• Russia

    A fly trapped in amber


    Jack Jarmon |  September 13, 2026


    Vladimir Putin’s grand strategy to gain control of Ukraine has degenerated into an inextricable military morass and a vicious cycle of sunk costs. He has entangled Russian society in an endless war that he cannot win and cannot afford to end.


  • Culture

    The castle


    Alexander Howard |  September 13, 2026


    Jon Ronson’s new book explores a generation of men adrift in a world of rapid cultural change and economic disempowerment in which traditional roles have disappeared or been disparaged leaving only madness or despair to fill the void.


  • Society

    A browned off land


    Mark Kenny |  September 13, 2026


    Australian has flat wages growth, stagnant productivity and dwindling purchasing power at the supermarket so is it any wonder that the only things consistently growing are anger, distrust, and a sense that the economy is either broken, or worse – being run for someone else?


Latest Story

  • Won’t somebody think of the robots?

    Open Forum     |      August 7, 2026

    A new study explores the critical ethical considerations, economic potential, and policy implications of the “intelligent machines” that are increasingly walking among us.

  • Autonomous arms in Ukraine

    David Kirichenko     |      August 6, 2026

    Ukraine has embraced a range of cheap but advanced autonomous systems to resist Russia’s invasion and strike back at the enemy which may reshape the future of warfare.

  • Forbidden Planet

    Cameron Shackell     |      August 6, 2026

    When Forbidden Planet arrived in cinemas in 1956 it was pure science fiction, but its tale of a civilisation destroyed by the technology it created seems all too likely to become science fact.

  • The true cost of vapes

    Hollie Harwood     |      August 6, 2026

    A new study published reveals the daily reality of vaping addiction among younger Australians, detailing how the products are disrupting lives and being relied on for stress-relief.

  • Balance of terror

    David Wroe     |      August 5, 2026

    Big tech moguls are pushing to reduce AI regulation and liberalise access to advanced or ‘frontier’ models, despite those models’ prowess at cyberattacks and information operations, and the looming risk they pose as bioweapon tools.

  • Ten of the best

    Anna Walker     |      August 5, 2026

    A novel doesn’t need to be a hefty tome to change your life. Forget War and Peace (1,200 pages) or Les Misérables (1,400 pages); these expert recommendations are under 150 pages – short enough to tear through over a weekend.

  • Bring back boredom

    Trudy Meehan     |      August 5, 2026

    We’re all constantly bombarded with media and information from all sides but leaving a little space in our lives to do nothing but think and experience the world can be a more rewarding and productive experience.

  • Civics education in Australia

    Bede Harris     |      August 4, 2026

    The education system is producing is a population of young people who do not understand how government works and therefore feel confused by, and alienated from, its workings.

  • Peering into the unknown

    Noelia Noël     |      August 4, 2026

    Nasa is about to launch a space observatory that could help settle some of the biggest mysteries in modern astronomy regarding how the universe began, what it is made of and how it has evolved over time.

  • Demystifying dementia

    Open Forum     |      August 4, 2026

    New South Australian research will seek to uncover how the brain’s defence systems identify and remove damaged proteins, paving the way for new approaches to preventing and treating dementia.

  • Change or die

    Zareh Ghazarian     |      August 3, 2026

    The Liberal party basked in power for many years but it’s lack of internal reform left it out of touch with voters and it now faces existential crisis with its appeal in both the cities and rural regions under threat from the teals and One Nation.

  • Understanding p-value

    Kyle Hewitt     |      August 3, 2026

    If you’ve ever tried to read a scientific paper, you’ve almost certainly run into a p-value. And if you found it confusing, you’re in good company: plenty of working scientists misunderstand it too.