Beyond Infinity

NASA's Europa Clipper mission, set to launch to Jupiter in 2024, will carry 352kg of science instruments to study the moon Europa. Under its icy surface, it's believed to have a salt water ocean containing 2-3 times all the liquid water of Earth. The rocky ocean floor could have hydrothermal vents teeming with life. Europa Clipper will use radar to peer down 30km through the ice, while other instruments 'taste' particles erupting from surface plumes. It's the first mission dedicated to learning more about this enigmatic world - long held to be one of the best places to find extraterrestrial life in our solar system.

Our resident techie John Young finally gets his hands on the top of the range Oppo smart phone. He's impressed by its large and beautiful OLED screen, underscreen fingerprint scanner, unobtrusive face unlock, 48MP Sony wide angle camera and super-fast charging. In fact, John reckons it's the best phone on the market. At the moment.

Ancestry.com, a global network with 20 billion family history records and the largest seller of home DNA testing kits, with an extensive database of DNA information, has been sold to Blackstone, one of the world's biggest private equity investment firms. But there are lingering questions over the security of private genetic data and exactly what Blackstone plans to do with the company's assets.

The world's most visionary and ambitious entrepreneur continues to exceed expectations, with the recent successful launch of astronauts to the International Space Station aboard SpaceX's state-of-the-art Crew Dragon capsule and Tesla's share price up 500%. We review the past 5 years as reported on the Beyond Infinity science and technology radio show. Included is an early Musk 10-year master plan; Mars colony ambitions; Starlink broadband internet from orbit; boring under LA's traffic; recycling rockets; building the world's biggest battery in South Australia and pitching his Hyperloop transit system for Australia's East Coast.

Beyond Infinity's resident tech head John Young gives us the lowdown on Google's mesh router system. It's solved his wifi coverage issues and allows voice control throughout his house, garden and shed. He says while the Nest isn't cheap, it's an integral part of his home office set up.

Despite serious challenges on Earth, NASA has succeeded in launching the most sophisticated rover ever sent to Mars. We look at the mission's heritage of past landers, its design, radical landing system and amazing suite of new instruments. Its sample caching tools will gather and store Martian material for eventual return to Earth, paving the way for people to set foot on the Red Planet.

Piers chats with technology expert Michael Simonetti about Australia's COVIDSafe contact tracing app. How does it compare with overseas equivalents? Why has it only garnered limited public support? And why, after the initial hype, have authorities gone quiet about it? Michael reckons that perhaps they're getting the data they want from other, far more useful sources... (Part 1 of a 2 part interview)

Dr. Ian Storey, lecturer at Australia's Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, outlines the evolution of battery technology over the past 250 years. He describes how modern lithium ion batteries are getting more efficient and how solid state batteries offer an exciting future of long-range electric cars, better smart phones and pacemakers that never need changing.

We marvel at the extraordinary success of Tesla in becoming the world's most valuable car company. Meanwhile, driven by the environmental imperative of clean energy, wind and solar renewable technologies are dramatically improving. Part 1 of a 2 part interview with RMIT's Dr. Ian Storey.

Dr Ian Storey, lecturer in information systems at RMIT, ties together Newton's work on mathematical physics, forces and acceleration, James Clerk Maxwell's Four Laws which approximated the fundamental theory of quantum electrodynamics and Einstein's special relativity.

With America reeling from violent social unrest and the Administration's disastrous response to coronavirus, the Presidential election on Tuesday November 3 is arguably the most important in history. Here we look back over our coverage of the last 4 years - from the scientific backlash which followed soon after Trump's election in 2016, Russia's targeting of US democracy via hacking and social media, rejection of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, through to the Doomsday Clock ticking closer to midnight and breaches of security protocols at the White House.

John's been hunting for a new phone to replace his aging Pixel 2. He reckons mid-range makers are increasingly competitive with premium models and is attracted by the new high spec offering from Chinese brand Oppo. Its battery with super-fast charging, in-screen fingerprint unlock, bright amoled screen and advanced cameras compare well against the latest Samsung and Google devices. For an Oppo, it aint cheap, but is worth considering with a long list of goodies.

After presidential tweet “When the looting starts, the shooting starts” was deemed to violate Twitter Rules by glorifying violence, the White House issued an Executive Order on Preventing Online Censorship which could have global ramifications and is likely to be challenged in the courts. Though he has well over 80 million followers and has fired off tens of thousands of tweets, President Trump continues to complain about anti-conservative bias on the platform.

A glaring hole in US space capability is finally filled after the safe arrival of SpaceX's new Crew Dragon at the International Space Station on 31st May 2020. Apart from the odd brief Virgin Galactic jaunt to the edge of space, it's the first time since the retirement of the Space Shuttle in 2011 that astronauts have launched from American soil. More importantly, it's the beginning of a new era in the private development of space exploration and human spaceflight.

Here’s a ‘long form’ look at China's use of cutting-edge surveillance technology and artificial intelligence to monitor and control its population with super efficiency. An additional topic is the country's growing footprint in Antarctica.

John explains his enthusiasm for the upcoming Remarkable 2 - a large, ultra-thin E Ink tablet. Apparently the 2nd generation stylus feels just like a pencil on paper and even has an eraser. Those who pre-order get the marker, protective folio and express shipping included.

Dr Ian Storey, mathematician and lecturer in information systems at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, describes the evolution of mathematics and logic over the centuries. From the ancient Greeks' understanding of geometry through to Newton's development of calculus in the Renaissance and the connection between logic and maths in modern computer coding. Fascinating listening for anyone interested in how maths has shaped our world.

Piers and John explain how to podcast remotely on a budget. While they normally record and broadcast from Victorian station Radio Port Phillip, social distancing rules mean they've been forced to improvise and conduct interviews from home. From choosing software, microphones and outlining step-by-step workflows, this clarifies how to record quality phone conversations, edit and post to podcasting platforms.

Piers talks with Dr Ian Storey, a lecturer in Information Systems at Melbourne's RMIT, about the Federal Government's contact tracing app. While acknowledging the app can be useful in controlling the spread of the virus, Ian has doubts about privacy and data security. He reckons it was rushed out the door, relies on the security of a centralised, US-owned server and that at the moment the health benefits do not outweigh privacy concerns.

Four important biotech stories from the past two years: Interview with leading scientists on the leprosy-like Buruli ulcer outbreak in southeastern Australia; Taming drug-resistant superbugs; Deadly fungus Candida Auris spreading around the world; Effective vaccination against influenza.