• Culture

    The silent truth


    Roger Chao |  April 20, 2024


    Conflict has marred the whole of human history, but the hope for peace is everlasting in the human imagination. In a world riven by war from Ukraine to Israel, Yemen to Mayanmar, we should all remember our common humanity and the healing power of art.


  • Science and Technology

    Alien science


    Philip Almond |  April 20, 2024


    We no longer live in a universe that is seen as the product of the divine plenitude. Nor one in which our planet can be viewed as the centre of the universe. As a result, ironically, we have become aliens to ourselves: modern “alienation” is that sense of being lost and forsaken in the vast spaces of a godless universe.


  • Society

    More weird books, please!


    Emmett Stinson |  April 20, 2024


    Two new books by Australian authors, “Tell” by Jonathan Buckley and “It Lasts Forever and Then It’s Over” by Anne de Marcken, add to the puzzle of the post-post-postmodern novel.


Latest Story

  • What President Trump needs to hear from Prime Minister Morrison

    James Curran     |      September 18, 2019

    Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s state visit to Washington later this week is a rare honour, and he should make the most of it by telling Mr Trump a few home truths.

  • Australia should retain more international students

    Jihyun Lee     |      September 18, 2019

    Australia’s university sector is one of the most attractive for international students. So why not try to keep them when they graduate rather than lose the talent we’ve helped train and educate?

  • Why are the rain forests burning?

    Trent Penman     |      September 17, 2019

    Forests around the world – from the Amazon to South-East Asia and Australia – are on fire, largely due to the direct and indirect actions of man.

  • What’s in store for Facebook Libra?

    Ian Tan     |      September 17, 2019

    Facebook is working on a cryptocurrency called Libra, which it hopes will be used by millions of Facebook users in developing countries who don’t own a bank account.

  • Mr Morrison goes to Washington

    Peter Jennings     |      September 17, 2019

    There’s no doubting the friendship and shared history of the USA and Australia, but it’s not immediately obvious that their current leaders have a common vision for peace, security and prosperity.

  • The human language of AI

    Julian Koplin     |      September 16, 2019

    Artificial intelligence can be convincingly human-like when it writes news or even poetry, raising ethical issues for the future.

  • NSW residents want action to safeguard water supplies

    Stuart Snell     |      September 16, 2019

    As rainfall dwindles and reserves run dry, residents of NSW are increasingly anxious about the future of domestic fresh water supplies.

  • Let’s “think different” about national security

    Ewen Levick     |      September 16, 2019

    We know what the future of our region looks like, but unless we start thinking about how we think, that knowledge may not be enough to help us cope with it.

  • Designing for people

    Ben Knight     |      September 15, 2019

    From the humble toaster to the popular coffee machine, more goes into designing an appliance or product than we probably think, but focusing on people’s needs should be central to the process.

  • Diary of an accidental activist

    Dennis Altman     |      September 15, 2019

    Denis Altman’s new book, Unrequited Love: Diary of an Accidental Activist, accounts for his time in the US and draws comparisons between the American and Australian political state.

  • China sets out its military future

    Richard Bitzinger     |      September 15, 2019

    China has released a White Paper on defence — its first such report in four years — reiterating three broad strategic goals for the modernisation of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) over the next 30 years.

  • Arvanitakis on American politics: The third Democratic debate

    James Arvanitakis     |      September 14, 2019

    The latest televised debate between challengers for the Democrat ticket produced some heated exchanges on healthcare, immigration, Donald Trump and other hot button issues, but will it shift voting intentions?