Centre for Ideas

Can weeds help us find answers to the world’s problems? Non-native plants have wreaked havoc on so many of the world's precious ecosystems, but what can they teach us about survival?

Ending violence against women starts with men, their behaviours and attitudes. Changing the social structures starts with a conversation, so how do we encourage men to put women on the agenda?

Our race for renewables has a dark side. As consumers, how can we ensure our transition to a sustainable planet isn’t achieved at the expense of the less fortunate?

The transition to zero carbon will be one of the biggest shifts in the history of humankind. Australia could be a global leader in renewable innovation, so why don’t we invest in our future?

Australia has an almost infinite capacity for solar, wind and hydro energy, but it turns out converting those forms of energy to function correctly within our existing electricity grids isn’t easy.

Think of a world where rivers had human rights, corporations were regulated by their stakeholders, ecocide was a crime, and money looked entirely different. Where can legal imagination take us?

If we are going to save the planet, we need to start hugging trees. So how do we override our human-centric worldview, and start seeing ourselves as one with the flowers?

We are on the brink of a technological revolution. The impact of AI on jobs and people are concerning, so does the collision of AI and quantum computing have a dark side too?

The pursuit of profits has seen us hurtling towards the point of no return, so how can we incentivise the world’s biggest polluters to choose the planet over profit?

Imagine if medical side effects were all in your head… turns out more than half of them might be… so how can medical researchers break this dangerous cycle?

Education needs a rethink. Learning must both reflect and fit into our lives, and be a bold experience that is interactive and fun... because who said education can’t be as entertaining as Netflix?

As we move into the most information rich age in human history, how can we ensure that we keep our focus on advancing neuroscience so those most vulnerable can receive the help they need?