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Finance journalist Alan Kohler and Patricia Collins, who had just joined the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service, recall their vivid memories from the night that irrevocably changed DarwinIt's been half a century since Darwin was nearly completely razed by Cyclone Tracy.On Christmas Day in 1974, the monster cyclone bore down on the city, killing at least 66 people.Both Alan Kohler and Patricia Collins survived that night in very different circumstances.Alan was living in a share house on stilts with other young journalists at the time, and they were all huddled in the bathroom when the house fell down.The next day, he and his friends set about printing an emergency copy of the Northern Territory news to let locals know what had happened and what do to next.Patricia was still a teenager and had recently enlisted in the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service.Stationed at HMAS Coonawarra in Darwin, Patricia and the other women in the Navy were given the option to evacuate after the storm, or to stay.Patricia chose to stay and help get Darwin back on its feet.Further informationDisasters take time to work through — and it's ok to ask for support. If this episode of Conversations brings up any issues for you, you can call any of these helplines: You can also call any of these hotlines if you, or someone you know, is in distress:Lifeline on 13 11 14Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636Mensline on 1300 789 978Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511This episode of Conversations discusses natural disasters, storms, wet season, how to survive a cyclone, Darwin, Northern Territory, Top End, Monsoon Season, tropical weather, modern history, Australian history, books, grief, reflection, personal stories.
When Richard's team developed pioneering treatment for melanoma, he didn't expect he would become the first person in the world to use this experimental therapy on his own, terminal brain tumour. Joint Australian of the year Professor Richard Scolyer has spent his medical career saving the lives of people with melanoma.Then suddenly last year, the life he had to save was his own.A tumour was discovered in Richard's brain and the diagnosis was terminal.So Richard and his colleagues decided to try something completely radical and experimental.This episode of Conversations touches on personal stories, epic origin stories, cancer, dealing with cancer diagnosis, how to cope with cancer, glioblastoma, brain tumours, brain cancer, melanoma treatment, immunotherapy, Australian of the year, skin cancer and terminal illness.
When Dr Gillian Deakin became a GP, she knew she didn't want to work behind a desk. Instead, she travelled overseas to make a difference. More recently, she has focused on treating patients with functional illnesses — symptoms that come and go despite all tests and scans showing up as normal.Dr Gillian Deakin grew up close enough to hear the lions roaring at night in Sydney's Taronga Zoo.She was part of a large, Catholic family and learned social justice and critical thinking from a young age.When Gillian became a doctor, she promised herself her career wouldn't involve sitting behind a desk.She worked on the Australian outback film Burke and Wills, in Antarctica and on the tiny coral atoll of Kiribati.Today Gillian treats patients with functional disorders — aggravating symptoms that sometimes escape medical diagnosis and can deeply affect people's lives.This episode of Conversations touches on personal stories, family origins, personal stories, mothers, fathers, Antarctica, Kiribati, outback Australia, GP training, functional symptoms, and functional illness.
Dr Laura Driessen takes you 26,000 light-years away, into the centre of our galaxy and beyond in the search for radio stars, supermassive black holes and supernova remnants.Dr Laura Driessen is a radio astronomer who is fascinated with the scale of the universe and the wealth of information it holds, especially in its stars.Her obsession began as a child, looking through her mini telescope on family camping trips at the planets and at comets.But it wasn't until Laura was an undergraduate science student — poring over data from a giant radio telescope to create images of what the centre of our Milky Way looks like — that she got truly hooked into radio waves.Laura now specialises in radio stars at the University of Sydney's Institute for Astronomy.What she is discovering about these flaring beasts could be pivotal in the search for other habitable plants, and possibly alien life. This episode of Conversations discusses space exploration, physics, astrophysics, astronauts, rocket ships, space shuttles, telescopes, radio telescopes, aliens, NASA, Elon Musk, Space X, galaxies, constellations, astronomy.
The Masterchef graduate and cookbook author grew up in Georgia as the Soviet Union was crumbling, gorging on plums in her grandfather's garden. During this time the young, voracious Alice couldn't keep her food down at kindy. And it took years to work out why.Cookbook author and TV presenter, Alice Zaslavsky grew up in Georgia as the Soviet Union was crumbling.She would gorge herself on plums in her grandfather's garden, and her voracious spirit was celebrated and encouraged by her parents and grandparents.In 1989, a Georgian independence protest was violently quashed by Soviet soldiers, in the street where she went to kindergarten.Alice repressed the fear of that time, through her Jewish family's emigration to Australia.Alice eventually became a teacher — the fourth generation in her family — and ended up on Masterchef in 2012, as a way to encourage her students to study her elective at school.She has passed on her love of Georgian food to her daughter, through lashings of rye bread and sunflower oil.This episode of Conversations touches on origin stories, family stories, life story, family dynamics, personal stories, reflection, Georgia, USSR, former Soviet Union, Tbilisi, Jewish, immigration, cookbooks, cooking and cooking with family.
The journalist delves into the history of experimental psychopathy treatment in Canada, which included mass, nude LSD trips.Years ago, journalist Jon Ronson did a course on how to spot a psychopath.People with psychopathic tendencies tend to use certain patterns of behaviour, turns of phrase, and a decoy mask of normality.Then Jon went out and met with men who had committed violent crimes, or had used their traits to make extraordinary amounts of money, and who had been locked up, for years, all because of their psychopathy.And in the process of his research, Jon learned something about himself.This episode of Conversations touches on psychopaths, sociopaths, the Hare checklist, Jon Ronson, psychopathic traits, CEOs, murderers, life stories, prison, jail, psychiatric institutions, LSD and psychotherapy.
Professor Alice Roberts examines the bones of those who died between five and ten centuries ago, solving the mysteries of how they lived and died.Professor Alice Roberts wants us to listen to skeletons. She's an anatomist and archaeologist who says that posthumous examination of our bones can reveal so much more than what someone might have looked like.Whether it's about our health, our diet, what we did for a living, how we died, and whether that was a violent end — epic stories are written into our bones.Recently Alice has been examining the bones of those who died between five and ten centuries ago to find out more about them. She's uncovered some amazing life and death stories.There's the sad and gothic tale of a medieval Anchoress, who was walled up inside a church in York for 28 years; the lives of the drowned sailors who died in the sinking of a ship called the Mary Rose, once owned by Henry the Eighth; and new revelations about a terrible massacre ordered by a King in the year 1004 AD.This episode of Conversations explores death, anatomy, science, burial, history, origin stories, historic mysteries, ancestry, biology, ghost stories, Catholic Church, STIs, syphilis, medical history, early medicine, arthritis, strong bones, genocide.
Screenwriter, Mithila Gupta thought her life would mimic her beloved Bollywood films — full of swooning and drama. But something was stuck, and she was an adult before she could embrace her vibrant Indian heritage.Screenwriter, Mithila Gupta grew up obsessing over Bollywood heart-throbs, thinking she would meet her own prince in a movie perfect meet-cute, involving serenades and moonlight.Her parents had left their home in Jaipur, India, to move their daughter to Australia, with hopes of more opportunities.Mithila's parents succeeded in building a life in Australia, though the family had periods of isolation and longing for home.Mithila became a screenwriter, and worked on Neighbours to introduce the first Indian family to Ramsay Street.As covid loomed, her father became ill, and Mithila found herself losing hope in dating apps, while she searched for a partner. During Melbourne's lockdown, her father's face-reading — a skill he learned when he was young in north India — helped Mithila find her way to the love she had yearned for.This episode of Conversations touches on origin stories, life stories, loss, reflection, migrant life, personal stories, grief, immigration, Bollywood, Shahrukh Khan, Jaipur, Four Years Later, SBS, screenwriting, show runner, Mithila Gupta, Indian heritage, and Neighbours.
Matt Mewburn, one of Australia's last blacksmiths, takes you inside the "iron cathedral", where blacksmithing is still very much alive.Matt didn't grow up dreaming of forging knives and sculptures over heat as hot as volcanic lava.He thought he might take over the family farm or become a scientist.But when Matt was 20 years old, his father unexpectedly died, and Matt went looking for a hobby to keep himself distracted through the grief.A spontaneous trip to the local TAFE in Sydney introduced him to the magic of metallurgy and a burning passion was forged for the creativity and simple perfection of smithing.Matt developed his skills in his apprenticeship and then overseas during his so-called Journeyman years, spending time in a seminary in the hills of Tuscany, and in Scotland and Norway. For the last decade, Matt has been the custodian of Australia's largest and most historic rail works in Sydney.This episode of Conversations discusses apprenticeships, trade school, art, death of a parent, grief, origin stories, family dynamics, life story, loss, reflection, death, how to grieve, farming, regional Australia, Eveleigh, Carriage Works, Sydney, Australian history, vocational training, iron ore, steel.
Louise Philip had just scored her breakout role on Australian television, in Bellbird, when a horrific car crash threatened to derail the life she was forging for herself.Louise Philip was 15 years old when she convinced her parents to let her drop out of high school to become an actress.She had just scored her breakout role on Australian television, but within a few months a terrible car crash threatened to derail the life that she was forging for herself. Louise broke her back and permanently lost the use of her legs, and she was told that the silver screen was no longer a place for her.But Louise fought to get back to work, and thrived on Australian television sets for years until she did something else that people told her was impossible -- she became a mother.This episode of Conversations discusses disability, acting, paraplegia, wheelchair users, love, family dynamics, guilt, personal stories, origin stories, love, reflection,. motherhood, parenting with a disability, pregnancy with a disability, creativity, Bellbird, Cop Shop.
Writer Emily Maguire on losing her own faith, but finding awe and inspiration in a controversial myth about a female pontiff who some people believe sat disguised on the papal throne for two years in the ninth century.Writer Emily Maguire grew up in a very Christian home, where life revolved around the Church and prayer.By the time she was in her late teens, Emily had well and truly rebelled against her religious upbringing, eventually dropping out of high school, getting a job at McDonalds and getting married.But it wasn't until she suffered a rare stroke in her 20s, that Emily truly lost her faith.She remained fascinated by the history and the stories of the Church, however, and has written several books inspired by that interest.Most recently, Emily was gripped by a tale that has haunted the Catholic Church for more than 1,000 years—rumours of a woman who disguised herself as a man, entered a Benedictine Monastery and rose up the ranks until she was elected the most holy ruler of all, the Pope.If she truly did exist, after two years on the papal throne, Pope Joan was found out in the most dramatic way possible.This episode of Conversations discusses Catholicism, Jesus, religion, faith, writing, books, atheism, Christianity, finding God, losing faith, agnostics, spirituality, Christian history, power, politics, Roman Empire, Constantine, Charlemagne, marriage, childless by choice, Pope Joan, female pope, female Bishop, female leadership, teenage girls, teen sexuality, rebellion, crisis of faith.
Did you know that some squirrels, otters and goats are capable of autofellatio? And ferrets, macaques and dolphins can use rocks, plants and other objects as sex toys? Fresh off the back of the Sex is Weird series, Sana Qadar from All in the Mind is getting the down low on animal masturbatory behaviours. Dr Ann Jones has all the goss and it's entirely ruined her internet search history. Please note that this program contains adult themes and explicit language. Parental guidance is recommended.Featuring:Sana Qadar, Presenter All in the Mind. Check out her podcast on the psychology of masturbation here. Matthias Wentzlaff-Eggebert, Listener.Production:Ann Jones, Presenter / ProducerPetria Ladgrove, ProducerAdditional mastering: Isabella Tropiano.This episode of What the Duck?! was produced on the land of the Wadawarrung and the Kaurna people.
Unsure about parenthood? You're not alone.There's a lot to consider when it comes to reproductive choice, evolving social norms mean that women don't have to follow a one-way path to motherhood. Either flying solo or coupled, hetero or queer, when it comes to taking control of fertility there's IVF, egg freezing, and more. And the decision to have children only leads to more questions - about careers, relationships, AND the state of the world.At All About Women 2023, our panellists share their research and lived experiences about biological clocks, and the latest in fertility science. Journalists Brooke Boney, Gina Rushton, and Dr Natasha Andreadis explore the minefield of baby-making in the modern world with host Sana Qadar.This event was recorded live at the Sydney Opera House in March 2023. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In these uncertain times we live in, how exactly are we meant to make up our minds? New York Times Australian Bureau Chief and author of Into the Rip, Damien Cave; philosopher, science writer and author of How We Became Human, Tim Dean; and cognitive neuropsychologist Muireann Irish discuss what drives us to action. How do we weigh up pros, cons and risk factors, and how do stress and fear bear on our capacity for critical thinking? With ABC Radio National's All in the Mind host Sana Qadar. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and follow our channel. Sydney Writers' Festival podcasts are available on all major podcast platforms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As we wait for the finale of The Handmaid's Tale season 5, Fiona and Sana meet Stephen Kunken, whom we all know and loathe as Commander Warren Putnam. Stephen jumps into our Zoom room for a great chat to discuss the joys and the challenges of playing the villainous Commander in Gilead (and that's saying something). He also shares the backstory he invented for his character all of those years ago. It's a must-listen for all fans of The Handmaid's Tale. We couldn't let the passing of such a memorable character go without incident! Tell us what you make of it by using the the hashtag #EyesOnGilead (Find us at: @anythingbutfifi / @Sana_Qadar)
As we wait for the finale of The Handmaid's Tale season 5, Fiona and Sana meet Stephen Kunken, whom we all know and loathe as Commander Warren Putnam. Stephen jumps into our Zoom room for a great chat to discuss the joys and the challenges of playing the villainous Commander in Gilead (and that's saying something). He also shares the backstory he invented for his character all of those years ago. It's a must-listen for all fans of The Handmaid's Tale. We couldn't let the passing of such a memorable character go without incident! Tell us what you make of it by using the the hashtag #EyesOnGilead (Find us at: @anythingbutfifi / @Sana_Qadar)
Everywhere you look people are overindulging, but that's not to say it's their fault. We have unprecedented 24/7 access to deliberately addictive, high-dopamine stimuli – drugs, food, news, gambling, shopping, gaming, sexting, Facebooking, YouTubing and tweeting. Our lives are saturated by our own dopamine and our culture encourages us to pursue it. Speaking on her new book, Dopamine Nation, psychiatrist Dr Anna Lembke in conversation with the ABC's Sana Qadar discusses the neuroscience of addiction and how we can find balance in a world flooded with these potent time-sapping (and often despair-inducing) lures. While dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is vital for health and happiness, too much dopamine too often tips the balance towards misery. Lembke explains what new scientific discoveries can teach us about this relentless pursuit of pleasure, its relationship to pain and how this knowledge can inform our choices to make for more flourishing lives. She shares insights from her clients and their struggles to overcome these problems. At a time when we are all vulnerable to compulsive overconsumption, both understanding the science and learning from the experiences of others can help us break our own dopamine addiction. It's high time to pursue healthier pleasures: genuine contentment with self and connectedness to others. This event is presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas and UNSW Medicine & Health as a part of National Science Week and Sydney Science Festival. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Our brains are easily distracted or overwhelmed. And that can make getting stuff done harder than it needs to be. This week, we look at methods and strategies for avoiding unnecessary stress by managing your priorities, your focus, and your energy with organisational psychologist Dr Amantha Imber.
Imagine getting a diagnosis in adulthood that suddenly made so much of your life make sense. It explains why you've always had trouble being on time, starting things you don't finish, avoiding difficult projects. Producer Jennifer Leake explores the impact of an ADHD diagnosis in adulthood.
Michael Slepian researches the psychology of secrets. But what he didn't know — until about a decade ago — was that his family had a major secret they were keeping from him. One they planned never to reveal. Until …
Guilt and shame are often used interchangeably, but researchers in emotion and psychology say they are distinct – and often motivate people into very different paths of behaviour. For the feeling of guilt, at least, that might even push you into making unexpected positive changes.
Guilt and shame are often used interchangeably, but researchers in emotion and psychology say they are distinct – and often motivate people into very different paths of behaviour. For the feeling of guilt, at least, that might even push you into making unexpected positive changes.
In the uncertain times we live in, how exactly are we meant to make up our minds? How do we weigh up pros, cons and risk factors, and how do stress and fear bear on our capacity for critical thinking? And how often are we even aware of the decisions we're making? On All in the Mind this week, a special panel discussion recorded at the Sydney Writers' Festival.
Music is central to the human experience. We celebrate with it, commiserate through it - often some of our strongest memories are tied to it. On All in the Mind this week, how music affects us from the womb through the rest of our lives - and what new research tells us about its measurable impact on our mental health. Plus, the 'plink' test - how our musical memories can identify a track from just a sliver of song, and the power of music to shape our emotions.
On All in the Mind this week, the early history of autism. With historian of science Professor Marga Vicedo we learn about the blame that was cast on mothers, the fight to get adequate help and support for families, and the movement that one mother, Clara Park, helped spark.
Have you ever wanted to change your personality? Many people do - studies find we're keen to become more extroverted, more agreeable and more conscientious. But what does the evidence say about whether people do change? And can you tweak your personality deliberately?
Two disasters, two years apart - the ongoing mental health impact on survivors and what the research can tell us about the different ways people respond to these life-changing events.
The quirks of psychology that influence when we give to charity … and when we don't.
Dolls can tell us a lot about how kids see the world – especially when it comes to race. One American researcher spent months watching pre-schoolers play with dolls and what she observed shocked her. Plus, did you know the very first study of children and their thoughts about dolls actually changed the course of American history? First broadcast 4 April 2021.
Anxiety and alcohol misuse are a common pairing. How do the two egg each other on and what can be done to halt the cycle? Plus, the personality traits that shape our likelihood of harmful alcohol use.
Grief is deeply painful but it's something the majority of us …eventually … find ways to live with. But research is starting to emerge on how the pandemic may have changed the way we grieve - making the experience more intense, more debilitating. As places like Australia and the US move on from the harshest restrictions of the last two years… is how we grieve returning to baseline? Or is it still too early to know? On All in the Mind this week, how the COVID pandemic has changed the nature of grief.
About one in five Australians experience a mental illness in any given year. But what about when mental health issues occur ... together? On All in the Mind this week, we look at a massive Scandinavian epidemiological study series which considers why having one mental illness puts you at greater risk of developing subsequent ones, and explore what that might mean for the treatment and prevention of mental health issues.
What are the constructive things our minds do when they wander? And when does mindwandering cross over … into not-so-constructive territory?
If you're lucky enough to have fallen in love at some point in your life, you've probably also had your heart broken. The experience can be excruciating, protracted, disorienting … but can it cause you lasting psychological – even physical – harm?
Chris Hadnagy's job involves breaking into banks. But he's not after money, gold or jewels. He's searching for weaknesses – in systems, in security, and in people. And he doesn't use weapons or threats of violence to get past guards and into vaults. He uses a smile - and a few tricks from his toolbox of psychology and social engineering techniques. Chris is the founder and CEO of Social Engineer LLC and lectures about social engineering around the globe. On All in the Mind this week, the psychology of influence and what makes some people more vulnerable to being ‘hacked' than others. [This episode originally aired on 01 August 2021]
Why do we laugh, and what makes something funny? A psychologist, a neuroscientist and satirist Mark Humphries weigh in on humour and the brain.
We'd love to share with you an excerpt from a new ABC podcast called What the Duck?! Each week the ABC's resident nature nerd Ann Jones explores the most unusual elements of our natural world — the ones that make you go What the Duck?! Like, why do quolls have spots? Who farts (and who doesn't)? And how do snakes climb trees? Join Ann alongside experts and ordinary Aussies alike to solve mysteries, smash myths and uncover the bizarre truth about nature down under. Listen for free on your mobile device on the ABC listen app, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.
Spicy food, scary movies, BDSM … why do humans sometimes chase painful experiences and how are they linked to pleasure?
Frontotemporal dementia, or FTD, is tricky to pick up at the doctor's office and impossible to cure. And for those who live with the condition, their families and their carers, the situation can be very challenging. On All in the Mind this week, we hear from those people and a researcher who has spent decades working on the condition.
What happens when we let our most destructive emotion dominate? On All in the Mind this week, we explore why we get angry, how you might control aggression and whether it can ever be ... useful.
We're urged to stay positive and keep up a cheerful disposition ... but sometimes things are just awful, aren't they? On All in the Mind this week we look at why we engage in toxic positivity, why it's so damaging when we do and whether something called 'tragic optimism' could be the antidote.
Most of us have an inner voice – it reminds you to pick up milk on your way home, helps problem solve, or rehearse what you're going to say. But there are times that helpful voice veers into harmful chatter.
You've heard of adrenaline, oxytocin and cortisol, but what about glutamate and GABA? And how much do you really know about the chemicals coursing through your brain? On All in the Mind this week, we take a whistle stop tour through your brain to learn how various chemicals influence our behaviour.
Having a baby is supposed to be a joyous time, despite the sleep deprivation and constant crying. But for many women, it can be a dark time. We know one in six suffer post partum depression, but there's another condition that affects women during this period that you may not have heard of. It's called post-partum psychosis. It's rare, but for those who get it, it can be utterly debilitating. This episode was first broadcast on 25 April 2021.
How would you describe your parents? Nobody's perfect, of course, but some parents leave more of a mark than others. On All in the Mind this week, we look at the life-long impact of having 'emotionally immature' parents. This episode was first broadcast on 30 May 2021.
Have you ever tried a self-help book? Did it… well, help? On All in the Mind this week, why self-help sometimes falls short ... and the problem with pop psychology more generally.
One spring weekend a few years back, around 15 people gathered in a south Melbourne office space. They were mostly neuroscience and maths types and there for something super niche and somewhat nerdy — the Australian Memory Championships. Anastasia Woolmer was a first time competitor — but she'd go on to win. On All in the Mind, she explains the techniques memory athletes use, and how you can apply them to everyday life. This episode was first broadcast on 30 May 2021.
It's the lightest metal on the periodic table. Its origins lie in the very beginnings of our universe. And it's taken, in the form of a pill, by thousands of Australians every day. Join us as we dive deep into the story of this wonder element lithium — the magic ion, as it's sometimes called — and its remarkable impact on mood. This episode was first broadcast on 28 March 2021.
How many times in a day are you doing just one thing? Or is it more common that you're multitasking – maybe texting and walking? Reading while listening to music? We all multitask to some degree, but do any of us do it well? And is that even possible? This week on All in the Mind, we look into the science of multitasking – why we struggle to do it, why some of us are better at it than others – and how to do it effectively if you must
Major trials are bringing us a step closer to seeing psychedelic substances used in therapy practice for PTSD, anxiety and depression. On this episode of All in the Mind, we take a look at where the research is currently at.