Ancient nomads you’ve probably never heard of disappeared from Europe 1,000 years ago. Now, DNA analysis reveals how they lived

By Magdalena M.E. Bunbury Et Al

How do we understand past societies? For centuries, our main sources of information have been pottery sherds, burial sites and ancient texts. But the study of ancient DNA is changing what we know about the human past,...

How marketing classes can rescue ‘ugly produce’ from becoming food waste

By Narmin Tartila Banu Et Al

At a time of rising food costs and growing food insecurity, a large percentage of food grown for consumption never reaches our tables. Indeed, some estimates suggest that approximately 40 per cent of fruits and...

Our laser technique can tell apart elephant and mammoth ivory – here’s how it may disrupt the ivory trade

By Rebecca Shepherd

In recent years, the global trade in elephant ivory has faced significant restrictions in an effort to protect dwindling elephant populations. Many countries have stringent controls on the trade of elephant ivory. The sale...

New EU trade rules could put poor countries in a billion dollar ‘green squeeze’

By Jodie Keane

The EU parliament has just approved sweeping new rules that will require companies to avoid and mitigate human rights and environmental abuses in their supply chains. These are noble aims. They have been a long time...

Rishi Sunak wants to cut the cost of ‘sicknote’ Britain

By Elliott Johnson Et Al

Prime minister Rishi Sunak has announced a crackdown on sickness and disability benefits in order to end a sicknote culture and over-medicalising the everyday challenges and worries of life, in part because he claims that...

Ukraine war: Putin’s plan to fire up Zaporizhzhia power plant risks massive nuclear disaster

By Ross Peel

Recent reports of a series of drone strikes on Ukraines Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) have demonstrated the serious safety and security concerns at Europes largest nuclear power station. It has not been confirmed...

AI-powered ‘deep medicine’ could transform healthcare in the NHS and reconnect staff with their patients

By Will Jones

Todays NHS faces severe time constraints, with the risk of short consultations and concerns about the risk of misdiagnosis or delayed care. These challenges are compounded by limited resources and overstretched staff that...

Fallout: an expertly crafted TV adaptation that manages to incorporate some of the best elements of gameplay

By Peter Howell

Fallout is set in the Los Angeles Wasteland, 219 years after a global nuclear war devastated civilisation. Fortunately, the pre-war defence company Vault-Tec had developed a series of underground bunkers, called vaults,...

When the Supreme Court said it’s important to move quickly in key presidential cases like Trump’s immunity claim

By Donald Nieman

When former President Donald Trumps attorneys argue before the U.S. Supreme Court on April 25, 2024, they will claim he is immune from criminal prosecution for official actions taken during his time in the Oval Office. The...

The 50th anniversary of Portugal’s Carnation Revolution

By Fernando Camacho Padilla

Across Portugal, a number of photography exhibitions are currently on display that commemorate the ousting of the Estado Novo, the dictatorial, authoritarian and corporatist political regime that had ruled the country...

The Mattei Plan: why Giorgia Meloni is looking to Africa

By Jean-Pierre Darnis

Since coming to power, Giorgia Melonis government has been remarkably orthodox in its foreign policy. Unwavering support for Ukraine, loyalty to the Atlantic Alliance and full participation in the European Union - these...

Senate approves nearly $61B of Ukraine foreign aid − here’s why it helps the US to keep funding Ukraine

By Tatsiana Kulakevich

The Senate overwhelmingly approved a US$95.3 billion foreign aid funding package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan on April 23, 2024, following months of political infighting that stalled the bill in the House of...

How breakdancing became the latest Olympic sport

By Mikhail Batuev

Breaking is the only new sport making its debut at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Breaking is probably better known to most of us as breakdancing. So why is the sport officially called breaking, and how is something so freestyle...

Military conscription is returning to Europe, but is it really a more equal way of mobilising? What history tells us

By Tony Ingesson

The idea that conscription, defined as the compulsory enlistment of citizens for military service, can increase equality and instil a sense of solidarity that transcends traditional societal divides has echoed throughout...

Inflation is slowly falling, while student debt is climbing: 6 graphs that explain today’s CPI

By John Hawkins1

Australias inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and its now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. The annual rate peaked at 7.8% in the December quarter of 2022 and is now just 3.6%, in...

Our housing system is broken and the poorest Australians are being hardest hit

By Rachel Ong ViforJ

Just when we think the price of rentals could not get any worse, this weeks Rental Affordability Snapshot by Anglicare has revealed low-income Australians are facing a housing crisis like never before. In fact, if you...

How Anzac deaths changed the way we mourn to this day

By Jen Roberts

Victor Farr, a private in the 1st Infantry Battalion, was among the first to land at Anzac Cove just before dawn on April 25 1915. Victor Farr was 20 when he died. Commonwealth of Australia (National Archives of...

Sugar gums have a reputation as risky branch-droppers but they’re important to bees, parrots and possums

By Gregory Moore

I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbournes Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for many decades. It was a fine tree tall and dominating. Less than a year after my retirement,...

Chinese swimming scandal: a strong defence by world anti-doping body, but narrative of ‘cover-up’ remains

By Tracey Holmes Et Al

When the news broke last weekend that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive to a banned drug in early 2021 and were allowed to compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games six months later without sanction, many people ...

Economist Chris Richardson on an ‘ugly’ inflation result and the coming budget

By Michelle Grattan

With Jim Chalmerss third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief beyond the tax cuts although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As this weeks consumer price...

What’s the difference between ADD and ADHD?

By Gibbs Kathy

Around one in 20 people has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Its one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and often continues into adulthood. ADHD is diagnosed when people...

What kind of diner are you? 6 types of diners who avoid plant-based meat dishes

By David Fechner Et Al

Imagine having dinner at a restaurant. The menu offers plant-based meat alternatives made mostly from vegetables, mushrooms, legumes and wheat that mimic meat in taste, texture and smell. Despite being given that choice,...

Tech companies must help the fight aganst extremists using encryption: ASIO boss

By Michelle Grattan

ASIO is investigating a number of Australians in a nationalist and racist extremist network who are using an encrypted chat platform to communicate with offshore extremists. In a Wednesday speech to the National Press...

Supreme Court appears open to Starbucks’ claims in labor-organizing case

By Michael Z. Green

What factors must a court consider when the National Labor Relations Board requests an order requiring an employer to rehire terminated workers before the completion of unfair labor practice proceedings? Thats the...

Half our colleagues suffer pain and discomfort from periods. But they’re still a taboo subject at work

By Ruth Knight

Have you ever felt sick at work? Perhaps you had food poisoning or the flu. Your belly hurt, or you felt tired, making it hard to concentrate and be productive. How likely would you be to tell your boss you were unwell...

Can a drug like Ozempic help treat addictions to alcohol, opioids or other substances?

By Shalini Arunogiri Et Al

Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide are taking drugs like Ozempic to lose weight. But what do we actually know about them? This month, The Conversations experts explore their rise, impact and potential...

Is it possible to ‘objectively’ judge music? We asked 5 experts

By Sam Whiting Et Al

Everyone has a favourite band, or a favourite composer, or a favourite song. There is some music which speaks to you, deeply; and other music which might be the current big hit, but you can only hear nails on a...

The high and mighty Himalayas: A biodiversity hotbed facing significant challenges

By Nita Dyola Et Al

The Himalayas are home to a vast diversity of species, consisting of 10,000 vascular plants, 979 birds and 300 mammals, including the snow leopard, the red panda, the Himalayan tahr and the Himalayan monal. The region...

Why Germany ditched nuclear before coal – and why it won’t go back

By Trevelyan Wing

One year ago, Germany took its last three nuclear power stations offline. When it comes to energy, few events have baffled outsiders more. In the face of climate change, calls to expedite the transition away from fossil...

Scotland’s hate crime law: the problem with using public order laws to govern online speech

By Laura Higson-Bliss

Scotlands new hate crime law came into force on April 1, sparking immediate controversy over its potential effects on freedom of speech and expression, especially online. The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act...

Why is the London Stock Exchange losing out to the US

By Rama Kanungo

London Stock Exchange (LSE), which can trace its heritage to the coffee houses of the 17th century, is failing. The volume of shares traded is sharply declining, and some UK companies are swiftly moving to the US...

A Nasa rover has reached a promising place to search for fossilised life on Mars

By Sean McMahon

While we go about our daily lives on Earth, a nuclear-powered robot the size of a small car is trundling around Mars looking for fossils. Unlike its predecessor Curiosity, Nasas Perseverance rover is explicitly intended to...

Does ejaculating often reduce your risk of prostate cancer?

By Daniel Kelly

In terms of mens health issues, prostate cancer features high on the agenda. Its the second most diagnosed cancer in men globally closely followed by lung cancer. And its the most common cancer in men in the UK. As the...

Gaza war: artificial intelligence is changing the speed of targeting and scale of civilian harm in unprecedented ways

By Lauren Gould Et Al

As Israels air campaign in Gaza enters its sixth month after Hamass terrorist attacks on October 7, it has been described by experts as one of the most relentless and deadliest campaigns in recent history. It is also one...

Turkey’s suppression of the Kurdish political movement continues to fuel a deadly armed conflict

By Recep Onursal

The world has 91 democracies and 88 autocracies. Yet 71% of the worlds population (some 5.7 billion people) are living under autocratic rule, a big jump from 48% ten years ago. This trend towards authoritarianism can...

TikTok and Instagram are full of misleading information about birth control

By Stephanie Alice Baker

Theres been an increase in content posted on TikTok and Instagram recently discussing the alleged dangers of birth control. Content creators have shared concerns about the pills side-effects ranging from weight gain to low...

Parliament passes bill declaring Rwanda safe – but can it really be called a law at all?

By Joshua Jowitt

After months of deadlock, the House of Lords withdrew its opposition to the safety of Rwanda (asylum and immigration) bill, meaning that it will become law upon receiving royal assent. This legislation declares in UK law...

Good for your health and the environment: why we should be eating oily fish

By Gumersindo Feijoo Costa

A range of economic, nutritional, religious and ideological factors influence our diets. The key, however, lies in finding a balance that cares for both our health and that of the planet. The traditional Mediterranean...

History for sale: what does South Africa’s struggle heritage mean after 30 years of democracy?

By Duane Jethro

One of my favourite statues is the one of Nelson Mandela at the Sandton City shopping centre in Johannesburg. Larger than life, its oversized bronze shoes shimmer in the evening light, polished by the hands of many...

Johannesburg in a time of darkness: Ivan Vladislavić’s new memoir reminds us of the city’s fragility

By Bronwyn Law-Viljoen

Ivan Vladislavić is Johannesburgs literary linkman. He tells us, in the first pages of his new book, The Near North, that before cities were lit, first by gaslight and later electricity, people of means paid torchbearers...

Can states prevent doctors from giving emergency abortions, even if federal law requires them to do so? The Supreme Court will decide

By Naomi Cahn Et Al

Hospitals across the country have long operated under the same federal law that says they must treat and stabilize all patients when they have a medical emergency. But in states that now ban abortions and have limited...

UK smoking ban would have many benefits for public health – but only if it’s effectively implemented

By Andrew Lee

MPs have recently voted to ban anyone in England born after 2009 from buying cigarettes, as part of the governments plan to achieve a smoke-free generation. Smoking is the single most important preventable cause of ill...

Sudan: civil war stretches into a second year with no end in sight

By Jan Pospisil

In the early hours of April 15 2023, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) a Sudanese paramilitary force attacked the military airstrip in the town of Merowe and deployed troops across strategic locations in Sudans capital,...

Labour can afford to be far more ambitious with its economic policies – voters are on board

By Matthew T. Johnson Et Al

To say that the Labour party is flying high in the polls is something of an understatement. But despite its consistent lead against the Tories, the opposition finds itself in a rather odd position: on the cusp of power but...

From the coast to the deep sea, changing oxygen levels affect marine life in different ways

By Marco Fusi

Earths atmosphere maintains a constant level of oxygen, whether it is a wintry, rainy day or hot summer. Across the ocean, oxygen concentrations vary enormously between different places and over time. Sometimes oxygen...

Beyond the spin, beyond the handouts, here’s how to get a handle on what’s really happening on budget night

By Peter Martin1

Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, TV or news websites on budget night. The quickest way to find out what...

Elon Musk vs Australia: global content take-down orders can harm the internet if adopted widely

By Dan Jerker B. Svantesson

Do Australian courts have the right to decide what foreign citizens, located overseas, view online on a foreign-owned platform? Anyone inclined to answer yes to this question should perhaps also ask themselves whether...

Opening statements are the most important part of a trial – as lawyers in Trump’s hush money case know well

By Ronald S. Sullivan Jr.

Though Hollywood movies about courtroom dramas often glamorize the closing arguments given by lawyers, in reality the opening statement is likely the most important single event of a trial. Such was the case in the hush...

Passover: The festival of freedom and the ambivalence of exile

By Nancy E. Berg

The Jewish holiday cycle is, to a large extent, an exploration and commemoration of the experience of exile. The fall festival of Sukkot, for example, is celebrated in small booths, temporary shelters that recall the...

What if flat feet were…normal? Debunking a myth about injuries

By Gabriel Moisan

For many decades, if not centuries, researchers, medical professionals and the general population have believed that people with flat feet are more prone to developing a variety of problems. Specifically, having flat...