Science Queeries

21 Nov 2025

Cloudy With a Chance of Bias

Science & Medicine, Society & Culture, Technology

Ever wondered how much of you is floating around in the cloud? We dive into the world of big data: who gets counted, who gets mis-categorised, and who gets left buffering forever. From algorithmic bias to the very real land and water swallowed up by data centres, we’re unpacking the hidden costs of the digital world.

When it comes to artificial intelligence and big data, the world is messy… and beautifully so. We’ve seen how technology can scale harm, scale hope, and sometimes scale chaos.

Dr Cat and technologist Dr Sophia Frentz decode what machine learning algorithms get wrong about people, especially transgender and gender-diverse communities. We’re talking the cloud, the costs, and the marginalised communities who end up paying the most. We’re also talking about the beautiful opportunities that AI can provide.

On LGBTQIA+ STEMM Day and in Transgender Awareness Week especially, Dr Cat is grateful for people like Dr Sophia, who remind us that science gets better – and more inclusive – when everyone gets to show up as their full self.

Originally aired 18th November, 2025.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 49:28 — 67.9MB)

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7 Jan 2026

Past Weather, Future Problems

Environment, Natural Sciences, Science & Medicine

The key to Australia’s climate future may be hidden in its past. When we talk about climate change, we often picture ...

12 Dec 2025

Culture Shock

Biology, Medicine, Science & Medicine, Society & Culture

This week, we cell-ebrate how far biomedical science has come. We start with the basics: why scientists grow cells in ...

5 Dec 2025

T-cell-ebrating Progress: HIV, Immunity & Hope

Biology, Health, Immunology, Medicine, Science & Medicine

HIV targets the very immune cells meant to protect us. But science – and community – keep fighting back. This ...