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Cutting-edge research and insightful commentary by world-leading experts
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The burning of Australia’s nature
A new book examines the extent of biodiversity loss caused by Australia’s Black Summer wildfires and what lessons our country must learn
Learning & Teaching
AI means a rethink of teaching foreign languages
Machines are better than most human foreign language learners at translation, so teaching languages should now focus on global competence
Engineering & Technology
Harvesting big energy from small movement
A new material designed to harvest up to 400 times more energy from movement than currently possible has potential applications in biomedicine and geospatial monitoring
Farmed salmon are deaf – and now we know why
University of Melbourne scientists have discovered why farmed salmon are three times more likely to be deaf; raising concerns over animal welfare in aquaculture
Why do some people believe the Earth is flat?
Although science says the Earth is round, there are some people around who still think it's flat; two University of Melbourne experts look at why.
Are redheads with blue eyes really going extinct?
Red hair and blue eyes is the rarest colour combination in humans; a University of Melbourne expert looks at whether they're really going extinct.
Indigenous ceremonial performance opening up intercultural dialogue
Songs, dances and ceremonial traditions offer a rare insight into Australian history from an Indigenous perspective, says University of Melbourne researcher.
The burning of Australia’s nature
A new book examines the biodiversity loss from Australia’s Black Summer wildfires and what lessons our country must learn, say University of Melbourne experts.
AI means a rethink of teaching foreign languages
Machines are now better than most human foreign language students, so teaching languages should focus on global competence says University of Melbourne expert.
Health & Wellbeing
Domestic violence linked to alcohol use is a national emergency
Alcohol and other drug use increases the severity of violence towards victim survivors, but the drug and alcohol sector and the domestic violence sector remain stubbornly siloed
Science Matters
From art restorer to DNA explorer
Torn between fine art and science, Associate Professor Elizabeth Hinde tried both, before finding her dream role in studying the nuclear architecture of living cells
Health & Wellbeing
The steps we can take to combat COVID-19 in 2023
New computer modelling suggests that ongoing vaccinations and early public health measures are the most effective responses to future COVID-19 variants
Science Matters
Lockdown ‘field trip’ reveals whereabouts of Australian grasshoppers
Using old field notes and new technology, researchers used COVID lockdowns to retrace the steps of pioneering Australian insect surveyors, virtually
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COVID-19
Health & Medicine
What we now know about long COVID and our brains
Almost three years into the global pandemic, we may know more about Post-COVID-19 Neurological Syndrome (PCNS), but there’s a critical need for more global collaboration
Inside Business
Navigating the great office exodus
Working from home went from zero to 100 during COVID-19, but how have Australians coped with the shift away from the traditional workplace? The annual HILDA survey has some answers
Health & Medicine
Grasping COVID-19’s long neurological tail
As parts of the world emerge from lockdown, psychiatrists and neurologists warn that we need to know more about the long-lasting neurological and neuropsychiatric impacts of COVID-19
Inside Business
A COVID-19 state of mind
The latest HILDA Survey shows the pandemic and lockdown accelerated the already declining mental health of younger Australians, but there may be worse to come
Health & Wellbeing
Training our doctors for the future
We must teach our future doctors how to intelligently access and thoughtfully use the knowledge available to them – including learnings from COVID-19
Environment
Science Matters
Exploring the air we breathe
While hay fever sufferers are well aware of the pollen in Melbourne’s air, ongoing research is investigating exactly what other particles we might be breathing
Science Matters
Captive breeding to prevent extinction
New research into the embryo health of captive bred Southern Corroboree frogs may help their survival and guide conservation efforts
Science Matters
More fires as our air gets thirstier
Greater water demand in the atmosphere means an increase in forest fire risk – for at least an extra 30 days per year – without urgent and effective climate action, finds new research
Design
Planning floodproof cities
Our natural environments must be prioritised and understood when designing infrastructure for modern cities. The 2022 flooding in Seoul is a devastating example
Legal Affairs
Climate justice at COP27
The as-yet-unmet costs of climate change adaptation and escalating disaster recovery are likely to be the key issues at COP27
Science Matters
Our health is compromised by our global fossil fuel addiction
Climate change is affecting the health of people around the world; transitioning to net-zero emissions could be the greatest health opportunity this century
Education
Learning & Teaching
Flying the flag for change?
Australian symbols have meaning for us collectively – highlighting the past and present impacts of settler colonialism, racism and the possibility for a different future
Learning & Teaching
Is EQ more important than ever?
As we ask students to become more globally competent, the need to develop social and emotional skills – or emotional intelligence – is more essential than ever
Humanities
Food for thought
Food, and where it comes from, connects all of us – so using it as a tool to teach students global competency and citizenship makes sense
Learning & Teaching
Nurturing nature in schools for enhanced learning
New research shows that engagement with nature can help enhance attention and memory in school children which are critical for learning
Learning & Teaching
Game on for collaborative learning
Video games, collaborative tasks and explicit instruction are helping neurodiverse children learn crucial social skills
Business & Economics
Inside Business
The rise and rise of job insecurity
Blue collar workers were the winners in a COVID-19 job market that saw the biggest rise in job insecurity in two decades, finds the annual HILDA survey
Inside Business
A light at the end of the inequality tunnel?
This year’s HILDA survey suggests that the Government’s COVID-19 financial support shows us there may be better ways to tackle income inequality in Australia
Inside Business
Persistent poverty is a major policy issue
While having a job is often crucial to lifting people out of poverty, adequate income support and child care are also critical
Inside Business
Using evidence to design Australia’s economic policy
The new Federal Government has no shortage of challenges, but how can we develop evidence-based policies that help to bring the whole community forward?
Inside Business
The cascading crisis of global food supply chains
The world is experiencing a food crisis linked to war and climate change – but there are some possible solutions to soften the blow
Inside Business
Can ethical leaders make teams more creative?
Research suggests that ethical leaders provide their teams with emotional confidence that helps to foster creativity
Arts & Culture
Humanities
Translating data into soft power
Understanding the power of raw data for cultural institutions to create compelling stories has become easier with a new data mapping app
Humanities
‘Tis the season to celebrate Australia’s diversity
The Australian summer holidays are an opportunity to explore and celebrate some of our diverse cultures and communities
Humanities
Did Charles Dickens invent Christmas?
While the Victorian author didn’t actually invent Christmas, he did renew – and redefine – its generous spirit
Humanities
Preserving China’s minority languages
A language preservation project is working to record and preserve some of China’s minority languages to ensure they don’t die out
Humanities
Conserving the world’s oldest processional dragon
For the last year, Grimwade Conservation Services has been conserving Loong 龍, the oldest intact Imperial processional dragon in the world
Politics & Society
Legal Affairs
Eradicating modern slavery in Australia
Alongside its review of the ‘Modern Slavery Act’, the Government must also address the risks of forced labour that are inherent in our visa system
Humanities
Truth, understanding and transformation
The Yoorrook Justice Commission chair, Professor Eleanor Bourke AM, discusses the significance of truth telling when it comes to Victoria’s First Peoples’ reform and reconciliation
Legal Affairs
Rebuilding Victoria’s forgotten integrity institution
Victorian voters rank public integrity as a key problem in the upcoming election, but how can integrity and public trust be restored?
Engineering & Technology
Medibank’s hack tells us privacy laws need to change
Medibank’s data breach exposes how Australia’s most vulnerable have the most to lose when private information is made public
Humanities
Real partnership with Solomon Islands must be based on truth
Acknowledging Australia’s colonial history is essential to build a stronger relationship with Solomon Islands
Humanities
The reckoning of Gillard’s misogyny speech
A historical reckoning with Gillard’s misogyny speech forces us to acknowledge there are no heroes – and that’s okay
Sciences & Technology
Engineering & Technology
What’ll be big in 2023? AI, that’s what
In 2022, artificial intelligence chatbots and image generators seemed to take over the internet, but what can we expect from AI in 2023?
Animals, Food & You
Why we judge chocolate by its cover
Although chocolate is a treat for all five senses – sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste– new research shows packaging is often just as important as what’s inside
Go Figure
Q&A: Victoria’s monster mosquito explosion
Do you feel like a personal donor to a rising number of blood-sucking mosquitoes this Australian spring? You’re not alone
Science Matters
The satellite data mapping Australia’s new climate extremes
New research is combining data from satellites to help us better anticipate and adapt to climate change and extreme weather in Australia
Science Matters
Women’s participation is crucial to fight climate change
For a sustainable future we need to bring women and girls to the forefront of the fight against climate change - a shift from the most affected by climate disasters to key players in energy transition
Health & Medicine
Health & Medicine
On the frontline of family violence in the Asia Pacific
Globally, women and children bear the brunt of family violence. A project in the Asia Pacific is working to make a difference
Engineering & Technology
Medibank’s hack tells us privacy laws need to change
Medibank’s data breach exposes how Australia’s most vulnerable have the most to lose when private information is made public
Health & Wellbeing
The environmental impact of healthcare
We cannot lead healthy lives if we live in an ailing world and the healthcare sector can do more to help address climate change
Health & Wellbeing
Removing barriers to participation for people with disability
Policies focussed on removing barriers to participation could substantially improve health and wellbeing for people with disability
Health & Wellbeing
The real cost to unpaid carers
Among working-age adults, the provision of unpaid, informal caregiving is detrimental to mental health. And, around the world, this unpaid care is still largely carried out by women
Health & Wellbeing
Personalising mental health care
A unique ‘fingerprint’ for mental health shows promise for accelerating diagnosis and personalising treatment