The Conversation Yearbook 2019: celebrate with us and grab your discounted copy

Boosting Your Child’s Learning through Play

Being a parent is probably the highest responsibility one has in a lifetime. Once it happens, it becomes ongoing and keeps posing new challenges to us. Of course, it may seem easy from some perspe...

Diana Smith

Different ideas of Christmas Gifts to give to your beloved ones

"CHRISTMAS GIFTS – one of the best festival gifts to give to your closed ones. Find Christmas presents for everybody on your checklist. Christmas is now here, and if that you haven't got a hop on ...

News Company

The Ultimate Guide to Sneakers and Sneaker Brands

When it comes to finding the perfect pair of sneakers, it can be hard to know where to start. Finding the right pair for any kind of occasion can be difficult, so brushing up on your knowledge of sn...

News Company

View from The Hill: Morrison won't have a bar of public service intrusions on government's power

Scott Morrison has rejected or sidelined a number of recommendations from the long-awaited Thodey review. AAP/Paul BravenScott Morrison has rejected or sidelined a number of recommendations from the l...

Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

VIDEO: Michelle Grattan reflects on the year in politics

For their last video for the year, University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Deep Saini and Michelle Grattan look backwards to the big issues which have shaped political discourse. They discuss the surpr...

Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

Choosing a Heavy Weighted Bathmats

Decorating your bathroom doesn’t finish with the paint choice or tile colours. You can change the whole room with the change of your towel set. There are no rules that say that you need to have a ...

News Company

God as man, man as God: no wonder many Christian men today are having a masculinity crisis

How men saw God shaped how they saw themselves, and in turn, how they saw women. WikimediaThis article is part of our Gender and Christianity series. To understand contemporary Christian ideas about...

William Loader, Emeritus Professor of New Testament at Murdoch University, Murdoch University

Australia needs a national crisis plan, and not just for bushfires

Bushfires aren't the only catastrophic emergency Australia is likely to see. AAP Image/Mick TsikasCalls are growing for a national bushfire plan, including from former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull...

Andrew Gissing, General Manager, Risk Frontiers, Adjunct Fellow, Macquarie University

Your Christmas shopping could harm or help the planet. Which will it be?

Many Australian consumers are concerned at the environmental impact of their shopping habits, especially at Christmas. AAPAustralian shoppers are set to spend $52.7 billion this Christmas. In the word...

Louise Grimmer, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, Tasmanian School of Business and Economics, University of Tasmania

Right-swipes and red flags – how young people negotiate sex and safety on dating apps

For many young people, app dating is just part of regular dating life. freestocks.org/UnsplashPopular commentary on dating apps often associates their use with “risky” sex, harassment and ...

Kath Albury, Professor of Media and Communication, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology

Bougainville has voted to become a new country, but the journey to independence is not yet over

The Autonomous Region of Bougainville, a chain of islands that lie 959 kilometres northwest of Papua New Guinea’s capital, Port Moresby, has voted unequivocally for independence. The referendum...

Anna Powles, Senior Lecturer in Security Studies, Massey University

Comfortable Footwear That'll Get You Through From Day To Night In Style

When you are choosing your footwear, you need to make sure that you are choosing something that is going to be comfortable. This is especially important if you are going to be wearing your shoes a...

Rosana Beechum

How to Have a Peaceful Retirement

Retirement is the time to treat yourself after a lifetime of working, to complete your bucket list and to spend time with the people that you care for. However, having a peaceful retirement can be d...

News Company

Friday essay: eco-disaster films in the 21st century - helpful or harmful?

A scene from the 2017 film Geostorm: many societies have historically attempted to deal with collective trauma by replaying and restaging it in art. Warner Bros., Electric Entertainment, Rat Pac-Dune ...

Ari Mattes, Lecturer in Communications and Media, University of Notre Dame Australia

A new study shows an animal's lifespan is written in the DNA. For humans, it's 38 years

A genetic "clock" lets scientists estimate how long extinct creatures lived. Wooly mammoths could expect around 60 years. Australian MuseumHumans have a “natural” lifespan of around 38 yea...

Benjamin Mayne, Molecular biologist and bioinformatician, CSIRO

Vital Signs: Australia's wafer-thin surplus rests on a mine disaster in Brazil

On Monday the Australian government will release the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO). This will – as required by the Charter of Budget Honesty – provide an update on the key a...

Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW

Don't believe the stereotype: these 5 charts show our democracy is safe in the hands of future voters

Almost 900 school kids, aged 12 to 17, were surveyed. ShutterstockA new, ongoing survey on how young Australians understand and imagine their democracy is already challenging long-held stereotypes. ...

Mark Evans, Professor of Governance and Director of Democracy 2025 - bridging the trust divide at Old Parliament House, University of Canberra

Private health insurance premiums should be based on age and health status

Policy changes have failed to stop young people dropping their private health insurance. ShutterstockPrivate health insurance has come under intense scrutiny in recent months, as it becomes clear heal...

Francesco Paolucci, Associate Professor; Head of Health Policy Program, Sir Walter Murdoch School of Public Policy and International Affairs, University of Newcastle

Knowledge is a process of discovery: how constructivism changed education

According to constructivists, we truly understand something when we filter it through our senses and interactions. from shutterstock.comThis is the second of two essays exploring key theories – ...

Luke Zaphir, Researcher for the University of Queensland Critical Thinking Project; and Online Teacher at Education Queensland's IMPACT Centre, The University of Queensland

Grattan on Friday: Climate winds blowing on Morrison from Liberal party's left
Scott Morrison is picking up that Australia’s devastating, prolonged fires are producing a soured, anti-government mood among many in the community. It may not be entirely rational for people t…
The federal government's response to the ACCC's Digital Platforms Inquiry is a let down
Of the 23 recommendations made in the ACCC's final report, the government supported six in their entirety, ten "in principle", "noted" five and rejected two. shutterstockToday, the federal government…
From face masks to air purifiers: what actually works to protect us from bushfire smoke?
Bushfire smoke has now been blanketing parts of Australia for months. This week the air quality in Sydney reached new lows, reported to be 12 times hazardous levels in some parts of the city on Tuesda…
Measles in Samoa: how a small island nation found itself in the grips of an outbreak disaster
Low immunisation coverage among young children in Samoa allowed a measles outbreak to take hold. From shutterstock.comThe pacific island nation of Samoa has been making headlines over the past month d…
As weary Britons head to the polls again, parties seem incapable of handling the nation's problems
The cost of running the 2017 UK general election was estimated at £140 million (A$270 million). It’s likely to be higher this time. In 2017, the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democ…
I had an idea in the 1980s and to my surprise, it changed education around the world
Cogitive load theory explains why explicit guidance from teachers is more effective in teaching students new content and skills than letting them discover these for themselves. from shutterstock.comTh…
Indonesian cave paintings show the dawn of imaginative art and human spiritual belief
This hunting scene, painted 44,000 years ago, is the oldest known work of representational art in the world. Ratno Sardi, Author providedOur team has discovered a cave painting in Indonesia that is at…
As simple as finding a job? Getting people out of social housing is much more complex than that
A private member’s bill, moved by Labor MP Josh Burns, recently called on the Australian government “to help build more affordable homes” in response to the growing homelessness cri…
Marianne Leonard: a new film tells us little about the woman fixed in the role of musician's muse
Marianne Ihlen: she remains stuck in the role of the beautiful ingénue, the part-time lover, in Nick Broomfield's documentary. Copyright Nick BroomfieldNick Broomfield’s latest documentar…
What limits shareholder activism as a force for good: the free-rider problem
Shareholder activism involves directly engaging with directors and executives of companies to effect change. www.shutterstock.comThe board of Australia’s second-biggest bank is in for some stick…
How New Zealanders miss out on hundreds of thousands in retirement savings
New Zealanders pay higher fees for KiwiSaver funds than people elsewhere. from www.shutterstock.com, CC BY-NDIn the 12 years since New Zealand introduced the retirement fund KiwiSaver, nearly three mi…
Diabetes and pregnancy can be a tricky (but achievable) mix: 6 things to think about if you want a baby…
A successful pregnancy if you have diabetes comes down to planning and making sure you have the right health-care team behind you. from www.shutterstock.comThe number of people with diabetes is expect…
How to Start a Sports Store
If sport is a way of life for you, why not resolve to make a living out of it? Rest assured, you don’t necessarily have to be a talented sportsperson to earn some money out of this industry — no…
How to Prepare Traditional Matcha in 4 Easy Steps
Matcha in its purest, most basic form is a finely ground powder made with shade-grown green tea leaves. While it’s been used in parts of Asia for centuries, it was only recently made popular in th…
Australian law doesn't go far enough to legislate affirmative consent. NSW now has a chance to get it right
NSW is undergoing a review of its sexual consent laws. From shutterstock.comThe NSW Law Reform Commission will hand down its final recommendations for a reformed definition of sexual consent in the ne…
Finke film review: riders daring to fly in a crazy desert race
Finke desert racers travel at more than 160 kilometres an hour, risking life and limb. Madman FilmsReview: Finke: There & Back, directed by Dylan River The Finke Desert Race takes place in the h…
Now Australian cities are choking on smoke, will we finally talk about climate change?
I moved to Sydney less than five weeks ago and the city has been shrouded in smoke haze on and off since then. I joke this is my “Sydney hazing” but it’s only now – having work…
Happy 6ft: ancient penguins were as tall as people. We've discovered the species that started the downsizing trend
The newly discovered _Kupoupou stilwelli_ would have once swam in the waters around Chatham Island near New Zealand. Illustration by Jacob Blokland, Author providedA new species of extinct penguin has…
5 Essential Tips When Visiting Brisbane
How delightful sometime in the sun, the weather in Brisbane is going to be class A sunshine and you can be out there all day soaking up those much-needed rays. You can watch the surfers surf and e…
Private health premium increases might be the lowest in years, but that doesn't mean they're justified
Those facing large price increases might drop or downgrade their cover. Wayhome studio/ShutterstockEvery year private health insurers raise premiums and every year we rue the hit to our hip pocket. Th…
So your kid's finished their first year of school. Here's what they should have learnt
Every child progresses at different levels, just like everyone learns to talk and walk at different times. from shutterstock.comIt’s the end of the first year of school for many children and pro…
5 human rights issues that defined 2019
One of this year’s most refreshing developments was the youth-led action on climate change. AAP Image/Dan PeledAs we approach the last days of the decade, it’s important to reflect on the …
As heat strikes, here's one way to help fight disease-carrying and nuisance mosquitoes
Although yellow fever does not currently exist in Australia, the species Aedes aegypti - which can transmit the disease - is found widely across northern Queensland. The virus remains a global health …
Don't blame the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. It's climate and economic change driving farmers out
For the thousand or so farmers in Canberra in the past week venting their anger at the federal government, it’s the Murray-Darling Basin Plan to blame for destroying their livelihoods and forcin…
Expect family talks about climate change this Christmas? Take tips from Greta Thunberg
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg is a master of staying on topic. AAP/Julian SmithAs bushfires rage and our cities lie shrouded in smoke, climate change is shaping as a likely topic of conversa…
Climate explained: seven reasons to be wary of waste-to-energy proposals
Many developed countries already have significant waste-to-energy operations and therefore less material going to landfill. CC BY-ND Climate Explained is a collaboration bet…
In our time of climate crisis, the exhibition Water is a subtly crafted plea
Olafur Eliasson, Denmark, b.1967 Riverbed 2014 (detail) Site specific installation. Pictured: The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk, DenmarkCourtesy of the artist; neugerriemschneider, B…
We're still fighting city freeways after half a century
Demonstrations against freeway construction in Melbourne included a street barricade erected in protest at the F19 extension of the Eastern Freeway. Barricade! – the resident fight against the…
Why were tourists allowed on White Island?
The volcanic alert level on Whakaari/White Island remains at three, one rung higher than it was when the eruption took place. AAP/GNS Science, CC BY-NDThe official death toll remains at six, and eight…
Curious Kids: why do we get bruises?
From red, to blue, to purple, to yellow and even green – why do our bruises change colour? From shutterstock.com How and why do we get bruises? – Francesca, aged 8. Hi Francesca, thank…
To save koalas from fire, we need to start putting their genetic material on ice
Over the coming months, koalas will depend on wildlife hospitals to recover from the effects of unprecedented bushfires. Lachlan G. Howell , Author providedThousands of koalas may have died in fires …
(Almost) everyone's a winner? Art is meant to break rules and prizes must adapt
British artists (L-R) Oscar Murillo, Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Helen Cammock and Tai Shani celebrate after being announced as the joint winners of Turner Prize 2019. Vickie Flores/EPALast week Britain&rsq…
Unlawful metadata access is easy when we’re flogging a dead law
After watching this year’s media raids and the prosecution of lawyers and whistleblowers, it’s not hard to see why Australians wonder about excessive police power and dwindling journalisti…
Why the profit motive fails in education
The disastrous experience of vocational education and training in Australia holds many lessons about trying to fit education into a for-profit market model. www.shutterstock.comThe Morrison government…

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