Latest Story
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How to enter the art world
Benedict Carpenter van Barthold | May 9, 2026How to Enter the Art World by Hettie Judah offers a smørgasbord of sage advice for budding artists of all ages looking to navigate their way in a world where the human creation of art is threatened as never before.
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Mind wars
Lorraine Finlay | May 8, 2026China’s newly released 15th five‑year plan offers a revealing insight into how Beijing understands the future of military power as a combination of brute force and advanced technology, including brain‑computer interfaces.
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The stars look up
Graeme Austin | May 8, 2026You and I can’t do much to stop the AI companies from stealing everything we do and using it against us, but Taylor Swift and Bollywood stars are turning to the civil courts to fight deepfakes and protect their own identities.
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Growing pains
Carla Liuzzo | May 8, 2026Economic growth, particularly in energy-intensive nations, is slowing as the Middle East war continues to throttle exports of oil, plastics and fertiliser but is it time to rethink the concept of economic growth from its core?
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How computers decide who gets care
Laura Davy | May 7, 2026The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is moving towards computer-guided planning tools to generate budgets after participants’ support needs are assessed but many worry this amounts to a form of “robo-planning”.
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How music dumbed down
Open Forum | May 7, 2026Do you feel like they don’t make music like they used to? You might be right! International researchers have found that classical and jazz music have become simpler and more uniform since the mid-20th century and are now closer in complexity to genres such as pop and rock.
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Kids are still on the socials
Lisa Given | May 7, 2026The new report on social media restrictions shows there is a long road ahead for compliance and if we want to fully address the harms posed by these platforms, new legislation that actually targets the root problems is required.
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Whatever happened to Parliament?
Gabrielle Appleby | May 6, 2026There is growing concern across the world about democratic backsliding – the erosion of democratic institutions and civil liberties – so is Australia a surviving beacon of hope, or are we also part of the problem as governments of all parties continue to undermine the constitutional role of Parliament as a legislative and oversight body.
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Ageing well in a digital world
Open Forum | May 6, 2026As Australia and the world face rapidly ageing populations, technology is increasingly promoted as the answer to helping older people live safely, independently and well – but experts warn that innovation alone is not enough.
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Them or us?
Steven Conway | May 6, 2026Everyone on earth takes a private vote by pressing a red or blue button. If more than 50% of people press the blue button, everyone survives. If less than 50% of people press the blue button, only people who pressed the red button survive. Which button would you press?
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A study showed…
Jeffrey Lee | May 5, 2026You should retain some skepticism about what you read in the popular press about the latest science research and even more about what you see on social media about eggs.
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Blood and soil
Saba Sinai | May 5, 2026Dennis Voznesenski’s new book “War and Wheat” examines the complex relationship between grain markets and global conflict, from a historical perspective on Australian markets since WW1 to the current conflict in Ukraine.
