The Strange Attractor
Welcome to The Strange Attractor, an experimental podcast exploring ways of being, seeing, and doing that are grounded in the interconnectedness and the systems view of life. Drawing on complexity science, philosophy, wisdom traditions, and bio-inspired design, we explore how learning to see differently can help us build and create a more resilient and regenerative future.
Episodes
What connects a Shoreditch nightclub at 2am, a palm agroforestry project in the Amazon, and the question of whether anything can ever truly be 'regenerative'?
In this long-form conversation on Strange Attractor, Sam sits down with Murray Gray – CEO of Sustainable Table, former systemic venture builder at Metabolic, and Fresh Ventures – to trace a throughline from DJing and the early dubstep scene ...
Plastic is everywhere, and not just in landfill. It’s in our clothes, our water, and the invisible systems that make 'single use' feel normal. We sit down with Simon and Vasundhara from Compound, a CoLabs venture exploring algae biomaterials, to ask a simple question with massive consequences: what if we could replace soft plastics with materials grown from seaweed?
Vasundhara brings an industrial desig...
David is a researcher-turned-innovator with three decades in biomedical science, a PhD-era discovery that reshaped our understanding of energy metabolism, and a new company, Utilium, born from a hospital bed and a handful of rocks from Bunnings.
In this episode, we sit down with one of CoLabs' Impact Members to explore his bio-inspired approach to biofilms: the invisible microbial communities that cost global industr...
Kelp forests are disappearing into white rock deserts, and Henry Cole is wading straight into the problem—then bottling the solution. We bring you a frontline look at how invasive seaweed and exploding urchin populations can be harvested to restore reefs and transformed into premium skincare actives and agricultural inputs that people already want.
Henry’s journey runs from deep-sea fishing and oi...
What if the issue isn’t the material itself, but the system wrapped around it?
In this conversation, we jump straight into the uncomfortable truth that there are no sustainable materials – only better choices made in context. Joining us is designer and Halo co-founder Sarah de Silva, as we unpack how coatings, building codes, logistics, incentives and infrastructure can quickly turn a ‘green’ ...
What does a $10k cultivated meat dumpling taste like?
Pretty great.
But honestly, that’s not the point.
The real story is how fast that price is free-falling, and what that unlocks for real food on real plates. In this episode, we sit down with Magic Valley CEO Paul Bevan to get past the headlines and into the gritty, resilient work of building a cultivated meat company in Australia.
We kick off with culture, beca...
If you could ask a living material to help fix our mess, what would you grow first – packaging, panels, or leather? We sit down with Amanda from Fungi Solutions to share how mycelium turns waste streams into durable, lightweight, and compostable products that actually work at scale. From early experiments binding fashion off-cuts to refined packaging that replaces polystyrene, we map the practical steps, the s...
What happens when a hospitality veteran with a passion for problem-solving discovers her new puppy is predisposed to joint issues? For Paloma Newton, it sparked, naturally, led to an Australian-first in pet healthcare.
Paloma's path to founding Elita is anything but conventional. Infact, her entire journey is about as unconventional as can be, but like most great innovators, the meandering path is the one mos...
When Stuart Fraser looked at the tech his physicist colleague Marcella showed him – a two-nanometer carbon layer that could bind biomolecules with unprecedented strength – he immediately recognised its world-changing potential. 'If I didn't commercialise this, it would be a tremendous waste for society,' he recalls thinking.
That moment transformed Fraser from a redundant academic to the founder o...
Join us as we welcome Martin Thompson, the visionary CEO and founder of Oncoparse, who has transformed personal adversity into groundbreaking innovation in the fight against pancreatic cancer. From his journey as an electrical engineer to co-founding Lenexa Medical, Martin's story is a testament to the power of design-led thinking and interdisciplinary collaboration. Discover how the University of Melbourne's biodes...
How can organisations build trust in a world filled with scepticism and uncertainty? Discover the answer with socio-technology ethicist Nate Kinch, who shares his expertise in integrating philosophy, cognitive science, and systems theory to operationalise trustworthiness through design thinking. Nate offers a compelling definition of trust as the willingness to be relationally vulnerable based on positive expectatio...
When Ariella Heffernan-Marks traded her stethoscope for a Software Startup, she didn't just shift careers—she went on a mission to redefine women's healthcare through the power of AI. Our latest episode welcomes this tenacious CEO to share her story of resilience, defying sceptics to lead a platform that's transforming the way female health literacy and collaborative decision-making coalesce. Her insights weav...
Prepare to be schooled by the lab virtuoso himself, Aaron Budai from Amicus Labline, as he takes us under his wing, imparting wisdom on the subtleties of lab creation. This episode promises to equip you with the knowledge needed to navigate the nuanced landscape of lab design, avoiding the dreaded pitfalls that often besiege the unwary as they venture out on their lab-building journey.
Imagine a laboratory s...
Join us as we dive into a discussion with one of our long-time members, Vignesh from Purifloh. We explore the multitude of applications for purifying water, sterilising surfaces, destroying PFAS, and even improving how we preserve food. Tune in and discover the interplay of natural principles and human ingenuity that's shaping a cleaner, healthier world.
Water is life, and this episode delves into the complex...
We recently reconnected with Aqeel Akber, a nuclear physicist turned entrepreneur and co-founder of AI and Data consultancy Thaum. 15 minutes into our catch-up at Market Lane over a batch brew, we decided to jump behind the mic for an impromptu exploration into the heart of technology's impact on society.
It's not every day that you meet a kindred spirit at Burning Seed, but when you do, you're in for a dial...
We're experimenting with a first for us on the podcast: a shorter, condensed version where we (Andrew and Sam) cover off what has been happening recently in and around the lab.
This conversation includes updates on:
- Our new site that is being built in the Monash Precinct
- Our civic science hub, BioQuisitive and it's relaunch
- Two of our members that are graduating!
- A few new members that a...
For this episode, we sat down with Edgar Charry, the co-founder of Symex Labs, to explore the nuanced and deeply personal world of reproductive health.
This episode brings forth a candid account of Edgar's startup journey, driven by his own fertility challenges. Together, we chart the human experiences that fuel scientific breakthroughs, and how Edgar's venture is carving out a new path for pre-IVF treatment,...
Have you ever wondered what happens when the frontiers of biology and technology collide? Hon Weng Chong, the CEO of Cortical Labs, sits down with us and takes us on a recap of his journey thus far. Starting with his transition from being a medical doctor, through to being a tech innovator, Hon takes us through the crests and troughs of startup life, explores some of the philosophic implications of his organis...
Ready to delve into the world of AI startups, media bias, and the future of research and education? This episode promises an enlightening conversation with Ben and Justin, a.k.a 'the AI boys' the brains (and potential boy band) behind Rava, an emerging AI startup and impact member at CoLabs Australia. We explore their journey into this fascinating field and the decision that led them to leave their academic pursuits...
Imagine a future where materials like leather are sustainable, ethical, and biobased, harming no animals in its production. Imagine a world where your leather handbag could be thrown in your garden at the end of its life, where it could decompose and actively regenerate the soil.
Luckily for us, this vision of an entangled future where nature-grown and human-made collide is closer than you think. (Hat tip to...
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