Politics and society

Gold Coast Suns cheer squad wave flags in a crowd

Grange-gate: The AFL’s gamble on red

The AFL bans all gambling by insiders – but a high-stakes bet involving top officials raises serious questions about hypocrisy, integrity, and its cosy ties to wagering.

Medicine and health

Close-up of a person's hands gesticulating

Brave Conversations: Teaching the art of disagreement in an age of discomfort

A new project is training students and staff to navigate disagreement with empathy, courage, and critical skill.

Politics and society

Former Australian prime minister John Howard speaks with hand outstretched

The Liberals used to be the party for women – then John Howard came along

The Liberal Party used to lead the way on female representation and socially-liberal policies. History shows us where the party’s “women problem” began.

Politics and society

Woman sitting at a doorway in Cox's Bazar.

Digital humanitarianism’s ethical reckoning

As digital technologies reshape humanitarian aid, urgent ethical questions arise about power, privacy and control – especially for displaced populations such as the Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar.

Politics and society

Antique glass fishing floats and glass marble

What would a climate model made from music sound like?

A team of artists and scientists have merged climate data with music, transforming ocean eddy simulations into immersive soundscapes that creatively communicate climate science and explore imaginative environmental futures.

Politics and society

Kiss cams, concerts, and privacy law

The viral kiss cam clip at a Coldplay concert raises complex legal and ethical questions concerning reasonable expectations of privacy, consent, and the commodification of personal moments.

Politics and society

An aerial shot of the New South Wales town of Wauchope inundated by floodwaters in May 2025

From warning to action: The real cost of inaction on disaster resilience

Australia is failing to build climate resilience. Without leadership, funding, or innovation, communities face rising risks and worsening disasters.

Business and economy

Torres Strait Islands flag on a flagpole

Pabai climate change case fails: Where to from here?

The Federal Court dismissed a key climate case, revealing legal limits in protecting Torres Strait Islanders and underscoring the need for urgent climate law reform in Australia.

Business and economy

Misogyny is thriving in our schools. Why aren’t we doing more?

Until we reckon with the history of schooling in Australia, and confront the ways it enforces harmful gender norms, we won’t achieve meaningful action on manosphere-accelerated violence.

Education

Bottle of GHB with a syringe in black background.

GHB crisis grips regional Victoria

New research reveals Greater Geelong is a hotspot for GHB drug overdoses, highlighting a troubling shift in drug use from city nightclubs to regional homes.

Medicine and health

From the Moon to Mars: The challenging quest for off-world resources

With nations vying to mine resources on the Moon, asteroids, and Mars, a NASA-US Geological Association workshop explored the technological and legal challenges of this new space economy.

Politics and society

Human head silhouette with machine gears

How does consciousness work?

When it comes to consciousness, theories are like toothbrushes – everybody has their own, and nobody wants to use anybody else’s.

Politics and society

Iranian flag superimposed with radiation symbol.

Could we live with a nuclear-armed Iran? Reluctantly, yes

Both Israel and the US claim a nuclear-armed Iran would pose an existential threat. It wouldn’t.

Politics and society

Bushland and hill at Oak Flat, Arizona, in the US

Moral lessons unlearned: Rio Tinto’s new sacred site controversy

The mining giant claims to have learned from Juukan Gorge, but its Oak Flat project in the US suggests otherwise. When apologies fail, equity must speak.

Politics and society

Comic book-style illustration with cloud and swear-words symbols

What 1.7 billion words of online text shows about how the world swears

Australians are outdone by Americans and Brits, both in how often they swear, and in how many users swear online.

Politics and society

Outline of Iraq map transposed with a nuclear symbol

Why is there so much concern over Iran’s nuclear program – and where could it go from here?

The latest attacks have come amid growing concern over Iran’s nuclear program, prompting questions over what this means for the global non-proliferation regime.

Politics and society

Is the AUKUS submarine deal in doubt?

A Pentagon-led review of AUKUS has sparked alarm in Australia, while the UK reaffirms its deepening commitment to the pact.

Politics and society

Israel and Iran flags on a burning dark background.

Israel’s attack on Iran: The nuclear ‘point of no return’ and the operational window

Israel's surprise attack on Iran marks a turning point in Middle East tensions, targeting nuclear sites and reshaping the region's balance of power.

Politics and society

Second time’s the charm: How social sector reuse organisations create value from waste

Social sector reuse organisations in Australia transform discarded goods into valuable resources, driving the circular economy and generating significant social and economic benefits.

Sustainability

Teen boy playing smartphone late at night instead of sleeping

How the word ‘incel’ got away from us

Once a neutral term for romantic exclusion, it’s evolved into a symbol of male alienation and online radicalisation that masks a broader mental health crisis among young men.

Medicine and health

Pride and prejudice: The fragile future of LGBTIQA+ rights

Once a celebration of progress, World Pride 2025 became a rallying cry against rising global attacks on LGBTIQA+ rights – and a call for united resistance.

Politics and society

Crowd of small symbolic figures, three hexagon pillars with a single figure standing on top of each,

Why populism continues to shape global politics

Some suggest populism has come out of nowhere, and is causing a major and unexpected shock to the system. But that’s simply not the case.

Politics and society

As Andrew Tate faces charges, his followers will double-down

Prosecutors in the United Kingdom have charged Tate, and his brother, with 21 sex offences. It’s likely to increase loyalty among his millions of followers.

Politics and society