The war on science

Science is mankind’s greatest achievement but finds itself under threat from the anti-intellectual right, the post-modern left, politically correct dogma and a tsunami of nonsense on the internet.

How valid is the hype?

New technologies like AI come with big claims and so borrowing the scientific concept of validity can help cut through the hype to assess their true potential.

In search of string theory

Though it still lacks any practical validation, the attempt by ‘string theory’ to unite the very different scales of general relativity and quantum mechanics may still succeed in generating a “theory of everything”.

Building trust into technology

Sovereignty in the digital age is not defined by where a company is registered; it’s defined by who controls operations, who accesses data, and which laws apply when pressure is applied.

Investing in the future of science

If we want to lead in fields such as clean energy, advanced manufacturing and health technology, we must invest in our national research infrastructure.

Blast from the past

Curtin researchers have helped uncover evidence of a mysterious giant asteroid impact, hidden not in a crater but in tiny pieces of glass of a type found only in Australia.

Understanding entanglement

A new experiment has demonstrated quantum entanglement between two atomic nuclei separated by about 20 nanometres, perhaps paving the way for quantum computing.

Shell phones

QUT researchers have created a prototype electronic device using a material made from seafood waste, paving the way for safe, flexible and sustainable wearable health sensors.

Science in the dock

Court rulings increasingly demand scientific certainty – but that’s not always possible, allowing companies to evade responsibility for producing potentially dangerous products.

Quantum of uncertainty

If quantum computing allows humanity to answer previously unknowable questions, how can we know those answers are right?

Publish or perish

Good scientific practices lead to public benefits, while poor scientific practices waste time and money, and perverse academic incentives rewarding the quantity rather than quality of publications aren’t helping.

Australia’s science shortfall

A new report reveals glaring gaps between Australia’s future needs and its current scientific capabilities, prompting calls for more research in the sector.