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Taking paracetamol in pregnancy doesn’t increase your baby’s risk of autism or ADHD – new review

Paracetamol can safely treat fever and pain at any stage of pregnancy. And it’s important, as leaving fever untreated can be dangerous for the...

latest 10

The Conversation

Anya Arthurs

One uprising, two stories: how each side is trying to frame the uprising in Iran

One uprising, two stories: how each side is trying to frame the uprising in Iran

Since the outbreak of the current wave of protests in Iran, two sharply competing narratives have emerged to explain what is unfolding in the...

yesterday 40

The Conversation

Ali Mamouri

After decades of decline, this is how unions can rebuild their role in Australian work

After decades of decline, this is how unions can rebuild their role in Australian work

As recently as the early 1990s, 40% of Australian workers were union members. While there was a slight increase in 2024 – the first in a decade –...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Martijn Boersma

After Scott Robertson, the All Blacks face a deeper question than who coaches next

After Scott Robertson, the All Blacks face a deeper question than who coaches next

With Scott Robertson’s departure as All Blacks coach, New Zealand Rugby finds itself at a familiar crossroads. Yet, while coaching appointments...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Hoani Smith

As Victoria’s Great Ocean Road flash floods show, we need to get better at taking warnings seriously

As Victoria’s Great Ocean Road flash floods show, we need to get better at taking warnings seriously

The images and stories of flash flooding coming out of Victoria’s Great Ocean Road overnight have been described as “terrifying”. It’s easy to...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Rory Nathan

In a new production of Turandot, Opera Australia has found a star vehicle for Young Woo Kim

In a new production of Turandot, Opera Australia has found a star vehicle for Young Woo Kim

Were operas to be identified like episodes of Friends, Turandot would be “the one with Nessun Dorma”. This beloved tenor aria has achieved a life...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

David Larkin

World-first social media wargame reveals how AI bots can swing elections

World-first social media wargame reveals how AI bots can swing elections

On December 14 2025, a terrorist attack occurred at Bondi Beach in Sydney Australia, leaving 15 civilians and one gunman dead. While Australia was...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Hammond Pearce

Do Woolworths shoppers want Google AI adding items to buy? We’ll soon find out

Do Woolworths shoppers want Google AI adding items to buy? We’ll soon find out

Woolworths has announced a partnership with Google to incorporate agentic artificial intelligence into its “Olive” chatbot, starting in Australia...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Uri Gal

Friday essay: in our age of AI and constant crisis, real-life community is powerful and precious

Friday essay: in our age of AI and constant crisis, real-life community is powerful and precious

So much is deeply wrong with the world right now, but when it comes to the sphere of life that is within my own influence – my home, my heart and...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Amy Thunig-Mcgregor

How adults can use Stranger Things to talk to young people about their mental health

How adults can use Stranger Things to talk to young people about their mental health

Beyond its monsters and 1980s nostalgia, Stranger Things resonates because it tells stories of struggles familiar to young people: trauma that...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Stephen Goldsmith

In the most cleared state in Australia, Victoria’s native wildlife needs our help after fires

In the most cleared state in Australia, Victoria’s native wildlife needs our help after fires

Victoria has just suffered some of its worst bushfires since the Black Summer fires of 2019–20. Over 400,000 hectares are estimated to have burnt...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Euan Ritchie

Australia needs a canine brain bank to reduce the risk of dog attacks

Australia needs a canine brain bank to reduce the risk of dog attacks

Dog attacks are on the rise in Australia. The most recent data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare show dog-related hospital...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Paul Mcgreevy

5 things to make with mangoes that aren’t smoothies

5 things to make with mangoes that aren’t smoothies

It’s mango season. They’re cheap, delicious, in the shops or you can buy trays at roadside stalls. But what can you actually do with a trayful?...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Margaret Murray

View from The Hill: Sussan Ley wedged by her own troops on Albanese omnibus legislation

View from The Hill: Sussan Ley wedged by her own troops on Albanese omnibus legislation

Anthony Albanese’s omnibus bill on hate speech and gun reform is once again exposing Sussan Ley’s lack of authority over her colleagues. Ley on...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

One uprising, two stories: how each side is trying frame the uprising in Iran

One uprising, two stories: how each side is trying frame the uprising in Iran

Since the outbreak of the current wave of protests in Iran, two sharply competing narratives have emerged to explain what is unfolding in the...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Ali Mamouri

Another war in the Horn of Africa would be disastrous for one of the world’s most repressive nations

Another war in the Horn of Africa would be disastrous for one of the world’s most repressive nations

The geopolitical temperature is rising in the Red Sea. Ethiopia is threatening Eritrea, its diminutive neighbour, making a claim on the Eritrean...

previous day 20

The Conversation

William Gourlay

Pedestrian deaths just reached an 18-year high. Bull bars are part of the problem

Pedestrian deaths just reached an 18-year high. Bull bars are part of the problem

The national road trauma data for December last year was just released, which means we now have a full picture of Australia’s road safety outcomes...

previous day 3

The Conversation

Milad Haghani

Australia is betting on a new ‘strategic reserve’ to loosen China’s grip on critical minerals

Australia is betting on a new ‘strategic reserve’ to loosen China’s grip on critical minerals

The federal government has unveiled new details of its plan to create a A$1.2 billion critical mineral reserve. Three minerals will initially be...

previous day 20

The Conversation

Susan M Park

The Making of an Autocrat: podcast out now

The Making of an Autocrat: podcast out now

We used to have a pretty clear idea of what an autocrat was. History is full of examples: Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, along with...

previous day 20

The Conversation

Justin Bergman

Native pollinators need more support than honeybees in Australia – here’s why

Native pollinators need more support than honeybees in Australia – here’s why

Late last year, the New South Wales government announced an additional A$9.5 million in funding to support honeybee keepers in the wake of the 2022...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Graham H. Pyke

Does adding ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to your ChatGPT prompts really waste energy?

Does adding ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to your ChatGPT prompts really waste energy?

Cut the words “please” and “thank you” from your next ChatGPT query and, if you believe some of the talk online, you might think you are...

previous day 20

The Conversation

Richard Morris

Prioritising protein? What the new US dietary guidelines get right – and wrong – according to 2 nutrition experts

Prioritising protein? What the new US dietary guidelines get right – and wrong – according to 2 nutrition experts

Last week, United States health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr released the government’s revamped dietary guidelines for 2025 to 2030. These...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Lauren Ball

Trump wants to cap credit card interest to 10% for a year. Should Australia consider it?

Trump wants to cap credit card interest to 10% for a year. Should Australia consider it?

US President Donald Trump has called for a one year cap on credit card interest rate charges at 10% – around half of the average current US rate –...

previous day 2

The Conversation

Ama Samarasinghe

No power, no phone, no radio: why comms dropped out during the central Victorian fires

No power, no phone, no radio: why comms dropped out during the central Victorian fires

Australia has entered an era of climate instability, where communications during bushfires and extreme weather must perform under increasingly...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Fiannuala Morgan

This TikTok star sharing Australian animal stories doesn’t exist – it’s AI Blakface

This TikTok star sharing Australian animal stories doesn’t exist – it’s AI Blakface

The self-described “Bush Legend” on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram is growing in popularity. These short and sharp videos feature an Aboriginal...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Tamika Worrell

Why the Heated Rivalry TV series understands gay men better than the book

Why the Heated Rivalry TV series understands gay men better than the book

Heated Rivalry, written and directed by Jacob Tierney, has become a massive hit, going viral among gay romance fans and gathering millions of likes...

wednesday 40

The Conversation

Harry Stewart

What’s the difference between a sprained ankle and a twisted ankle?

What’s the difference between a sprained ankle and a twisted ankle?

After the summer break, you’re ready to get back into exercise. You put on your shoes, pop on your headphones and head out the door on your first...

wednesday 20

The Conversation

Hunter Bennett

What’s cooler than sex, drugs and pashing models? I found out from 3 rock memoirs

What’s cooler than sex, drugs and pashing models? I found out from 3 rock memoirs

At the height of his success, Evan Dando was notorious for his good looks, heavy drug use and flaky personality. As his memoir, Rumours of My...

wednesday 20

The Conversation

Liz Evans

Takeaway coffee cups release thousands of microplastic particles

Takeaway coffee cups release thousands of microplastic particles

It’s 7:45am. You grab a takeaway coffee from your local cafe, wrap your hands around the warm cup, take a sip, and head to the office. To most of...

wednesday 40

The Conversation

Xiangyu Liu

Guide to the classics: death-haunted masterpiece The Blind Owl shadows the decline of modern Iran

Guide to the classics: death-haunted masterpiece The Blind Owl shadows the decline of modern Iran

Sadeq Hedayat (1903-1951) abandoned his training in dentistry and, later, engineering in France and Belgium, to study old Persian and Iranian...

wednesday 50

The Conversation

Hossein Asgari

With its new laws, the government is tackling hate speech quickly, but not properly

With its new laws, the government is tackling hate speech quickly, but not properly

On Tuesday, in response to the Bondi terrorist attack and mounting pressure to take strong action, the Albanese government released draft...

wednesday 10

The Conversation

Keiran Hardy

Jewelled eels, beards of gold and unfathomable cruelty: 5 of ancient Rome’s most eccentric leaders

Jewelled eels, beards of gold and unfathomable cruelty: 5 of ancient Rome’s most eccentric leaders

Ancient Roman political leaders could be violent and cruel. Some had odd tastes and were out of touch. Others had wildly eccentric habits that...

wednesday 10

The Conversation

Peter Edwell

Alleged tobacco kingpin Kazem ‘Kaz’ Hamad has been arrested in Iraq – what happens next?

Alleged tobacco kingpin Kazem ‘Kaz’ Hamad has been arrested in Iraq – what happens next?

Overnight, government authorities in Iraq arrested Kazem “Kaz” Hamad, the alleged kingpin of Australia’s illicit tobacco trade. Declared by an...

wednesday 8

The Conversation

James Martin

From bolts to blue jets, lightning comes in many strange forms

From bolts to blue jets, lightning comes in many strange forms

Lightning has captured people’s fascination for millennia. It’s embedded in mythology, religion and popular culture. Think of Thor in Norse...

wednesday 20

The Conversation

Andrew Dowdy

As we begin to assess the fire damage in Victoria, we must not overlook these hidden costs

As we begin to assess the fire damage in Victoria, we must not overlook these hidden costs

Devastated by widespread fires, Victoria has declared a state of disaster. More than 500 structures have reportedly been destroyed and 1,000...

wednesday 20

The Conversation

Sonia Akter

A ‘cosmic clock’ in tiny crystals has revealed the rise and fall of Australia’s ancient landscapes

A ‘cosmic clock’ in tiny crystals has revealed the rise and fall of Australia’s ancient landscapes

Australia’s iconic red landscapes have been home to Aboriginal culture and recorded in songlines for tens of thousands of years. But further clues...

wednesday 30

The Conversation

Maximilian Dröllner

The World Trade Organization is on life support. Will Trump’s new rules finish it off?

The World Trade Organization is on life support. Will Trump’s new rules finish it off?

The United States has now withdrawn from 66 international organisations, conventions and treaties, illegally invaded Venezuela, and promoted an “...

wednesday 10

The Conversation

Jane Kelsey

Why the world’s central bankers had to speak up against Trump’s attacks on the Fed

Why the world’s central bankers had to speak up against Trump’s attacks on the Fed

Central bankers from around the world have issued a joint statement of support for US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, as he faces a criminal...

wednesday 10

The Conversation

John Hawkins

Why Iran can’t afford to shut down the internet forever – even if the world doesn’t act

Why Iran can’t afford to shut down the internet forever – even if the world doesn’t act

As citizens around the world prepared to welcome the new year, Iranians began taking to the streets to protest their country’s deepening economic...

wednesday 20

The Conversation

Dara Conduit

NZ’s health data hack needs a proper diagnosis – and a transparent treatment plan

NZ’s health data hack needs a proper diagnosis – and a transparent treatment plan

Two cyber hacks have highlighted the vulnerability of New Zealand’s digital health systems – and the vast volumes of patient data we rely on them...

wednesday 20

The Conversation

Dylan A Mordaunt

Yes, those big touchscreens in cars are dangerous and buttons are coming back

Yes, those big touchscreens in cars are dangerous and buttons are coming back

In recent years, the way drivers interact with cars has fundamentally changed. Physical buttons have gradually disappeared from dashboards as more...

13.01.2026 100

The Conversation

Milad Haghani

What is the global water cycle and how is it amplifying climate disasters?

What is the global water cycle and how is it amplifying climate disasters?

Floods, droughts and heatwaves continue to dominate headlines around the world and in Australia. In the past few days, hundreds of bushfires have...

13.01.2026 20

The Conversation

Albert Van Dijk

What causes ‘extreme morning sickness’? What we know, don’t know and suspect about hyperemesis gravidarum

What causes ‘extreme morning sickness’? What we know, don’t know and suspect about hyperemesis gravidarum

Most women experience some nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy. Although this is called morning sickness, it can happen at any time of day. Up...

13.01.2026 20

The Conversation

Karin Hammarberg

Could Heated Rivalry bring a whole new fanbase to ice hockey – and can the sport embrace them?

Could Heated Rivalry bring a whole new fanbase to ice hockey – and can the sport embrace them?

Heated Rivalry has taken the world by a storm. The series tells the story of rivals-to-lovers hockey players Japanese-Canadian Shane Hollander...

13.01.2026 10

The Conversation

Kasey Symons

How do airlines set bag and weight limits? An ex-pilot explains new changes on the way

How do airlines set bag and weight limits? An ex-pilot explains new changes on the way

You arrive at the airport in plenty of time to check in. You reach the departure gate early. You board, walking down to your seat – and that’s when...

13.01.2026 6

The Conversation

Natasha Heap

The Pout-Pout Fish visually exemplifies contemporary animation – but something is lost in translation

The Pout-Pout Fish visually exemplifies contemporary animation – but something is lost in translation

Adapting the much beloved and best-selling picture book series The Pout-Pout Fish is no easy feat. Staying core to the source material, the new...

13.01.2026 2

The Conversation

Ari Chand

It takes many ghosts to make a story: how Maggie O'Farrell’s Hamnet takes from – and mistakes – Shakespeare

It takes many ghosts to make a story: how Maggie O'Farrell’s Hamnet takes from – and mistakes – Shakespeare

In her eighth novel Hamnet, Maggie O’Farrell imagines the short life and tragic death of Shakespeare’s only son, aged 11, in 1596. Although it is...

13.01.2026 7

The Conversation

Kate Flaherty

Did NZ’s sweeping health reforms deliver on their promise? 3 years on, the verdict is mixed

Did NZ’s sweeping health reforms deliver on their promise? 3 years on, the verdict is mixed

When the former Labour-led government unveiled the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) reforms in 2022, it billed them as the biggest shakeup of New...

13.01.2026 3

The Conversation

Arshad Ali

A centuries-old debate on how reptiles keep evolving skin bones is finally settled

A centuries-old debate on how reptiles keep evolving skin bones is finally settled

Our bones did not begin deep inside the body. They started in the skin, not long after the first complex animals took shape. Ever since, skin bones...

13.01.2026 3

The Conversation

Roy Ebel

View from The Hill: Kevin Rudd, a controversial energy ball as ambassador to US, quits early

View from The Hill: Kevin Rudd, a controversial energy ball as ambassador to US, quits early

Kevin Rudd’s premature departure in March from his post of Australia’s ambassador to the United States is a surprise, but perhaps not as...

13.01.2026 20

The Conversation

Michelle Grattan