• Politics and Policy

    Oligarchy in the USA


    Benjamin Jones |  January 18, 2025


    Outgoing US President Joe Biden warned “an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy” in his farewell address.


  • Media

    Freedom of speech v freedom from deception


    Tanisha Shah |  January 18, 2025


    Disinformation threatens Australian democratic processes and the failure of the proposed Disinformation and Misinformation bill highlights the urgent need for balanced regulation ahead of the 2025 elections.


  • Science and Technology

    Alien opinions


    Sean McMahon |  January 18, 2025


    The discovery of alien life seems closer than ever – just as it has for the last 100 years – so what do astrobiologists, terrestrial biologists and physicists think about the possibility of extraterrestrial life being discovered?


Latest Story

  • Looking forward from the past

    Simon Rogerson     |      January 17, 2025

    Insights from scientific and social thinkers in the past could offer clues about tackling the implications of AI in the future.

  • Meta-reality

    Rafael Weber Hoss     |      January 17, 2025

    Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement that Facebook will replace fact checkers with “community notes” has as much to do with Meta’s embrace of AI as the re-election of Donald Trump.

  • Out of the ashes

    Mike Copage     |      January 17, 2025

    The factors which drove the calamitous fires sweeping Los Angeles – from climate change to over-development and a lack of preparation – offer important lessons for Australia.

  • The rise of AI agents

    Uri Gal     |      January 16, 2025

    The rise of generative artificial intelligence has captivated public attention over the last couple of years, but the future may be dominated by the rise of AI agents – autonomous systems that can make decisions and take actions on our behalf without direct human input.

  • Triple-J turns 50

    Liz Giuffre     |      January 16, 2025

    JJJ is turning 50, so what does it mean when the national youth broadcaster hits middle age?

  • On the road again

    Paul Williams     |      January 15, 2025

    Anthony Albanese’s pledge of $7.2 billion to revamp the Bruce Highway looks like an early bid to buy votes in Queensland in what may be a tight Federal election campaign.

  • Surveillance state

    Kiley Seymour     |      January 15, 2025

    From self-service checkouts to public streets to stadiums – surveillance technology is everywhere and a recent study suggests it’s unconsciously altering how our brains process information, as well as our conscious behaviour.

  • The many lives of Yukio Mishima

    Alexander Howard     |      January 14, 2025

    Yukio Mishima is remembered as much for the absurd theatricality of his death as his outstanding literary achievements, but, on the centenary of his birth, he remains one of the most compelling and controversial figures of post-war Japan.

  • The drinks don’t work

    Open Forum     |      January 14, 2025

    Retirees show more signs of depression than older people still in work, according to a major US study, but while binge drinkers are more likely to be depressed, those who drink in moderation have fewer depression symptoms than people who don’t drink at all.

  • War – What is it good for?

    Robert Wihtol     |      January 13, 2025

    Veteran American journalist Bob Woodward’s latest book “War” examines the current spate of conflicts around the world and highlights the worrying implications of Donald Trump’s simple minded narcissism in dealing with them.

  • Anatomy of a fall

    Open Forum     |      January 13, 2025

    Fall-related injuries in Australia’s residential aged care could be costing the health system $325 million annually according to a new study by the University of Queensland study.

  • Flow state

    Maria Skyllas-Kazacos     |      January 12, 2025

    Flow batteries are a cross between a conventional battery and a fuel cell and can store energy generated by wind or solar power back to the grid for up to 12 hours – two or three times longer than their lithium-ion peers.