Robots and the law

Autonomous machines able to think and act for themselves were once the stuff of science fiction, but now they are becoming reality, we need to delve back into a classic novel series for rules to protect ourselves.

Weird science

2020 was certainly a weird year, so perhaps it’s not surprising that it produced a bumper crop of weird and wonderful science yarns. The Australian Science Media Centre has picked ten of the best.

Avoiding the technology trap

At a recent Australian e-commerce summit, Prime Minister Scott Morrison praised technology adoption – rather than domestic innovation – as a means of driving economic returns.

STEM superstars call for more gender and cultural diversity

Australia’s official Superstars of STEM have backed the campaign to increase the number of women and ethnic minorities in science and technology.

Blockchain and mangos

A new blockchain platform has proven to be a game-changer for one of Australia’s largest mango producers, providing real-time, secure information from the tree to the supermarket.

Negotiating the morality of human-robot relations

Designers who use ethics to shape better companion robots will end up making better humans too.

How Australia can reap the benefits and dodge the dangers of the Internet of Things

The IoT presents great opportunities, but it brings many risks too. Problems include excessive surveillance, loss of privacy, transparency and control, and reliance on unsafe or unsuitable services or devices.

The future of drones

Drones have entered the mainstream but while there have been welcome advances in agriculture, aerial photography and product deliveries, it’s hard to ignore their less welcome applications.

Wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey

It’s not rocket science – or is it? A UNSW Sydney astronomer explains how the right sci-fi watchlist can make physics easier to understand.

Counterpoint by Mark Nicol – When is a science not a science?

The scientific method has allowed mankind to understand and conquer the world around him, but even science may have its limits in dealing with complex human and moral issues.

Is there life on… Venus?

The discovery of phosphine in the balmy upper clouds of Venus may be a sign of anaerobic life floating high above its hellish surface.

Australia can lead a biotechnology revolution

The Australian government needs to develop a bold vision and strategic plan to create the data-driven healthcare system and bioeconomy of the future.