By Afzal Azeem Chowdhary, Lecturer, Department of Computer Science, Swinburne University of Technology
In Australia’s first census in 1911, only 0.4% of us said we had ‘no religion’. Now, ‘no religion’ is Australia’s biggest religious affiliation.
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By Jason M. Lodge, Director of the Learning, Instruction & Technology Lab and Professor of Educational Psychology, School of Education, The University of Queensland
There is no comprehensive national data on how much time an Australian child spends on a device at school. The rules are just as patchy.
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By Deborah Glass, Adjunct Professor of Law, Monash University
Successive reports from integrity bodies have found the Labor government acted improperly across a range of issues over the years. It’s time that changed.
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By Lauren Rickards, Professor of Climate Change Adaptation, La Trobe University
Hartmut Fünfgeld, Associate Professor, Sustainability and Urban Planning, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University
Magnus Moglia, Associate Professor of Sustainability Science, La Trobe University
Wildfire, drought and heat have made climate change impossible to avoid this northern summer. But will authorities tackle the cause – or the symptoms?
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By Alexis Levengood, Lecturer in Animal Ecology, University of the Sunshine Coast
From spears and the invention of the wheel to smartphones and robots, human societies have been building and using tools from the beginning. Human tool use has served to conquer new environments, increase communication, and ultimately alter the course of human evolution.
But humans are not alone in the use of tools. Our new study, published in the journal of Marine Mammal Science, shows dolphins can use seashells to help them hunt for fish. And they might be learning this clever tool use from their mothers.
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By Vivi Tan, Lecturer in Law, RMIT University
You know the feeling. Your account is suspended, your refund request is refused, or you’re still being charged for a cancelled subscription.
So you go to the company’s website for help and you find a chatbot. It offers a menu that doesn’t include your situation. There is no option to speak to a person. Eventually you give up.
Since the start of 2023, Australians have made 1,780 complaints about online retailers, marketplaces,…
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By Hannah Dahlen, Professor of Midwifery, Associate Dean Research and HDR, Midwifery Discipline Leader, Western Sydney University
A birth doula is a support person a woman can privately hire during pregnancy. They usually attend the birth and provide non-clinical comfort measures such as massage, assistance getting into different birth positions, and emotional reassurance.
While most doulas provide support during labour, some also – or only – provide support in the days and weeks afterwards.
Doulas also support the partner. They ensure the partner is informed and involved in the birth, while busy clinicians are…
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By Jessica Benthuysen, Physical Oceanographer, Australian Institute of Marine Science
Daniela Ceccarelli, Reef Fish Ecologist, Australian Institute of Marine Science
Mike Emslie, Senior Research Scientist in Reef Ecology, Australian Institute of Marine Science
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is a true natural wonder: a unique and diverse underwater seascape the size of a small country.
However, cycles of disturbance and recovery threaten to turn its colourful coral gardens into algal-dominated seascapes – then back again. And these cycles are becoming more volatile as our…
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By Bryndl Hohmann-Marriott, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Otago
Moana Rarere, Demographer/Lecturer in Population Studies, University of Waikato
NZ First’s Kiwi Kids Grant is tied up with the party’s broader immigration policies. But a ‘baby bonus’ for citizens won’t necessarily achieve the intended outcome.
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By Michael Noetel, Associate Professor of Psychology, The University of Queensland
Cory Doctorow wants you to hate AI – but it’s here to stay, and booing won’t protect you from it.
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