Enter the xenobots

Will a new generation of self-replicating ‘xenobots’ cure diseases, produce terrifying new bioweapons, or turn the whole world into grey goo?

Benchmarking critical technologies

Technology policy formulation has gained a renewed importance for governments in the era of strategic competition, but contextual understanding and expertise in deciding where to focus efforts are lacking.

The UN’s open science framework could supercharge progress

All Australian research should be open to access, both domestically and internationally, and research conducted overseas should be freely available to read in Australia.

The new face of Australian science

Nanotechnology pioneer Distinguished Professor Chennupati Jagadish will become the next president of Australia’s premier science organisation, the Australian Academy of Science.

Surveillance nation

Online monitoring raises serious questions about privacy and rights, but where justified it can be used for good if organisations consider wider issues like transparency and fairness.

Australia can lead the way to a low carbon economy

Australia has shown that we are capable of great ideas in a wide variety of areas – from food production to energy generation and automated systems for mining and computer control – which could power the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Open all hours

Inspired by a European open-access initiative, Chief Scientist Cathy Foley wants to make all publicly funded Australian research publications free for the public to read.

Investing in quantum technology

Australia needs to initiate a strategic investment in quantum technology as a national priority.

Even space is overcrowded

Ceridwen Dovey has won the 2021 UNSW Press Bragg Prize for Science Writing for her essay on the dangers posed by man-made debris in space.

Automated warfare is a threat to us all

The development of AI-infused systems will allow autonomous military drones to pick out targets and take lethal action without direct human input, raising questions of how – and whether – such machines should be used.

Flying cars get ready for take off

Futurists have confidently predicted the invention of flying cars for over 70 years, but this time they may actually become a reality.

The evolving landscape of scientific publishing 

The future of science research publishing will be shaped by the need for young researchers to freely share data and work more collaboratively than ever before.