Racing 2-year-old horses is lucrative, but is it worth the risks?

By Rachel Hogg

Horse racing is an ethical hotbed in Australia. The Melbourne Cup alone has seen seven horses die after racing since 2013, and animal cruelty protesters have become a common feature at carnivals. The latest event to...

The nuclear weapons ban treaty is groundbreaking, even if the nuclear powers haven't signed

By Tilman Ruff1

Today, many around the world will celebrate the first multilateral nuclear disarmament treaty to enter into force in 50 years. The UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) was adopted at the United Nations...

Why new COVID-19 variants are on the rise and spreading around the world

By Sarah Otto

A new variant of coronavirus has swept across the United Kingdom and been detected in the United States, Canada and elsewhere. Scientists are concerned that these new strains may spread more easily. As an evolutionary...

The rise and rise of Aldi: two decades that changed supermarket shopping in Australia

By Gary Mortimer Et Al

Twenty years ago, on January 25 2001, a virtually unknown German supermarket chain quietly opened its first stores in Australia. The two stores one in Sydneys inner-west suburb of Marrickville, the other in the outer...

Islamophobia in western media is based on false premises

By Stuart Chambers

Although anti-Muslim sentiments certainly existed long before 2001, the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the response to them intensified anti-Muslim tropes, namely the presumption that Islam is inherently violent or that...

Fashion retailer Primark is refusing to sell online – here's why it is right to do so

By Lisa Jack Et Al

Irish fast-fashion retailer Primark has no plans to sell its clothes online. This is despite the company warning that lockdown store closures could cost it losses of more than 1 billion. The retailer has shut 305 of its...

Growing up in lockdown: young people give their perspectives

By Barry Percy-Smith

Throughout the pandemic, decisions made by adults have had a significant impact on all aspects of young peoples lives, yet some teenagers feel their voice and experiences during the pandemic have not been heard. The...

Why the EU's global fishing activities can't be called sustainable yet

By Andrew Frederick Johnson Et Al

The EU has a large fleet that fishes outside European waters. Nearly a third of its catch comes from non-EU waters, most of which belong to developing countries. Where and how much the EUs external fleet can fish is set...

Crimes at sea: when we frame illegal fishers as human and drug smugglers, everyone loses

By Britta Denise Hardesty Et Al

Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing costs economies up to US$50 billion globally each year, and makes up to one-fifth of the global catch. Its a huge problem not only for the 59.5 million people who depend on...

Caravan communities: older, underinsured and overexposed to cyclones, storms and disasters

By Jonatan A Lassa

News of storms battering parts of Queensland and the threat posed by Cyclone Kimi reminded me of a recent experience Id had. A few months after Cyclone Marcus unleashed havoc on Darwin in 2018, uprooting trees and...

Dan Tehan's daunting new role: restoring trade with China in a hostile political environment

By Tony Walker

The new trade minister, Dan Tehan, has been handed one of the Morrison governments most demanding roles. Despite a lot of chest-thumping in government circles about the need to stand up to Chinese bullying, Tehans task...

Trump-fuelled chaos shows democracy is in trouble — here's how to change course

By Paul R. Carr Et Al

Joe Biden will become the 46th president of the United States on Jan. 20, seven days after outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump became the first commander-in-chief in history to be impeached twice this time for inciting...

Tokyo Olympics: An ethical approach will determine whether athletes should get vaccinated ahead of the public

By Kathleen Rodenburg Et Al

The debate about prioritizing the return of sport during this global pandemic heated up recently when the National Hockey League indicated it would purchase vaccines and then had to rescind this statement. On Jan. 8,...

Biden has a congressional shortcut to cancel Trump’s regulatory rollbacks, but it comes with risks

By Daniel Farber

The Trump administration dedicated itself to deregulation with unprecedented fervor. It rolled back scores of regulations across government agencies, including more than 80 environmental rules. The Biden administration...

Empty cities have long been a post-apocalyptic trope – now, they are a reality

By Paul Dobraszczyk

Carry out a Google image search of the phrase 28 Days Later and among the many stills and publicity images for the 2002 horror film, one will find a scattering of photographs of London taken during the first COVID-19...

Alzheimer's: new research shows a leap forward in identifying neurons vulnerable to the disease

By Eleftheria Kodosaki

Alzheimers disease is a devastating condition that is currently unstoppable and incurable. The main cause of the disease is the loss of neurons and other brain cells in the brain also know as degeneration. This...

Joggers and cyclists should wear masks – here's why

By Trish Greenhalgh

England is deep into its third lockdown, yet the daily tally of new COVID cases and deaths remains sickeningly high. As Chris Whitty, the countrys chief medical officer, said recently, more needs to be done to bring the...

Some key questions answered on COVID-19 vaccines for African countries

By Benjamin Kagina

Vaccines for COVID-19 are generating a lot of talk. To shed some light on which vaccines are available for countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and how the process will work, The Conversation Africas Ina Skosana and Ozayr...

Bold visual warnings are needed to stop people clicking on fake news

By Fiona Carroll

A senior doctor in charge of the NHS anti-disinformation campaign has said that language and cultural barriers could be causing people from ethnic minorities to reject the COVID-19 vaccine. Dr Harpreet Sood told the BBC it...

Unrest in the US has prompted soul-searching in Europe

By Amelia Hadfield

In the wake of the shocking events in Washington, DC, the EUs foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, published a blog laden with sound and fury, beseeching Europeans to heed the wake-up call for all democracy advocates...

Russia: Alexei Navalny's return adds spice to an already challenging year for Vladimir Putin

By Liana Semchuk

Political commentators both inside Russia and around the world are comparing Alexei Navalnys return to Moscow with Vladimir Lenins sealed train journey from Switzerland to St Petersburg in April 1917. It was eight-day...

COVID-19 vaccines: how and when will lower-income countries get access?

By Rory Horner

COVID-19 vaccination programmes are gathering pace in high-income countries, but for much of the world, the future looks bleaker. Although a number of middle-income countries have started rolling out vaccines, widespread...

Hepatitis D: how the virus made the jump from animals to humans

By Laura Bergner Et Al

Pandemics past and present have been caused when pathogens germs that cause disease move between animals and humans, as SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) did when it made its way from bats to people. But not...

The Pfizer vaccine may not be the best choice for frail people, but it's too early to make firm conclusions

By Nathan Bartlett

Reports of about 30 deaths among elderly nursing home residents who received the Pfizer vaccine have made international headlines. With Australias Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) expected to approve the vaccine...

There's no such thing as 'alternative facts'. 5 ways to spot misinformation and stop sharing it online

By Mark Pearson

The blame for the recent assault on the US Capitol and President Donald Trumps broader dismantling of democratic institutions and norms can be laid at least partly on misinformation and conspiracy theories. Those who...

Biden’s Senate majority doesn't just super-charge US climate action, it blazes a trail for Australia

By Jim Orchard

Last week, somewhat overshadowed by the events in Washington, the Democrats took control of the US Senate. The Democrats now hold a small majority in both the House and the Senate until 2022, giving President-elect Joe...

Disaster season is here — do you have a Resilience Action Plan? Here's how the small town of Tarnagulla built theirs

By Mittul Vahanvati

Heatwaves, floods, bushfires: disaster season is upon us again. We cant prevent hazards or climate change-related extreme weather events but we can prepare for them not just as individuals but as a community. One way...

Love in the time of algorithms: would you let your artificial intelligence choose your partner?

By David Tuffley

It could be argued artificial intelligence (AI) is already the indispensable tool of the 21st century. From helping doctors diagnose and treat patients to rapidly advancing new drug discoveries, its our trusted partner in...

As Joe Biden becomes president, here's an easy proposal for Electoral College reform

By James Krapfl

Its been a rocky ride, but a new U.S. president is about to be inaugurated. Many are thrilled to be moving on from the Donald Trump era, especially after the raid on the U.S. Capitol by angry Trump supporters. But...

The U.S. Founding Fathers would want us to get the COVID-19 vaccine

By J.M. Opal

With the United States Capitol overrun by Trumps deplorables, it was easy to miss the other calamity that hit America last week: the pace of COVID-19 deaths hit a frightful new high. In Los Angeles County, a victim now...

Give cannabis producers more packaging and labelling flexibility

By Michael J. Armstrong

While efforts to legalize recreational cannabis nationally have stalled in the United States, New Zealand, Mexico and Israel, Canadas legal market continues to evolve. Health Canada has recently been receiving...

Digital hoarders: we've identified four types – which are you?

By Nick Neave

How many emails are in your inbox? If the answer is thousands, or if you often struggle to find a file on your computer among its cluttered hard drive, then you might be classed as a digital hoarder. In the physical...

Why online platforms banning Trump won't stop — or even slow down — his cause

By Bronwyn Carlson

Last week Twitter permanently suspended US President Donald Trump in the wake of his supporters violent storming of Capitol Hill. Trump was also suspended from Facebook and Instagram indefinitely. Heads quickly turned...

Why the alt-right believes another American Revolution is coming

By Clare Corbould Et Al

The alt-right, QAnon, paramilitary and Donald Trump-supporting mob that stormed the US Capitol on January 6 claimed they were only doing what the so-called founding fathers of the US had done in 1776: overthrowing an...

Americans around the world were part of the largest voter turnout in U.S. history

By Angela Norwood

Americans abroad, like those in the United States, are transfixed by U.S. President-elect Joe Bidens high-stakes inauguration on Jan. 20. It will be unusual and somewhat surreal, to say the least, to see an incoming...

A second impeachment is just the start of Trump's legal woes

By Thomas Klassen

By becoming the first president to be impeached twice, Donald Trumps controversial and divisive term as president is reaching a surreal ending. Although he will likely remain in office and finish his term on Jan. 20, the...

The price of a drug should be based on its therapeutic benefits – not just what the market will bear

By Nicole Hassoun

The U.S. pharmaceutical industry has innovated in response to the pandemic, providing not only vaccines but also therapies to treat people with COVID-19. But an outdated law designed to spur development of lifesaving drugs...

In the rush for coronavirus information, unreviewed scientific papers are being publicized

By Alice Fleerackers Et Al

COVID-19 has not only upended our personal lives, it has dramatically changed scientific research. In response to the rapid spread of the virus, scientists around the world have had to find new ways to collaborate and...

How China is controlling the COVID origins narrative — silencing critics and locking up dissenters

By John Garrick Et Al

Just over a year has gone by since the novel coronavirus first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan and the world still has many questions about where and how it originated. The World Health Organisation is sending a...

Brexit: UK pound has not crashed yet, but here's why it will probably suffer in years to come

By Agelos Delis Et Al

The Brexit deal has failed to have any major effect on the exchange rate of the pound since January 1. The pound has held steady against the US dollar at US$1.36 and has strengthened slightly against the euro to 1.12. This...

Americans have unrealistic expectations for a COVID-19 vaccine

By Matt Motta

Many Americans appear to be experiencing cautious optimism about the role that vaccines could play in ending the pandemic. But recent public opinion research suggests that 29% to 37% of Americans plan to refuse a COVID-19...

Federal financial aid for college will be easier to apply for – and a bit more generous

By Robert Kelchen

Editors note: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid better known as FAFSA is being simplified through the omnibus spending bill that became law in December. The FAFSA is what students must fill out to receive Pell...

How explainable artificial intelligence can help humans innovate

By Forest Agostinelli

The field of artificial intelligence (AI) has created computers that can drive cars, synthesize chemical compounds, fold proteins and detect high-energy particles at a superhuman level. However, these AI algorithms...

What is a protein? A biologist explains

By Nathan Ahlgren

Editors note: Nathan Ahlgren is a professor of biology at Clark University. In this interview, he explains exactly what proteins are, how they are made, and the wide variety of functions they perform in the human...

How to avoid scams when buying a pet online

By Jack Mark Whittaker

For many people, the pandemic has been a lonely experience. Because of this, it might be tempting to go on the internet and look for a new animal companion. Whether it is a puppy, kitten or even an exotic bird, animal...

Oxford scientists: how we developed our COVID-19 vaccine in record time

By Tonia Thomas Et Al

The pandemic is only a year old, but we already have multiple vaccines available to fight COVID-19 including the vaccine developed by the team were part of at the University of Oxford. With our partner AstraZeneca, we...

The Oxford vaccine has unique advantages, as does Pfizer's. Using both is Australia's best strategy

By Kylie Quinn Et Al

On Sunday, federal Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly said most Australians will be offered a vaccine from Oxford-AstraZeneca. Australia currently has agreements in place to receive 53.8 million doses of the...

Despite being permanently banned, Trump's prolific Twitter record lives on

By Audrey Courty

For years, US President Donald Trump pushed the limits of Twitters content policies, raising pressure on the platform to exercise tougher moderation. Ultimately, the violent siege of the US Capitol forced Twitters hand...

Why the flag of South Vietnam flew at US Capitol siege

By Long T. Bui

The violent mob that laid siege to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 carried symbols expressing the purpose of their insurrectionist campaign to derail Joe Bidens electoral certification. Alongside American flags, anti-Semitic...

Artificial intelligence can deepen social inequality. Here are 5 ways to help prevent this

By Tiberio Caetano Et Al

From Google searches and dating sites to detecting credit card fraud, artificial intelligence (AI) keeps finding new ways to creep into our lives. But can we trust the algorithms that drive it? As humans, we make...