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Australia’s red and yellow beach flags can be dangerously confusing. Is it time to change them?

Every summer in Australia, millions of people head to the beach, and every year, thousands are rescued by lifeguards or Surf Life Savers and even...

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The Conversation

Samuel Cornell

Donald Trump loathes the courts. He’s following the autocrat playbook to sideline them

In democratic systems, the courts are a vital check on a leader’s power. They have the ability to overturn laws and, in Donald Trump’s case, the...

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The Conversation

Justin Bergman

Walk while you work: are the extra steps on an under desk treadmill worth the cost?

Recent surveys estimate more than 6.7 million Australians – almost half of all workers, and the majority in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra – work...

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The Conversation

Christian Brakenridge

Is world peace even possible? I study war and peace and here’s where I’d start

By any measure, 2025 was not a good year for world peace. Worse, it was just the latest of a decade-long decline of peace and upsurge of war. As...

latest 10

The Conversation

Alex Bellamy

Ancient African bedrock reveals the violent beginnings of life on our blue planet

You have probably seen the images of the surface of Mars, beamed back by NASA’s rovers. What if there were a time machine capable of roaming Earth...

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The Conversation

Simon Lamb

Moving house? 3 surprising ways your new neighbourhood can affect health and happiness

January is consistently Australia’s busiest month for moving house – around 14-18% of the yearly total, far higher than any other month. When...

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The Conversation

Milad Haghani

What were books like in ancient Greece and Rome?

If you were to visit a bookshop in the ancient world, what would it be like? You don’t just have to imagine it. The ancient Roman writer Aulus...

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The Conversation

Konstantine Panegyres

Why do I seem to get sick as soon as I take time off?

You’ve been hanging out for a break, getting through the busy last weeks of work or class. You’re finally ready to relax. And then tiredness...

latest 8

The Conversation

Thea Van De Mortel

Why central bankers look to the ‘stars’ when setting interest rates

When the topic of central banks and the outlook for interest rates comes up, economists often turn to the so-called “star” variables to help with...

latest 9

The Conversation

Luke Hartigan

Inside scoop: the 2,500-year history of ice-cream

We all scream for ice-cream, especially as temperatures soar in the summer. Ancient civilisations had the same desire for a cold, sweet treat to...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Garritt C. Van Dyk

Are you a hellraiser mite or a knobbled weevil? Take the quiz and vote for NZ’s Bug of the Year

The New Zealand velvet worm’s reign as Bug of the Year is coming to an end, with voting now open for the 2026 competition. This year, 21 nominees...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Connal Mclean

If you get lost in the bush, can you really survive by drinking your own pee?

TV adventurer Bear Grylls has built a global reputation through his often unconventional and sometimes extreme survival feats to stay hydrated. He...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Matthew Barton

Worker exploitation can hide in plain sight. Here’s how to ensure an ethical summer holiday

If they haven’t already, many Australians will soon head off for summer holidays. But behind every smooth check-in, cocktail or airport gate smile...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Naduni Madhavika

Focus apps claim to improve your productivity. Do they actually work?

It’s hardly a revelation that we’re living in an era of distraction and smartphone addiction. Our phones interrupt us, hijack our attention, and...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Dwain Allan

Cabinet papers 2005: WorkChoices, Afghanistan and climate change take centre stage

Today, the National Archives of Australia (NAA) released a key selection of records of the Australian Cabinet and its National Security Committee...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

David Lee

What are your new year’s reading resolutions? 6 dedicated readers share theirs

When we think about new year’s resolutions, we often think about changing our habits or new setting goals around food, exercise and work. But why...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Jo Case

How baseball helped shape Japanese migrants’ experiences during the White Australia policy

How baseball helped shape Japanese migrants’ experiences during the White Australia policy

In 1919, Japanese migrants in Sydney gifted a silver cup to the New South Wales Baseball Association. The cup was “in appreciation of the...

previous day 1

The Conversation

Ray Nickson

Literature from Islamic societies embraced homoerotic love until the 19th century. What happened?

Literature from Islamic societies embraced homoerotic love until the 19th century. What happened?

For centuries, literature from Islamic regions, especially Iran, celebrated male homoerotic love as a symbol of beauty, mysticism and spiritual...

previous day 4

The Conversation

Morteza Hajizadeh

Why do we get snippets of songs stuck in our heads? And are earworms more common with OCD?

Why do we get snippets of songs stuck in our heads? And are earworms more common with OCD?

You’re reading a report and trying to concentrate. The room is silent. But despite your best efforts to focus, a little snatch of melody – an...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Timothy Byron

No small beer: how the famous drink affects law (and law affects beer)

No small beer: how the famous drink affects law (and law affects beer)

Law affects beer, and beer affects law. The connection between the two is stronger than you might think, as we have illustrated in the recently...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Dan Jerker B. Svantesson

The science of the casino: why the house always wins in the long run

The science of the casino: why the house always wins in the long run

You’ve probably heard the phrase “the house always wins” when it comes to casino gambling. But what does it actually mean? After all, people do hit...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Milad Haghani

In a world of digital money, what’s the right etiquette to split the bill with friends?

In a world of digital money, what’s the right etiquette to split the bill with friends?

We’ve all been there – splitting a bill at dinner, covering a mate’s coffee, or sending a quick transfer for concert tickets. It’s part of modern...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Rhys Ashby

How to party like an ancient Greek

How to party like an ancient Greek

Parties in ancient Greece were wild, with evidence of copious alcohol and sex. That’s the popular idea that endures today. But there were different...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Konstantine Panegyres

All autocrats require an ‘architect’. Meet the man pulling the strings for Donald Trump

All autocrats require an ‘architect’. Meet the man pulling the strings for Donald Trump

Every autocrat needs a clan of loyalists, strategists, masterminds – these are the figures behind the scenes pulling the strings. They’re unelected...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Justin Bergman

Like strongmen the world over, Donald Trump’s power grab required a crisis – and a scapegoat

Like strongmen the world over, Donald Trump’s power grab required a crisis – and a scapegoat

Donald Trump has sounded the alarm, over and over again, that the United States is facing an “invasion” by dangerous gang members. He blames...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Justin Bergman

Babblers, cops and quacks: the sometimes dark – but often amusing – origins of nicknames for jobs

Babblers, cops and quacks: the sometimes dark – but often amusing – origins of nicknames for jobs

These days, human resources (HR) departments want us to use official titles for jobs. But we know the social truths of a job — how well that job...

tuesday 3

The Conversation

Kate Burridge

Architecture isn’t neutral. It’s been shaping political power for millennia

Architecture isn’t neutral. It’s been shaping political power for millennia

Among his other ongoing projects, US President Donald Trump has spent much of his second term on a renovation. The Oval Office has been converted...

tuesday 10

The Conversation

Kim Dovey

Can Australian sport ever be environmentally sustainable?

Can Australian sport ever be environmentally sustainable?

Sport is one of the most climate-sensitive aspects of Australian life, yet still sits largely outside the national conversation on climate...

tuesday 2

The Conversation

Camilla Brockett

‘Weights of gold in bullion’: how the ancients invested in precious metals

‘Weights of gold in bullion’: how the ancients invested in precious metals

“All I want is an income of 20,000 sesterces from secure investments”, proclaims a character in a poem by Juvenal (1st-2nd century CE), the Roman...

tuesday 2

The Conversation

Konstantine Panegyres

It’s a pool party! How to stay safe around the pool with friends this summer

It’s a pool party! How to stay safe around the pool with friends this summer

It’s summer so kids’ playdates and birthday parties might start moving from the playground to the pool. I research how to prevent drowning. I’m...

tuesday 1

The Conversation

Amy Peden

What actually is fire? A physicist explains

What actually is fire? A physicist explains

Fire is an ancient technology that has helped shape human evolution. Our ancestors used fire for safety, cooking and preserving food. They gathered...

tuesday 10

The Conversation

Emma Brown

Clouds are vital to life – but many are becoming wispy ghosts. Here’s how to see the changes above us

Clouds are vital to life – but many are becoming wispy ghosts. Here’s how to see the changes above us

As a scholar researching clouds, I have spent much of my time trying to understand the economy of the sky. Not the weather reports showing scudding...

tuesday 10

The Conversation

Rumen Rachev

Emma Johnston was a visionary scientist, environmentalist and leader, with an abiding hope for humanity

Emma Johnston was a visionary scientist, environmentalist and leader, with an abiding hope for humanity

Emma Johnston, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne who has died aged 52, was a marine ecologist, a visionary leader in science and...

29.12.2025 30

The Conversation

Kylie Walker

Donald Trump’s first step to becoming a would-be autocrat – hijacking a party

Donald Trump’s first step to becoming a would-be autocrat – hijacking a party

We used to have a pretty clear idea of what an autocrat was. History is full of examples: Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, along with...

29.12.2025 1

The Conversation

Justin Bergman

With every extinction, we lose not just a species but a treasure trove of knowledge

With every extinction, we lose not just a species but a treasure trove of knowledge

The millions of species humans share the world with are valuable in their own right. When one species is lost, it has a ripple effect throughout...

29.12.2025 2

The Conversation

Johannes M. Luetz

I love my friends … I do not love their kids

I love my friends … I do not love their kids

At this time of the year, with lots of parties, family catch-ups and holiday plans, you might be reminded of how much you love your friends. But as...

29.12.2025 2

The Conversation

Catherine E. Wood

How did Australian laws change in 2025? Here are 6 you need to know

How did Australian laws change in 2025? Here are 6 you need to know

Some people take heart in the idea that the law is resistant to change, arguing that this reinforces its stability. Others delight in its ability...

29.12.2025 3

The Conversation

Rick Sarre

Deep in holiday debt? How to start repaying overdue credit and buy now, pay later bills

Deep in holiday debt? How to start repaying overdue credit and buy now, pay later bills

Christmas lunch is over, all the presents are unwrapped. Now comes the hard part: paying for it all. If you’re in that position, you’re not alone....

29.12.2025 2

The Conversation

Angelique Nadia Sweetman Mcinnes

NZ report card 2025: how the country fared in 28 key global and domestic rankings

NZ report card 2025: how the country fared in 28 key global and domestic rankings

Standardised testing and regular progress assessment became key features of the education system this year, so why not apply those same principles...

29.12.2025 4

The Conversation

Alexander Gillespie

Music can affect your driving – but not always how you’d expect

Music can affect your driving – but not always how you’d expect

For many of us, listening to music is simply part of the driving routine – as ordinary as wearing a seatbelt. We build playlists for road trips,...

29.12.2025 2

The Conversation

Milad Haghani

5 lessons about misinformation from ancient Greek and Roman scientists

5 lessons about misinformation from ancient Greek and Roman scientists

Ancient scientists can be easy to dismiss. Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus, often described as the West’s first scientist, believed the whole...

29.12.2025 1

The Conversation

Jemima Mcphee

Brigitte Bardot defined the modern woman and defied social norms

Brigitte Bardot defined the modern woman and defied social norms

Brigitte Bardot’s death, at the age of 91, brings to a close one of the most extraordinary careers in post-war French cultural life. Best known as...

28.12.2025 4

The Conversation

Ben Mccann