Does being wealthy make you more charitable?
Dec 21, 2016 10:13 am UTC| Insights & Views Life
Each year, the average American family donates approximately 3.4 percent of its discretionary income to charity. Most of these charitable contributions are made from October to December, known as the giving season in the...
Food security and why Christmas dinner is in peril
Dec 21, 2016 10:10 am UTC| Insights & Views Life
The Victorians introduced many of the traditions we now associate with the festive season. Along with Christmas cards, crackers, mince pies and Santa Claus himself, they are responsible for the modern day Christmas dinner....
Southeast Asia's war on drugs doesn’t work – here's what does
Dec 21, 2016 07:10 am UTC| Insights & Views Life
Philippine President Rodrigo Dutertes bloody war on drugs is just the latest in a region where drug use has usually been met with draconian measures. Thailand embarked 13 years ago on a drug war that strikes eerie...

These six utopian cities of the future will help you re-imagine life on Earth
Dec 21, 2016 06:59 am UTC| Insights & Views Life
Utopia, a book by English statesman, lawyer and clergyman Thomas More (1487-1535), turns 500 years old this month. A fictional rendering of social philosophy, the book describes an exemplary society on an imaginary...
Why we can get over the 'yuck factor' when it comes to recycled water
Dec 21, 2016 06:38 am UTC| Insights & Views Life
In light of climate change and a growing population, water authorities around the world are looking at the treatment of recycled water to achieve water security and sustainability. Recent authors on The Conversation...

You may not believe in Christmas but once a year, we all get a touch of its magic
Dec 19, 2016 10:16 am UTC| Life
Christmas is rife with paradox. It is a festival in which we all participate, breaking up our regular schedules and commitments we dont normally go to work and it is a taboo even to check our work emails on December 25 ...
Seven reasons we play lotto – even though we know we probably won't win the jackpot
Dec 19, 2016 00:24 am UTC| Insights & Views Life
Most people who play lotto have at least some kind of intuitive understanding they are probably not going to hit the jackpot. The cost to play Oz Lotto in Australia is a little over A$1. The odds of winning first...