Best Sovereign Engineering Podcasts (2025)

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Holiday Listening: The flying vet from Outback Queensland 51:00

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33m ago51:00

51:00

Dr Campbell Costello's work as a vet has taken him out of his family's station in North Queensland to places as far flung as Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Patagonia. He's acted as the official vet for a sled race in Alaska, for epic horse races in Mongolia and Argentina, and he has run a cattle station in the former Soviet Union. But after a family trag…

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Holiday Listening: Slime moulds—the brainless blobs that can move and solve mazes 48:00

21m ago48:00

48:00

Dr Tanya Latty is an insect scientist with a quirky taste in pets, and a keen eye for detail, but it's the lessons from her brainless pet slime mould that she's most fascinated about. Tanya studies the behaviour of ants and bees and she's particularly interested in their ability to work effectively as a team to achieve a common goal. But her pet pr…

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Holiday Listening: David Bindi Hudson on playing his didgeridoo at the Taj Mahal 49:24

1h ago49:24

49:24

When his elders named him Bindi, David Hudson had no idea his future would involve performing with his didgeridoo at the Taj Mahal, or a role in a film starring Marlin Brando Western Yalanji and Ewamian man David Bindi Hudson is a performing artist and musician. His parents were born on Mona Mona mission, near Cairns. David's mother didn't like bei…

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Holiday Listening: Learning from the mighty matriarchs of the animal kingdom 51:20

15h ago51:20

51:20

Erna Walraven was one of the first female zookeepers to work at Sydney's Taronga Zoo in the 1980s. Despite practical jokes from her male colleagues, like animal dung in her gumboots, Erna kept her nerve. She was born in The Netherlands, to parents who were involved in the Dutch resistance during World War II. Erna's love of languages took her to Sp…

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Looking Back at 2025 35:39

3d ago35:39

35:39

New York Times chief White House correspondent Peter Baker sits down with Ravi Agrawal for a 2025 review. What have we learned from the first year of the Trump administration’s second term? And how have the White House’s foreign-policy choices in particular differed from previous presidencies? Vanity Fair Exclusive: Susie Wiles, JD Vance, and the “…

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Quantum is Coming: How Does it Change the Game for Space Systems and Networks? 1:06:15

3d ago1:06:15

1:06:15

Forecasts on the arrival time for quantum computing vary greatly – from "it will be here in a decade" to "it's already here." There is consensus on the fact that it's coming, and when it does, it will change the way we build and protect networks in space. In this episode of our Future Space Economy webcast series, we're joined by experts in the fie…

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Will the U.S. Attack Venezuela? 42:23

6d ago42:23

42:23

Tensions continue to rise off the coast of Venezuela as U.S. President Donald Trump orders a blockade on sanctioned ships to and from the country. James Story served as the U.S. ambassador in Caracas under both the Trump and Biden administrations, and he shares his predictions on what might happen next. Plus Ravi’s One Thing on India, Pakistan, and…

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Best of 2025: Mike Doleman on surving the Blythe Star 53:00

6d ago53:00

53:00

At 18 years old, Mick Doleman miraculously survived when his ship capsized in the freezing Southern Ocean off Tasmania. But as he floated in a life raft with his nine crewmates, his ordeal at sea had only just begun. This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris, the Executive Producer was Nicola Harrison. It covers ship wreck, overcr…

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Best of 2025: How I became a brainwashed cult bride 53:31

7d ago53:31

53:31

Liz Cameron was 18 years old when a stranger approached her in a book shop. It was the beginning of her induction into a cult, and it was an experience Liz barely survived. The process of brainwashing happened gradually, first came the love-bombing and the allure of finding a new purpose in life. Then came the isolation from friends and family, alo…

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Best of 2025: The young boat builder who rowed across the Pacific 52:16

8d ago52:16

52:16

Tom Robinson was a 14-year-old living in the Brisbane suburbs when he made a promise to himself to become the youngest person ever to row across the Pacific Ocean. Nine years later Tom set off from Peru bound for Australia without a support crew and limited communication. Tom navigated by the stars, made eye contact with a shark and rowed up to 15 …

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Best of 2025: Claire Keegan on bravery, writing and the single life 53:10

9d ago53:10

53:10

The bestselling Irish author grew up on a farm set on “50 acres on the side of a hill”. Growing up, she witnessed a harsh, misogynistic country that convinced her she would never marry. Claire shares what she has learned about writing from a litter of newborn piglets. Her works Small Things Like These and Foster have both been made into movies. Cla…

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Best of 2025: How Vincent Fantauzzo's life was saved by love and painting 52:00

10d ago52:00

52:00

When artist Vincent Fantauzzo was a boy he was a street-fighting petty criminal with dyslexia and a blazing talent for drawing. He escaped jail time, and grew up to become one of Australia's most well-known portrait artists. VIncent Fantauzzo is one of Australia's most successful portrait artists. For his luminous, photo-realistic paintings he's wo…

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The New (Sovereign) Wealth of Nations 35:39

13d ago35:39

35:39

Is the growth of sovereign wealth funds, especially in the Middle East, transforming geopolitics? Jared Cohen, co-head of the Goldman Sachs Global Institute, sat down with FP’s Ravi Agrawal to discuss why sovereign funds are so pivotal today. Note: This discussion is part of a series of episodes brought to you by the Goldman Sachs Global Institute.…

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Encore: the life of Norman Swan 51:00

13d ago51:00

51:00

How a boy from Glasgow named Norman Swirsky grew up to become Australia's most famous doctorWhen Norman was 10 years old his dad decided to change the family's surname to Swan in a response to ongoing anti-Semitism in Scotland after WWII. Norman wanted to be an actor growing up, but his parents encouraged him to study medicine. After he completed h…

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William McInnes' bittersweet summers — budgie smugglers, boardies and bumming around 50:30

14d ago50:30

50:30

The author and actor thinks summer in Australia is done bigger, better and weirder than anywhere else. For three months of the year, life slows down and heats up. But for William, summer in Australia is an imperfect paradise where more than anything, people yearn to connect. Summer can be a hellish time in Australia, where temperatures soar and fir…

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How living like a Stoic changed my life 51:19

15d ago51:19

51:19

Journalist and author, Brigid Delaney looked into the ancient philosophy during an assignment from her editor. What she discovered led her to years of study and a brand-new outlook on life that focuses less on happiness and more on meaning and contentment. Brigid is devoted to the Stoics, a philosophy that encourages its followers to focus on what …

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Space Traffic Management for Security With Neuraspace CEO Chiara Manfletti 36:13

19d ago36:13

36:13

Is space crowded? Although there's been such a large increase in satellites in orbit, it's not a simple question. On Orbit revisits the question with Chiara Manfletti, CEO of Portugal-based space traffic management company Neuraspace. Chiara emphasizes the need for better coordination on space situational awareness (SSA) and space traffic managemen…

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The Rajneeshees and me — why Martina thought she needed a guru to heal 53:00

16d ago53:00

53:00

Cult survivor and psychotherapist Dr Martina Zangger on her ten years devoted to an Indian mystic and how she learned to stand on her own two feet. When Martina Zangger was 19 years old she became a devotee of the Rajneeshee Movement led by the Guru, Bhagwan. The cult had its headquarters in a huge ashram, built in rural Oregon, and Martina decided…

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One-on-one with Hillary Clinton 35:33

17d ago35:33

35:33

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sits down with Ravi Agrawal in front of a live audience at the annual Doha Forum in Doha, Qatar. The two discussed the Trump administration’s just-released National Security Strategy, the impacts of U.S. foreign policy around the world, women’s rights, how Democrats can revive their fortunes, and also a con…

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Encore: Helen Garner's love letter to her grandson, and football 52:10

21d ago52:10

52:10

When Helen Garner began following her grandson Amby's under-16s football team, it was a chance to spend more time with her youngest grandchild before he became an adult and she was fascinated by the spectacle. She went along to all the games, and to every training session, shivering on the sidelines at dusk, it also gave Helen a new writing project…

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The forgotten men who fought and died in the wild jungles of Borneo 53:00

22d ago53:00

53:00

At the very end of World War Two, Australian soldiers were sent to Borneo to dislodge the occupying Japanese Forces. The story of their brutal fighting was largely forgotten by their own compatriots, who never understood why they went in there in the first place. It was one of the largest amphibious landings of the whole war, and what followed was …

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How Critical Minerals Explain Trump’s Policy 43:49

22d ago43:49

43:49

Name a consistent throughline in the Trump administration’s foreign policy. The answer could very well be the global scramble for critical minerals. What are they and why are they so important? Why is China so far ahead and how can the United States catch up? Mining expert Gracelin Baskaran sits down with host Ravi Agrawal to discuss. Plus Ravi’s O…

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Deciding to live—recovery from a decade long battle with anorexia 50:23

23d ago50:23

50:23

While fighting anorexia Lexi Crouch was admitted to hospital 25 times and placed in an induced coma twice. When doctors told her she would die, she began the slow climb up and out to health (CW: discussion of eating disorders) Lexi was 16 when she was first admitted to hospital and diagnosed with anorexia and spent the next decade in and out specia…

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Frosty the supercars legend and his race to the top of Mount Panorama 53:00

24d ago53:00

53:00

Mark Winterbottom grew up in outer Western Sydney, in a family with not much money to spend on expensive hobbies. But by an extraordinary twist of fate, Mark won his first mini motorbike in a shopping centre raffle at the age of 8. Immediately, he was off, speedily rising up from bikes to kart racing, and then to V8 Supercars. Mark won race after r…

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The Good News on Women’s Rights 36:18

29d ago36:18

36:18

Despite headlines suggesting otherwise, this week’s guest says women’s rights around the world are making real gains. Lyric Thompson, the founder and CEO of the Feminist Foreign Policy Collaborative, sits down with host Ravi Agrawal to share more. Transcript: The Good News on Women’s Rights Lyric Thompson: Women’s Rights Are Winning Rebecca Turking…

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Encore: Author Heather Rose on the grief lodged deep in her body 52:17

28d ago52:17

52:17

Heather's brother and grandfather died in a tragic drowning accident when she was 12 and from that day, she began looking for a way to commune with what lies beyond. The quest has taken the Stella award winning writer to Buddhist monasteries, Native American dance rituals and sweat lodges, and to the discipline of writing. And Heather has had an in…

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A former army psychologist on ketamine therapy, PTSD and her surrogate twins 49:18

29d ago49:18

49:18

Louise O'Sullivan spent 10 years with the ADF, including deployments with the Special Forces in Afghanistan which eventually left her with PTSD, but a bigger battle lay ahead, the fight to save her premature twins. After leaving the military, Louise wanted to begin a family but cancer treatment had left her unable to carry her own children so she f…

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The ‘Ask-Me-Anything’ Episode 40:33

1M ago40:33

40:33

It’s time for another Ask-Me-Anything edition of FP Live. Executive Producer Dana Sherne puts your questions to host Ravi Agrawal. Alexandra Sharp: Ramaphosa Capitalizes on Trump’s Absence at G-20 Summit Christian Caryl: Don’t Call This a ‘Peace Plan’ Rachel Oswald and John Haltiwanger: Trump’s Ukraine Peace Effort Devolves Into Chaos Over Conflict…

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Dad, Bob Marley and me 45:32

30d ago45:32

45:32

After the death of her father, a spiritual moment with the life-size wooden statue of Bob at Nine Mile convinced queer rapper, Jamaica Moana that everything would be alright. Jamaica was born to the music of Bob Marley on the Central Coast of NSW. Her dad loved Bob’s music more than anything else and would listen incessantly on his interstate truck…

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Space-Grade Innovation: The Evolution of Onboard Computing With Aethero CEO Edward Ge 34:08

1M ago34:08

34:08

Computing capability has advanced rapidly on Earth, but on-board computing in space is more challenging — as chips have to be hardened to function amid the radiation environment in space. Edward Ge, co-founder and CEO of three-year old startup Aethero, is working to tackle this challenge and enable higher computing power onboard satellites. In this…

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How a pair of disobedient missionaries invented Australia's most iconic road trip 52:12

1M ago52:12

52:12

Tens of thousands of 'van lifers' and 'grey nomads' drive around Australia each year. But the iconic road trip has a surprising origin story involving a pair of missionaries, a retired butcher and a gun-slinging mother-daughter duo. David Riley is a pastor and father who was on a lap around Australia with his wife and three children when he heard a…

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Can Solar Energy Save the Planet? 42:37

1M ago42:37

42:37

Climate summits such as the ongoing COP30 conference can often seem like a place where countries agree to disagree and little gets done. But Bill McKibben says there’s one key reason for hope: the sun. New advances in panels and battery technology mean solar power will soon provide a growing share of our electricity consumption. McKibbon is the aut…

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Encore: How Johnathan Thurston became one of the greats 51:33

1M ago51:33

51:33

Despite being a stand-out young player, many NRL clubs initially rejected Johnathan Thurston because they thought he was too small and wiry but he went on to become one of the best rugby league players of all time. Johnathan showed his rare talent for rugby league early on but his parents didn't have the money to help him travel to games. So in his…

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How Aunty Rhonda learnt to cry 51:12

1M ago51:12

51:12

Artist, author and Stolen Generations survivor, Rhonda Collard-Spratt, on bush hugs, beehives, emu bumps, and finding peace. Aunty Rhonda Collard-Spratt is a Yamatji-Noongar elder and Stolen Generations survivor who grew up on the Carnarvon Native Mission in Western Australia. As a little girl she would escape from her dormitory into the bush to fe…

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From democracy to dictatorship and back again—how freedom falls and tyranny takes hold 53:30

1M ago53:30

53:30

Dr James Loxton on how modern democracies can crumble as authoritarian regimes take hold, but also how freedom and democracy can rise again, from the Americas to Europe and into Asia. James grew up in stable Canada, where he spent his summers herding sheep in the middle of forest plantations. As a teenager, he hatched a plan to escape his "rough as…

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A bulldog on the ice -- Eric's journey from the South Pole to Outer Space 52:19

1M ago52:19

52:19

Eric Philips has always loved cold weather and from young age became fixated on the idea of polar exploration and following in the footsteps of the adventurers he read about in National Geographic. And he went on to lead gruelling expeditions to the North and South Poles, pushing his body and mind to the limits. Eric also had dreams of travelling i…

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Is Trump Angling for Regime Change in Venezuela? 44:58

1M ago44:58

44:58

As the United States points its biggest warship at Venezuela, what is the White House trying to achieve in Caracas? How does it fit into the Trump administration’s broader Latin America policy? And how is the region responding? Host Ravi Agrawal sits down with scholar Oliver Stuenkel for answers. Stuenkel is a leading Latin America scholar and seni…

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Encore: Love, sex and the secret life of retirees 45:17

1M ago45:17

45:17

Screenwriter Samantha Strauss on her grandmother's vibrant last years in a Gold Coast retirement home where love, sex and startlingly pragmatic conversations about dying were all part of daily life. (CW: not suitable for children) (R) Samantha Strauss started dancing from the age of 2, and as she grew up, she became increasingly serious about it. S…

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Making peace and finding laughter in my family's dark past

1M ago

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Reuben Kaye has always known he was going to be a performer and grew up a house that encouraged his love of the limelight. But in the background was the weight of his family history full of complicated characters and stories of cruelty. Reuben's parent both came from Jewish European families who were forced to flee their homes because of World War …

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Loving and losing three good men—the story of a ballerina called 'Blossom' 52:00

1M ago52:00

52:00

Petal Ashmole Winstanley was just a teenager when she left Perth on her own to sail to London. There, in the swinging 1960s, she began her wild adventure of dance, love and heartbreak. Petal got her first big dancing break in a Christmas pantomime, and then she had a spin as a Go-Go dancer in a Parisian nightclub, before eventually working her way …

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How Sovereign Networks Fit Into National Strategies With ST Engineering iDirect 39:40

2M ago39:40

39:40

While sovereign satcom systems are not a new idea, sovereignty has become a critical issue in the satellite industry over the last year as geopolitical trends push nations to want more control over their communications and space data. This episode of On Orbit features Keith Blanchet, vice president of Global Government for ST Engineering iDirect, t…

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The conspiracy that brought down the Whitlam Government in the 1975 dismissal 53:25

1M ago53:25

53:25

Editor-at-Large of The Australian, Paul Kelly looks back at the most profound crisis in Australia’s democracy, including the off-the-record information he was given five days before it took place. In 1975 Paul was a young press gallery journalist, working in the cramped old Parliament House, where all it took was a flight of stairs and a few steps …

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Silverchair’s Ben Gillies on his life as a teenage rock god, and what happened next

2M ago

—

When Ben Gillies was 15 he began touring around the world in his band called Silverchair. After the band broke up, Ben had to work through anxiety and addiction to make an entirely new life for himself. Silverchair toured America, supporting the Ramones and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. They played on the roof of the Radio City Music Hall during the …

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Encore: Meet Ash Barty's mindset coach — Ben Crowe 53:30

2M ago53:30

53:30

How does Ben Crowe get elite athletes to the top of their game? What he asks footballers, surfers and tennis players to do seems counter intuitive, and a lot of the work happens off the field. (R) Ben Crowe is a mindset coach who has worked with elite athletes like surfer Steph Gilmore, tennis superstar Ash Barty, and the Richmond Football Club. Bu…

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Uncovering the heart of my Nana’s saltwater stories 53:19

2M ago53:19

53:19

Bunurong/Boonwurrung actor and author, Tasma Walton was enjoying her big break on TV show Blue Heelers in the 1990s in Melbourne when a transformative visit from her grandmother launched her in a new direction. Boonwurrung/Bunurong woman, Tasma grew up in windy Geraldton, in Western Australia in the 1970s, hearing stories from her grandmother about…

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William Dalrymple's own curious history, from the Scottish coast to Mughal Delhi

2M ago

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Historian William Dalrymple had a rarefied childhood on the windswept coast of Scotland. As an adult he fell in love with India, and later discovered his family's own deep ties to the country. Born into the Scottish aristocracy, William followed his three older brothers and left for boarding school at just 8 years old. While still an university Wil…

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Unpacking the Trump-Xi Meeting 38:19

2M ago38:19

38:19

China analyst and former policymaker Elizabeth Economy sits down with Ravi Agrawal to unpack the meeting that took place last week between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. What was agreed to? What does it mean for the broader trajectory of the world’s most important bilateral relationship? Plus, Ravi’s One Thing on Trum…

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The drama and the grit behind Michelle Payne's ride into Melbourne Cup history

2M ago

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Ten years ago, Michelle Payne became the first woman to win The Melbourne Cup but in the years since she's had to face many challenges, including a life threatening injury and family heartbreak. Fortunately if there is one thing Michelle knows a lot about, it's how to get back up. Michelle Payne grew up on a farm, the youngest of ten kids, in a fam…

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Encore: The story of a wild, radical feminist socialist lesbian mum, and her son 53:18

2M ago53:18

53:18

Writer, Ianto Ware on growing up in the suburbs of Adelaide in a single-parent, single-child family, when such an experience was rare. (R) Ianto Ware was raised in the suburbs of Adelaide in a house surrounded by a tangled garden of oak trees and vegetables, and furniture foraged from hard rubbish. Aside from the family pets, it was just Ianto and …

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Is the AI Economy a Bubble? 42:18

2M ago42:18

42:18

Is the AI boom a bubble? What happens if it pops? Economist Jared Bernstein joined FP Live to sound the alarm on the growth and investment in the AI sector. Plus, Ravi’s One Thing on the first Trump-Xi meeting in six years. James Palmer: Trump and Xi Step Back From the Brink—for Now Rishi Iyengar, Christina Lu, and Keith Johnson: What Trump and Xi …