Explainer: New Caledonia's independence referendum, and how it could impact the region
Nov 04, 2018 13:11 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
A historic independence vote is to be held on 4 November in the French territory of New Caledonia, our closest neighbour to the east from Brisbane. The vote begins the final stage of a negotiated process that ended a...

Seagrass, protector of shipwrecks and buried treasure
Nov 04, 2018 13:11 pm UTC| Insights & Views Nature
For more than 6,000 years, seagrass meadows in Australias coastal waters have been acting as security vaults for priceless cultural heritage. Theyve locked away thousands of shipwrecks in conditions perfect for...
Australia has eliminated rubella – but that doesn't mean it can't come back
Nov 04, 2018 13:10 pm UTC| Insights & Views Health
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has officially declared that Australia has eliminated rubella. Rubella, also known as German measles, is a contagious viral disease. The symptoms in children are generally mild ...

How speculative fiction gained literary respectability
Nov 04, 2018 13:10 pm UTC| Insights & Views Life
I count myself lucky. Weird, I know, in this day and age when all around us the natural and political world is going to hell in a handbasket. But that, in fact, may be part of it. Back when I started writing, realism...
Five projects that are harnessing big data for good
Nov 04, 2018 13:08 pm UTC| Insights & Views Technology
Data science has boomed over the past decade, following advances in mathematics, computing capability, and data storage. Australias Industry 4.0 taskforce is busy exploring ways to improve the Australian economy with tools...

Don't trust your hardware: Why security vulnerabilities affect us all
Nov 04, 2018 13:08 pm UTC| Insights & Views Technology
A few weeks ago, Bloomberg reported that China was spying on American tech firms, including Apple and Amazon, by installing secret microchips on server boards during the production process. These hardware trojans are, like...
Perfectionists more likely to develop bulimia, new research
Nov 04, 2018 13:07 pm UTC| Insights & Views Health
Bulimia nervosa is a common and life-threatening eating disorder. About 275,000 Canadian girls and women will have bulimia at some point in their lives. They will eat large amounts of food, often secretly, and then prevent...