Here's how much your holiday dinner will cost this year
By Janet Music Et Al
The holiday season is fast approaching and Canadians of all backgrounds are gearing up to celebrate by sharing food with loved ones. For many, traditional Christmas foods like turkey are front and centre, with vegetable...
How to encourage China to become a law-abiding member of the rules-based international order
By Hari Har Jnawali
Like many nations, Chinas relationship to the rules-based international order has often featured a selective adherence to those rules and a focus on its own interests, sometimes resulting in violating international laws...
Earth may have had all the elements needed for life within it all along − contrary to theories that these elements came from meteorites
By Shichun Huang Et Al
For many years, scientists have predicted that many of the elements that are crucial ingredients for life, like sulfur and nitrogen, first came to Earth when asteroid-type objects carrying them crashed into our planets...
What is needle spiking, and how can I protect myself?
By Nicole Lee
Last week two young Australian women spoke candidly to the ABC about being sexually assaulted while on holidays. The alleged incidents occurred in Greece in 2022 and in Hawaii in 2019.
Both women described common...
How agriculture can make the most of one of the world’s biggest carbon sink, soil
By Rémi Cardinael Et Al
Its right under our feet. We barely notice as we go about our lives, yet it is nothing less than the largest carbon repository among all of Earths ecosystems. This distinction is awarded neither to forests, nor to the...
Five tips on talking politics with family without falling out – from a conflict resolution expert
By Majbritt Lyck-Bowen
Family gatherings can be difficult, especially when politics enters the conversation. If you feel anxious about discussing divisive issues and falling out with people you love, you are not alone.
The war between Israel...
Universal basic income: Wales is set to end its experiment – why we think that’s a mistake
By Hefin Gwilym Et Al
The Welsh government has announced that its universal basic income (UBI) project will not be continued after the initial pilot ends in 2025 because of the cost.
The trial involved paying monthly payments of 1,600 each...
UFOs: how astronomers are searching the sky for alien probes near Earth
By Beatriz Villarroel
There has been increased interest in unidentified flying objects (UFOs) ever since the Pentagons 2021 report revealed what appears to be anomalous objects in US airspace, dubbed unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP). Fast...
Technology is stealing your time in ways you may not realise – here’s what you can do about it
By Ruth Ogden Et Al
Technology is supposed to make our lives easier. Smart phones provide a palm-size window to the world, enabling us to do almost anything at the touch of a button. Smart homes look after themselves, and virtual meetings...
COP28: South Africa pioneered plans to transition to renewable energy – what went wrong
By Alex Lenferna
South Africas experience in piloting a new type of climate finance vehicle can inform debates about how to fund a just transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
Two years ago at COP26, South Africa piloted the...
Your car might be watching you to keep you safe − at the expense of your privacy
By M. Hadi Amini
Depending on which late-model vehicle you own, your car might be watching you literally and figuratively as you drive down the road. Its watching you with cameras that monitor the cabin and track where youre looking, and...
How electroconvulsive therapy heals the brain − new insights into ECT, a stigmatized yet highly effective treatment for depression
By Sydney E. Smith
When most people hear about electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT, it typically conjures terrifying images of cruel, outdated and pseudo-medical procedures. Formerly known as electroshock therapy, this perception of ECT as...
Intellectual humility is a key ingredient for scientific progress
By Michael Dickson
The virtue of intellectual humility is getting a lot of attention. Its heralded as a part of wisdom, an aid to self-improvement and a catalyst for more productive political dialogue. While researchers define intellectual...
Citizen science projects tend to attract white, affluent, well-educated volunteers − here's how we recruited a more diverse group to identify lead pipes in homes
By Danielle Lin Hunter Et Al
Recruiting participants for a citizen science project produced a more diverse group when people were signed up through partner organizations, such as schools and faith-based organizations, than when they joined on their...
What is the government's preventative detention bill?
By Michelle Peterie Et Al
After a week of non-stop headlines, the governments preventative detention legislation is being debated in the lower house, just in time for the end of the sitting year. Its likely to pass on Thursday.
The new laws will...
The new Tesla Cybertruck is super-fast and bullet-proof – but who is it for? An expert analyses the design
By Matthew Watkins
Broadcasting live on X (formerly known as Twitter) last Thursday, Teslas CEO (and X owner) Elon Musk said that the Tesla Cybertruck is a car of the future that looks like the future.
The design is bold. Not just due to...
The 7 charts that show Australians struggling as saving falls to near zero
By Stephen Bartos
The national accounts released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show economic growth slid to a measly 0.2% in the last quarter.
Thats well down from a low 0.4% in the June quarter.
Of course, economic...
Can the government's new market mechanism help save nature? Yes – if we get the devil out of the detail
By Patrick O'Connor
Australians woke up this morning to discover they had a nature repair market, after the legislation passed late last night.
Except it wont be called a market, after amendments by the Greens, and it wont include...
What is the hospital funding agreement politicians are talking about today?
By Stephen Duckett
National Cabinet meets today to discuss three big issues in Commonwealth-state financial relations: GST allocation, National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funding, and a Commonwealth government proposal to kick-start...
Want to know if your data are managed responsibly? Here are 15 questions to help you find out
By P. Alison Paprica Et Al
As the volume and variety of data about people increases, so does the number of ideas about how data might be used. Studies show that many people want their data to be used for public benefit.
However, the research also...
Japan: Myths to Manga – Young V&A exhibition celebrates nature's influence on Japanese culture
By Nana Sato-Rossberg
Japan: Myths to Manga at the Young VA is loosely divided into four parts: sky, sea, forest and city. The underlying theme of the exhibition is showcasing how traditions developed in these contexts relate to contemporary...
Education should look to the way artists are embracing AI, instead of turning its back on the technology
By Lucy Gill-Simmen
Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to make a major impact on many sectors of society over the coming decades. Some of these effects may be positive, others less so.
When ChatGPT was released, education, a...
Why Franklin, Washington and Lincoln considered American democracy an 'experiment' -- and were unsure if it would survive
By Thomas Coens
From the time of the founding era to the present day, one of the more common things said about American democracy is that it is an experiment.
Most people can readily intuit what the term is meant to convey, but it is...
Scientists have been researching superconductors for over a century, but they have yet to find one that works at room temperature − 3 essential reads
By Mary Magnuson
If you hadnt heard about superconductors before 2023, odds are you know what they are now. Researchers raised eyebrows early in the year with claims of operational room-temperature superconductors, though none has been...
New genetic research uncovers the lives of Bornean hunter-gatherers
By Pradiptajati Kusuma
Borneo is one of the worlds most biodiversity-rich regions, home to ancient rainforests and an immense variety of wildlife.
Among its inhabitants are the Punan Batu, a group of contemporary nomadic hunter-gatherers with...
Will the RBA raise rates again? Unless prices surge over summer, it's looking less likely
By Peter Martin1
If youre looking for clues about whether the Reserve Bank has any interest rate rises left, Governor Michele Bullock offered several in her statement after Tuesdays board meeting, saying:
the latest monthly...
Fossil CO₂ emissions hit record high yet again in 2023
By Pep Canadell Et Al
Global emissions of fossil carbon dioxide (CO₂), in yet another year of growth, will increase by 1.1% in 2023. These emissions will hit a record 36.8 billion tonnes. Thats the finding of the Global Carbon Projects 18th...
At HOTA, sneakers find their well-deserved place in art galleries at last
By Indigo Willing
Sneakers were once traditionally associated with what fashion academic Naomi Braithwaite describes as athleticism: they were only considered in their relationship to sports.
But things have changed in one of the most...
What happens after net zero? The impacts will play out for decades, with poorest countries still feeling the heat
By Liam Cassidy Et Al
Humanitys emissions of greenhouse gases have caused rapid global warming at a rate unprecedented in at least the past 2,000 years. Rapid global warming has been accompanied by increases in the frequency and intensity of...
Public health errors: Why it's crucial to understand what they are before assessing COVID-19 responses
By Itai Bavli
Joe Vipond, a Canadian emergency room physician who was a strong supporter of masking during the pandemic, said in a speech last year that the slow recognition that COVID-19 is spread by airborne transmission resulted in...
Implementing a basic income means overcoming myths about the 'undeserving poor'
By Tracy Smith-Carrier
Newfoundland and Labrador recently announced plans to introduce a basic income for people aged 60-64 receiving social assistance. It is slated to roll out in April 2024 and will match existing federal seniors...
Humans, rats and dogs pushed the takahē into Fiordland – new genetic research maps its dramatic journey
By Nic Rawlence Et Al
Takahē are a striking bird and a national treasure in Aotearoa New Zealand. But the history and origin story of this flightless swamp hen have become a point of scientific debate.
Our latest research uncovered the...
Endometriosis: It’s time to change the pattern of pain, stigma and barriers to diagnosis and treatment
By Sarah Seabrook Et Al
Endometriosis is a debilitating disease that affects an estimated one million Canadians. It involves the overgrowth of endometrial tissue (the tissue that lines the uterus), which typically sheds during menstruation and...
Best books of 2023: our experts share the books that have stayed with them
By Jen Webb Et Al
We asked 20 of our regular contributors to nominate their favourite books of the year. Their choices were diverse, intriguing and sometimes surprising. Whether youre looking for something relaxing or stimulating,...
COP28: with a ‘loss and damage’ fund in place, protecting climate refugees is more urgent than ever
By Dr. Dalila Gharbaoui
It has taken decades, but the complex and increasingly urgent issue of climate mobility has gradually become central to international climate negotiations.
At the COP28 summit currently taking place in Dubai, there are...
Why do private schools get more holidays than public schools?
By Paul Kidson
Its that time of year when it seems the more school fees parents pay, the less time their children spend in school.
For example, within a few kilometres of each other in Melbourne are an independent school whose last...
Cruel summer ahead – why is Australia so unprepared?
By Susan Harris Rimmer
2023 has shattered climate records, accompanied by extreme weather that has left a trail of devastation and despair, according to the World Meteorological Organization at COP 28. Some of the most significant extreme heat...
Was going to space a good idea?
By Alice Gorman
In 1963, six years after the first satellite was launched, editors from the Encyclopaedia Britannica posed a question to five eminent thinkers of the day: Has mans conquest of space increased or diminished his stature? The...
Will Japanese encephalitis return this summer? What about other diseases mosquitoes spread?
By Cameron Webb Et Al
The last two summers have been swarming with mosquitoes thanks to near constant rain and flooding brought on by La Niña.
With the return of El Niño, and a hot, dry summer in store, whats the outlook for...
'A deeply thoughtful and sensuous show': a rarely experienced intimacy with Louise Bourgeois
By Léa Vuong
As you make your way towards the Art Gallery of New South Wales, you will come across the giant sinewy bronze legs of the artists monumental sculpture Maman (mum in French) looming near the entrance.
As large to us as...
Holiday co-parenting after separation or divorce: 6 legal and practical tips for surviving and thriving
By Rebecca Jaremko Bromwich
The approaching holiday season will be the first post-split for Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire, who separated in summer 2023. It may also be the first for you.
Welcome to co-parenting,...
Rats are more human than you think – and they certainly like being around us
By Tobias Linné
Rats have a somewhat unfortunate tendency to enjoy living where people live. Thats how a biologist tried to explain peoples hatred for the rodents in a television news feature about rats gnawing electrical cables in parked...
How conspiracy theories can affect the communities they attack – new research
By Daniel Jolley Et Al
Scientists have learned a lot about why people believe in conspiracy theories and how they harm society over the past couple of decades. Yet little is known about how the groups targeted by conspiracy theories feel and...
Uber's U-turn over listing black cabs isn't difficult to understand when you look at its finances
By John Colley
Uber is courting its arch enemy, London black cabs, inviting them to add their services to its app for the first time. Licensed taxis in 33 countries, including France and the US, have already received similar invitations....
All the video games shortlisted for the 2023 Game Awards – reviewed by experts
By Theo Tzanidis Et Al
Six games have been shortlisted for the 2023 Game Awards the industrys equivalent of the Oscars. Our academics review the finalists ahead of the announcement of the winner on December 7.
Marvels Spider-Man...
How a hybrid heating system could lower your bills and shrink your carbon footprint
By Jovana Radulovic
To heat your home without damaging the climate, you will need to replace your gas boiler. UK government advisers recommend switching to appliances that run on electricity.
However, if a root-and-branch conversion to...
Why iconic trees are so important to us – and how replacing those that fall is often complicated
By Helen Parish Et Al
An ancient kola tree has been cut down in southern Ghana. Local tradition held that the tree had grown on the spot where spiritual leader Komfo Anokye had spat a kola nut onto the ground three centuries...
Collagen supplements may help improve the health of your tendons and bones
By Rob Erskine
Collagen has become a popular ingredient in the skincare industry, with high-profile advocates such as Jennifer Aniston and the Kardashians taking it for its purported anti-ageing benefits.
But it isnt just our skin...
Exercise benefits physical and brain health in people with Down's syndrome – new research
By Dan Gordon Et Al
Exercise is known to have many benefits when it comes to cognitive function such as improving memory and concentration skills. Research shows this is true for people in many different age groups, and even in those with...
Childhood pneumonia is surging in many countries – while the germs causing it are known, the effect of co-infections aren't
By Zania Stamataki
You may have heard reports about outbreaks of pneumonia affecting children in the Netherlands, Denmark and parts of the US and China, which are higher than usual for this time of year. Parents are keeping a watchful eye on...
