The star caught in a spider’s web

A bizarre image of the distant star known as WR140 surrounded by concentric geometric ripples, captured by the James Webb Space Telescope in July, is – unfortunately – not an alien megastructure.

How to thrive

A new documentary tests the power of positive psychology to help people with moderate-to-severe mental illness.

Russia’s aggression drives its allies away

Russia’s disastrous invasion of Ukraine is straining its relations with former Soviet states which have problems of their own and show no wish to be drawn into the conflict.

Action at a distance

The fascinating story of the ways philosophy have turned into physics and reality has been reframed as information.

The art of engineering

Could the interface between art and science be more than just a source of inspiration and instead be used to unlock new scientific approaches?

Extinctions should go extinct

James Trezise, the Conservation Director of the Invasive Species Council, has welcomed the government’s announcement that Australia is adopting a zero extinction target as part of its Threatened Species Action Plan.

Welcome to the world’s next supercontinent

Just in case you were running out of things to worry about, researchers are now predicting the Pacific Ocean is going to disappear – but not for another 230 million years or so.

Jumping on the career carousel

Young people will need skills in IT and other high-tech areas if they are to forge careers in tomorrow’s fast changing job market.

A deer price to pay for inaction

Fallow deer are proliferating in Tasmania, but the state government’s new plan will do little to control their growth in numbers.

Reefs on the rocks

Australian reef fish populations are being dominated by generalist species, rather than species adapted to specific habitats or niches, according to Australian research which also found that temperature and habitat changes have caused significant disruptions to native reef fishes.

The pitfalls of passion

Young people are always urged to ‘follow their passion’ but this can lead them into dead end careers, while employers want ‘passionate’ employees so they can pay them less while asking them to work more.

Saving the world from ourselves

A new set of recommendations from Earth Commission experts addresses what businesses and cities must do to stay within ‘safe and just’ environmental limits for carbon, water, nutrients, land and other natural resources.