The Solutionists, with Mark Scott

How much of ageing is actually in our control?

We’re told to eat better, sleep more, train our bodies and our brains — all in the name of ageing well.   But how much of that advice is actually backed by science? How might we all live – and stay – well, for longer, at any stage of life? And how much of ageing is really up to us?  Researcher Gilbert Knaggs [https://theconversation.com/profiles/gilbert-knaggs-2389711], neuroscientist Eleanor Drummond [https://profiles.sydney.edu.au/eleanor.drummond], and clinician Olivier Piguet [https://profiles.sydney.edu.au/olivier.piguet] join together to demystify the science from the pseudoscience and bring fresh insights and evidence, unlocking our understanding of healthy brain ageing.  +++  The Solutionists is a podcast from the University of Sydney, produced by Deadset Studios [https://deadsetstudios.com/]. Keep up to date with The Solutionists by following @sydney_uni on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/sydneyuni/] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sydney_uni/?hl=en], and @sydney.edu.au on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/sydney.edu.au].  This conversation is originally from a live public talks event, presented by Sydney Ideas [https://www.sydney.edu.au/engage/events-sponsorships/sydney-ideas.html] – the University of Sydney’s flagship public talks program. You can hear the full hour-long version of this public conversation here [https://www.sydney.edu.au/engage/events-sponsorships/sydney-ideas/2024/medical-moonshots.html].  Hear our episode with nutrition and longevity expert Luigi Fontana here [https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/keeping-the-doctor-away-eating-for-healthy-longevity/id1710294615?i=1000676681171]. This podcast was recorded on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. For thousands of years, across innumerable generations, knowledge has been taught, shared and exchanged here. We pay respect to elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

From breakthrough to bedside – How medical discoveries make their way to us.

What if the cure everyone’s waiting for already exists — but patients can’t access it?  With AI transforming medicine, breakthroughs are no longer science fiction. They’re happening now. But innovation alone isn’t enough. So how do discoveries escape the lab to reach patients?   Leading researchers Michael Bowen [https://www.sydney.edu.au/science/about/our-people/academic-staff/michael-bowen.html], Victoria Cogger [https://www.sydney.edu.au/medicine-health/about/our-people/academic-staff/victoria-cogger.html] and Chenyu Tim Wang [https://www.sydney.edu.au/medicine-health/about/our-people/academic-staff/chenyu.wang.html] share their medical moonshots in novel therapeutics and nanomedicines, and how they’re expediting the process from discovery to delivery.  +++  The Solutionists is a podcast from the University of Sydney, produced by Deadset Studios [https://deadsetstudios.com/]. Keep up to date with The Solutionists by following @sydney_uni on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/sydneyuni/] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sydney_uni/?hl=en], and @sydney.edu.au on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/sydney.edu.au].  This conversation is originally from a live public talks event, presented by Sydney Ideas [https://www.sydney.edu.au/engage/events-sponsorships/sydney-ideas.html] – the University of Sydney’s flagship public talks program. You can hear the full hour-long version of this public conversation here [https://www.sydney.edu.au/engage/events-sponsorships/sydney-ideas/2024/medical-moonshots.html].  Listen to Michael Bowen’s previous episode of The Solutionists about America’s opioid crisis here [https://podcasts.apple.com/ch/podcast/treating-addiction-is-complicated-could-cravings-be/id1710294615?i=1000702741613&l=en-GB].  This podcast was recorded on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. For thousands of years, across innumerable generations, knowledge has been taught, shared and exchanged here. We pay respect to elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Australia has more homes than ever – so why the housing crisis?

Australia has more homes per adult than at any point in our history. So why is our housing crisis worse than ever?  Professor Nicole Gurran’s been studying housing for 15 years, and she says the solutions to Australia's housing crisis are obvious – it’s the execution that’s failing, and most Australians are being distracted by media and politicians.  Nicole explains why "cutting red tape" won't solve the problem, why  more than a million Australian households are living in housing stress, and what happened when government funding for social housing fell off a cliff in the mid-90s.  +++  The Solutionists is a podcast from the University of Sydney, produced by Deadset Studios [https://deadsetstudios.com/]. Keep up to date with The Solutionists by following @sydney_uni on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/sydneyuni/] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sydney_uni/?hl=en], and @sydney.edu.au on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/sydney.edu.au].  This episode was produced by Liam Riordan with sound design by Jeremy Wilmot. Supervising producer is Sarah Dabro. Executive editors are Kellie Riordan, Jen Peterson-Ward, and Mark Scott. Strategist is Ann Chesterman.  This podcast was recorded on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. For thousands of years, across innumerable generations, knowledge has been taught, shared and exchanged here. We pay respect to elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The quantum threat – why our digital world needs a new kind of security

What if the simple act of tapping your card could put your identity at risk?  Every day, we trust encryption to protect our money, data, and digital lives. But quantum computers are advancing fast, and soon they could crack today’s security in seconds, making our current “digital locks” obsolete.  So how do we protect ourselves in a quantum world?  On this episode of The Solutionists, host Mark Scott explores the race to reinvent cybersecurity for the quantum age.  He speaks with leading mathematician Nalini Joshi, 2025 NSW Scientist of the Year, who’s bringing together some of the world’s brightest minds to develop new forms of encryption powerful enough to withstand quantum computing. She explains why maths is central to our digital future, and how mathematical thinking can unlock entirely new possibilities.  Plus, PhD researcher Prachi takes us inside a quantum control lab for a rare glimpse of a quantum computer in action.  +++  The Solutionists is a podcast from the University of Sydney, produced by Deadset Studios [https://deadsetstudios.com/]. Keep up to date with The Solutionists by following @sydney_uni on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/sydneyuni/] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sydney_uni/?hl=en], and @sydney.edu.au on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/sydney.edu.au].  This episode was produced by Liam Riordan with sound design by Jeremy Wilmot. Supervising producer is Sarah Dabro. Executive editors are Kellie Riordan, Jen Peterson-Ward, and Mark Scott. Strategist is Ann Chesterman.  This podcast was recorded on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. For thousands of years, across innumerable generations, knowledge has been taught, shared and exchanged here. We pay respect to elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The smart insulin pill that could change how diabetes is managed

"I can't just grab my keys and leave the house. I have to make sure I have something with me in case my glucose levels go too low. I have to make sure that I have spare insulin pump consumables. There's lots of parts of having type one diabetes that isn't just what we eat."  Michelle's lived with type 1 diabetes for 31 years. She has to plan everything: what she eats, when she drives, whether she can try new foods. Sophie, diagnosed as a teenager, spent years hiding her condition, injecting herself in secret in her school bathrooms.  For the millions living with type 1 diabetes, insulin is lifesaving. But it's also relentless. Multiple daily injections, or a pump worn 24/7, and constant vigilance of everything from how you exercise to how hot it is on a given day.   Professor Victoria Cogger is working on something scientists long thought impossible: smart insulin delivered orally as a single daily pill.  Victoria explains how oral delivery could make insulin management much easier, what's made oral delivery so difficult thus far, and what exactly makes this new pill ‘smart.’  +++  The Solutionists is a podcast from the University of Sydney, produced by Deadset Studios [https://deadsetstudios.com/]. Keep up to date with The Solutionists by following @sydney_uni on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/sydneyuni/] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sydney_uni/?hl=en], and @sydney.edu.au on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/sydney.edu.au].  This episode was produced by Liam Riordan with sound design by Jeremy Wilmot. Supervising producer is Sarah Dabro. Executive editors are Kellie Riordan, Jen Peterson-Ward, and Mark Scott. Strategist is Ann Chesterman.  This podcast was recorded on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. For thousands of years, across innumerable generations, knowledge has been taught, shared and exchanged here. We pay respect to elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.