatures. But Ethiopia's a country of resilient, resourceful people, who could thrive, if only world powers stopped meddling. That's the message of Australian aid worker VALERIE BROWNING. She's been living in Ethiopia's Afar region for 53 years, running an extraordinary organisation that's helped half a million women. She's back in Australia to visit family and publicise the work of the Barbara May Foundation that helps fund her work. Guests:Dr Benjamin Moffitt is a political scientist at Monash University and has been charting the progress of One Nation. Anupreeta Das is South Asia correspondent for The New York Times who has been following the Shivaji trend. She's author of Billionaire, Nerd, Saviour, KingValerie Browning is a nurse and author of "Maalika: My Life among the Afar Nomads in Africa”. She founded the the Afar Pastoral Development Association and the Barbara May Hospital.  

As Pauline Hanson's appeal seemingly grows by the week, at least according to opinion polls, how is she building a coalition that might not deliver her government but could make One Nation the second biggest party in the next parliament? Senator Hanson has never been an explicitly religious politician but there is small but important religious constituency that she is trying to woo.  The Australian religious right.GUEST:Dr Benjamin Moffitt is a political scientist at Monash University and has been charting the progress of One Nation. 

Snakebite kills tens of thousands of people every year, many of them in rural communities where treatment can be delayed, expensive or difficult to reach. In southern Nepal, reporter Craig Langran joins a community organiser responding to snake rescue calls and teaching villagers what to do when snakes appear near their homes. And in a laboratory at Monash University in Malaysia, researchers are working on broader antivenoms that could reduce the guesswork doctors face when a patient arrives after a bite.People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We release a new edition every Tuesday. We'd love you to let us know what you think and to hear about your own solutions. You can contact us on WhatsApp by messaging +44 8000 321721 or email peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.uk. And please leave us a review on your chosen podcast provider.Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter/producer: Craig Langran Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Andrew Mills(Image: Subodh Acharya catches snakes in southern Nepal, Craig Langran/BBC)

When Sharon Pickering’s husband died, she realised she needed to choose where she directed her energy and focus on what mattered to her. After years of being a dedicated scholar, the academic made a decision that would set her on a path to becoming the vice chancellor of Monash University. On this week’s episode, BOSS editor Sally Patten sits down with the university boss to find out how a new role shifted Pickering’s career to one of leadership. Further reading: ‘I’d lost my identity.’ How this exec recovered from redundancy A new coach, hypnotist and Hollywood movie helped Allison Rossiter tackle one of her biggest fears. Now, the Novartis president shares how they can help you too. Meet the researchers tackling big problems Combining knowledge and expertise across disciplines is the new face of successful research in the university sector. The move this MD calls ‘extremely hard, but I’ve never looked back’ T2 Tea managing director Christelle Young finds that by cutting out reading, writing and talking first thing in the morning, it sets up her day in the right way.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I put this on my dave smith dharma as well as Secular Dharma Foundation because it is so GOOD! Mark earned his PhD and Master's degrees in Philosophy from the University of Edinburgh under the legendary cognitive philosopher Andy Clark, focusing heavily on the embodied and predictive brain. Today, his work spans across multiple prestigious global institutions. He serves as a Senior Research Fellow at Monash University's Centre for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies in Australia, is an Instructor and Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Toronto within their Psychology and Cognitive Science departments, and acts as a Visiting Researcher at Hokkaido University's Centre for Human Nature, Artificial Intelligence, and Neuroscience in Japan. He is also the Lab Manager for U of T's Consciousness and Wisdom Lab. Alongside his frequent collaborator, Dr. John Vervaeke, Mark works directly at the bleeding edge of 4E Cognition and Predictive Processing—exploring how our brains act as active, prediction-generating engines rather than passive observers. Whether he is breaking down the rigid cognitive loops of addiction and despair, hosting The Contemplative Science Podcast, or leading his groundbreaking 8-week course, Generations of Joy on The Lectern, Mark is dedicated to bridging rigorous computational neuroscience with ancient contemplative wisdom. https://lectern.johnvervaeke.com/ https://www.markdmiller.live/ https://www.davesmithdharma.com/https://account.venmo.com/u/davesmithdharmaThank you for subscribing.

The Game Changers podcast celebrates true pioneers who inspire us to take the big step forward and up in education and beyond. In episode 213 (Part 3) of Game Changers, Professor Phil Cummins joins in conversation with Dr Fiona Longmuir. Fiona Longmuir (PhD) is a Senior Lecturer in Educational Leadership and Co-leader of the Education Workforce for the Future Impact Lab, School of Education, Culture and Society, Faculty of Education at Monash University. Fiona's recent research focuses on educators' working conditions and the role of school and system leadership in supporting student engagement and agency. Her doctoral work at the University of Melbourne (2017) and subsequent projects have explored alternative education settings for disengaged youth. She also brings expertise in crisis leadership, social cohesion, and social justice in education. Her publications address leadership in complex contexts, teacher working conditions and retention, accountability, policy enactment, and student agency in school reform. Fiona teaches in the Master of Educational Leadership, specialising in social justice, policy enactment, and educational change. She led the Graduate Certificate of Principal Preparation from 2019 to 2021 and contributes to leadership programs for international school and system leaders. Previously, Fiona spent over a decade as Director of Research in Innovative Professional Practice at Educational Transformations, leading national and international studies on school leadership and system effectiveness. She also worked for more than 15 years with the Victorian Department of Education and Training as a teacher, curriculum leader, and network leader. Fiona is also a Victorian Fellow of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders. The Game Changers podcast is produced by Evan Phillips supported by a School for tomorrow (aschoolfortomorrow.com), and powered by CIRCLE. The podcast is hosted on SoundCloud and distributed through Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. Please subscribe and tell your friends you like what you are hearing. You can contact us at gamechangers@circle.education, on Twitter and Instagram via @GameChangersPC, and you can also connect with Phil and Adriano via LinkedIn and Twitter. Let's go!

No programa de hoje: as audiências da Comissão Real sobre Antissemitismo e Coesão Social revelaram que muitas vítimas e autores de atos antissemitas na Austrália são crianças. Como discutir essa questão de maneira adequada para cada faixa etária? Hoje ficamos também a conhecer Rita Sanches. A cantora portuguesa conquistou o público ao vencer o The Voice Portugal em 2020, mas está agora a viver em Sydney, onde também não tem passado despercebida. Entre atuações em diferentes espaços da cidade, a jovem artista foi convidada a atuar no Vivid Sydney de 2026. No programa de hoje refletimos também sobre quais os serviços gratuitos e independentes disponíveis ajudar quem mais precisa a lidar com dificuldades financeiras. Vamos também conhecer a trajetória inspiradora de Allan Ribeiro Pimenta. O brasileiro é natural de Feira de Santana, no estado da Bahia, e acaba de receber o título de PhD em Engenharia de Transportes e Urbanismo pela Monash University, em Melbourne.

Too often, young people have been the silent victims of the justice system.As our prison population gets bigger, so do the numbers of young people living with a parent incarcerated. They form one of the most overlooked groups in our society, with little known about their needs or experiences. That leads to them being forgotten about when it comes to policy-making and support networks, or even worse, dangerous assumptions, rhetoric and stereotypes formed about them.This episode of Let's Talk Social Work is dedicated to helping to bring this topic out of the shadows. With a growing body of research now being committed to spotlighting the lived experiences of children with a parent in prison, we're proudly doing our bit to promote this issue to social workers. As with any professionals, social workers may well meet young people through the course of their practice who are experiencing life with a parent in prison. This discussion will explore ways to support and build trust with young people as well as outline many of the challenges and barriers they might face, based on first-hand accounts from a recent study carried out in Australia.Host Jonny Adamson is joined by one of the authors of the study, Associate Professor Catherine Flynn, Head of Social Work at Monash University, Maia Ihemeje, founder of Yung Prodigy, a youth-led organisation focused on mobilising young people affected by parental and kinship incarceration, and Dr Lorna Brookes, founder of Time-Matters UK and Associate Professor at Liverpool John Moores University.They also discuss what could change at policy level to improve the lives of children living with a parent in prison and why this group has seemingly gone unnoticed in both the UK and Australia for so long.Our thanks to James Ede at BeHeard Productions for producing the episode.Supporting children living with a parent in prison: Learning from young people (British Journal of Social Work) - https://academic.oup.com/bjsw/article/56/3/1139/8340010Yung Prodigy - https://yungprodigy.org/Time Matters UK - https://www.timemattersuk.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Allan Ribeiro Pimenta, baiano de Feira de Santana acaba de receber o título de PhD em Engenharia de Transportes e Urbanismo pela Monash University, em Melbourne. Antes da carreira acadêmica, ele trabalhou como flanelinha e lavador de carros para ajudar no sustento da família e chegou a pegar até oito ônibus por dia entre estudo, estágio e trabalho. Foi justamente dessa experiência diária com o transporte público que nasceu seu interesse pela mobilidade urbana e pelos estudos sobre transportes e cidades.Allan Ribeiro Pimenta, baiano de Feira de Santana acaba de receber o título de PhD em Engenharia de Transportes e Urbanismo pela Monash University, em Melbourne. Antes da carreira acadêmica, ele trabalhou como flanelinha e lavador de carros para ajudar no sustento da família e chegou a pegar até oito ônibus por dia entre estudo, estágio e trabalho. Foi justamente dessa experiência diária com o transporte público que nasceu seu interesse pela mobilidade urbana e pelos estudos sobre transportes e cidades.

The effectiveness of recent reforms aimed to reduce harm from alcohol delivery services has been subject to a new study from Monash University and Turning Point. The report found that four in ten Victorians surveyed had received an alcohol delivery while intoxicated, despite the reforms prohibiting delivering to consumers who are intoxicated or appear intoxicated. In this edition of the Conversation Hour we explore the report findings and also discuss the impact of on delivery drivers, who now face the pressures of having to assess whether the customer is intoxicated and whether they need to withhold the order.Also in this edition, philosopher Peter Singer on effective altruism. And later in the hour will cricket be privatised?

The Game Changers podcast celebrates true pioneers who inspire us to take the big step forward and up in education and beyond. In episode 213 (Part 2) of Game Changers, Professor Phil Cummins joins in conversation with Dr Fiona Longmuir. Fiona Longmuir (PhD) is a Senior Lecturer in Educational Leadership and Co-leader of the Education Workforce for the Future Impact Lab, School of Education, Culture and Society, Faculty of Education at Monash University. Fiona's recent research focuses on educators' working conditions and the role of school and system leadership in supporting student engagement and agency. Her doctoral work at the University of Melbourne (2017) and subsequent projects have explored alternative education settings for disengaged youth. She also brings expertise in crisis leadership, social cohesion, and social justice in education. Her publications address leadership in complex contexts, teacher working conditions and retention, accountability, policy enactment, and student agency in school reform. Fiona teaches in the Master of Educational Leadership, specialising in social justice, policy enactment, and educational change. She led the Graduate Certificate of Principal Preparation from 2019 to 2021 and contributes to leadership programs for international school and system leaders. Previously, Fiona spent over a decade as Director of Research in Innovative Professional Practice at Educational Transformations, leading national and international studies on school leadership and system effectiveness. She also worked for more than 15 years with the Victorian Department of Education and Training as a teacher, curriculum leader, and network leader. Fiona is also a Victorian Fellow of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders. The Game Changers podcast is produced by Evan Phillips supported by a School for tomorrow (aschoolfortomorrow.com), and powered by CIRCLE. The podcast is hosted on SoundCloud and distributed through Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. Please subscribe and tell your friends you like what you are hearing. You can contact us at gamechangers@circle.education, on Twitter and Instagram via @GameChangersPC, and you can also connect with Phil and Adriano via LinkedIn and Twitter. Let's go!

Sphinx Spiritual takes instruction from a council of entities that includes Leonardo da Vinci, Lady Di, Sir Francis Bacon, Mahatma Ghandi, an alien called Zootor, and married Mornington Peninsula couple Ian and Pearl Rogers. Forum posts dating back to 2012 allege that the organisation is run as a cult. And the operation goes back long before this – but it's only now that former members have started speaking out.Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.Credits:Written and hosted by Sarah SteelMusic by Joe GouldLinks:Legislative Assembly Victoria Clerk of the Papers — Notices of Questions, Volume 4, Session 1988-92Legislative Assembly Victoria Clerk of the Papers — Notices of Questions, Volume 3, Session 1988-91‘To strike a balance': A History of Victoria's Workers' Compensation Scheme, 1985–2010 — by Marianna Stylianou, Monash University, June 2011WorkCare funds $2m lawsuit against ABC — by Paul Robinson, The Age, 17 November 1991Lengthy defamation case draws to close — by Paul Robinson, The Age, 22 March 1992ROUX AND OTHERS v AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING COMMISSION [1992] 2 VR 577 — BYRNE J., 13 Mar 1992, Victorian ReportsPublic Service ‘spy' wins compo claim — by Gay Alcorn, The Age, 2 December 1990Who are the Council? - more than 7 Historical icons! — Sphinx Spiritual YouTube channel, 31 March 2023Inside the Sphinx Spiritual School — A Current Affair, 16 February 2026Inside the controversial spiritual school run by former detectives — by Sam Cucchiara, A Current Affair, 16 February 2026The 11 Spiritual Values - Revealed! — Sphinx Spiritual YouTube channel, 17 February 2023The Wisdom of Crazy Horse — Ian Rogers' blog with posts dating back to April 2012, visited April 2026sphinxspiritual.com.au Ian and Pearl Rogers — Cult Education Institute forum posts dating from 22 September 2012Spiritual LoveMatch — various archived versions of the Sphinx Spiritual dating platform website between 2015 and 2018Pythagoras Investing — archived versions of the official websiteStock Nostradamus — archived versions of the official websiteEverything you must know about Sphinx Spiritual School of Learning — by Amelia Swan & Brooke Grebert-Craig, Herald Sun, 4 January 2026Former student of Sphinx Spiritual School of Learning speaks after leaving controversial sect — by Brooke Grebert-Craig & Amelia Swan, Herald Sun, 5 January 2026The mystical Mornington Peninsula sect drawing in wealthy, single women — by Brooke Grebert-Craig & Amelia Swan, Herald Sun, 4 January 2026FYI - THIS IS VERY RARE! If you want to see a true High Maintenance relationship at work - look at Ian & Pearl! — Sphinx Spiritual Facebook post attributed to Ian Rogers, 21 May 2016Anyone come across the Sphinx Spiritual cult? — Reddit thread dating back to 13 January 2022A warning about a widespread, local "Spiritual School". — Reddit thread dating from 2 November 2025Posts by Jamie123 — Cult Education Institute forum posts about Sphinx Spiritual dating from 24 March 2024Sphinx Spiritual Surgery — Sphinx Spiritual School of Learning Facebook video, 4 July 2025Spiritual Surgery — Sphinx Spiritual School of Learning page about the modality, visited April 2026Parenting Spiritually: In support of your child — by Ian & Pearl Rogers, 2013 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Mini Motivation episode, host Amelia Phillips is back with the Microbiome Doctor, gastroenterologist Dr Paul Froomes, to find out how we can all master our gut microbiomes. Amelia asks about 'weeding and seeding', the best probiotics, and the potential of Akkermansia to support metabolic health and weight management. Plus, Dr Paul gives his go-to pre- and probiotics for a healthy, happy, balanced gut. About the guest: Dr Paul Froomes is a Melbourne-based gastroenterologist with over 30 years of experience helping patients with complex gastrointestinal disorders. Trained at Monash University and the Royal Australian College of Physicians, he has gone on to complete advanced training in endoscopy and oesophageal physiology, as well as a master’s degree in liver disease at the University of Melbourne. Beyond his hospital and clinic work, Dr Froomes has dedicated his career to finding the root causes of gut issues like IBS, reflux, and inflammatory bowel disease – publishing research, training doctors, and now building innovative treatment programs that are changing lives. Dr Froomes is the co-founder of The Microbiome Clinic™, a new age medical practice built to make his decades of learnings about the microbiome accessible to more patients and practitioners. After seeing countless people struggle with conditions that didn’t improve under standard care, he recognised the need for a model that treats the root cause – imbalances in the microbiome – rather than just the symptoms.Follow Dr Paul on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drpaulfroomes/ The Microbiome Clinic: https://themicrobiomeclinic.com.au/ About the host: Amelia Phillips is an exercise scientist, nutritionist, and published researcher (BSc, MNut) with a career spanning 26 years in health. A respected media presenter, Amelia has been featured on Channel 9’s hit show Do You Want to Live Forever? and is dedicated to helping people build a life of energy, connection, and purpose at any age or stage of life.Instagram: @_amelia_phillipsHave a question? Email: ap@ameliaphillips.com.auFind out more at: www.ameliaphillips.com.au CREDITSHost: Amelia Phillips Guest: Dr Paul Froomes Audio Producer: Darren RothMusic: Matt Nicholich Production Partner: Nova Entertainment Pty Ltd Healthy Her acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informationSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lithium Extraction in Chile: Ontological, Ecological and Economic Dimensions (Routledge, 2025) is a new book from Dr Daniela Soto-Hernández, a Social Anthropologist currently working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Sussex. In this book, published with Routledge, Dr Soto-Hernández uses ethnographic methods during her intensive fieldwork in Chile, specifically in and around the Atacama Desert, to take a relational view on lithium mining in the region. Chile is the largest and oldest producer of lithium in South America and the second largest in the world, accounting for nearly 32% of the global supply in 2022. Dr Soto-Hernández's book, Lithium Extraction in Chile, is a crucial and new way of seeking to understand not only lithium, but the worlds that are created around the resource; inclusive of sacred, indigenous relations, the ubiquitous role of water, the discursive and practical dimensions of lithium production, and the social tensions manifest throughout these processes. Dr Soto-Hernández first explores the ways in which the Chilean Atacama Desert has been constructed as a ‘desolate-scape' through mechanisms and relations of coloniality and capitalism, to render the territory as lifeless and only appropriate for extraction. Then, and by using the rich fieldwork central to the book, Dr Soto-Hernández puts forward the notion of ‘desertscape' to express the ways of living for indigenous peoples in the territories of the Atacama Desert, such as for the Lickanantay peoples. This paints a direct contrast to the colonised view of the desert as a ‘desolate-scape', which serves capital, and instead expresses the abundance, world-making, and life-giving properties of the landscape as ‘desertscape'. This relational view of the Atacama Desert, inclusive of non-people, people, and the sacred, is then used to understand the role of lithium, brine, and water extraction in this crucial territory, with implications for a truly transformative energy transition. Elliot Dolan-Evans is a sessional lecturer and tutor in law at Monash University and RMIT. His research investigates the political economy of global capitalism, forms of international governance, and questions of war and peace. His first book, Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF and the Conflict in Ukraine, is now out with Bristol University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Lithium Extraction in Chile: Ontological, Ecological and Economic Dimensions (Routledge, 2025) is a new book from Dr Daniela Soto-Hernández, a Social Anthropologist currently working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Sussex. In this book, published with Routledge, Dr Soto-Hernández uses ethnographic methods during her intensive fieldwork in Chile, specifically in and around the Atacama Desert, to take a relational view on lithium mining in the region. Chile is the largest and oldest producer of lithium in South America and the second largest in the world, accounting for nearly 32% of the global supply in 2022. Dr Soto-Hernández's book, Lithium Extraction in Chile, is a crucial and new way of seeking to understand not only lithium, but the worlds that are created around the resource; inclusive of sacred, indigenous relations, the ubiquitous role of water, the discursive and practical dimensions of lithium production, and the social tensions manifest throughout these processes. Dr Soto-Hernández first explores the ways in which the Chilean Atacama Desert has been constructed as a ‘desolate-scape' through mechanisms and relations of coloniality and capitalism, to render the territory as lifeless and only appropriate for extraction. Then, and by using the rich fieldwork central to the book, Dr Soto-Hernández puts forward the notion of ‘desertscape' to express the ways of living for indigenous peoples in the territories of the Atacama Desert, such as for the Lickanantay peoples. This paints a direct contrast to the colonised view of the desert as a ‘desolate-scape', which serves capital, and instead expresses the abundance, world-making, and life-giving properties of the landscape as ‘desertscape'. This relational view of the Atacama Desert, inclusive of non-people, people, and the sacred, is then used to understand the role of lithium, brine, and water extraction in this crucial territory, with implications for a truly transformative energy transition. Elliot Dolan-Evans is a sessional lecturer and tutor in law at Monash University and RMIT. His research investigates the political economy of global capitalism, forms of international governance, and questions of war and peace. His first book, Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF and the Conflict in Ukraine, is now out with Bristol University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/latin-american-studies

Lithium Extraction in Chile: Ontological, Ecological and Economic Dimensions (Routledge, 2025) is a new book from Dr Daniela Soto-Hernández, a Social Anthropologist currently working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Sussex. In this book, published with Routledge, Dr Soto-Hernández uses ethnographic methods during her intensive fieldwork in Chile, specifically in and around the Atacama Desert, to take a relational view on lithium mining in the region. Chile is the largest and oldest producer of lithium in South America and the second largest in the world, accounting for nearly 32% of the global supply in 2022. Dr Soto-Hernández's book, Lithium Extraction in Chile, is a crucial and new way of seeking to understand not only lithium, but the worlds that are created around the resource; inclusive of sacred, indigenous relations, the ubiquitous role of water, the discursive and practical dimensions of lithium production, and the social tensions manifest throughout these processes. Dr Soto-Hernández first explores the ways in which the Chilean Atacama Desert has been constructed as a ‘desolate-scape' through mechanisms and relations of coloniality and capitalism, to render the territory as lifeless and only appropriate for extraction. Then, and by using the rich fieldwork central to the book, Dr Soto-Hernández puts forward the notion of ‘desertscape' to express the ways of living for indigenous peoples in the territories of the Atacama Desert, such as for the Lickanantay peoples. This paints a direct contrast to the colonised view of the desert as a ‘desolate-scape', which serves capital, and instead expresses the abundance, world-making, and life-giving properties of the landscape as ‘desertscape'. This relational view of the Atacama Desert, inclusive of non-people, people, and the sacred, is then used to understand the role of lithium, brine, and water extraction in this crucial territory, with implications for a truly transformative energy transition. Elliot Dolan-Evans is a sessional lecturer and tutor in law at Monash University and RMIT. His research investigates the political economy of global capitalism, forms of international governance, and questions of war and peace. His first book, Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF and the Conflict in Ukraine, is now out with Bristol University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/native-american-studies

Lithium Extraction in Chile: Ontological, Ecological and Economic Dimensions (Routledge, 2025) is a new book from Dr Daniela Soto-Hernández, a Social Anthropologist currently working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Sussex. In this book, published with Routledge, Dr Soto-Hernández uses ethnographic methods during her intensive fieldwork in Chile, specifically in and around the Atacama Desert, to take a relational view on lithium mining in the region. Chile is the largest and oldest producer of lithium in South America and the second largest in the world, accounting for nearly 32% of the global supply in 2022. Dr Soto-Hernández's book, Lithium Extraction in Chile, is a crucial and new way of seeking to understand not only lithium, but the worlds that are created around the resource; inclusive of sacred, indigenous relations, the ubiquitous role of water, the discursive and practical dimensions of lithium production, and the social tensions manifest throughout these processes. Dr Soto-Hernández first explores the ways in which the Chilean Atacama Desert has been constructed as a ‘desolate-scape' through mechanisms and relations of coloniality and capitalism, to render the territory as lifeless and only appropriate for extraction. Then, and by using the rich fieldwork central to the book, Dr Soto-Hernández puts forward the notion of ‘desertscape' to express the ways of living for indigenous peoples in the territories of the Atacama Desert, such as for the Lickanantay peoples. This paints a direct contrast to the colonised view of the desert as a ‘desolate-scape', which serves capital, and instead expresses the abundance, world-making, and life-giving properties of the landscape as ‘desertscape'. This relational view of the Atacama Desert, inclusive of non-people, people, and the sacred, is then used to understand the role of lithium, brine, and water extraction in this crucial territory, with implications for a truly transformative energy transition. Elliot Dolan-Evans is a sessional lecturer and tutor in law at Monash University and RMIT. His research investigates the political economy of global capitalism, forms of international governance, and questions of war and peace. His first book, Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF and the Conflict in Ukraine, is now out with Bristol University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/environmental-studies

Lithium Extraction in Chile: Ontological, Ecological and Economic Dimensions (Routledge, 2025) is a new book from Dr Daniela Soto-Hernández, a Social Anthropologist currently working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Sussex. In this book, published with Routledge, Dr Soto-Hernández uses ethnographic methods during her intensive fieldwork in Chile, specifically in and around the Atacama Desert, to take a relational view on lithium mining in the region. Chile is the largest and oldest producer of lithium in South America and the second largest in the world, accounting for nearly 32% of the global supply in 2022. Dr Soto-Hernández's book, Lithium Extraction in Chile, is a crucial and new way of seeking to understand not only lithium, but the worlds that are created around the resource; inclusive of sacred, indigenous relations, the ubiquitous role of water, the discursive and practical dimensions of lithium production, and the social tensions manifest throughout these processes. Dr Soto-Hernández first explores the ways in which the Chilean Atacama Desert has been constructed as a ‘desolate-scape' through mechanisms and relations of coloniality and capitalism, to render the territory as lifeless and only appropriate for extraction. Then, and by using the rich fieldwork central to the book, Dr Soto-Hernández puts forward the notion of ‘desertscape' to express the ways of living for indigenous peoples in the territories of the Atacama Desert, such as for the Lickanantay peoples. This paints a direct contrast to the colonised view of the desert as a ‘desolate-scape', which serves capital, and instead expresses the abundance, world-making, and life-giving properties of the landscape as ‘desertscape'. This relational view of the Atacama Desert, inclusive of non-people, people, and the sacred, is then used to understand the role of lithium, brine, and water extraction in this crucial territory, with implications for a truly transformative energy transition. Elliot Dolan-Evans is a sessional lecturer and tutor in law at Monash University and RMIT. His research investigates the political economy of global capitalism, forms of international governance, and questions of war and peace. His first book, Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF and the Conflict in Ukraine, is now out with Bristol University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology

Lithium Extraction in Chile: Ontological, Ecological and Economic Dimensions (Routledge, 2025) is a new book from Dr Daniela Soto-Hernández, a Social Anthropologist currently working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Sussex. In this book, published with Routledge, Dr Soto-Hernández uses ethnographic methods during her intensive fieldwork in Chile, specifically in and around the Atacama Desert, to take a relational view on lithium mining in the region. Chile is the largest and oldest producer of lithium in South America and the second largest in the world, accounting for nearly 32% of the global supply in 2022. Dr Soto-Hernández's book, Lithium Extraction in Chile, is a crucial and new way of seeking to understand not only lithium, but the worlds that are created around the resource; inclusive of sacred, indigenous relations, the ubiquitous role of water, the discursive and practical dimensions of lithium production, and the social tensions manifest throughout these processes. Dr Soto-Hernández first explores the ways in which the Chilean Atacama Desert has been constructed as a ‘desolate-scape' through mechanisms and relations of coloniality and capitalism, to render the territory as lifeless and only appropriate for extraction. Then, and by using the rich fieldwork central to the book, Dr Soto-Hernández puts forward the notion of ‘desertscape' to express the ways of living for indigenous peoples in the territories of the Atacama Desert, such as for the Lickanantay peoples. This paints a direct contrast to the colonised view of the desert as a ‘desolate-scape', which serves capital, and instead expresses the abundance, world-making, and life-giving properties of the landscape as ‘desertscape'. This relational view of the Atacama Desert, inclusive of non-people, people, and the sacred, is then used to understand the role of lithium, brine, and water extraction in this crucial territory, with implications for a truly transformative energy transition. Elliot Dolan-Evans is a sessional lecturer and tutor in law at Monash University and RMIT. His research investigates the political economy of global capitalism, forms of international governance, and questions of war and peace. His first book, Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF and the Conflict in Ukraine, is now out with Bristol University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/economics

Polymarket and Kalshi are everywhere. But what are they doing to society? Jathan Sadowski joins Paris Marx to discuss the rise of prediction markets and their negative social effects as they push the global economy closer toward the financialization of everything. Jathan Sadowski is an Associate Professor at Monash University. He is the author of The Mechanic and the Luddite and co-hosts This Machine Kills. Tech Won't Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon. The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Kyla Hewson. Also mentioned in this episode: Jathan wrote about Kalshi trying to bring about the financialization of everything in Fast Company. The NYT reported on the use of classified information by a US soldier to place a bet on the capture of Maduro. Wired just reported on how the US is using AI to spot insider trading. Polymarket users sent death threats to a reporter.

Polymarket and Kalshi are everywhere. But what are they doing to society? Jathan Sadowski joins Paris Marx to discuss the rise of prediction markets and their negative social effects as they push the global economy closer toward the financialization of everything.Jathan Sadowski is an Associate Professor at Monash University. He is the author of The Mechanic and the Luddite and co-hosts This Machine Kills.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

A spiritual school in Victoria teaches that we each have a spiritual guide who we can rely on to help us through life, and that the couple who run the school – Ian and Pearl Rogers – sit on a council alongside entities who have lived many lifetimes before this one. Students are lucky enough to gain access to incredible knowledge through this council, which boasts Leonardo Da Vinci, Mahatma Gandhi, and Lady Di amongst its members. But forum posts dating back to 2012 allege that Sphinx Spiritual has been operating as a cult for many years. It's only now that former members have started speaking out.Part 2 is already available to Patreon supporters, and will be released on the main feed on Wednesday 27 May.Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.Credits:Written and hosted by Sarah SteelMusic by Joe GouldLinks:Legislative Assembly Victoria Clerk of the Papers — Notices of Questions, Volume 4, Session 1988-92Legislative Assembly Victoria Clerk of the Papers — Notices of Questions, Volume 3, Session 1988-91‘To strike a balance': A History of Victoria's Workers' Compensation Scheme, 1985–2010 — by Marianna Stylianou, Monash University, June 2011WorkCare funds $2m lawsuit against ABC — by Paul Robinson, The Age, 17 November 1991Lengthy defamation case draws to close — by Paul Robinson, The Age, 22 March 1992ROUX AND OTHERS v AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING COMMISSION [1992] 2 VR 577 — BYRNE J., 13 Mar 1992, Victorian ReportsPublic Service ‘spy' wins compo claim — by Gay Alcorn, The Age, 2 December 1990Who are the Council? - more than 7 Historical icons! — Sphinx Spiritual YouTube channel, 31 March 2023Inside the Sphinx Spiritual School — A Current Affair, 16 February 2026Inside the controversial spiritual school run by former detectives — by Sam Cucchiara, A Current Affair, 16 February 2026The 11 Spiritual Values - Revealed! — Sphinx Spiritual YouTube channel, 17 February 2023The Wisdom of Crazy Horse — Ian Rogers' blog with posts dating back to April 2012, visited April 2026sphinxspiritual.com.au Ian and Pearl Rogers — Cult Education Institute forum posts dating from 22 September 2012Spiritual LoveMatch — various archived versions of the Sphinx Spiritual dating platform website between 2015 and 2018Pythagoras Investing — archived versions of the official websiteStock Nostradamus — archived versions of the official websiteEverything you must know about Sphinx Spiritual School of Learning — by Amelia Swan & Brooke Grebert-Craig, Herald Sun, 4 January 2026Former student of Sphinx Spiritual School of Learning speaks after leaving controversial sect — by Brooke Grebert-Craig & Amelia Swan, Herald Sun, 5 January 2026The mystical Mornington Peninsula sect drawing in wealthy, single women — by Brooke Grebert-Craig & Amelia Swan, Herald Sun, 4 January 2026FYI - THIS IS VERY RARE! If you want to see a true High Maintenance relationship at work - look at Ian & Pearl! — Sphinx Spiritual Facebook post attributed to Ian Rogers, 21 May 2016Anyone come across the Sphinx Spiritual cult? — Reddit thread dating back to 13 January 2022A warning about a widespread, local "Spiritual School". — Reddit thread dating from 2 November 2025Posts by Jamie123 — Cult Education Institute forum posts about Sphinx Spiritual dating from 24 March 2024Sphinx Spiritual Surgery — Sphinx Spiritual School of Learning Facebook video, 4 July 2025Spiritual Surgery — Sphinx Spiritual School of Learning page about the modality, visited April 2026Parenting Spiritually: In support of your child — by Ian & Pearl Rogers, 2013 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Does GABA Actually Help With Sleep? What the Research Says for Brain Injury Recovery Someone in our community recently asked me about GABA for sleep. They’d seen it recommended online, understood that sleep was critical for their recovery, and wanted to know whether the supplement was worth exploring or just noise. It’s a genuinely good question. And it deserves a proper answer. In this post, I’m going to walk you through what GABA is, what the clinical research actually shows about its effect on sleep, why the blood-brain barrier debate matters (and why it might not derail the whole argument), and what the evidence says about the relationship between sleep and brain recovery. By the end, you’ll have enough to have an informed conversation with your medical team. I’m not a doctor. I’m a three-time haemorrhagic stroke survivor who has spent years researching the science of brain recovery and interviewing hundreds of clinicians and survivors on the Recovery After Stroke podcast. What I offer is a careful read of the evidence, not a clinical prescription. What Is GABA and Why Does It Matter for Sleep? GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is the brain’s primary inhibitory neurotransmitter. If your nervous system were a car, GABA is the brake pedal. It reduces neuronal excitability, quiets cortical arousal, suppresses the brain’s primary arousal centre (the locus coeruleus), and modulates the HPA axis, the stress-response system that drives cortisol. Most sedative medications work by amplifying GABA activity. Benzodiazepines, for instance, bind to GABA-A receptors to increase chloride channel opening, producing their calming effect. GABA isn’t doing something unusual here – it’s doing something fundamental. The question with supplemental oral GABA is more specific: Does taking GABA as a capsule or powder actually produce meaningful neurological effects? What Does the Research Show? Finding 1 — Oral GABA Reduces Sleep Latency (and EEG Can Measure It) A 2015 clinical trial published in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology by Yamatsu and colleagues used EEG measurement, actual brainwave monitoring, rather than self-reported sleep questionnaires. One hundred milligrams of oral GABA shortened sleep latency (time to fall asleep) by 5.3 minutes compared to placebo. That might sound modest. But for someone lying awake for 30–40 minutes each night, it’s a meaningful shift. Crucially, this was objective neurophysiological data, not a survey response. (PMID: 26052150) Finding 2 — A 90-Day RCT Showed Improved Sleep Efficiency and Mood A 2024 randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements (Guimarães et al.) gave 200 mg of GABA daily for 90 days to sedentary overweight women also undergoing an exercise program. The GABA group showed significantly improved Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores, significantly reduced depression scores, and improved heart rate variability, a marker of parasympathetic nervous system activity. The HRV finding is particularly interesting. It suggests GABA may be doing something broader than simply reducing sleep latency – it appears to support the overall physiological state that makes rest restorative. (PMID: 38321713) Finding 3 — But a High-Dose RCT Found No Effect Here’s where intellectual honesty matters. A 2023 Dutch RCT (de Bie et al.) published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition gave participants 500 mg of GABA three times daily, 1,500 mg/day total, and found no significant effect on self-reported sleep quality. Fasting plasma GABA wasn’t significantly elevated either, raising real bioavailability questions at that dose. This isn’t a reason to dismiss GABA entirely. It is a reason to pay attention to the dose. The evidence base supports 100–300 mg, not 1,500 mg. Higher is not better, and the non-linear dose response is clinically important. (PMID: 37495019) The Blood-Brain Barrier Debate — and Why the Gut May Be the Point The most common objection to oral GABA supplementation is this: GABA is a zwitterion at physiological pH, meaning it has low lipophilicity and poor predicted ability to cross the blood-brain barrier via passive diffusion. So if it can’t get into the brain directly, how does it produce neurological effects? The emerging explanation involves the gut-brain axis. The enteric nervous system, your gut’s own neural network, has GABA receptors. When oral GABA activates these enteric receptors, it can signal the brain via vagal afferents without needing to cross the BBB at all. Think of it as a side door rather than the front entrance. Supporting this: a 2024 RCT (Li et al.) found that a probiotic strain engineered to increase gut GABA production significantly improved objective sleep duration as measured by wearable devices, alongside reduced cortisol and suppressed HPA axis activity. The mechanism wasn’t direct CNS access – it was gut-brain signalling. (PMID: 39385735) The BBB debate doesn’t negate the clinical effect. It changes how we understand the mechanism. Why Sleep Is Not Optional in Brain Recovery This is the part that I think gets underweighted in recovery conversations — and the research is unambiguous. A 2026 large retrospective cohort study (Muhtar et al., Sleep Medicine) matched over 35,000 stroke patients and found that post-stroke insomnia was associated with a 29% higher risk of post-stroke cognitive impairment and a 30% higher risk of all-cause dementia. The association with Alzheimer’s disease was also significant. (PMID: 41924789) A 2024 observational study from Monash University and Alfred Health (Smith et al.) found that in stroke rehabilitation patients, poor sleep quality was significantly associated with higher fatigue severity and lower salivary BDNF gene expression. BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) is one of the primary molecular drivers of neuroplasticity. Less BDNF means a less receptive environment for the neurological rewiring that rehab is trying to build. (PMID: 38802847) And then there’s the glymphatic system: the brain’s waste-clearance mechanism that is most active during deep sleep. Poor sleep means reduced clearance of metabolic byproducts, including proteins associated with neurodegeneration. This is not a theoretical risk. It is an active, ongoing process. Sleep is not passive recovery. It is one of the primary mechanisms of recovery. What to Do With This Information Here are three practical steps if you’re exploring GABA for sleep: 1. Measure your sleep baseline first. Use the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (freely available online) before you make any changes. Understanding whether you’re struggling with latency, duration, or quality will determine what you actually need to address. 2. If you trial GABA, choose the right form and dose. Look for PharmaGABA — naturally fermented GABA, derived from Lactobacillus hilgardii, which has the strongest clinical evidence base. A dose of 100–300 mg taken 30–60 minutes before bed is consistent with the positive studies. Avoid very high doses; the null result at 1,500 mg/day is important context. Important drug interaction note: If you are taking benzodiazepines, anticonvulsants (gabapentin, pregabalin, valproate), or any other GABAergic medication, discuss GABA supplementation with your prescriber before adding it. The additive sedative effect is a real risk. The same applies if you drink alcohol regularly. 3. Don’t skip the foundation. Sleep hygiene interventions, consistent sleep and wake times, a dark and cool room, and no screens in the 60 minutes before bed, are consistently among the highest-leverage sleep interventions in the literature. GABA may provide a genuine incremental benefit. But it cannot compensate for a fundamentally disrupted sleep environment. The Bottom Line The evidence for GABA and sleep is more substantive than I expected when I started researching it. The EEG data is real. The 90-day RCT showed meaningful clinical outcomes. The gut-brain axis mechanism is biologically plausible and now has direct RCT support. And the consequences of poor sleep in neurological recovery are not trivial – they are quantifiable, significant, and, to a degree, addressable. GABA is not a guaranteed fix. Individual responses vary. The research is not yet definitive at the level of large multi-centre trials in neurological populations. But as one tool in a comprehensive approach to sleep quality alongside good sleep hygiene, appropriate medical support, and consistent rehabilitation, the case for cautious exploration is reasonable. The next step is a conversation with your neurologist, GP, or rehab physician. Take the research with you if it’s useful. Research References All studies cited in this post are retrievable via PubMed: Yamatsu et al. — GABA sleep latency EEG clinical trial (2015) — PMID: 26052150 Guimarães et al. — GABA 200mg RCT, sleep efficiency + mood (2024) — PMID: 38321713 de Bie et al. — GABA high-dose RCT, null sleep result (2023) — PMID: 37495019 Li et al. — Gut-brain GABA axis and sleep RCT (2024) — PMID: 39385735 Muhtar et al. — Post-stroke insomnia and cognitive decline cohort (2026) — PMID: 41924789 Smith et al. — Sleep, BDNF, and fatigue in stroke rehabilitation (2024) — PMID: 38802847 This post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your supplementation or treatment plan. If you or someone you care about is recovering from a stroke, brain injury, or any neurological condition, the Recovery After Stroke podcast and this blog exist for you. Subscribe on YouTube @BillGasiamis, or visit Recovery After Stroke to find episodes, resources, and community. The post GABA, Sleep, and Brain Health – Neurological Recovery appeared first on Recovery After Stroke.

Author and journalist Michael Pollan characterizes our era as the “Second Copernican Shock,” a civilizational turning point where the boundary between human empathy and algorithmic calculation is increasingly blurred. From AI companions like ElliQ providing “virtual hugs” to the elderly, to “moral machines” tasked with navigating life-and-death dilemmas, we are entering a global experiment in the outsourcing of ethics and accountability. As we delegate our conscience to systems that exist outside the weight of consequence—systems not haunted by regret nor soothed by redemption—are we experiencing a dangerous “ethical de-skilling”? And if so, what are the consequences? Join us for a conversation with Dr. Robert Sparrow, Professor of Philosophy, and Associate Investigator in the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society at Monash University,  and founding member of the International Committee for Robot Arms Control. Hosted by: Alexa Raad and Leslie Daigle. Further reading: Michael Pollan warns humanity is on the brink of a radical shift She's 85, and Her Roommate Is a Robot Why machines cannot be moral Robots and Respect: Assessing the Case Against Autonomous Weapons Systems Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation Minotaurs, Not Centaurs: The Myth of Human-AI Teaming The views and opinions expressed in this program are our own and may not reflect the views or positions of our employers.

Oh, What's in a Name? Irving F. Stein and Michael L. Leventhal first described the syndrome, originally known as Stein-Leventhal syndrome, in 1935, in the AJOG. They published a case series of seven women displaying a triad of symptoms, including hirsutism, amenorrhea (absent menstruation), and bilaterally enlarged polycystic ovaries. We now know that PCOS affects 1 in 8 women globally (170 million women of reproductive age worldwide), and that there are 4 main manifestations of the condition- reflecting its diverse phenotype. Now, as of 05/12/25, a collaboration across 56 leading academic, clinical, and patient organizations, as well as iterative global surveys that garnered responses from over 14,300 people with PCOS and multidisciplinary health professionals have endorsed a NEW term (Lancet) for this: polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome. This is actually STAGE 7 of an 8 stage process Yep, 1-6 are already done). But hold on…this is not taking over tomorrow! There is a THREE-YEAR implementation strategy that has already gotten started and culminating in 2028. Listen in for details.1. Teede HJ, Khomami MB, Morman R, et al. Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, the new name for polycystic ovary syndrome: a multistep global consensus process. The Lancet. Published online May 12, 2026. Accessed May 12, 2026. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00717-8/fulltext2. International Evidence-based Guideline for the Assessment and Management of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; 20233. https://www.contemporaryobgyn.net/view/global-consensus-renames-pcos-to-polyendocrine-metabolic-ovarian-syndrome-pmos-?utm_campaign=42986360-COG%20-%20Breaking%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--5Of8-OwjOeKLtknr8YdFbh9G8_c7iQqliHnMz2pYOpi2x4Pp8dRH6bSHjrQIqnth_fLPywQM2ByNp7via22VJ8yyLbg&_hsmi=418414457&utm_content=418414457&utm_source=hs_email4. Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome: New name to improve diagnosis and care of condition affecting 170 million women worldwide. Monash University. News release. May 12, 2026. Accessed May 12, 2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1127647

Epochal Crisis: The Exhaustion of Global Capitalism (Cambridge UP, 2025) is the most recent book from Professor William Robinson, Distinguished Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. This title is the latest in excellent and ground-breaking titles from Professor Robinson in a distinguished career, where he began writing books on United States intervention into Nicaragua in the late 1980s and early 1990s, expanding this focus on United States hegemony more broadly in the ground-breaking book Promoting Polyarchy in 1996, up to then grappling with the totality of the capitalist world system more recently in titles such as The Global Police State in 2020, Can Global Capitalism Endure in 2022, and War, Global Capitalism and Resistance in 2024, alongside many other books. Professor Robinson's latest instalment we discuss in this episode, Epochal Crisis, tracks the multifactorial crises that are impacting the global capitalist system today, across economic, social, ecological, political and other dimensions, and how these intersecting and overlapping crises are degrading or exhausting the ability for capitalism to renew itself. This contemporaneous epochal crisis, as Professor Robinson carefully details, is catalysing morbid symptoms that express themselves as wars, unprecedented violence, ecological emergencies, rock-bottom political legitimacy and a host of other dangerous and cataclysmic effects. Epochal Crisis is both a wide-ranging and extensive investigation into the current, overlapping and intersecting crises that are plaguing the world capitalist system, as it appears in its final, violent death throes, and also a highly engaging work that is easy to digest and will help you understand the very naked reality of capital crisis that is so obvious to us all today. Thankfully, Professor Robinson also addresses what we can do in this latest, perhaps final, epochal breakdown of the capitalist system, to find some revolutionary hope in these dark times. Elliot Dolan-Evans is a sessional lecturer and tutor in law at Monash University and RMIT. His research investigates the political economy of global capitalism, forms of international governance, and questions of war and peace. His first book, Making War Safe for Capitalism: The World Bank, IMF and the Conflict in Ukraine, is now out with Bristol University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Send us Fan MailDr. Atul Malhotra, neonatologist and researcher at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, makes the case that cell therapy for neonatal brain injury is a slow burn that is finally gaining momentum. He shares why tempering expectations doesn't mean losing hope, how regulatory complexity sets stem cells apart from conventional therapies, and why cell therapy may look different for preterm infants with white matter injury versus term infants with HIE.Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.Enjoy!