So the government gave sports grants to marginal seats. What happens now?

By Maria O'Sullivan

When Australians pay their income tax, they assume the money is going to areas of the community that need it, rather than being used by the government to shore up votes for the next election. This is why the findings of...

Why teen depression rates are rising faster for girls than boys

By Jean Twenge

Were in the middle of a teen mental health crisis and girls are at its epicenter. Since 2010, depression, self-harm and suicide rates have increased among teen boys. But rates of major depression among teen girls in...

Beware of bushfire scams: how fraudsters take advantage of those in need

By Cassandra Cross

Theres been an overwhelming outpouring of love and support around the world for those impacted by the bushfires, from social-media donation drives to music concerts to authors auctioning off their books. Sadly, but...

The end of the checkout signals a dire future for those without the right skills

By Richard Holden

There has already been a fair number of jobs lost to automation over recent decades from factory workers to bank tellers. In the coming decade we might see radically larger numbers of jobs lost to automation, thanks to...

‘Les Misérables’ by Ladj Ly: the broken promises of the French Republic

By Beth Epstein

The critically acclaimed new film by Ladj Ly, Les Misérables, opens with a scene of teenagers from the disadvantaged suburbs of Paris excitedly heading into the city to celebrate the French teams 2018 World Cup win....

In defence of Michael McCain: Speaking out is what strong leaders do

By Deborah de Lange

While leaders often take pains to avoid controversial topics and the glare of hostile publicity, it is the sine qua non the absolute necessity of strong leaders to speak out about whats right and wrong, especially at...

Racism, colonialism and slavery: why 'empire' needs to be removed from the UK honours system

By Gill Margaret Hague Et Al

Too many National Honours nominees in the UK have been put in an impossible dilemma. Either they reject their well-deserved award or accept it with grave anxieties because of the British empire tag to the names. MBE, OBE...

Car wars: how Nokia could find itself at centre of EU investigation over technology patents

By Enrico Bonadio Et Al

Thanks to cutting-edge digital technology, cars are increasingly like smartphones on wheels, so manufacturers need to have access to the latest patented 4G and 5G technologies essential to navigation and communications....

Why you need more Vitamin D in the winter

By Margherita T. Cantorna

Winter is upon us and so is the risk of vitamin D deficiency and infections. Vitamin D, which is made in our skin following sunlight exposure and also found in oily fish (mackerel, tuna and sardines), mushrooms and...

US-China trade pact President Trump just signed fails to resolve 3 fundamental issues

By Penelope B. Prime

U.S. President Donald Trump signed a trade deal with China on Jan. 15 intended as a first phase toward a more comprehensive agreement between the two countries. In exchange for some tariff relief, China promised to buy...

The devil is in the detail when it comes to responsible investing

By Cecile Feront Et Al

With the recent flood of pledges by investors to turn up the heat on climate action, one might think that the investment industry was in the midst of a profound shift. If only that were the case. Officially, the...

Financial trading bots have fascinating similarities to people – we need to learn from them

By Christian Borch

In 2019, the world fretted that algorithms now know us better than we know ourselves. No concept captures this better than surveillance capitalism, a term coined by American writer Shoshana Zuboff to describe a bleak new...

Finding answers to what makes -- or breaks -- South Africa's young cricketers

By Mary Ann Dove

Most of South Africas top players, such as the champion batsman and former national captain AB de Villiers, come from privileged, or relatively privileged, white backgrounds. So what environmental factors have enabled...

In Iraq, Soleimani assassination complicates soft power battle between US and Iran

By Bamo Nouri

When thousands of anti-government protesters returned to Iraqs streets on January 10, they were expressing anger at the explosion of foreign interference in their countrys affairs in early 2020. Keep your war away, one...

Russia's cabinet resigns and it's all part of Putin's plan

By Regina Smyth

Editors note: Russias prime minister, Dmitry A. Medvedev, and cabinet resigned on Jan. 15. Russian politics are often not what they seem, especially to those in the West. We asked Regina Smyth, a Russia scholar at...

Moving the A-League to the winter would improve the play, but will it attract the fans?

By Jessica Richards Et Al

In the past week, the Australian football players union has been pressuring the A-League to make a major change in the sport shifting to a winter competition, instead of its current spot in the brutal summer. Both the...

How sports fans respond to their teams' wavering odds of winning

By Sam Maglio

The most diehard NFL fans have already seen their seasons come to an end. This has nothing to do with whether their hometown team made the playoffs and everything to do with the annual exercise in humility known as fantasy...

Cheating may be underreported across Canada's universities and colleges

By Sarah Elaine Eaton

Media have reported allegations of creative cheating strategies at universities across Canada, including hacking grades, bribery and breaking into offices to steal exams. Nursing students at Brandon University are...

We have already had countless bushfire inquiries. What good will it do to have another?

By Kevin Tolhurst

As our country battles the most extensive fires of our lifetime, there are increasing calls for a royal commission into the states and territories preparedness and the federal governments response to the disaster. A...

Might the bushfire crisis be the turning point on climate politics Australian needs?

By John Daley Et Al

Countries have long periods in which policies change little, and only by increments. Occasionally there are turning points, when previously intractable policy problems are suddenly resolved, recasting policy for the...

So, you want to live tiny? Here's what to consider when choosing a house, van or caravan

By Heather Shearer Et Al

The reasons for choosing to go tiny range from reducing debt, inability to afford a conventional home, the search for sustainability, a life crisis, or even preparing for an uncertain future in the face of climate change...

5 tips to help ease your child back into school mode after the holidays

By Christine Grové Et Al

Most children in Australia are going back to school in just over a week. Children experience a mix of emotions when it comes to going to school. Easing back after the holidays can range from feeling really excited and...

BlackRock is the canary in the coalmine. Its decision to dump coal signals what's next

By John Quiggin

The announcement by BlackRock, the worlds largest fund manager, that it will dump more than half a billion dollars in thermal coal shares from all of its actively managed portfolios, might not seem like big...

Bushfires left millions of animals dead. We should use them, not just bury them

By Emma Spencer Et Al

Bushfires this season have left an estimated 1 billion dead animals in their wake, their carcasses dotting the blackened landscape. Adding to the toll, farmers are being forced to euthanise injured and starving...

Don't die wondering: apps may soon be able to predict your life expectancy, but do you want to know?

By James Jin Kang Et Al

When will I die? This question has endured across cultures and civilisations. It has given rise to a plethora of religions and spiritual paths over thousands of years, and more recently, some highly amusing apps. But...

Worst marine heatwave on record killed one million seabirds in North Pacific Ocean

By Tim Birkhead

The common guillemot (known as the common murre in North America) breeds in both the Pacific and the Atlantic and is among the most abundant seabirds in the northern hemisphere. But like many other seabirds, its numbers...

Cancer treatment: study finds targeting nearby 'normal' cells could improve survival rates

By Ingo Ringshausen

Cancer of the immune system, called lymphoma or leukaemia, generally affects the entire bodys bone marrow and lymph nodes. Because these types of cancers are so widespread, surgery isnt useful, so patients are usually...

Screen time: Conclusions about the effects of digital media are often incomplete, irrelevant or wrong

By Byron Reeves Et Al

Theres a lot of talk about digital media. Increasing screen time has created worries about medias impacts on democracy, addiction, depression, relationships, learning, health, privacy and much more. The effects are...

The pitfalls of eco-efficiency

By Régis Chenavaz

The saying the road to hell is paved with good intentions can be applied to many situations, and among them are companies efforts to preserve natural resources. For example, changes intended to reduce resource use can in...

We need to modernize how we measure national wealth

By Gregory C Mason

I recently tried an experiment. I changed several light bulbs, and since one required a little rewiring, I sent my wife (also known as the majority shareholder) a bill for $110.50 (plus GST). In return, she sent me a bill...

Apple's share price has doubled, but there is a crunch coming – investors should watch out

By Arturo Bris

Apple shareholders must be extremely happy with the companys performance in the past 12 months. The stock price is up 111% since the end of 2018, not to mention the US$3 (2.31) per share that the company has paid in...

Why South Africa's children are vulnerable to violence and injuries

By Shanaaz Mathews Et Al

South African children are vulnerable to injuries, not just those that are accidental but also those inflicted intentionally. This is according to the 2019 Child Gauge report, an annual publication that explores how...

What's behind violence in South Africa: a sociologist's perspective

By Lindy Heinecken

The 2018 Global Peace Index listed South Africa as one of the most violent and dangerous places on earth, and getting worse. South Africa has a long history of violence. It was used as a tool of power and governance by...

How we deduced that our ancestors liked roast vegetables too

By Lyn Wadley Et Al

Archaeological work at the Border Cave site has revealed the earliest evidence for cooked root vegetables. Border Cave lies between South Africa and eSwatini and has a remarkable record of human habitation. Hot, roasted...

Pasha 49: How Rwanda rebuilt a broken healthcare system

By Ozayr Patel

Rwanda has made strides in its health sector in recent years. The country is noted for making faster than expected progress over the past 15 years in reducing deaths among children younger than five. This is the result of...

Human gene editing: who decides the rules?

By Sheetal Soni

Gene editing technology allows scientists to make changes to an organisms DNA. It has made it possible to create cattle without horns, tomatoes that ripen slowly over time, and even mosquitoes that are incapable of...

Why fitness trackers may not give you all the 'credit' you hoped for

By Katie Siek

January is a time when many people make resolutions and then break them. Almost 60% of Americans will resolve to exercise more, but fewer than 10% will stick with their resolution. A key to keeping resolutions is ensuring...

Meet the narwhal, 'unicorn of the sea'

By Kristin Laidre

Narwhals are often called the unicorns of the sea. The long tusk of the male narwhal sets these whales apart, but its not the only thing that makes Monodon monoceros among the most intriguing and mysterious marine...

Who is born a US citizen?

By Carol Nackenoff Et Al

A recent court ruling about faraway American Samoa may have profound implications for a conflict thats been going on for nearly 200 years: who gets to be an American citizen. Debates over who gets citizenship and what...

Supreme Court DACA decision isn't just about Dreamers -- it's about whether the White House has to tell the truth

By Morgan Marietta

The fate of 700,000 people facing deportation may hang on a new question facing the U.S. Supreme Court: Is the White House legally obligated to tell the whole truth when justifying its actions? In November, justices...

What Iranians think of the US and their own government

By Monti Datta

After the Trump administration killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani with a drone strike on Jan. 3, anti-American protests in Iran subsequently spiked, with thousands mourning Soleimanis passing. As someone who...

How Iraq's relationship with Iran shifted after the fall of Saddam Hussein

By Johan Franzen

Following his capture by American troops, Saddam Hussein made a startling admission to George Piro, the FBI investigator tasked with interrogating him. The reason he had played cat and mouse with UN weapons inspectors for...

Should the government crowdfund a Big Ben Brexit bong?

By Ioannis Glinavos

An unexpected debate to emerge from Britains planned departure from the EU at the end of January 2020 has been over whether Big Ben should ring to commemorate the moment of Brexit. The clock tower of the Houses of...

3 quotes that defined the first Democratic debate of 2020

By Dennis Jett Et Al

Editors note: Six Democrats qualified for the final debate before the Iowa caucus on Feb. 3. We asked three scholars to watch the Jan. 14 debate, held at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and pick a quote from one of...

Formula 1 says it's going carbon neutral but fans must demand greater detail on how

By Michelle O'Shea Et Al

When Formula 1 announced late last year that the sport would be carbon neutral by 2030, the organisations chief technical officer spoke of the transition to a lower carbon world: F1 could play a huge role in this...

I'm struggling to breathe with all the bushfire smoke – could I have undiagnosed asthma?

By Christine Jenkins

As bushfire smoke continues to pollute the air of large parts of Australias eastern states, some people have experienced throat irritation, coughing and breathing difficulties. Health authorities have also warned more...

Iran-U.S. crisis reminds us how culture matters in war time

By Costanza Musu

As tensions have ratcheted up between the United States and Iran, a series of tweets by President Donald Trump threatening the deliberate targeting of Iranian cultural sites triggered a strong negative reaction around the...

Shaming people for flying won't cut airline emissions. We need a smarter solution

By Duygu Yengin Et Al

Fake news, the chief executive of Lufthansa has called it. But his counterpart at Air France calls it the airline industrys biggest challenge. So does the president of Emirates: Its got to be dealt with. What theyre...

Tech firms are winning the AI race because they understand data – other sectors need to catch up

By Didem Gurdur Broo

Artificial intelligence is already powering much of the technology helping to drive the modern economy. AI is now an essential part of how we use the internet but can also be found in stock exchanges, advanced factories...

Breast milk market is booming online – it's unregulated, might make your baby sick, but entirely legal

By Aoife Finnerty

For parents who want their child to have breast milk, but are unable produce it themselves, being able to buy it on the internet might seem like a hopeful solution. Many families might want to feed their infant breast milk...