JOY Drive

2 Jan 2026

Associate Professor Roslyn Petelin: Macquarie’s 2025 Word of the Year

Popular Culture, Society & Culture

Macquarie Dictionary’s 2025 Word of the Year, “AI slop,” struck a nerve because so many of us instantly knew what it meant. Roslyn Petelin explains why word lists matter, what “AI slop” captures about the year we’ve just lived through, and where people are most likely to encounter it in everyday life.

Guest: Dr Roslyn Petelin, Honorary Associate Professor in Writing, University of Queensland

Presenter: Con Keramitsis

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:25 — 12.9MB)

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2 Jan 2026

Associate Professor Theresa Larkin: How Our Bodies Handle Heat and How to Stay Cool

Health, Personal Safety

Hot weather can change everything, from mood and sleep to energy and focus. Associate Professor Theresa Larkin explains what’s happening ...

2 Jan 2026

Ingrid Stitt: Pill Testing at the Midsumma Festival’s 2026 Pride Street Party

Government & Organisations, Health, LGBTIQA+ Community, News & Politics, Personal Safety, Society & Culture

For the first time, Victoria’s mobile pill testing service will be trialled at a street festival, rolling out to the ...

2 Jan 2026

Lucy Durack: Ringing In 2026 With the Australian Pops Orchestra New Year’s Eve Gala

Music, Performing Arts, Personal Journals, Popular Culture, Society & Culture

Lucy Durack joined JOY Drive ahead of the Australian Pops Orchestra’s New Year’s Eve and The Day Before Gala Concerts, ...