Demure, skibidi, brat: why teenage girls are behind your future vocabulary

When many of us were growing up, the c-word was the worst thing you could say. Now, it’s having a renaissance. How has an "offensive and hateful” term transformed into a compliment? And why are drag queens, actors and K-pop girlies at the forefront of reclaiming "See You Next Tuesday”?Guest: Virginia Trioli, host of Creative Types on ABC TV and iview.Check out Virginia’s article on how the the c-word is being reclaimed by women in pop culture here.If you liked this chat, you might also enjoy our episodes on how teenage girls are shaping our vocabulary or whether Stockholm Syndrome a sexist myth.If there's a story or topic you'd like us to cover, drop us a line at [email protected]’re listening to Quick Smart's summer season. We’ll return with fresh episodes next year, but in the meantime please enjoy our special curation for the holidays. This episode originally aired on 15th April, 2025.

It feels like asbestos has been having more than it's fair share of limelight over the last few years. But it's manufacture, sale and import was banned in Australia in 2003. So, where is it coming from?Guest: Angelique Donnellan, reporter for ABC's 7:30 program.---------If you liked this chat, you might also like our episode about whether Australia has a problem with class.You can find Angelique's articles about her investigations here.Thanks to my producer Jessie Kay. Drop us a line at [email protected]

The ABC's biggest investigative true crime podcast Unravel has just dropped their new season, Huntsman, and it's already rocketing up the podcast charts.You might remember when former Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn was convicted of murder in the High Country. The story made headlines when Lynn admitted to burning the campers' bodies to cover his tracks.But behind the scenes, people who knew him years ago began talking and sending messages.It sparked an ABC investigation that uncovered the full story of his dark past and his abusive relationship with his first wife, Lisa Lynn, which ended in tragedy.In this new season, investigative reporter Rachael Brown uncovers the details of Greg Lynn's former life and the fear and damage he left behind him in the suburbs.You can find the podcast on ABC listen, or search for Unravel: Huntsman wherever you get your podcasts.

The Victorian government has signed into law a historic Treaty with First Nations people. It’s supposed to help fix the effects of institutional harm. So, what will actually change?

Our personal data can be used to manipulate the prices we see, the disinformation we believe, and sometimes even who we vote for. So, how much does the internet know about you?

From pub bands and street buskers to TikTok-ing teens, the world is full of music covers. Some are admirable, others are average. Yet every so often, an artist will release a cover that flips a song on its head. So, why are we drawn to making the old new again? 

Democracy dates back to the ancient Greeks and is meant to give us a say on who’s in charge. But lately, some democratically elected leaders are acting more like kings than politicians. So, does democracy still work? And how do we stop “undemocratic” forces from manipulating us?

From a muddling Mr Darcy to Clueless diva Cher Horowitz, some of the most iconic characters in books, films and TV were conceived by Jane Austen — or based on her works. So, who was she, really? And what makes her classics... classic?

Google gets billions of searches every day. But now, the tech giant wants to be AI-fuelled “answer engine”, rather than a gateway to other sites. It poses a massive threat to journalism, but it’ll also affect the information we see and don’t see. 

If you needed a life-saving transplant, would you take a gene-edited organ from a pig? It sounds like science fiction, but this procedure has been researched for decades, and it could help solve the massive organ shortage. But is it ethical to use animals for their parts? And are there other risks?