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Australian children now have half as many moles as kids in 1992. That’s good news for melanoma risk

Australian children now have half as many moles as kids in 1992. That’s good news for melanoma risk

The new study shows the number of moles on almost 4,000 children dropped by 47% between 1992 and 2016. But here’s what parents still need to watch...

yesterday 0

The Conversation

David duffy

The Iran war has triggered a fuel price rise. What does this mean for Australian consumers?

The Iran war has triggered a fuel price rise. What does this mean for Australian consumers?

Soaring world crude oil prices have direct impact at the bowser. Australia is not well insulated from price shocks.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Samantha Hepburn

The Greens’ election review flew under the radar. Here’s what it said

The Greens’ election review flew under the radar. Here’s what it said

With the Liberals’ 2025 election review recently leaked, what does the Greens’ version reveal about the lessons they’ve taken from the federal poll?

yesterday 0

The Conversation

Nathan Fioritti

Epstein files reveal the power – and peril – of online sleuths doing the government’s work

Epstein files reveal the power – and peril – of online sleuths doing the government’s work

Online sleuths are on a mission to decode the massive Epstein file dump. The resulting chaos shows there’s a fine line between genuine clues and...

yesterday 0

The Conversation

Oliver alfred guidetti

The US sank an Iranian warship and didn’t rescue the survivors. Is this legal in war?

The US sank an Iranian warship and didn’t rescue the survivors. Is this legal in war?

These rules have developed over centuries as states sought to regulate the conduct of conflict at sea while still allowing navies to operate...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Jennifer Parker

Iran’s regime has shut down the internet in the middle of war – placing civilians in the crosshairs

Iran’s regime has shut down the internet in the middle of war – placing civilians in the crosshairs

Most civilians in Iran have no idea when and where US and Israeli bombs will fall.

yesterday 6

The Conversation

Amin Naeni

English doesn’t need protecting in New Zealand – but other languages do

English doesn’t need protecting in New Zealand – but other languages do

The proposed English Language Bill assumes a problem. In reality, English dominates public life while many heritage languages struggle to survive.

yesterday 1

The Conversation

Sidney wong

Is honey good for you? Can it speed recovery if you’re sick or injured?

Is honey good for you? Can it speed recovery if you’re sick or injured?

Here’s how the claims about honey for specific injuries and diseases stack up to science.

yesterday 7

The Conversation

Clare Collins

The Taliban wages war on women, but their voices roar on the page. Here are 5 essential books by Afghan women writers

The Taliban wages war on women, but their voices roar on the page. Here are 5 essential books by Afghan women writers

Silence would mean accepting and surrendering to the Taliban’s power, writes one of these authors. Theirs are the voices of resistance.

yesterday 0

The Conversation

Ayesha Jehangir

In Trump’s precarious world, NZ will need all the middle‑sized friends it can get

In Trump’s precarious world, NZ will need all the middle‑sized friends it can get

Canada’s Mark Carney is proposing a new alliance of ‘middle powers’ to offset over-reliance on the US and China. New Zealand would have good...

yesterday 0

The Conversation

Nicholas Ross Smith

40% of teenage boys believe women lie about domestic and sexual violence: new research

40% of teenage boys believe women lie about domestic and sexual violence: new research

An Australian study of anti-feminist attitudes shows up to 30% of boys surveyed expressed agreement with various forms of violent extremism.

yesterday 0

The Conversation

Sara meger

Wasps and frogs keep evolving a crucial pain molecule in their venom. Now we know why

Wasps and frogs keep evolving a crucial pain molecule in their venom. Now we know why

The discovery shines a light on what has, until now, been an underappreciated feature of evolution which suggests life is not so random after all.

yesterday 0

The Conversation

Sam Robinson

Australia’s official plan for AI safety isn’t much more than a single dot point. Will it be enough?

Australia’s official plan for AI safety isn’t much more than a single dot point. Will it be enough?

Australia is taking a ‘wait and see’ approach to AI regulation.

yesterday 0

The Conversation

José-Miguel Bello Y Villarino

Fertiliser costs are soaring amid war in the Middle East. Will your grocery bill follow?

Fertiliser costs are soaring amid war in the Middle East. Will your grocery bill follow?

Australia gets half its urea – a crucial nitrogen fertiliser – from countries now impacted by the war. But research suggests higher food prices...

yesterday 0

The Conversation

David Ubilava

New rules and high expectations: can Oscar Piastri break Australia’s F1 drought?

New rules and high expectations: can Oscar Piastri break Australia’s F1 drought?

New F1 regulations could have a huge impact in 2026, starting with the Melbourne Grand Prix – which no Australian has ever won.

yesterday 0

The Conversation

Dan van Den Hoek

Meet ‘Tous’ — an entirely new genus of mammal we identified. Here’s why it’s so exciting

Meet ‘Tous’ — an entirely new genus of mammal we identified. Here’s why it’s so exciting

A plantation worker photographed this new genus of mammal in New Guinea, thought to have been dead for 6,000 years.

yesterday 1

The Conversation

Erik meijaard

Amanda Seyfried’s ‘prosthetic butthole’ isn’t a joke – costuming nudity is important for actors

Amanda Seyfried’s ‘prosthetic butthole’ isn’t a joke – costuming nudity is important for actors

By creating a costume that can be taken off, even a ‘naked’ one, costume designers help create an important separation between the role and the actor.

yesterday 0

The Conversation

Emily Brayshaw

A ‘good death’ has a price – and a new study shows not everyone in palliative care can afford it

A ‘good death’ has a price – and a new study shows not everyone in palliative care can afford it

When your loved one is in palliative care, the last thing you want to think about is money. But new research shows financial stress at this difficult...

yesterday 1

The Conversation

Henrietta byrne

We thought inbred koalas were at risk of extinction. But what we discovered upends genetic conventions

We thought inbred koalas were at risk of extinction. But what we discovered upends genetic conventions

Population crashes are dangerous and can be irreversible. But new research shows they are not always an evolutionary dead end.

yesterday 0

The Conversation

Andrew Weeks

New modelling shows renewable electricity can meet NZ’s future demand – without importing gas

New modelling shows renewable electricity can meet NZ’s future demand – without importing gas

New Zealand could meet its electricity needs through renewables and avoid power shortages during dry years by combining battery systems with pumped...

yesterday 0

The Conversation

Alan Brent

Friday essay: long in the shadow of Freud, Carl Jung’s ideas are finding fresh relevance today

Friday essay: long in the shadow of Freud, Carl Jung’s ideas are finding fresh relevance today

An early figure in the psychoanalytic movement, Jung is often written off. But his ideas of the collective unconscious and emphasis on archetype and...

yesterday 8

The Conversation

Nick Haslam

Who is Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s presumed next supreme leader? And would he bring change – or more brutal suppression?

Who is Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s presumed next supreme leader? And would he bring change – or more brutal suppression?

Ali Khamenei’s son is known less for speeches or religious authority than for his influence and the networks he’s built behind the scenes.

previous day 7

The Conversation

Mehmet Ozalp

Politics with Michelle Grattan: South Australian election special

Politics with Michelle Grattan: South Australian election special

Labor is expected to be returned in power in a landslide. But the election is also the first test of One Nation’s ability to turn its surging...

previous day 6

The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

Grattan on Friday: would Labor be supporting this war if it were in opposition?

Grattan on Friday: would Labor be supporting this war if it were in opposition?

In 2003, Labor was strongly against the Iraq war. But more than 20 years later and in power, Albanese has had to do a different sort of political...

previous day 8

The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

Farrer byelection will be on May 9

Farrer byelection will be on May 9

The byelection for the regional New South Wales seat of Farrer, vacated by former opposition leader Sussan Ley, will be held on May 9.

previous day 9

The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

The US just torpedoed an Iranian ship. Here’s why this old tech is hard to defend against

The US just torpedoed an Iranian ship. Here’s why this old tech is hard to defend against

Torpedoes are hard to stop – and harder to see coming.

previous day 7

The Conversation

James Dwyer

In a ‘ruptured’ world order, here’s how Australia can forge new middle‑power partnerships

In a ‘ruptured’ world order, here’s how Australia can forge new middle‑power partnerships

Even before Trump’s return to power, Australia has been building stronger mini-groupings and bilateral ties in the region.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Rebecca Strating

Petrol prices too high? Here’s how quickly an EV could save you money

Petrol prices too high? Here’s how quickly an EV could save you money

Conflict in the Middle East has led to long petrol queues in Australia. Going electric ends reliance on fuel imports – but will you pay back the EV...

previous day 8

The Conversation

Hussein Dia

Mark Carney highlights areas of Australian‑Canadian cooperation as middle powers

Mark Carney highlights areas of Australian‑Canadian cooperation as middle powers

Addressing the federal parliament, Carney once again pressed his now familiar argument for middle power activism as the old world order disintegrated.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

What is wabi‑sabi? Will this Japanese philosophy make me happy?

What is wabi‑sabi? Will this Japanese philosophy make me happy?

Nothing is perfect, nothing lasts and nothing is ever finished. That’s the core of wabi-sabi. And psychology suggests this Japanese philosophy may...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Trevor Mazzucchelli

How Australia and NZ rules on plant milks differ from overseas, where cows make the only ‘milk’

How Australia and NZ rules on plant milks differ from overseas, where cows make the only ‘milk’

Australian and NZ farmers have long argued only cow’s milk should be sold as ‘milk’, in line with UK and European laws. This is what our current...

previous day 0

The Conversation

Heather Bray

For 27 years, the Kyle and Jackie O Show indulged Australia’s most vulgar, sexist impulses

For 27 years, the Kyle and Jackie O Show indulged Australia’s most vulgar, sexist impulses

The fact their partnership lasted that long invites a reflection on the contradiction between the kind of society we say we want and the kind of media...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Denis Muller

Are Google’s ‘preferred sources’ a good thing for online news?

Are Google’s ‘preferred sources’ a good thing for online news?

More control is a good thing – but be wary of privacy risks and ensure your media ‘diet’ is still balanced.

previous day 9

The Conversation

T.j. Thomson

GLP‑1 drugs like Ozempic may lower the risk of addiction: new study

GLP‑1 drugs like Ozempic may lower the risk of addiction: new study

Starting a GLP-1 drug was linked with a 14% overall reduced risk of new substance use disorders and a lower risk of harm for those with existing use...

previous day 0

The Conversation

Shalini Arunogiri

The debate NZ should really be having about language policy

The debate NZ should really be having about language policy

The recently introduced English Language Bill will change little, but highlights a deeper issue. NZ still lacks a coherent framework for language...

previous day 0

The Conversation

Hilary A Smith

Paralympic politics: how Russia, Belarus and Israel sparked opening ceremony boycotts

Paralympic politics: how Russia, Belarus and Israel sparked opening ceremony boycotts

Current geopolitical uncertainty means the Winter Paralympics’ opening ceremony is attracting attention for the wrong reasons.

previous day 0

The Conversation

Jack Anderson

What this year’s Tropfest winning film tells us about mothers in the screen industry

What this year’s Tropfest winning film tells us about mothers in the screen industry

Lianne Mackessy’s Crescendo won top prize – a significant personal and industry milestone.

previous day 0

The Conversation

Sheree Gregory

‘Centimetre perfect’: how commentator Dennis Cometti became footy’s favourite voice

‘Centimetre perfect’: how commentator Dennis Cometti became footy’s favourite voice

Dennis Cometti was one of Australia’s finest sports broadcasters, with many of his one-liners to live on in footy vernacular.

previous day 8

The Conversation

Vaughan Cruickshank

NZ’s rising house insurance premiums warn of a system under strain

NZ’s rising house insurance premiums warn of a system under strain

Rising premiums and insurer retreat reflect deeper shifts in risk – and strain on a system built for a different era.

previous day 1

The Conversation

Rohan havelock

A wild girl considers land rights and community in Eva Hornung’s ‘utterly gripping’ new novel

A wild girl considers land rights and community in Eva Hornung’s ‘utterly gripping’ new novel

Award-winning author Eva Hornung’s time-travelling new novel explores Australia’s tensions around land ownership and belonging.

previous day 9

The Conversation

Shady Cosgrove

Australia can no longer be complacent about Trump’s America. It’s time to chart a new course

Australia can no longer be complacent about Trump’s America. It’s time to chart a new course

This begins with an honest recognition of the changing direction of US policy, stated plainly and directly to the Australian people.

previous day 1

The Conversation

Nick Bisley

Even if Australians won an extra week of leave, we’d need to make sure they could take it

Even if Australians won an extra week of leave, we’d need to make sure they could take it

The standard right to four weeks off hasn’t changed since 1974. But on its own, giving people an extra week off won’t fix the issue of workers...

previous day 5

The Conversation

Shae Mccrystal

The Liberal Party’s current woes are many. Sidelining Victoria is one of them

The Liberal Party’s current woes are many. Sidelining Victoria is one of them

The federal Liberal Party has not had a leader from Victoria since 1990. It says a lot about its electoral slide and its shift to the right.

previous day 8

The Conversation

Paul Strangio

Australia now has 137 urgent care clinics. Are they working?

Australia now has 137 urgent care clinics. Are they working?

The clinics have received millions of visits since they opened in 2023. But a recent report suggests not everyone can get the care they need, when...

previous day 1

The Conversation

Grant russell

‘A billion‑dollar empire of harm’: how gambling took over Australia

‘A billion‑dollar empire of harm’: how gambling took over Australia

At some point, Australia must accept that it is time to break the chokehold commercial gambling has on this country.

previous day 5

The Conversation

Louise francis

‘Fry now pay later’: tracing a century of skin cancer messaging in Australia

‘Fry now pay later’: tracing a century of skin cancer messaging in Australia

Australian health authorities have been encouraging ‘no hat no play’ for 100 years.

previous day 1

The Conversation

Andrew j. may

New fossil reveals the weird ‘tooth cushions’ of an apex predator from 425 million years ago

New fossil reveals the weird ‘tooth cushions’ of an apex predator from 425 million years ago

The newly discovered fish fossil fills a key gap in our understanding of the evolution of vertebrate diversity.

previous day 0

The Conversation

Brian Choo

Labour‑National standoff aside, the India‑NZ trade deal is a blueprint for real growth

Labour‑National standoff aside, the India‑NZ trade deal is a blueprint for real growth

The strategic significance of the agreement extends beyond bilateral trade. It positions New Zealand as a potential gateway for India into the...

previous day 0

The Conversation

Rahul Sen

NZ wants to double foreign student revenue by 2034 – but does it have capacity?

NZ wants to double foreign student revenue by 2034 – but does it have capacity?

New targets would lift revenue to $7.2 billion and enrolments to 119,000 by 2034. But housing pressure, market concentration and graduate outcomes...

previous day 6

The Conversation

Cristóbal Castro Barrientos

Commercial flights will be your best way out of Middle East, Wong tells stranded Australians

Commercial flights will be your best way out of Middle East, Wong tells stranded Australians

The government has deployed six “crisis response” teams to the Middle East to help deal with the overload caused by the huge number of Australians...

wednesday 10

The Conversation

Michelle Grattan