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Rob Brooks

Scientia Professor of Evolutionary Ecology; Academic Lead of UNSW's Grand Challenges Program, UNSW
I am an evolutionary biologist who thinks about sex for a living. Things I have thought and written about include the evolution of mate choice, the costs of being attractive, the reason animals age and the links between sex, diet, obesity and death.

Together with my fabulous research group (the SEX LAB) and collaborators, I explore the evolutionary and ecological consequences of sexual reproduction. I love curiosity-driven research, and my funding tends to come from fundamental research funding programs like the ARC‘s Discovery program. I am motivated to study evolution because of its power to help us understand both nature and the human condition.

At the moment I am especially interested in the interactions between evolution and economics, the evolution of human life histories, the reasons for sex differences in aging and longevity, the unfolding obesity crisis, the relationship between evolution and equity feminism, the evolution of human bodies, the purpose of Rock ‘n’ Roll, and what we can and cannot infer about morality from studying the natural world. In 2011, New South Books will publish my first book – Sex, Genes & Rock 'n' Roll: How Evolution has Shaped the Modern World.

I am currently the Academic Lead of the UNSW Sydney Grand Challenges Program.

The latest version of ChatGPT has a feature you’ll fall in love with

Sep 12, 2024 07:46 am UTC| Technology

If youre a paid subscriber to ChatGPT, you may have noticed the artificial intelligence (AI) large language model has recently started to sound more human when you are having audio interactions with it. Thats because...

Economy

Russian Stocks End Flat as MOEX Index Hits New 52-Week Low

Russian stocks closed largely unchanged on Sunday, with the MOEX Russia Index ending the session flat at 0.00% while marking a new 52-week low. The lack of movement across major Russian equities reflected a subdued trading...

France Faces Long Road to Economic Rebalancing as Weak Demand and High Rates Weigh, Says Citi

France may remain stuck in a prolonged period of weak domestic demand, low inflation, and fiscal challenges as structural shifts in its labor market make the economy more vulnerable to high interest rates than other...

China’s AI Manufacturing Boom Masks Weak Consumer Economy, Citi Says

Chinas economy continued to show a sharp divide in May, with a booming artificial intelligence (AI)-driven manufacturing sector helping sustain growth while domestic demand remained weak, according to a recent research...

Trump Says No Hormuz Strait Tolls During 60-Day Iran Ceasefire

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Saturday that no tolls will be charged for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz during the proposed 60-day interim ceasefire period with Iran. Trump also stated that no fees...

Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Index Hits New 52-Week Low; Gold Falls and Oil Mixed

Russian stocks closed flat on Saturday, with the MOEX Russia Index ending unchanged at 0.00% and touching a fresh 52-week low during trading. The lack of movement across the market reflected cautious investor sentiment,...

Politics

US-Iran De-Escalation Shifts Washington’s Focus to AI Regulation and Crypto Legislation

A potential easing of tensions between the United States and Iran is redirecting Washingtons attention toward major technology policy initiatives and executive actions, according to a new report from Wolfe Research. The...

Pirro Warns of Prosecution for Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Vandalism Amid Renovation Issues

People caught vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Washingtons National Mall will face full prosecution, according to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. Her comments come as concerns grow over damage and...

Starmer Faces Mounting Pressure as Burnham’s Victory Sparks Labour Leadership Speculation

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is reportedly weighing his political future after Andy Burnhams commanding parliamentary election victory intensified calls within the Labour Party for a change in leadership. According...

Trump Predicts Keir Starmer’s Exit as UK Prime Minister Amid Growing Political Pressure

U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly predicted that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will step down, intensifying speculation about a potential leadership change within the Labour Party. In a post published on Truth...

Bolivia Eases Protest Blockades as Military Plane Crash Kills Six

Bolivia recorded a day of mixed developments as authorities reported significant progress in clearing anti-government protest roadblocks, while a tragic military aircraft crash claimed six lives. The countrys highways...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Google’s Open-Source AI Data Center Cooling Design Raises Commoditization Concerns

Googles newly introduced open-source liquid-cooling design for AI data centers is drawing attention across the data center infrastructure industry, with analysts suggesting it could accelerate the commoditization of...

John Jumper Leaves Google DeepMind for Anthropic Amid Intensifying AI Talent Race

John Jumper, the Google DeepMind researcher who shared the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his groundbreaking work on the AlphaFold artificial intelligence system, has announced that he is leaving Google DeepMind to join...

Trump Says Anthropic No Longer Seen as National Security Threat

U.S. President Donald Trump said he no longer views artificial intelligence company Anthropic as a national security threat, marking a significant shift from his stance just a week earlier. The comments came during an...

Meta Seeks Legal Shield From Child-Harm Lawsuits Amid KOSA Talks

Meta Platforms is reportedly lobbying U.S. lawmakers to include legal protections for social media companies in the proposed Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a move that could significantly impact thousands of lawsuits...

SpaceX Stock Slides After IPO Rally as Valuation Concerns Grow

SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) shares extended their pullback on Thursday after a remarkable post-IPO rally, as investors locked in profits and questioned the companys lofty valuation. The stock, which dropped nearly 10% earlier in...