Taking too many medications can pose health risks. Here’s how to avoid them

By Caroline Sirois

When we see an older family member handling a bulky box of medications sorted by day of the week, we might stop and wonder, is it too much? How do all those pills interact? The fact is, as we get older we are more...

Why mental health and neurodivergence should not be used to explain incel violence

By Esli Chan Et Al

In recent years, incidents of violence by involuntary celibates (incels) have raised questions about the risks and worldview of those who espouse incel beliefs. In 2022, a Canadian Parliament standing committee explored...

Mental health services are overloaded. We should pay them a bonus to improve your care

By Henry Cutler Et Al

Australias mental health-care system is struggling to cope with the demand. But more money wont necessarily mean everyone gets the care they need. As we outline in research out this week, we need to incentivise health...

Despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s gift to Donald Trump, he may be barred from Canada as a convicted felon

By Catherine Dauvergne

In the increasingly contested politics of immigration, an intention to keep criminals out seems like a rare point of consensus. Its been a cornerstone of migration regulation around the world for almost as long as such...

Britain’s first AI politician claims he will bring trust back to politics

By Craig Smith1

Political parties often like to say their candidates are different from the rest, but Smarter UKs really is, because he isnt human hes a creation of artificial intelligence (AI). The new political party believes its...

Why most people are right handed but left eyed

By Gillian Forrester

Whether youre left, right or ambidextrous, handedness is part of our identity. But a lot of people dont realise that we have other biases too and they are not unique to humans. My colleagues and I have published a new...

Jill Biden: the woman with the US president’s ear as he doubles down on staying in the race

By Christopher Featherstone

The overwhelming majority of people who watched the first US presidential debate between incumbent Joe Biden and challengers Donald Trump concluded that it was a disastrous night for the 46th US president. Bidens voice was...

The IMF is failing countries like Kenya: why, and what can be done about it

By Danny Bradlow

The recent Kenyan protests are a warning that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is failing. The public does not think it is helping its member countries manage their economic and financial problems, which are being...

If Meta bans news in Australia, what will happen?

By Axel Bruns

At a parliamentary hearing late last week, Meta once again suggested it could ban links to news on Facebook and Instagram in Australia. This would repeat the ban it enacted for more than a week in February 2021. That...

With its nuclear energy policy, Peter Dutton seems to have forgotten the Liberal Party’s core beliefs

By Judith Brett

When Robert Menzies was out of office in 1943, in between prime ministerships, he was thinking about the future of non-Labor politics in wartime Australia. He read Edmund Burkes book Thought on the Present Discontents. In...

‘Above the law’ in some cases: Supreme Court gives Trump − and future presidents − a special exception that will delay his prosecution

By Claire B. Wofford

The United States Supreme Court has handed former president Donald Trump what may be the most favorable legal decision he could have reasonably hoped for in his fight against federal prosecution for his attempts to reverse...

Supreme Court kicks cases about tech companies’ First Amendment rights back to lower courts

By Lynn Greenky

The U.S. Supreme Court has sent back to lower courts the decision about whether states can block social media companies such as Facebook and X, formerly Twitter, from regulating and controlling what users can post on their...

Record labels are suing tech companies for copying classic songs

By Wellett Potter

Last week, several major record labels filed copyright infringement lawsuits in US courts against the makers of two generative AI music apps, Suno and Udio. The labels allege the AI companies have engaged in copyright...

What happens next in Ukraine’s debt negotiations could change the course of the war

By Patrick E. Shea

As Ukraine fights against Russian invasion, it faces a battle on two fronts: military and financial. Global attention understandably focuses on battlefield developments, where Russian troops are pushing towards Ukraines...

Russia has become so economically isolated that China could order the end of war in Ukraine

By Renaud Foucart

Western leaders are becoming increasingly frustrated by Chinas role in enabling the war in Ukraine. Some have even openly threatened to sanction the country if it continues to provide Russia with the materials it needs to...

Supreme Court sidesteps case on whether federal law on medical emergencies overrides Idaho’s abortion ban

By Naomi Cahn Et Al

On June 27, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed a case brought by the federal government regarding whether Idahos abortion ban conflicts with a federal law called the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act. The law...

Most aged care homes are falling short of minimum care standards – new report

By Michael Woods Et Al

New analysis has revealed many Australian aged care residents are not receiving the levels of care they need and are entitled to. The UTS Ageing Research Collaborative, which we are involved in, recently released its...

Young people hate making phone calls – could it be hurting their careers?

By Narelle Hopkin (Towie)

Ironically, younger generations are using smartphones for anything but actual phone calls. Many people under 40 appear far more comfortable letting their fingers do the talking, using text or images, rather than speech,...

Supreme Court rejects settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma over legal protections for the Sackler family that owned the company

By Jonathan Lipson

The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 against an estimated US$6 billion Purdue Pharma bankruptcy plan on June 27, 2024, that would have shielded the Sackler family which owned and controlled the company from legal...

Gazans’ extreme hunger could leave its mark on subsequent generations

By Hasan Khatib

As Israels offensive in Gaza rages on, people across the entire Gaza Strip find themselves in increasingly dire circumstances, with nearly the entire population experiencing high levels of food insecurity, including...

Justin Trudeau’s bleak poll numbers are part of a global trend as young voters reject incumbents

By Stewart Prest

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his federal Liberals are largely regarded to be running on fumes, particularly in the aftermath of the stunning Liberal byelection loss in TorontoSt. Pauls. The upset is a vivid signal...

Nigel Farage’s populism distracts from what people in Clacton are really proud about

By Tony D Sampson Et Al

Clacton used to be famous for something other than Nigel Farage. As well as its golden age as a seaside resort, back in the 1960s, it was a place to experience vibrant youth culture. Radio Caroline, the pirate radio...

How air pollution can affect athletes

By Valérie Bougault

Air pollution peaks, such as those that have recently occurred in several regions of the world, regularly make headlines. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines air pollution as contamination of the indoor or...

Mpox: what to watch out for, treatment and what to worry about

By Cheryl Walter

The new strain of the mpox virus is spreading quickly along the eastern border of the Democratic Republic of Congo and is the most dangerous yet, says the World Health Organization. The current outbreak has been driven by...

T20 World Cup: South Africa celebrates its first final – but staying at the top will take a rethink of junior cricket

By Mogammad Sharhidd Taliep

For the first time ever, South Africa has reached the finals of the ICC Mens T20 World Cup, to be played on Saturday in Barbados. T20 (Twenty20) cricket is a shortened version of one-day cricket and has revolutionised the...

South Africa’s political monopoly has been broken: could it help the economy?

By Imraan Valodia

Over the last decade or so there has been something of a revolution in economics. The long held belief that unfettered markets deliver good outcomes for all is now overwhelmingly discredited. Some of the most prominent...

Negotiating a new salary or a pay rise? Here’s what you need to know to succeed

By Ray Fells

Almost half of all Australian workers are currently watching for or actively seeking a new job, according to a recent Gallup report. High stress levels, murky work-life boundaries and the fact that pay packets dont go...

Only Iran can benefit from the coming war between Israel and Hezbollah

By Michael Ben-Gad

Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says that the most intense phase of Israels assault on Gaza is ending. Units of the Israel Defense Forces are being moved to the Lebanese border where there are signs that...

No-cause evictions have the potential to hurt renters – with little gain for good landlords

By Myra Williamson

Housing security for New Zealands 1.7 million renters could be threatened if the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill becomes law. Among some potentially positive changes in the amendment such as the introduction of a...

Big cars might make you feel safer. But here’s how vehicle size impacts others in a crash

By Milad Haghani Et Al

Were seeing more big cars on our roads, especially large wagon-style vehicles with a four- or all-wheel drive, known as sport utility vehicles or SUVs. For every passenger car sold in Australia, almost three SUVs are...

Hybrid cars are having a moment – even though they’re dirtier than we think. What’s behind their popularity?

By Hussein Dia

Just last year, data suggested plug-in hybrid cars were on the way out in Australia. But theyre back. New data shows plug-in hybrids and conventional hybrids combined have overtaken battery electric vehicle sales in the...

People are spending hours clicking on a banana to (maybe) make some money

By Ganna Pogrebna

In the ever-evolving online gaming landscape, one seemingly simple online game has captivated players. The free-to-play clicker Banana has amassed more than 850,000 concurrent players on the gaming platform Steam. The...

Defunct satellites burning up in the atmosphere could damage the ozone layer. Here’s how

By Robyn Schofield

Communications companies such as Starlink plan to launch tens of thousands of satellites into orbit around Earth over the next decade or so. The growing swarm is already causing problems for astronomers, but recent...

Tony Blair sold the UK on a vision for the future. Can Keir Starmer do the same to return Labour to power?

By Liam Byrne

When British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the UK general election outside 10 Downing Street in the pouring rain last month, the ignominy of the moment was compounded by the sound of a protester playing Things Can...

Gig platform workers need better health and well-being protections

By Atieh Razavi Yekta

The rise of technology in the workplace, labour market deregulation and the decline in union representation have all significantly impacted the occupational health and safety field. Occupational health and safety is a...

Is social media fuelling political polarisation?

By Antoine Marie

Once upon a time, newly minted graduates dreamt of creating online social media that would bring people closer together. That dream is now all but a distant memory. In 2024, there arent many ills social networks dont...

What actually makes avocados bad for the environment?

By Thomas Davies

The soaring demand for avocados in Europe and North America has led to a trebling of global production in just over 20 years. However, this popular fruit is increasingly controversial because of the environmental impacts...

Israel threatens ‘all-out war’ against Hezbollah

By Michelle Bentley

Israel has announced that it is ready to go to war with Hezbollah a move that is likely to undermine US president Joe Bidens chances in the 2024 election even further. Israel says that Hezbollah the Lebanese political...

People are worried about the media using AI for stories of consequence, but less so for sports and entertainment

By Amy Ross Arguedas Et Al

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are disrupting many aspects of modern life, and the news industry is no exception. In a year with a record-breaking number of elections worldwide, there has been considerable soul...

Putin-Kim summit has roots in an alliance of ‘isolated’ nations built over decades

By Robert Barnes

The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has spent two days in Pyongyang, meeting with the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, and signing a comprehensive strategic partnership. Few details are being released about this...

‘Loyal to the Oil’: Finding religion in the Stanley Cup finals

By Cody Musselman Et Al

Hockeys biggest prize is the Stanley Cup, and for the first time in nearly two decades, the Edmonton Oilers are vying for it. Hoping to stage a comeback against the Florida Panthers, the Oilers are two wins away from...

Heat exposure during pregnancy can lead to a lifetime of health problems

By Matthew Chersich Et Al

Climate change is one of the greatest public health threats humanity has ever faced. Global warming is part of this threat. Increasing temperatures are linked to deteriorating health, especially in vulnerable...

Raw milk health risks significantly outweigh any potential benefits − food scientists and nutritionists explain why

By Juan Silva Et Al

Despite an ongoing outbreak of bird flu in dairy cows, the popularity of raw milk has only risen. Advocates claim raw milk has superior health benefits over pasteurized milk. There is little evidence to support these...

Euro 2024: football is a magnet for online abuse – but it is also the ideal platform to challenge it

By Gary Sinclair

As Euro 2024 enjoys its first week of high-stakes football, thoughts will have returned to how the last one ended. One of the abiding memories of the Euro 2020 final was the vile racist abuse black English players received...

Microplastics and nanoplastics have been found throughout the human body – how worried should we be?

By Michael Richardson Et Al

The world is becoming clogged with plastic. Particles of plastic so tiny they cannot be seen with the naked eye have been found almost everywhere, from the oceans depths to the mountain tops. They are in the soil, in...

Farmers told me what they really think about reintroducing lynx and wolves to Britain and Ireland

By Jonny Hanson

The only howl I heard on a recent walk across the Garron plateau in the Glens of Antrim, Northern Ireland, was from a bitter, biting wind. But 300 years ago, the howls would most definitely have been lupine: this place was...

Our smartphone screening tool could help detect strokes faster – and lead to quicker treatment

By Dinesh Kumar Et Al

In Australia, stroke is among the leading causes of death and permanent disability. Some 5% of deaths are due to stroke, while strokes cost the Australian health-care system A$6.2 billion annually. Strokes occur when...

I watched some 40 films at this year’s Sydney Film Festival. Here are my top five picks – and one hilarious flop

By Ari Mattes

This years Sydney Film Festivals rich offerings of films more than compensated for the minor technical issues that led to some screenings being interrupted. Out of the 40-odd films I saw, here are my top five, along...

Dutton goes nuclear, proposing seven government-owned generators with the first starting in 2030s

By Michelle Grattan

Opposition leader Peter Dutton has announced seven sites for reactors, unveiling his long-awaited and highly-controversial policy for nuclear power with the claim it could start operating from the 2030s. The locations...

I’ve been given opioids after surgery to take at home. What do I need to know?

By Katelyn Jauregui Et Al

Opioids are commonly prescribed when youre discharged from hospital after surgery to help manage pain at home. These strong painkillers may have unwanted side effects or harms, such as constipation, drowsiness or the...