The Big Q
Questions – Ideas – Scholarship – Debates
Project for Public Interest Media
The Big Q & Ngā Ara Whetū Multimedia Competition
Reimagining Our World.
What we value in society shapes our behaviour and influences our current and future world. Our aspirations, definitions, and incentives related to “success” and “beauty” affect our work, finances, and time. These incentives and our related actions sometimes have devastating consequences for our well-being, relationships, and planet.
Ngā Ara Whetū and The Big Q want to reimagine what’s possible. What is possible with a different definition of success? A different definition of beauty?
A new vision for our world?
Submit a redefinition to be featured on The Big Q and win prezzy cards up to $500!
Politics & Society
Who are today’s climate activists? Dispelling three big myths on Earth Day.
It’s easy to get caught up in the myths about climate activism, particularly in today’s polarized political environment. On Earth Day 2024, let’s explore the truth about three of the big myths being told about climate activism and the climate movement today.
Gaza war: How did Qatar become a leading mediator in the Middle East?
Qatar’s mediation success in Israel-Hamas ceasefire hinges on wealth, neutrality, and global connections, shaping effective conflict resolution strategies.
What are donor-advised funds and how are they turning the US culture wars into charity?
DAFs channel huge amounts of cash to ‘culture war’ groups – anonymously. Why do people get tax breaks for using them?
Can the Pandemic Be Blamed for the Surge in Violence Against Women in India?
COVID lockdowns in India worsened economic abuse against women, creating new forms of control, exploitation, and vulnerability, as revealed in research.
Seizing Russian state assets to rebuild Ukraine: Will it prolong the war, or end it?
As Canada leads in seizing Russian state assets for Ukraine’s rebuilding, questions arise about its impact on war’s end and global diplomacy.
Is Private Investment the Solution to New Zealand’s Social Service Challenges?
Delve into New Zealand’s social investment strategy, questioning the role of private investors and evaluating the effectiveness of social impact bonds.
Science & Technology
Could one small step for supply chains mean one giant leap toward sustainable space exploration?
Without proactive leadership on environmental sustainability, the New Zealand space industry risks losing competitive advantage in a global space market with increasingly environmentally conscious customers. Shedding light on supply chains is the first step.
How can Australians learn to live better with fire? Lessons for the World.
Discover the latest on bushfires: risk assessment, community resilience, innovative solutions, and the changing language surrounding fires in our evolving climate.
Sustain: How can nature guide our remedies for climate change driven flooding?
Maria Armoudian discusses nature-based solutions to flooding with Gary Brierley and Tim Welch.
The Scholars’ Circle: Could a push to “deep listening” help promote biodiversity?
The Scholar’ Circle discuss the book The Sound of Nature by Karen Bakker, then talks about the meaning of Thanksgiving in the contemporary relationship between the United States and Indigenous people.
Is the Ocean the Key to New Zealand’s Climate Change Battle?
New Zealand explores ocean strategies for carbon neutrality, considering kelp farms, coastal wetlands, and marine carbon removal for climate goals and risks
What’s triggering the Southern Ocean sea ice decline? Over 200 scientists sound the alarm for urgent conservation action.
Scientists from 19 countries reveal the Southern Ocean crisis—declining sea ice, warming oceans, and urgent calls for global conservation action.
Business & Economics
Could one small step for supply chains mean one giant leap toward sustainable space exploration?
Without proactive leadership on environmental sustainability, the New Zealand space industry risks losing competitive advantage in a global space market with increasingly environmentally conscious customers. Shedding light on supply chains is the first step.
Will the Clean Car Discount’s Reversal Shift the Gear on SUV and Ute Sales in NZ?
Explore the potential impact of New Zealand’s Clean Car Discount reversal on SUV and ute sales, road safety, and emissions reduction. Insights from Timothy Welch, University of Auckland.
What are donor-advised funds and how are they turning the US culture wars into charity?
DAFs channel huge amounts of cash to ‘culture war’ groups – anonymously. Why do people get tax breaks for using them?
Can tourism thrive without the environment picking up the bill?
Discover the dilemmas of New Zealand’s resurging tourism industry, balancing economic benefits with environmental and cultural preservation for a sustainable future.
Is Uber-style surge pricing the answer to Auckland’s congestion nightmare?
Can Uber-style surge pricing ease Auckland’s traffic chaos and save millions in congestion costs? Tim Hazledine from the University of Auckland explains.
Is It Time for New Zealand to Join the Global Right-to-Repair Movement?
Explore the call for a “Right to Repair” in New Zealand to combat disposable products, software locks, and copyright hurdles affecting consumers and the environment.
Arts & Culture
Reviving a Lost Heritage: How Can an Indigenous Community Resurrect Its Dormant Language?
Discover the initiative to revive Ta rē Moriori, an indigenous language in New Zealand, led by linguist John Middleton and Hokotehi Moriori Trust.
Does AI work by exploiting our unwaged labour?
Fabio Morreale exposes the exploitation of AI training through our interactions, raising ethical concerns and advocating for change.
Is “Now and Then” really a Beatles song?
Discover the AI-driven revival of the Beatles’ “Now and Then,” exploring its technology, historical context, and its impact on the legendary band’s legacy.
Can NZ step up and address Earth system decline?
The Government of Aotearoa New Zealand has a unique opportunity to demonstrate leadership and action by changing its laws to conform with the laws of nature, writes Klaus Bosselmann. Can NZ step up and help lead?
Will AI Become the Arbiter of Music Copyright Infringement?
Musicologist Dr. Patrick Savage examines the effectiveness of algorithms in detecting music plagiarism and their role in copyright infringement cases.
The fall into the abyss
In April 1909, two waves of massacres shook the province of Adana, located in the southern Anatolia region of modern-day Turkey, killing more than 20,000 Armenians and 2,000 Muslims.
Ngā Ara Whetū
Could one small step for supply chains mean one giant leap toward sustainable space exploration?
Without proactive leadership on environmental sustainability, the New Zealand space industry risks losing competitive advantage in a global space market with increasingly environmentally conscious customers. Shedding light on supply chains is the first step.
Who are today’s climate activists? Dispelling three big myths on Earth Day.
It’s easy to get caught up in the myths about climate activism, particularly in today’s polarized political environment. On Earth Day 2024, let’s explore the truth about three of the big myths being told about climate activism and the climate movement today.
Sustain: How can nature guide our remedies for climate change driven flooding?
Maria Armoudian discusses nature-based solutions to flooding with Gary Brierley and Tim Welch.
Sustain: What does a new President mean for biodiversity in Guatemala?
Guatemala is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for land and environmental activists. Pauline Herbst speaks with Maya Q’eqchi’ community leader in education Fredy Oxom and anthropologist Callie Vandewiele to find out why a silent indigenous led protest is important for biodiversity.
Sustain: Is forestry contributing to climate change?
Maria Armoudian discusses the role of forestry in climate change with Kevin Trenberth, George Perry and Cate Macinnis-Ng.
Reimagining Our World: A Competition from Ngā Ara Whetū and The Big Q
Ngā Ara Whetū and The Big Q have come together with a competition that encourages us to think differently. This competition asks participants to explore new possibilities in redefining success and beauty.
Sustain: What can be done about invasive species?
Maria Armoudian discusses invasive species with ecological experts Jacqueline Beggs and Al Glen.
Rod’s Big Q: What’s the new business model in a world with climate change?
Rod McNaughton is a professor of entrepreneurship and academic director of the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Drawing on his experience developing entrepreneurial ecosystems and helping start-ups launch and grow, Rod collaborates across the...
JR’S BIG Q: HOW CAN WE LIVE MORE LIGHTLY ON THE EARTH?
JR Rowland is an Earth scientist with research interests in geothermal energy and mineral resources, earthquakes and volcanoes. She is the Deputy Dean in the Faculty of Science. JR is a structural geologist passionate about tectonic-magmatic-hydrologic interactions,...
Rethinking Our Economy: The Case for a Circular Approach
Ngā Ara Whetū directors Saeid Baroutian and Maria Armoudian talked about a move to a circular economy with The Packaging Forum CEO Rob Langford, head of sustainability at Te Whatu Ora Waitematā Larisa Thathiah.