Sudan’s national treasures have been stolen – we spoke with the director of museums

By Julien Cooper Et Al

In September, amid the ongoing war in Sudan, reports began to surface of the looting of the Sudan National Museum in the capital, Khartoum. The museum is internationally celebrated for the breadth of its collection. It...

Illegal mining clampdown in South Africa: treating desperate people like criminals is an injustice – legal scholar

By Tracy-Lynn Field

Illegal artisanal gold mining in South Africa is in the spotlight again. Under Operation Vala Umgodi (plug the hole), South African authorities have since December 2023 been trying to disrupt the illicit gold mining...

Ghana’s economic diplomacy: how three presidents with different ideologies dealt with the IMF and World Bank

By Emmanuel Kwaku Siaw

Since independence in 1956, Ghanas leaders have followed a variety of global ideologies, from centre-right to socialist. But the country has also blended these with local priorities, like anti-colonialism and economic...

US decision to supply Kyiv with hated anti-personnel mines is both controversial and a depressing sign of the way the war is going

By David J Galbreath

In the final weeks of his presidency, Joe Biden, has agreed to give Ukraine a further hand in shaping the land war against the Russians. On October 17, he granted permission for Ukraines armed forces to use the long-range...

Bestselling comic, World Without End, rips the fossil fuel economy apart – and controversially embraces nuclear power

By Jo Lindsay Walton

A skydiver stares up at his parachute. Its on fire. Hurriedly, the skydiver pulls out his spare … but hesitates. There is something spooky about the spare parachute, with its lime-green glow. The vibes are off....

Why is it so difficult to make a new antibiotic?

By Alistair Farley Et Al

The discovery of antibiotics is one of the greatest medical breakthroughs of the 20th century. Before antibiotics, childbirth, a urinary tract infection, or a simple cut could lead to death from infection. Antibiotics,...

Crypto is soaring after Trump’s election − but is it a good ethical investment?

By Erran Carmel

An estimated 18 million Americans are invested in cryptocurrency, according to the Federal Reserve. And the United States just elected a pro-crypto president. Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin have become a trendy...

Why you should get to know Thomas Aquinas, even 800 years after he lived

By Therese Cory

The Triumph of St. Thomas Aquinas, by Benozzo Gozzoli. Louvre Museum via Wikimedia Commons Some years ago, I was rushing past the treasures of the Louvre in Paris, on the way to the Mona Lisa, when a painting stopped me...

Fast fashion may seem cheap, but it’s taking a costly toll on the planet − and on millions of young customers

By Paula M. Carbone

Fast fashion is everywhere in just about every mall, in the feeds of influencers on social media promoting overconsumption, and in ads constantly popping up online. Its focus on the continual production of new clothing...

New ‘best practice’ principles for superannuation products are coming. We asked a panel of experts what should be included

By Matt Garrow Et Al

We all know how important it is to save enough money for retirement but what about spending it wisely when we get there? Even for those who have built up a suitable nest egg, managing money well in retirement isnt...

The government has introduced laws for its social media ban. But key details are still missing

By Daniel Angus

The federal government today introduced into parliament legislation for its social media ban for people under 16 years. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said: This is about protecting young people, not...

I’ve studied organisational failure for decades – the Church of England needs more than a new leader

By Cary Cooper

In a book I wrote with a colleague on organisational failures (The Apology Impulse) the inability of many of them to confront their failures, except to say a meaningless were sorry, is legend. We highlighted the many...

Young people were becoming more anxious long before social media – here’s the evidence

By Roland Paulsen

Thanks to bestselling authors like Jonathan Haidt and Jean Twenge, the public has become increasingly aware of the rapid rise in mental health issues among younger people in many western countries. Their warnings about the...

Why Ghanaian farmers have been unable to capitalise on record cocoa prices

By Sophie Van Huellen Et Al

International cocoa prices have experienced a historic price surge, rising by over 300% in the space of 12 months from 2,166 per tonne of cocoa in April 2023 to 9,980 by April 2024. Prices have fallen since then, and are...

Climate entropy: reflections on the ground from COP29

By Isabela del Alcázar

If I had to sum up COP29 in a single word, it would be entropy. Borrowed from thermodynamics, this concept describes the delicate balance between order and disorder, a principle that governs both natural and human systems....

The first 1,000 days of a child’s life are crucial – there’s growing evidence that the next 1,000 are just as important

By Catherine Draper

The first 1,000 days of a childs life pregnancy and the months leading to their second birthday are a critical time. Expectant mothers need good antenatal care. The better their physical and mental health, the greater...

Bunnings breached privacy law by scanning customers’ faces – but this loophole lets other shops keep doing it

By Margarita Vladimirova

Hardware giant Bunnings breached the privacy of likely hundreds of thousands of Australians through its use of facial recognition technology, the Privacy Commissioner ruled today. Individuals who entered the relevant...

Albanese government gives firm ‘no’ to joining UK-US agreement to advance nuclear technology

By Michelle Grattan

The Albanese government has been put on the spot by a new agreement which it has declined to join signed by the United Kingdom and the United States to speed up the deployment of cutting edge nuclear technology. The...

The government wants to keep cash alive for buying essentials. Here’s why it’s such a challenge for businesses

By Steve Worthington

Cash usage has fallen off a cliff in Australia, but the federal government says it must have a future. So, its going to mandate one. The Australian government will require businesses to accept cash for essentials such...

Alan Jones once seemed unassailable. What ended it was a peculiarly Sydney story of media, politics and power

By Denis Muller

For decades it seemed Alan Jones was unassailable. A finding against him of professional misconduct by the Australian Broadcasting Authority (2000); a finding that he incited hatred, serious contempt and severe ridicule...

Basic rules for screen time at a young age can help reduce childhood obesity – new research

By Ladan Hashemi

Childhood obesity is a growing concern worldwide. But in New Zealand its a particularly pressing issue. With one of the highest rates in the OECD, about one in three New Zealand children are overweight or obese. Obesity...

What is resistance? From a second Trump presidency to the carnage in Gaza, it takes various forms

By Anna Lippman

Resistance is justified when people are occupied. If youve passed or joined any pro-Palestine protest over the last 400 days, youve likely heard this chant. It has been held up as an anti-Israel call for not just...

Trump’s criminal conviction won’t stop him from getting security clearance as president

By Dakota Rudesill

Former President Donald Trump is the president-elect. He is also a convicted felon, thanks to a jury verdict after a trial in New York state court for a hush money conspiracy before he became president the first...

Extremism, interest rates and tariffs: the political and economic challenges the Trump administration will impose on Brazil

By Guilherme Casarões

In recent months, Brazilians have closely followed the US presidential campaign. Since 2016, whatever happens in American politics seems likely to unfold in Brazil. In many ways, the American political chasm reflects...

AI for life: how sovereign Wiradyuri ways of knowing can transform technology for good

By Jessica Russ-Smith Et Al

From climate change to geopolitical instability to health emergencies, we are entering a period of momentous change. The technology industry likes to tell us that the antidote is artificial intelligence (AI). But as...

Ukraine: after 1,000 days of war, Europe must prepare for a Trump-brokered peace deal by asserting its own interests

By Stefan Wolff

Since Donald Trump was reelected on November 5, speculation about what his presidency will mean for the war in Ukraine, which has now entered its 1,000th day, has become frenzied. It is easy to be sceptical of Trumps...

With 14 community newspapers due to close, too many parts of NZ are becoming ‘news deserts’

By Greg Treadwell

When media company NZME proposed the closure of 14 community newspapers last week, the so-called news desert encroached a little further into the local information landscape. The term refers to those many regions in...

The Moana effect: how small island developing states are bringing their struggle against climate change to the world

By Susan Ann Samuel

Walking through the delegation pavilion at the UN climate summit, Cop29, in Baku, Azerbaijan, the Moana blue Pacific pavilion grabbed my attention more than any other. This pavilion is named after the spirited young...

What Davina McCall’s colloid cyst removal can tell us about brain tumours

By Dan Baumgardt

British TV presenter Davina McCall has undergone neurosurgery to remove a colloid cyst a type of benign brain tumour. McCall was diagnosed with the tumour by chance. In an Instagram video posted in November 2024, she...

How a solar Minecraft server is changing the way we play video games

By Bart Simon Et Al

Video games have always been a showcase for new technologies. They help create new audiences and new markets. In the 1990s, computer parts manufacturers advertised the speed of their video cards in terms of the frames they...

Ghana elections: swing voting is on the rise, shaping outcomes – a look at what’s driving this

By John Taden Et Al

Ghanaian elections have become much more challenging for politicians. In the past they have often been characterised as nothing more than an ethnic headcount. But since the 2008 presidential and parliamentary elections,...

Americans face an insurability crisis as climate change worsens disasters – a look at how insurance companies set rates and coverage

By Andrew J. Hoffman

Home insurance rates are rising in the United States, not only in Florida, which saw tens of billions of dollars in losses from hurricanes Helene and Milton, but across the country. According to SP Global Market...

From using plant rinds to high-tech materials, bike helmets have improved significantly over the past 2 centuries

By Jud Ready

Imagine its the mid-1800s, and youre riding your high-wheeled, penny-farthing bicycle down a dusty road. Sure, it may have some bumps, but if you lose your balance, youre landing on a relatively soft dirt road. But as the...

Robo price-fixing: Why the Justice Department is suing a software company to stop landlords colluding on rents

By Roger Alford

Of all the reasons it could be hard to pay rent each month, did you have an algorithm-powered illegal cartel on your list? Millions of people across the United States are paying far more rent than they can reasonably...

Donor-advised funds are drawing a lot of assets besides cash – taking a bigger bite out of tax revenue than other kinds of charitable giving

By Brian Mittendorf

Donor-advised funds, or DAFs, are financial accounts funded by donors to support future charitable work. This kind of giving differs greatly from charitable giving as a whole because its much more likely to involve...

Why school police officers may not be the most effective way to prevent violence

By Monic Behnken

In 1975, only 1% of public schools had their own police officers. Today, 44% do. A large reason for the increase is the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which led to the creation of the federal...

What is net zero? What is blue carbon? Experts explain key climate terms

By Anna Turns

Jargon is hard to decipher. And when it comes to climate science, its rife. So, weve teamed up with top climate experts to explain the meaning, and the context, of some of the most crucial terminology. The Conversations...

How game theory predicts Trump might not do all that he threatens over Ukraine, Taiwan and Nato

By Paul Whiteley

Donald Trumps victory in the US presidential elections has left many across the world unsure about what he might do in his next term, and whether some of the threats he made about international policy will be followed...

AI feels like an unstoppable force. But it is not a panacea for businesses or society

By Akhil Bhardwaj Et Al

In Greek mythology, Prometheus is credited with giving humans fire as well as the spark that spurred civilisation. One of the unintended consequences of Prometheuss gift was that the need for celestial Gods diminished....

Does immigration really drive up crime? Not according to the evidence

By Paolo Pinotti Et Al

Immigration and crime were once again central themes throughout the US presidential election campaign. The belief that immigration drives up crime is one of the oldest and strongest convictions held by the public,...

How ethical are South Africa’s news media? We studied public complaints to the press council to find out

By Sisanda Nkoala Et Al

The news media in South Africa have a long and dark history of being used to oppress the majority during colonialism and apartheid. In the new context of societal transformation and constitutional democracy since 1994,...

The crypto community sees a powerful new friend in Donald Trump. Here’s why

By Nafis Alam

It can be hard to make sense of the price of bitcoin, which has swung wildly throughout its history. But in the aftermath of Donald Trumps presidential victory in the United States, its reached unprecedented highs. Last...

Prime time for cicadas: what a once-in-1,547-year bug population surge tells us about the nature of reality

By Sam Baron

Its a big year in America for wildlife as well as for politics. Im talking about periodical cicadas. These curious creatures spend most of their lives in the ground, emerging after 13 or 17 years to eat, breed, die and...

New study suggests weight loss drugs like Ozempic could help with knee pain. Here’s why there may be a link

By Giovanni E. Ferreira Et Al

The drug semaglutide, commonly known by the brand names Ozempic or Wegovy, was originally developed to help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels. However, researchers have discovered it may help...

You will soon be able to power your house with your electric car. Here’s how

By Syed M Nawazish Ali

This year, dozens of new models of electric vehicles have hit the Australian market and more are coming. New models of battery electric and plug-in hybrids come with bigger batteries. The average battery electric now has...

Supreme Court hears case on Canada’s prostitution laws

By Debra M Haak

The Supreme Court of Canada is currently hearing arguments about the constitutionality of Canadas prostitution laws. The case, R v. Kloubakov, is the first time Canadas highest court will consider whether Canadas...

What role did music play in Trump and MAGA’s electoral appeal?

By Aidan McGartland

Donald Trump knows the value of music. On November 5, Lee Greenwoods God Bless The U.S.A filled the Palm Beach County Convention Center as the former and incoming president of the United States walked onto the stage to...

Why the metaverse isn’t ready to be the future of work just yet

By Victoria (Vicky) McArthur Et Al

The COVID-19 pandemic radically changed how many Canadians work. According to Statistics Canada, remote work rose to 40 per cent in April 2020 and fell to 18.7 per cent as of May 2024. While telework allows employees to...

US election pollsters were actually a lot closer than people think – John Curtice

By John Curtice

Polling of the US election has been widely criticised following the outcome of last Tuesdays ballot. For weeks in the run-up to polling day the polls were widely reported as saying that the result was too close to call....

The Trump presidency could hammer global growth – here’s what the UK could do

By Stephen Barber

Donald Trumps victory in the US presidential election has brought big questions about what it means for Nato, Ukraine, the Middle East and, of course, global trade. Faced with the threat of protectionism, and outside the...