• Neuroscience

    The dress and the rabbit


    Alan Stevenson |  April 25, 2024


    Optical illusions and ambiguous pictures are more than parlour puzzles but can open our eyes to the scientific study of human perception and the role our brains play in shaping what we think we see.


  • Environment

    Robots on the reef


    Open Forum |  April 25, 2024


    QUT researchers have developed a robot to capture images of baby tank-grown corals destined for the Great Barrier Reef. The system will help keep the growing corals happy and healthy before they are deployed and save researchers thousands of hours of coral counting time.


  • Culture

    Not in my name


    Roger Chao |  April 25, 2024


    The appalling events in Bondi Junction have given us all pause for thought in recent days, in a world where such horrors are all too common.


Latest Story

  • Black lives matter in Australia

    Ebony Stansfield     |      January 20, 2021

    Three prominent Indigenous women speak about one of the biggest social movements in the world and how it matters in Australia.

  • Less is more

    Mark Beeson     |      January 20, 2021

    Climate change is quickly spiralling out of control, and there is limited time left to dispel the threat. Jason Hickel’s new book offers a new solution which over turns decades of economic thought.

  • Trumpism down-under

    Mark Kenny     |      January 19, 2021

    Australians followed the 2020 presidential race in the United States with greater-than-usual interest, but the spectacle might herald a plausible descent for Australia’s politics, too.

  • Lessons learned from the plague year

    Connor Bamford     |      January 19, 2021

    A year on, the COVID pandemic has proved the value of science and the importance of social solidarity in the face of a common threat.

  • Images and distorted facts

    Mark Pearson     |      January 19, 2021

    We live in a dangerous age where the internet makes it possible to spread misinformation far and wide and many people lack the skills to discern fact from fiction. Here are five ways for us all to improve our media literacy and fact-checking skills.

  • The GAP Summit on Australian resilience

    Open Forum     |      January 18, 2021

    The final report from ‘A Vision for Australia 2020’ GAP Summit, released today, examines the issues of national resilience and ways to safeguard Australia against future threats.

  • There’s no room for regret

    Victoria Tichá     |      January 18, 2021

    New research shows people are often influenced by their beliefs and predictions about the likelihood of others’ actions, and less so by the anticipation of regret.

  • Counterpoint by Mark Nicol – Indulgence, injustice, and the book of fine scrapes

    Mark Nicol     |      January 18, 2021

    The New Year can be a time to remember the past as well as look forward to the future, and Open Forum regular Mark Nicol reflects on a boy’s night out before the age of masks and social distancing.

  • Vaccinating against misinformation

    Australian Academy of Science     |      January 17, 2021

    Australia’s top scientists urge Australians to continue to consult reputable sources of evidence-based information about COVID-19 vaccines.

  • Strengthening Australia’s cyber-defences

    Open Forum     |      January 17, 2021

    After China launched a series of cyber-attacks on Australian targets and Russia established a beachhead in some Australian networks, the Australian government stands at a crossroads in terms of cyber-security.

  • Europe after Trump

    Colin Chapman     |      January 17, 2021

    Decision makers and opinion formers in Europe viewed the Trump presidency with increasing apprehension and disquiet, but problems and issues will remain long after Biden takes office.

  • US Strategy in the Asian century

    John West     |      January 16, 2021

    The United States is a country that has lost its way in the emerging Asian Century. The new administration will face some daunting challenges in developing an effective strategy for the Asian Century.