Late Night Live - Separate stories podcast

The thickness, colour and texture of facial and head hair showed character traits about men and women, it was believed in 19th century America. The assessments were imbued with judgements about race and gender.  Guest: Sarah Gold McBride, author of 'Whiskerology: the culture of hair in 19th century America’ (Harvard University Press, due out in June 2025). Sarah is an historian, and lecturer in the Program in American Studies, University of California, Berkely  Producer: Ann Arnold Originally broadcast April 24, 2025

In 1973, the Australian government acquired the painting Blue Poles by Jackson Pollock for $1.3 million AUD. It created huge division in Australia, and arguably contributed to the downfall of the Whitlam Government. A new book revisits this important intersection of art and politics.  Guest: Tom McIlroy, political editor at Guardian Australia, Author of 'Blue Poles: Jackson Pollock, Gough Whitlam and the Painting that Changed a Nation’ (Hachette) Producer: Ann Arnold Originally broadcast February 26, 2025

David Marr is joined by Laura Tingle, Hannah Ferguson and Craig Reucassel to review the monumental year of 2025 - including its weirdest moments - and ask where Australia finds itself as another year looms.  Guests: Laura Tingle, Global Affairs Editor, ABC (formerly Political Editor, 7.30) Hannah Ferguson, founder of Cheek Media, co host of Big Small Talk Craig Reucassel, presenter of ABC Radio Sydney 702 Breakfast Producer: Catherine Zengerer

A new exhibition at the University of Melbourne's Medical History Museum, Cultural Medicine: The Art of Indigenous Healing celebrates 65,000 years of First Nations medical knowledge and practice from across the continent. It reveals fascinating stories of medical practice, including when Indigenous knowledge of the corkwood plant was used to develop a seasickness pill for the Allied D-Day invasion.  Guest: Jacqueline Healy, Curator and Director of Museums, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences Producer: Jack Schmidt  

Renowned human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson KC says the killing of two people who survived a US strike on a speed boat off the coast of Venezuela on 2nd September 2025, constitutes a war crime, as does the initial strike on the boat. In his new book, Robertson says we need a clearer definition of war crimes and genocide to inform military rules of engagement and to give journalists and diplomats the confidence to describe crimes. He also argues the UN Security Council is ineffective and we need a new global method to effectively prevent and prosecute perpetrators.  Guest: Geoffrey Robertson KC, Founder of Doughty St Chambers and author of World of War Crimes, published by Penguin. Producer: Catherine Zengerer