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Can the Israeli military be trusted to investigate itself? Evidence shows genuine accountability is rare

Can the Israeli military be trusted to investigate itself? Evidence shows genuine accountability is rare

Critics say internal IDF investigations are too slow and biased, and the bar to holding soldiers accountable is far too high.

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The Conversation

Shannon Bosch

Roblox has been put on notice yet again over child safety concerns. What do parents need to know?

Roblox has been put on notice yet again over child safety concerns. What do parents need to know?

The Roblox saga is a reminder that parents can’t leave children’s online safety to platforms.

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The Conversation

Lisa M. Given

The first wave of bird flu is the worst: what Australia can learn from overseas

The first wave of bird flu is the worst: what Australia can learn from overseas

The rest of the world has already had to grapple with bird flu – and there are lessons for Australia.

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The Conversation

Bethany J Hoye

Thriving Kids will start in October. But will the new support system be ready when families need it?

Thriving Kids will start in October. But will the new support system be ready when families need it?

Parents are worried they’re about to lose a system that works and are wondering what will actually be there when their child needs help.

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The Conversation

David Roy

The ancients also worried about the risks of gambling. But even Roman emperors played dice

The ancients also worried about the risks of gambling. But even Roman emperors played dice

Authorities in Greek and Roman times tried hard to put limits on gambling. They weren’t particularly successful.

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The Conversation

Konstantine Panegyres

When can you access your super early? A finance and a legal expert explain

When can you access your super early? A finance and a legal expert explain

There are lessons from the COVID pandemic about why withdrawal rules are so strict.

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The Conversation

Susan Thorp

Question Time has been televised for 35 years. We tracked how it has changed, and what it means for Australian democracy

Question Time has been televised for 35 years. We tracked how it has changed, and what it means for Australian democracy

New research shows Question Time has increasingly focused on the prime minister, raising questions about the ‘presidentialisation’ of Australian...

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The Conversation

Pandanus Petter

Some parents want to see primary schools go ‘device free’. There could be unintended consequences

Some parents want to see primary schools go ‘device free’. There could be unintended consequences

The current debate risks turning into a zero-sum choice between screens and pen and paper.

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The Conversation

Karley Beckman

New research shows how psychedelics reorganise the patterns in your brain

New research shows how psychedelics reorganise the patterns in your brain

Brains scans show a signature linked to a dissolved separation between the self and the world.

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The Conversation

Devon Stoliker

Fertiliser prices and shortages are hamstringing our farmers. But we have other options

Fertiliser prices and shortages are hamstringing our farmers. But we have other options

Compost, manure and food waste can be turned into biofertilisers made from natural materials.

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The Conversation

Katharina Belt

An alternative health treatment killed Hannah’s cousin. Now she’s on a mission to warn others

An alternative health treatment killed Hannah’s cousin. Now she’s on a mission to warn others

Hannah’s cousin died and she didn’t have to. Wormhole investigates the dark world of alternative wellness online – and the comforts and dangers...

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The Conversation

Edith Jennifer Hill

Why is NZ spending far more on responding to climate disasters than on reducing future risk?

Why is NZ spending far more on responding to climate disasters than on reducing future risk?

Only 3% of spending on natural hazards focuses on reducing risk, allowing governments to shift liability but leaving communities unprepared.

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The Conversation

Cathrine Dyer

When an overloaded ED gets it wrong, who should be accountable?

When an overloaded ED gets it wrong, who should be accountable?

A recent case involving a patient harmed in an overcrowded ED highlights the need for a fresh look at how NZ investigates clinical errors.

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The Conversation

Ben Gray

AI bias isn’t just an error in the algorithm. It’s a chain of human decisions

AI bias isn’t just an error in the algorithm. It’s a chain of human decisions

Technical fixes to AI systems aren’t enough. What’s needed is an overhaul of AI eco-systems to ensure they’re more inclusive.

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The Conversation

Muneera Bano

How to Sell a Genocide has been removed from a library near Bondi – but libraries represent freedom of thought

How to Sell a Genocide has been removed from a library near Bondi – but libraries represent freedom of thought

It’s a library’s duty to balance representing its community with providing a broad range of books – including those that may challenge or discomfort.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Heather L. Robinson

What’s the difference between psychotherapy and psychoanalysis?

What’s the difference between psychotherapy and psychoanalysis?

Do you hear ‘psychotherapy’ and imagine lying on a couch, talking about dreams? Here’s where that image comes from – and why it might be time...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Trevor Mazzucchelli

One Nation wants to cut the tobacco tax. Would that curb the illicit cigarette market?

One Nation wants to cut the tobacco tax. Would that curb the illicit cigarette market?

A 75% cut in tobacco tax won’t make cigarettes as cheap as you might think. Here’s what really helps smokers in a cost of living crisis.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Becky Freeman

What should the AFL do when players are linked to sexual assault investigations?

What should the AFL do when players are linked to sexual assault investigations?

How the AFL handles complaints of sexual assault sends a message to women and girls.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Kirsty Forsdike

Microfinance was supposed to save Asia’s poor. Why has it failed to live up to its promise?

Microfinance was supposed to save Asia’s poor. Why has it failed to live up to its promise?

For the poorest households in Asia, even small loans can lead to expensive debt traps.

yesterday 6

The Conversation

Ruipeng Liu

Does ‘AI‑watermarking’ mean the party is over for cheating students?

Does ‘AI‑watermarking’ mean the party is over for cheating students?

If this new development – designed to show if a text is AI-generated – sounds too good to be true, that’s because it is.

yesterday 6

The Conversation

Mark A. Bassett

An ‘AI legal team’ has won its first case. It’s a rare win for access to justice

An ‘AI legal team’ has won its first case. It’s a rare win for access to justice

A recent ruling suggests that if used well, AI offers an opportunity to improve access to justice. Courts and tribunals will have to perform a careful...

yesterday 5

The Conversation

Genevieve Grant

Cannabis isn’t ‘safer’ in your 20s and 30s – it’s linked to an earlier onset of psychosis

Cannabis isn’t ‘safer’ in your 20s and 30s – it’s linked to an earlier onset of psychosis

A new study showed that for people who were susceptible to psychosis, cannabis use in their 30s was associated with an earlier onset of psychosis by...

yesterday 4

The Conversation

Matthew Large

Extreme heat is altering when, where and how we travel: new research

Extreme heat is altering when, where and how we travel: new research

Australians love a holiday, but are increasingly making travel plans around unpredictable weather.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Kerstin Zander

These 5 Australian novels will get your book club talking – and enjoying a good disagreement

These 5 Australian novels will get your book club talking – and enjoying a good disagreement

It’s increasingly rare for us to respectfully disagree these days. Book clubs invite us to do just that – while making time for a good read.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Maggie Nolan

The art of the match cut: how filmmakers make impossible transitions feel effortless

The art of the match cut: how filmmakers make impossible transitions feel effortless

You may have never consciously noticed a match cut before, yet this simple editing technique completely transforms how we experience a film.

yesterday 8

The Conversation

Mark Freeman

Why it might be time to rethink the human family tree

Why it might be time to rethink the human family tree

The way we classify humanity’s ancient relatives is a mess. But there’s a simple fix.

yesterday 20

The Conversation

Ian Towle

During eruptions, misinformation can spread further than ash. How can we spot it?

During eruptions, misinformation can spread further than ash. How can we spot it?

From scary headlines to recycled eruption videos, new research reveals how common misconceptions can fuel misinformation about volcanoes.

yesterday 6

The Conversation

Janine Krippner

Offloading work tasks to AI comes with a cost – to our brains

Offloading work tasks to AI comes with a cost – to our brains

We risk replacing genuine knowledge with “work slop”.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Jongkil Jay Jeong

The emerging threat of violent, exploitative digital ‘com networks’: what do we need to know?

The emerging threat of violent, exploitative digital ‘com networks’: what do we need to know?

Perpetrators gradually build trust with young people before pressuring them to harm pets, siblings, or themselves.

yesterday 4

The Conversation

Larissa Christensen

Is the laundry still damp, or just cold? Why your skin can’t tell the difference

Is the laundry still damp, or just cold? Why your skin can’t tell the difference

Our skin alone can’t actually tell if something is wet.

yesterday 4

The Conversation

Kate Poole

Parasite linked to ‘mushy fish’ could be much more widespread than thought

Parasite linked to ‘mushy fish’ could be much more widespread than thought

Ordered kingfish sashimi recently? A parasite can infect some fish, yet they still look and taste the same when raw.

yesterday 3

The Conversation

Jessica Tout-Lyon

The Opportunity Party’s Treaty policy is closer to Labour than National. But is it a bottom line?

The Opportunity Party’s Treaty policy is closer to Labour than National. But is it a bottom line?

If the Opportunity Party holds the balance of power after the election, its ‘honouring te Tiriti’ policy could be a deal maker – or breaker.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Dominic O'Sullivan

Politics with Michelle Grattan: One Nation’s David Farley on the migrants his party wants

Politics with Michelle Grattan: One Nation’s David Farley on the migrants his party wants

Farley described One Nation’s immigration target as more complex than its official 130,000 figure, estimating about 40,000 more ‘rotating’...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

Long‑awaited gambling reform bill is an improvement, but does not go nearly far enough to reduce harm

Long‑awaited gambling reform bill is an improvement, but does not go nearly far enough to reduce harm

The new legislation tinkers around the edges rather than making bigger changes to really tackle gambling harm.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Kate Griffiths

What should the AFL do when players face sexual assault allegations?

What should the AFL do when players face sexual assault allegations?

How the AFL handles complaints of sexual assault sends a message to women and girls.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Kirsty Forsdike

Your back cracked, but what does the sound mean? A physio explains

Your back cracked, but what does the sound mean? A physio explains

Did the cracking noise create that satisfying feeling, or did it just occur alongside a movement that felt good? Here’s what the research says.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Joshua Pate

More than 5,000 little penguins will be vaxxed against bird flu. How will this protect them?

More than 5,000 little penguins will be vaxxed against bird flu. How will this protect them?

Little penguins are flightless and return at night to the same burrow, making it easier to capture and vaccinate them.

previous day 4

The Conversation

Julie Old

Want to fully electrify your house? Don’t start with a battery

Want to fully electrify your house? Don’t start with a battery

It makes more sense to go solar and quit gas before getting a home battery.

previous day 4

The Conversation

Saman Gorji

Bipartisan deal on gambling includes a review after three years

Bipartisan deal on gambling includes a review after three years

After striking an agreement with the opposition, the government agreed to somewhat toughen its original plan on the legislation.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

From Mel Gibson to Anthony LaPaglia: why Australian stages keep returning to Death of a Salesman

From Mel Gibson to Anthony LaPaglia: why Australian stages keep returning to Death of a Salesman

There have been more than 30 professional Australian productions of Death of a Salesman in 70 years. Now, Anthony LaPaglia steps into Willy Loman’s...

previous day 6

The Conversation

Nicholas Duddy

Boys are rarely taught to be caring. If they were, we could better prevent domestic violence

Boys are rarely taught to be caring. If they were, we could better prevent domestic violence

Rather than focusing only on what men should stop doing, we should also pay greater attention to the kinds of men we hope they become.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Michael Flood

The Taliban has brought Afghanistan close to collapse, but resistance is growing

The Taliban has brought Afghanistan close to collapse, but resistance is growing

Armed groups are challenging the group’s hold on power. Can they present a united front?

previous day 10

The Conversation

Amin Saikal

Australia must move up the AI ‘value chain’ to capture maximum benefit from the technology: Andrew Charlton

Australia must move up the AI ‘value chain’ to capture maximum benefit from the technology: Andrew Charlton

The assistant minister argues Australia needs to leverage its data centre advantage and translate that into benefits and growth for the broader...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

Why a vote on taxing California’s billionaires is being watched around the world

Why a vote on taxing California’s billionaires is being watched around the world

A push in California to tax billionaires will be an important test of the political power of the rich – and the health of US democracy.

previous day 5

The Conversation

Henry Maher

Australia must move up the AI ‘value chain’ to capture maximum value from the technology: Andrew Charlton

Australia must move up the AI ‘value chain’ to capture maximum value from the technology: Andrew Charlton

The assistant minister argues Australia needs to leverage its data centre advantage and translate that into benefits and growth for the broader...

previous day 20

The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

With religious hostility surging in Australia, we need to rethink our approach to religious education

With religious hostility surging in Australia, we need to rethink our approach to religious education

My research has found religious education can encourage critical thinking in children, instil kindness and tolerance, and help expand students’...

previous day 2

The Conversation

Suzanne Rutland

From the coasts to the plains, bird flu could threaten not just birds – but their homes

From the coasts to the plains, bird flu could threaten not just birds – but their homes

From raucous honeyeaters to top predators, Australia’s birds are vital to nature.

previous day 3

The Conversation

Penny Olsen

Australian beekeepers can’t tackle Varroa mite alone. Here’s how we can help

Australian beekeepers can’t tackle Varroa mite alone. Here’s how we can help

The honeybee-killing Varroa mite is marching across the country, as two experts explain.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Casey C. Forster

Oral exams are making a comeback to stop AI cheating. But they have their own problems

Oral exams are making a comeback to stop AI cheating. But they have their own problems

An oral exam can show how students have meaningfully engaged with a topic. But it shouldn’t be used as a litmus test for AI use.

previous day 4

The Conversation

Nicole Brownlie

Paul Kelly’s exceptional history charts the decline and fall of the Coalition – but leaves questions unanswered

Paul Kelly’s exceptional history charts the decline and fall of the Coalition – but leaves questions unanswered

The Twilight of Exceptionalism is a story of problems unsolved and potential unfulfilled.

previous day 4

The Conversation

Joshua Black