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The Odyssey is haunted by the mysterious ‘Sea Peoples’ – but who were they, really?

The Odyssey is haunted by the mysterious ‘Sea Peoples’ – but who were they, really?

The Sea Peoples are widely blamed for the collapse of the interconnected world of the Bronze Age. But what’s the evidence say?

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The Conversation

Joshua David McDermott

My kids and I are so fed up with each other as the holidays come to an end. How can we reset?

My kids and I are so fed up with each other as the holidays come to an end. How can we reset?

It can help to take stock at the end of a school holiday period and think about what went well, what didn’t work so well, and what was an...

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The Conversation

Rachael Sharman

‘Tactically complete’ Spain vs an inspired Messi‑led Argentina. Who will win the World Cup final?

‘Tactically complete’ Spain vs an inspired Messi‑led Argentina. Who will win the World Cup final?

Spain is a complete team, coached by a manager at the peak of his powers. Argentina is also a great team – but a different type of great team.

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Steve Georgakis

Australia’s most diverse marsupial predators have been hiding their origins for millions of years

Australia’s most diverse marsupial predators have been hiding their origins for millions of years

A handful of tiny fossil jaws fill a missing chapter in the evolutionary history of Australia’s most successful marsupial predators.

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Timothy Churchill

How to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples benefit from newborn DNA screening

How to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples benefit from newborn DNA screening

Biological samples and data from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been misused in the past. So how would we make a new screening...

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The Conversation

Gail Garvey

Hybrid work blurs the line between work and home – here’s how couples can set boundaries

Hybrid work blurs the line between work and home – here’s how couples can set boundaries

Setting clear expectations about availability, both at work and at home, is essential for couples negotiating professional careers and hybrid work.

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Joanne Mutter

Despite claims smoking has made a comeback, just 5.6% of Australians now smoke daily

Despite claims smoking has made a comeback, just 5.6% of Australians now smoke daily

Smoking isn’t back. New data show Australia’s tobacco control laws are working.

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The Conversation

Becky Freeman

Backed into a corner by Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, Trump may resort to even more reckless escalation

Backed into a corner by Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, Trump may resort to even more reckless escalation

The reality is there is no military pathway to opening the Strait of Hormuz. Trump may attempt to find one anyway.

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Greg Barton

No evidence mobile phones cause brain cancer – new study

No evidence mobile phones cause brain cancer – new study

For one thing, there’d be a much higher rate of brain cancers in the decades since mobile phones were widely adopted.

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Sarah Diepstraten

As extreme heat pummels the Tour de France, can cycling keep riders safe?

As extreme heat pummels the Tour de France, can cycling keep riders safe?

In extreme heat, the tour can provide extra shade, hydration during racing and even alter or cancel a stage. But is this enough?

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Julien Périard

The data centre boom won’t mean higher power prices – if we unlock stalled renewable projects

The data centre boom won’t mean higher power prices – if we unlock stalled renewable projects

Could we be thinking the wrong way about surging energy demand from data centres in Australia?

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Mehdi Seyedmahmoudian

Beyond $50k arts degrees: what has Job‑ready Graduates done to postgrad study?

Beyond $50k arts degrees: what has Job‑ready Graduates done to postgrad study?

Job-ready Graduates created cheaper postgraduate education – especially for nursing students – but this may not last.

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Andrew Norton

Aboriginal people harvested this native grass for millennia. Scientists have now found an odd trait in its DNA

Aboriginal people harvested this native grass for millennia. Scientists have now found an odd trait in its DNA

Natural selection may not be the only force that has contributed to the evolution of channel millet’s unusual genetics.

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The Conversation

Michael Westaway

How controlling (and tolling) a narrow waterway near ancient Troy changed history

How controlling (and tolling) a narrow waterway near ancient Troy changed history

Control of the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus strait was life and death for ancient Athens. Waterways are no less important – and contentious – today.

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The Conversation

David M. Pritchard

Friday essay: I’ve been reading The Odyssey my whole life. Nolan’s film version is exhilarating – but not perfect

Friday essay: I’ve been reading The Odyssey my whole life. Nolan’s film version is exhilarating – but not perfect

Is Christopher Nolan’s adaptation a definitive film version of Homer’s Odyssey? No, it isn’t. In fact, it can’t be.

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The Conversation

Anthony Macris

NZ’s complex problems require visionary solutions, not quick fixes. Here’s how we can govern for the future

NZ’s complex problems require visionary solutions, not quick fixes. Here’s how we can govern for the future

Election campaigns focus on today’s pressures. But NZ’s biggest challenges span decades and may require new institutions.

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The Conversation

Jonathan Boston

Them at 25: Jon Ronson’s adventures with extremists made him famous – and Alex Jones, too

Them at 25: Jon Ronson’s adventures with extremists made him famous – and Alex Jones, too

Jon Ronson’s Them was published just months before the world changed on September 11 2001. Its portrait of conspiracy theorists and extremists was...

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Alexander Howard

Grattan on Friday: the zeitgeist doesn’t suit Angus Taylor but he could do more to help himself

Grattan on Friday: the zeitgeist doesn’t suit Angus Taylor but he could do more to help himself

As he surveys the degraded and demoralised Liberal Party he presides over, Angus Taylor has major problems.

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The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

Grattan on Friday: the times don’t suit Angus Taylor, but he could do more to help himself

Grattan on Friday: the times don’t suit Angus Taylor, but he could do more to help himself

As he surveys the degraded and demoralised Liberal Party he presides over, Angus Taylor has major problems.

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The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

Australian companies to face fines and criminal action if they fail to prevent modern slavery

Australian companies to face fines and criminal action if they fail to prevent modern slavery

The changes come just weeks after the US threatened new tariffs of up to 12.5% on 60 countries – including Australia – for inaction on slave labour.

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The Conversation

Justine Nolan

This haunting novel narrated by a book stayed with me for weeks

This haunting novel narrated by a book stayed with me for weeks

Angela O'Keefe’s compelling new novel, Phantom Days, contemplates the power and agency of stories.

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The Conversation

Angela Glindemann

Bird flu has reached New Zealand – what this means and what comes next

Bird flu has reached New Zealand – what this means and what comes next

The confirmation of the bird flu virus in a brown skua appears to be a single detection. Ongoing surveillance will be essential to detect any further...

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The Conversation

Jemma Geoghegan

This rare Australian wattle is on the brink of extinction: new research

This rare Australian wattle is on the brink of extinction: new research

Four experts explain how we can protect the rare – and increasingly at risk – spidery wattle.

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The Conversation

Brittany Hogben

How VAR is changing soccer – and its referees

How VAR is changing soccer – and its referees

If VAR catches a player offside by their toe, this is a correct decision. Whether this is what we want as fans is a philosophical debate.

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The Conversation

Courtney Walton

It is rare to watch an Australian TV drama that feels as effortless as The F Ward

It is rare to watch an Australian TV drama that feels as effortless as The F Ward

Now streaming on Stan, The F Ward is the latest Australian medical drama. And it’s a good one.

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The Conversation

Ari Mattes

Gen Z is pushing back against AI – a reminder to all of us that the future isn’t written

Gen Z is pushing back against AI – a reminder to all of us that the future isn’t written

Many baby boomers see AI as a revolutionary tool, while young people see it as taking away their agency.

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The Conversation

Siobhan Lyons

It’s the ABC’s job to be accurate and fair, not to chase the dangerous fallacy of ‘balance’

It’s the ABC’s job to be accurate and fair, not to chase the dangerous fallacy of ‘balance’

The antisemitism envoy has criticised the ABC’s coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict. But presenting all sides equally can distort the truth.

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The Conversation

Peter Greste

Should I let my kids play footy? How to weigh the benefits with the risk of injury

Should I let my kids play footy? How to weigh the benefits with the risk of injury

The benefits of sport are undeniable for kids. But how much risk is acceptable?

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The Conversation

Reidar P. Lystad

The Odyssey is set in a fantasy world – but the ancient Greeks mapped it onto what they knew

The Odyssey is set in a fantasy world – but the ancient Greeks mapped it onto what they knew

The Greeks didn’t locate their deep past in far-off fantasy lands. These stories happened in places all around them.

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The Conversation

Greta Hawes

Australia has brought in sweeping new laws to combat money laundering – but will they work?

Australia has brought in sweeping new laws to combat money laundering – but will they work?

Australia now requires lawyers, accountants and real estate agents to report suspicious customers, at huge cost – but will this help fight crime?

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The Conversation

Anton Moiseienko

What do human relationships with chatbots say about friendship? A philosopher considers

What do human relationships with chatbots say about friendship? A philosopher considers

Are there potential benefits to artificial friendships, or is the idea of a mechanical friend sadder or more pathetic than having no friends at all?

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The Conversation

Charles Barbour

A volcano in the Philippines erupted two weeks ago. Here’s why scientists are still watching it closely

A volcano in the Philippines erupted two weeks ago. Here’s why scientists are still watching it closely

This year alone, the Philippines’ volcano monitoring agency has recorded 18 eruptive events at Taal Volcano – but they haven’t been the kind you...

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The Conversation

Saini Samim

NZ’s overhaul of nature protection laws is a chance to move away from ‘fortress conservation’

NZ’s overhaul of nature protection laws is a chance to move away from ‘fortress conservation’

New Zealand’s conservation management currently prioritises full protection of pristine landscapes. Other models are based on reciprocity between...

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The Conversation

Elizabeth Macpherson

Why is it so hard for unis to agree on a definition of ‘antisemitism’?

Why is it so hard for unis to agree on a definition of ‘antisemitism’?

Australian universities will be required to adopt definitions of racism, including antisemitism, as of next year.

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Mareike Riedel

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Wayne Swan on a ‘dramatically different’ political contest

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Wayne Swan on a ‘dramatically different’ political contest

The outgoing Labor president explains why no votes can be taken for granted in a time of ‘anxiety and insecurity’.

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The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

How can universities better protect students and staff from antisemitism?

How can universities better protect students and staff from antisemitism?

Glyn Davis, Melbourne University interim vice chancellor said management felt ‘deep despair’ about antisemitic incidents occurring on campus.

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The Conversation

Matteo Vergani

The PM has pledged to protect artists’ copyright. But without action on AI theft it is all hot air

The PM has pledged to protect artists’ copyright. But without action on AI theft it is all hot air

Anthony Albanese has made a spirited defence of artists’ rights in the AI age. But while data centres are getting concrete support, creators are not.

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The Conversation

Alice Grundy

The Trump administration wants to dismantle the International Criminal Court. Can it?

The Trump administration wants to dismantle the International Criminal Court. Can it?

The US State Department calls the ICC an ‘intolerable threat to US sovereignty’. And it can significantly disrupt the court’s work.

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The Conversation

Shannon Brincat

Trump wants to make daylight saving time permanent – but some fear the move would be a nightmare

Trump wants to make daylight saving time permanent – but some fear the move would be a nightmare

The controversial bill has passed the House of Representatives and now heads to the Senate, where it will face stiff opposition.

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The Conversation

Samuel Garrett

Australia wants to ‘manage’ AI. What will that look like?

Australia wants to ‘manage’ AI. What will that look like?

Hours before Albanese delivered a major speech on AI in Sydney, the US state of New York imposed a one-year pause on building new data centres.

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The Conversation

Rita Matulionyte

‘Balcony solar’ and plug‑in systems could help cut your energy costs. But only if rules change

‘Balcony solar’ and plug‑in systems could help cut your energy costs. But only if rules change

New technologies could make the switch to solar more affordable for renters and apartment dwellers.

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The Conversation

Nicola Willand

From the Falklands War to Maradona: why Argentina vs England is soccer’s fiercest rivalry

From the Falklands War to Maradona: why Argentina vs England is soccer’s fiercest rivalry

The history of Argentina and England transforms every match into something more than a game – a World Cup semi-final raises the stakes even further.

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Fernanda Peñaloza

Water pollution has long been a threat to the Great Barrier Reef ‑ plans to fix it aren’t up to the task

Water pollution has long been a threat to the Great Barrier Reef ‑ plans to fix it aren’t up to the task

There’s one big threat facing the Great Barrier Reef which Australian authorities can solve. But will they?

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Jon C. Day

Penalty shootouts are soccer’s most brutal tests. What are the best strategies for attackers, goalkeepers and coaches?

Penalty shootouts are decided by two questions. Most teams can’t answer either, but maybe science can.

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Robbie Wilson

Workers are changing jobs less often. Here’s why that matters for the economy

Workers are changing jobs less often. Here’s why that matters for the economy

Young workers, in particular, are affected, losing out on opportunities to advance their careers.

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Peter Siminski

Does sniffing chocolate really help ‘leg day’ at the gym?

Does sniffing chocolate really help ‘leg day’ at the gym?

A study suggests sniffing chocolate helps boost your gym workout. No, we’re not kidding.

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Hunter Bennett

NZ’s floated social media ban for under‑16s could unite two groups that rarely agree

NZ’s floated social media ban for under‑16s could unite two groups that rarely agree

Support for banning social media among under-16s is growing. But a closer look reveals complex questions over privacy and digital inclusion.

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The Conversation

Alex Beattie

First Nations people face racism in hospitals. They told us one thing makes a difference

First Nations people face racism in hospitals. They told us one thing makes a difference

When First Nations people get the right support in the health system, their physical and mental health improves.

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Elissa Elvidge

Here’s what’s at stake as BHP workers prepare for a historic strike

Here’s what’s at stake as BHP workers prepare for a historic strike

Mining workers are among the highest paid workers in Australia. But this strike is about far more than pay.

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Alexis Vassiley

20 years ago, China bet big on electric vehicles. Now Western carmakers are feeling the pain

20 years ago, China bet big on electric vehicles. Now Western carmakers are feeling the pain

China’s rise to EV dominance may seem sudden – but it’s the result of more than 20 years of state investment.

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Timothy Minchin