• Education and Training

    Red tape ties up university innovation


    David Noble |  May 7, 2024


    Australian public universities tout themselves as bastions of innovation and driving forces behind economic growth, but their in-built cultures are getting in the way.


  • Science and Technology

    5 clues to the birth of life


    Louise Gillet de Chalonge |  May 7, 2024


    The origins of life on Earth remain one of the biggest unsolved questions in science, but five remarkable discoveries over the last five years have shed light on the possible process.


  • Environment

    The future of farming


    Open Forum |  May 7, 2024


    Australia must act now to accelerate agricultural innovation to achieve productive, resilient and sustainable farming systems by 2050, according to a new report released by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO.


Latest Story

  • Boosting belonging for school mental health

    Kelly-Ann Allen     |      May 2, 2024

    Initiatives to enhance a sense of school belonging can have positive and far-reaching effects on the mental health of young people.

  • Disaster resilience – learning from abroad

    Latika Bourke     |      May 2, 2024

    Australia’s disaster resilience must be transformed and insights from Japan, Fiji, and Tonga illustrate that we can derive important lessons from our friends and neighbours.

  • Natural chemistry

    Timothy Schmidt     |      May 2, 2024

    “Chemicals” have a bad reputation, as every mention of them in the news seems to be negative, but chemistry is the central science of the modern world.

  • The first thousand days

    Ana Gamarra Rondinel     |      May 1, 2024

    The first 1,000 days of a child’s life do much to shape their future, but the cost of living crisis is taking its toll on young families.

  • Generation angst

    Hugh Breakey     |      May 1, 2024

    Far from bringing people together, Jonathan Haidt’s new book “The Anxious Generation” argues that ubiquitous smartphones are divorcing young people from their friends and family, while attention grabbing apps are eroding their ability to think for themselves.

  • From Sydney to the stars

    Ching Wei Sooi     |      May 1, 2024

    According to a recent survey, the Australian public lacks awareness of global space activities and domestic space endeavours, so, what is Australia is up to in space?

  • Can AI speak up for science?

    Jon Whittle     |      April 30, 2024

    AI tools are already being widely used in science. But can they, and the science they help produce, be trusted?

  • Airfares are staying sky-high

    David Beirman     |      April 30, 2024

    The post-pandemic surge in airfares is easing, but a return to the halcyon days of relatively cheap flight tickets abroad might be over for good.

  • Down the plughole

    John Coyne     |      April 30, 2024

    Wastewater analysis shows that Australia’s consumption of a range of illicit drugs continues to climb, despite the best efforts of law enforcement and harm minimisation schemes.

  • Failure to launch

    Laura Woodbridge     |      April 29, 2024

    The lack of women in the national legislature suggests our political system is misfiring, and this inequality of gender representation also undermines the democratic notion of government being for the people, by the people.

  • Boardroom blitz

    Open Forum     |      April 29, 2024

    A new report has revealed the extent to which Australian universities’ governing bodies have become stacked with unelected big business appointees.

  • Plastic planet

    Open Forum     |      April 29, 2024

    An international team of researchers has found that more than half of branded plastic pollution in the environment is linked to just 56 companies.