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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...

Getting climate funds to conflict zones – a case for working with armed groups and local communities

By Ashley Jackson

Conflict-ridden and fragile countries are among the most vulnerable to climate change and least prepared to deal with it. They are largely excluded from climate adaptation programmes and funding. This is partly because...

COP28 president is wrong – science clearly shows fossil fuels must go (and fast)

By Steve Pye

According to the president of COP28, the latest round of UN climate negotiations in the United Arab Emirates, there is no science indicating that phasing out fossil fuels is necessary to restrict global heating to...

Certain states, including Arizona, have begun scrapping court costs and fees for people unable to pay – two experts on legal punishments explain why

By Alexes Harris Et Al

In todays American criminal legal system, courts impose fines and fees as a means to punish people and hold them accountable for legal violations. At times, people are sentenced to pay without incarceration, but...

Texas is suing Planned Parenthood for $1.8B over $10M in allegedly fraudulent services it rendered – a health care economist explains what's going on

By Graham Gardner

Planned Parenthood no longer provides abortions in Texas, Louisiana and the other 10 states that have essentially banned abortion since the Supreme Court handed down its Dobbs v. Jackson decision in June 2022. But the...

Philadelphia reduces school-based arrests by 91% since 2013 – researchers explain the effects of keeping kids out of the legal system

By Amanda NeMoyer Et Al

Across the United States, arrest rates for young people under age 18 have been declining for decades. However, the proportion of youth arrests associated with school incidents has increased. According to the U.S....

With the end of the Hollywood writers and actors strikes, the creator economy is the next frontier for organized labor

By David Craig Et Al

Hollywood writers and actors recently proved that they could go toe-to-toe with powerful media conglomerates. After going on strike in the summer of 2023, they secured better pay, more transparency from streaming services...

Online 'likes' for toxic social media posts prompt more − and more hateful − messages

By Joseph B. Walther

The rampant increase of hate messages on social media is a scourge in todays technology-infused society. Racism, homophobia, xenophobia and even personal attacks on people who have the audacity to disagree with someone...

Why isn't there any sound in space? An astronomer explains why in space no one can hear you scream

By Chris Impey

In space, no one can hear you scream. You may have heard this saying. Its the tagline from the famous 1979 science fiction movie Alien. Its a scary thought, but is it true? The simple answer is yes, no one can hear you...

The OpenAI saga demonstrates how big corporations dominate the shaping of our technological future

By Peter Bloom

The dramatic firing and reinstatement of Sam Altman as boss of OpenAI was more than a power shuffle. It was a glimpse at the overwhelming influence that big corporations and a few individuals possess when it comes to...

Why OpenAI developing an artificial intelligence that's good at maths is such a big deal

By Tom Oliver1

With the recent sacking and swift rehiring of Sam Altman by OpenAI, debates around the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) are once again in the spotlight. Whats more unusual is that a prominent theme in...

We're in an El Niño – so why has Australia been so wet?

By Andrew King1 Et Al

After three La Niña summers many of us would have been expecting much hotter and drier conditions this spring and summer after the arrival of El Niño. Instead, in many parts of eastern Australia its rained...

Could you move from your biological body to a computer? An expert explains ‘mind uploading’

By Clas Weber

Imagine brain scanning technology improves greatly in the coming decades, to the point that we can observe how each individual neuron talks to other neurons. Then, imagine we can record all this information to create a...

At the End of the Land: an avalanche of images that invites us to sit alone in time and space together

By Leah Mercer

At the End of the Land, a world premiere production by Western Australian interdisciplinary theatre makers Too Close to the Sun, is an experiential encounter with the liminal space between life and death and other...

For domestic violence victim-survivors, a data or privacy breach can be extraordinarily dangerous

By Catherine Fitzpatrick

A suite of recent cybersecurity data breaches highlight an urgent need to overhaul how companies and government agencies handle our data. But these incidents pose particular risks to victim-survivors of domestic...

Nicola Willis warns of fiscal ‘snakes and snails’ – her first mini-budget will be a test of NZ’s no-surprises finance rules

By Michael Ryan

New finance minister Nicola Willis has claimed she was blindsided by the state of the governments books. Days after stepping into the role, she said: The outgoing government has left us with some nasty surprises....

A home among the gum trees: will the Great Koala National Park actually save koalas?

By Tim Cadman Et Al

Its a visionary idea: a national park for koalas. Conceived over a decade ago, the idea gained prominence after Labor took the idea to three successive elections in New South Wales. Now theyre in office and have finally...

We all know about JobKeeper, which helped Australians keep their jobs in a global crisis. So how about HomeKeeper?

By Chris Wallace

Bipartisan support for temporary extra government spending to preserve businesses and jobs through JobKeeper was one of the few positive outcomes from the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognition that the long-term damage caused...

Happy birthday AUD: how our Australian dollar was floated, 40 years ago this week

By Selwyn Cornish Et Al

These days, we take for granted that the value of the Australian dollar fluctuates against other currencies, changing thousands of times a day and at times jumping or falling quite a lot in the space of a week. But for...

Ukraine war: Russia's hard line at European security meeting ratchets up tensions another notch

After many months of diplomatic wrangling, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) was granted another lease of life at the annual ministerial council meeting last week in a messy compromise between...

Nvidia Adapts to US Chip Export Limits, Delays China AI Chip Launch

10:09 AM| Business Technology

Nvidia is collaborating with the US government to ensure compliance with export curbs for new chips intended for the Chinese market. Nvidia is expected to face challenges with the new US restrictions on chip...

Coca-Cola, PepsiCo Among Top Polluters in Lagos, Audit Reveals

09:32 AM| Business

The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, CWAY Group, Viju Industries, and Rite Foods have been identified as Lagoss top five polluting parent companies. This information was revealed as part of the outcome of a brand audit and...

Twitch to Exit South Korea in 2024 Amid High Costs and Video Quality Issues

08:43 AM| Business Technology

Twitch, the popular video streaming service, announced that it will shut down its operations in South Korea next year. Despite its previous dominance in the South Korean gaming market, Twitch has been grappling with high...

IBM Unveils Hyper Protect OSO for Enhanced Digital Asset Cold Storage Security

09:13 AM| Business Technology

IBM announced the launch of IBM Hyper Protect Offline Signing Orchestrator (OSO), a groundbreaking technology to implement cold storage solutions for digital assets. OSO represents the latest addition to IBMs extensive...

Tving, Wavve Ink MOU for Merger Push to Compete With Netflix, Other Global Streaming Heavyweights

06:14 AM| Business

CJ ENM and SK Square have signed a deal to merge Tving and Wavve online streaming platforms. This week, the memorandum of understanding (MOU) agreement between the firms was revealed. CJ ENM owns Tving, while SK Square...

Apple, Disney and other big brands are pulling X ads – why Elon Musk's latest 'firestorm' could bring down the company

By Denitsa Dineva - 07:49 AM| Business

Elon Musks recent endorsement of an antisemitic conspiracy theory on X (formerly Twitter) is the latest in a series of controversial statements the owner of the social media platform has made since he acquired it in 2022....

Top Stories

The government hopes private investors will fund social services – the evidence isn't so optimistic

By Tom Baker - 07:46 AM| Economy

It was scarcely mentioned during the election campaign, but we will undoubtedly be hearing more about social investment. As the National Partys election platform stated, it will be the organising framework for funding...

Wikipedia's volunteer editors are fleeing online abuse. Here's what that could mean for the internet (and you)

By Ivan Smirnov - 07:46 AM| Technology

Were now sadly used to seeing toxic exchanges play out on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and TikTok. But Wikipedia is a reference work. How heated can people get over an encyclopedia? Our...

Global Geopolitics Series

Seizing Russian state assets to rebuild Ukraine: Will it prolong the war, or end it?

By Jon Unruh Et Al - 07:46 AM| Insights & Views

International momentum is growing to seize Russian state assets, including central bank reserves, to pay for rebuilding a post-war Ukraine instead of expecting western taxpayers to foot the bill. Canada has moved beyond...

Microsoft's ban on third-party controllers on the Xbox excludes some disabled gamers from using the device

By Juan Escobar-Lamanna - 07:46 AM| Technology Business

When it comes to accessibility in gaming, Microsoft takes two steps forward with the Xbox Adaptive Controller, but a giant leap back with its ban on third-party devices. On Oct. 31, some Xbox players began receiving a...

Global Geopolitics Series

Warfare ruins the environment – and not just on the front lines

By Jonathan Bridge - 11:03 AM| Insights & Views

On the morning of December 6 1917, a French cargo ship called SS Mont-Blanc collided with a Norwegian vessel in the harbour of Halifax in Nova Scotia, Canada. The SS Mont-Blanc, which was laden with 3,000 tons of high...

Why the UK economy is in such a state – and even the Labour party doesn’t seem to get how bad things are

By Costas Lapavitsas - 07:48 AM| Economy

The Labour leader Keir Starmer has warned that if his party wins the next UK general election, he will not be able to turn on the spending taps. Speaking at a thinktank event focused on the stagnation of the UK economy, he...

Econotimes Series

Economy

African countries lost control to foreign mining companies – the 3 steps that allowed this to happen

Within a few years of independence, African governments asserted sovereignty over their metal and mineral resources. Prior to this, the resources were exploited by European mining corporations. Since the 1990s,...

Canada’s Fall Economic Statement signals the ‘right to repair’ your tech devices

On Nov. 23, the Government of Canada released the 2023 Fall Economic Statement. In a bold move toward empowering consumers, reducing costs and promoting sustainability, the Canadian government has reiterated its commitment...

Governments have been able to overrule the Reserve Bank for 80 years. Why stop now?

Pay close enough attention to parliament these next few days, and youre likely to witness something truly remarkable: politicians from both sides of politics uniting to remove the power of politicians to overrule the...

Western Pharma Shifts Focus from China to India Amid Rising Geopolitical Tensions

Western drugmakers are increasingly turning to alternative sources for drug production and clinical trials, shifting their attention away from Chinese contractors. According to industry experts and executives, this...

What the UK government's back to work plan covers – and why it is unlikely to boost people's job prospects

Ahead of the UK governments latest economic statement, the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, and the secretary of state for work and pensions, Mel Stride, unveiled a new employment support package dubbed the back to work...

Politics

Argentina's Brexit: why new president Milei is threatening to pull out of South America's common market

Javier Milei, who was elected as Argentinas new president on November 19, has promised to withdraw from the South American common market, Mercosur. This decision could have significant economic and social repercussions...

Government's preventative detention for ex-detainees who pose serious risks set to pass this week

The government on Wednesday will introduce its legislation to enable preventative detention of former immigration detainees judged to pose a high risk of committing serious violent or sexual crimes. The legislation will...

Silencing Sarah Jama diminishes Canadian democracy

Sarah Jama, the MPP for Hamilton Centre, is suing the Ontario government and Legislative Assembly after being censured in the legislature by members of the Progressive Conservative government. On Oct. 23, the Ontario...

Alleged assassination plots in the U.S. and Canada signal a more assertive Indian foreign policy

A recent indictment from the United States Department of Justice has alleged an Indian security official was involved in attempting to assassinate a U.S. and Canadian citizen in New York. The alleged target, Gurpatwant...

Henry Kissinger was a global – and deeply flawed – foreign policy heavyweight

Declarations of the end of an era are made only in exceptional circumstances. Henry Kissingers death is one of them. Kissinger was born into a Jewish family in Germany, and fled to the US in 1938 after the Nazis seized...

Science

Hyped and expensive, hydrogen has a place in Australia’s energy transition, but only with urgent government support

If you listen to the dreamers, hydrogen is the magical fuel of the future that can replace everything from the petrol in your car to the coal in a steelworks. Hype around hydrogen has been building in Australia since at...

Massive planet too big for its own sun pushes astronomers to rethink exoplanet formation

Imagine youre a farmer searching for eggs in the chicken coop but instead of a chicken egg, you find an ostrich egg, much larger than anything a chicken could lay. Thats a little how our team of astronomers felt when...

Do we live in a giant void? It could solve the puzzle of the universe's expansion

One of the biggest mysteries in cosmology is the rate at which the universe is expanding. This can be predicted using the standard model of cosmology, also known as Lambda-cold dark matter (ΛCDM). This model is...

MicroRNA is the master regulator of the genome − researchers are learning how to treat disease by harnessing the way it controls genes

The Earth formed 4.5 billion years ago, and life less than a billion years after that. Although life as we know it is dependent on four major macromolecules DNA, RNA, proteins and lipids only one is thought to have been...

How do crystals form?

How do crystals form? Alyssa Marie, age 5, New Mexico Scientifically speaking, the term crystal refers to any solid that has an ordered chemical structure. This means that its parts are arranged in a precisely...

Technology

WeMade to Set Up WEMIX Play Center in Dubai via Partnership with DIFC

Wemade Co., Ltd., a South Korean video game developer, secured a strategic partnership with the Dubai International Financial Centre Innovation Hub (DIFC). The company plans to build its WEMIX Play Center in Dubai with the...

Coinbase Enables Money Transfers via Telegram, WhatsApp, TikTok Links

Coinbase introduces a new service that will allow money transfers through links sent to popular messaging apps, including Telegram, WhatsApp, and TikTok. The crypto exchange platforms wallet offers new ways for users to...

AT&T Joins Forces with Ericsson for Open RAN, Ousting Nokia in US Telecom Boost

ATT Inc. is working on further advancing Open and Interoperable Radio Access Networks (RAN) in the United States. The company is planning to do this through its new partnership with Ericsson. The deal between ATT and...

Spotify Trims Workforce by 17%, Shares Surge Following Announcement

Spotify is terminating 17% of its workforce, which is equivalent to 1,500 jobs. This latest layoff is the third to hit the company this year. The Swedish music streaming provider revealed the new round of job cuts after...

Electric arc furnaces: the technology poised to make British steelmaking more sustainable

In a move to embrace sustainable steelmaking, British Steel has unveiled a 1.25 billion plan to replace two blast furnaces at its Scunthorpe plant with electric arc furnaces. This follows the UK governments commitment in...
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