How Spanish conquistadors, and a tiny cactus-dwelling insect, gave the world the colour red
ShutterstockWhen you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands ...
Art depicts Jesus in a loincloth on the cross – the brutal truth is he would have been naked
The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SAWhen Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around his ...
The first pig kidney has been transplanted into a living person. But we’re still a long way from solving organ shortages
Massachusetts General HospitalIn a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the proc...
How can schools make sure gifted students get the help they need?
Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted sch...
A philosopher makes the case for a thoughtful life – but life is more than a thought experiment
Yuliia Myroniuk/ShutterstockSvend Brinkmann’s Think is a book in praise of the thoughtful life and an easygoing exploration of the role of thinking in our lives today. The bo...
Albanese hit by unexpected wave as he tries to clear the decks
In 2023, Anthony Albanese was shooting for the moon, his eyes on the Voice referendum. On one view, he looked like the idealist reflecting his left-wing roots. In 2024, we’r...
Draft NDIS bill is the first step to reform – but some details have disability advocates worried
Drazen Zigic/ShutterstockSince the review of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) released its recommendations in December, there has been a series of Town Hall events t...
a bridge engineer explains what happened, and what needs to change
When the container ship MV Dali, 300 metres long and massing around 100,000 tonnes, lost power and slammed into one of the support piers of the Francis Scott Key Bridge i…
The consequences of the government’s new migration legislation could be dire – for individuals and for Australia
The Albanese government came to power with a promise to be “strong on borders without being weak on humanity”. But there was little humanity in parliament yes…
4G LTE VPN Routers: Advantages and Deployment Strategies
Setting up a VPN (Virtual Private Network) router has grown to be critical for protective net connections at domestic or at work in a time when on-line privacy and sa…
Australia just committed $207 million to a major satellite program. What is it, and why do we need it?
Landsat image of Lake Torrens, South Australia.NASA Earth ObservatoryLast week, the federal minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Madeleine King, signed a A$207 …
‘Noisy’ autistic brains seem better at certain tasks. Here’s why neuroaffirmative research matters
ShutterstockAutism is a neurodevelopmental difference associated with specific experiences and characteristics. For decades, autism research has focused on behavioural, c…
These extraordinary Australian islands are teeming with life – and we must protect them before it’s too late
In the Southern Ocean about 4,000 kilometres from Perth lies a truly extraordinary place. Known as the Heard Island and McDonald islands, they are among the most remote p…
why thousands of Rohingya are desperately trying to escape refugee camps by boats
Late last week, a boat crammed with Rohingya refugees fleeing a squalid camp in Bangladesh capsized off the coast of Indonesia. Around 75 people were rescued, including n…
After seven decades of fighting, disabled people are still vulnerable when it comes to support
The recent Facebook announcement by Whaikaha – the Ministry of Disabled People on changes to funding for carers and equipment modification and services has put the …
Want to quit vaping? There’s an app for that
SeventyFour/ShutterstockMore Australians than ever are vaping, according to recently released data.The National Drug Strategy Household Survey shows the proportion of Aus…