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AI at the World Cup: smarter tactics, healthy players, safer crowds – but new risks

AI at the World Cup: smarter tactics, healthy players, safer crowds – but new risks

This year’s World Cup will be the biggest ever – it also promises to be the most technologically advanced.

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The Conversation

Paul Salmon

Australian unis have dropped again in global rankings. Here’s why we can’t just shrug it off

Australian unis have dropped again in global rankings. Here’s why we can’t just shrug it off

According to international assessments, Australian unis are ‘struggling’. Closer to home, some academics are questioning whether a uni degree is...

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The Conversation

Kylie Message

Politicians have long misunderstood the ‘working class’. The rise of the far right shows how mistaken they have been

Politicians have long misunderstood the ‘working class’. The rise of the far right shows how mistaken they have been

Class has always mattered, and now labour parties around the world are finding out why.

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The Conversation

David Peetz

Three new Ebola vaccines are being developed. An infectious disease expert explains

Three new Ebola vaccines are being developed. An infectious disease expert explains

There is no approved vaccine to curb the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. But new funding offers hope.

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The Conversation

Paul Griffin

People are using AI to communicate without disclosing it. Is this morally wrong?

People are using AI to communicate without disclosing it. Is this morally wrong?

Not all deceptions are equal.

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The Conversation

Siavosh sahebi

Kerbside parking is great for drivers – but terrible for everyone else. Could we get rid of it?

Kerbside parking is great for drivers – but terrible for everyone else. Could we get rid of it?

Australia largely has enough off-street parking to do away with unsightly kerbside parking – and free up space for bikes, pedestrians and scooters.

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The Conversation

Dorina Pojani

What the hit new show Off Campus gets right in its portrayal of sexual violence

What the hit new show Off Campus gets right in its portrayal of sexual violence

For decades, TV has had a ‘rape problem’. But Off Campus proves stories about sexual violence don’t need to be graphic to be powerful.

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The Conversation

Bridget mac eochagain

Friday essay: love, sex and intimacy in the time of AI

Friday essay: love, sex and intimacy in the time of AI

We are designed to smell each other – but the custom-made soulmates of AI are frictionless, and always available. What if we fall out of love with...

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The Conversation

Anna goldsworthy

National insecurity: what happens when countries start to lose their sense of identity?

National insecurity: what happens when countries start to lose their sense of identity?

Borrowed from psychiatry, the term “ontological security” describes how nations understand themselves and their place in the world – and how it...

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The Conversation

Nicholas Ross Smith

NZ’s new forestry rules promise consistency. Will they also increase environmental risk?

NZ’s new forestry rules promise consistency. Will they also increase environmental risk?

As an overhauled rulebook for commercial forestry comes into force, there are concerns it could weaken safeguards as climate risks intensify.

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The Conversation

Steve urlich

Australia now has access to Anthropic’s Claude Mythos. It may improve cyber safety – but not for everyone

Australia now has access to Anthropic’s Claude Mythos. It may improve cyber safety – but not for everyone

The AI era has fundamentally changed the risks associated with poor cybersecurity practices.

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The Conversation

Andrew cullen

From exporting spyware to surveilling activists – how democracies became the new digital authoritarians

From exporting spyware to surveilling activists – how democracies became the new digital authoritarians

Democracies can either defend rights in the digital age, or drift into complicity as the architects of a new, global authoritarianism enabled by AI.

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The Conversation

Ihsan Yilmaz

Grattan on Friday: Hanson prepares to take the big stage as Husic hits out at straitjacket on caucus

Grattan on Friday: Hanson prepares to take the big stage as Husic hits out at straitjacket on caucus

Debate around the budget rolls on as Pauline Hanson prepares herself for centerstage.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

Low‑dose Zoladex won’t be available in Australia from November. What might that mean for you?

Low‑dose Zoladex won’t be available in Australia from November. What might that mean for you?

This drug is used to treat endometriosis and some breast cancers, but will soon be stripped from Australian shelves.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Nial Wheate

Victoria is attempting political donation reform again. How do the new laws stack up?

Victoria is attempting political donation reform again. How do the new laws stack up?

After the High Court struck down the state government’s previous attempt, Victoria had no donations laws at all. Here’s what the proposed new ones...

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Gabrielle Appleby

How common is sex‑selective abortion in Australia, really?

How common is sex‑selective abortion in Australia, really?

On first glance, this might appear to be a defensible measure. But there’s little evidence these abortions are occurring.

yesterday 3

The Conversation

Erica Millar

Why Australia needs stronger laws to stop dangerous products being sold online

Why Australia needs stronger laws to stop dangerous products being sold online

Can consumers be confident the products we buy online now are safe? Not really. Changing the law to catch up with other countries would help.

yesterday 3

The Conversation

Luke Nottage

UN report warns AI could soon use 3% of world’s electricity and more water than we need to drink

UN report warns AI could soon use 3% of world’s electricity and more water than we need to drink

As AI models become cheaper and more attractive, they will likely encourage new uses and higher volumes of use – erasing any efficiency gains.

yesterday 3

The Conversation

Amanda turnbull-mcrae

Australia is facing a new 12.5% US tariff over anti‑slavery claims. Are they actually right?

Australia is facing a new 12.5% US tariff over anti‑slavery claims. Are they actually right?

Using tariffs to make nations act on forced labour is questionable. Yet there is substance behind the US allegations – including that Australia...

yesterday 3

The Conversation

Justine Nolan

Amanda Lohrey’s UFO novel captures the uncertainties of reason, doubt and belief

Amanda Lohrey’s UFO novel captures the uncertainties of reason, doubt and belief

Amanda Lohrey’s Capture takes place in weird shiny rooms, where humans are studied with curiosity and partial incomprehension.

yesterday 3

The Conversation

Robbie Moore

Beast: Australia’s first MMA film, starring Russell Crowe, is cheesy yet oddly comforting

Beast: Australia’s first MMA film, starring Russell Crowe, is cheesy yet oddly comforting

The new Stan sports drama is brimming with cliches. But there are some standouts among the cast.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Ari Mattes

Game changers: how a stroke of paint transformed basketball, and the athletes who play it

Game changers: how a stroke of paint transformed basketball, and the athletes who play it

For decades, basketball was dominated by super tall players crowding around the basket for easy shots. Then things changed with a stroke of paint.

yesterday 9

The Conversation

Vaughan Cruickshank

Why a US ‘freeloading’ claim has put the heat on NZ’s independent foreign policy

Why a US ‘freeloading’ claim has put the heat on NZ’s independent foreign policy

Defence Minister Chris Penk has inadvertently highlighted a major tension between increased defence spending and New Zealand’s nuclear-free policy.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Alexander Gillespie

Is Israel planning to reoccupy the Gaza Strip? This is what’s happening behind the ‘yellow line’

Is Israel planning to reoccupy the Gaza Strip? This is what’s happening behind the ‘yellow line’

Two million Palestinians are being squeezed into a smaller pocket of Gaza, while Israel is preparing the ground for a longer-term occupation.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Michelle Burgis-Kasthala

What would it take for Pauline Hanson to become prime minister?

What would it take for Pauline Hanson to become prime minister?

It’s certainly not impossible for the One Nation leader to take the country’s top job – but there are several hurdles she’d have to jump to get there.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Pandanus Petter

What we still get wrong about how people from non‑Western backgrounds recover from trauma

What we still get wrong about how people from non‑Western backgrounds recover from trauma

Western PTSD treatments typically focus on talking to a therapist about your feelings and emotions. But this doesn’t actually help everyone.

yesterday 6

The Conversation

Laura Jobson

Hidden in plain sight: the race to discover new species before they’re gone

Hidden in plain sight: the race to discover new species before they’re gone

Even now, in an age of satellites and genome sequencing, the Earth still holds secrets.

yesterday 7

The Conversation

Jane Younger

The real Robinson Crusoe has been reimagined with historical accuracy – except for the talking goat

The real Robinson Crusoe has been reimagined with historical accuracy – except for the talking goat

Francesca de Tores’ Cast Away or, the Surprising Adventures of Alexander Selkirk is a timely consideration of human resilience and resourcefulness.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Donna Mazza

What’s a living wake? The end‑of‑life ritual that lets you say goodbye on your own terms

What’s a living wake? The end‑of‑life ritual that lets you say goodbye on your own terms

Whether you call it a living funeral or a ‘bon voyage party’, a growing number of Australians are choosing to celebrate their lives before they die.

yesterday 7

The Conversation

Cindy stocken

Exoskeletons for people with cerebral palsy are now a reality – but there’s still much to figure out

Exoskeletons for people with cerebral palsy are now a reality – but there’s still much to figure out

A new review on exoskeleton therapy for cerebral palsy reports some promising findings.

yesterday 8

The Conversation

Nicola postol

Supermarkets are going back to the future

Small stores, local produce and the return of the personal shopping assistant: supermarkets are starting to look like they did in the 1800s.

yesterday 10

The Conversation

Gary Mortimer

See a new map of the universe’s magnetic fields – the largest and most detailed ever made

See a new map of the universe’s magnetic fields – the largest and most detailed ever made

The best map yet of cosmic magnetic fields has been created with Australia’s most powerful radio telescope.

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The Conversation

Alec thomson

Chatbot teddies for three‑year‑olds? Why AI toys are risky for kids

Chatbot teddies for three‑year‑olds? Why AI toys are risky for kids

AI toys can tell stories, chat about a child’s interests, play games or even discuss what’s happening in the world today. But they come with risks.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Tama Leaver

Climate change may shift hailstorms towards Earth’s poles – new study

Climate change may shift hailstorms towards Earth’s poles – new study

Costs from severe storms are increasing – and this global shift in hailstorm spells bad news for crops, too.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Timothy h. raupach

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Graeme Samuel on ‘doomsday’ attacks on the federal budget

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Graeme Samuel on ‘doomsday’ attacks on the federal budget

The businessman and former competition chief says the fierce criticism of what he calls ‘mild’ budget changes shows why politicians have avoided...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Michelle Grattan

What is ‘clean eating’ and how can it affect wellbeing?

What is ‘clean eating’ and how can it affect wellbeing?

For some people, healthy eating can become an obsession that has a devastating impact on their health and relationships.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Gemma Sharp

Australia’s economy slows as households tighten their belts, while AI investment surges

Australia’s economy slows as households tighten their belts, while AI investment surges

If GDP per person falls again in the June quarter, Australia would enter a ‘per capita’ recession – signalling the average Australian is going...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Stella Huangfu

How much water and power will AI data centres use in Australia? Ironically, we don’t have the data to know

How much water and power will AI data centres use in Australia? Ironically, we don’t have the data to know

Don’t panic about AI data centres and water – it’s energy we should worry about

previous day 10

The Conversation

Michael Vardon

Babies with older siblings have a higher infection risk, but are less protected through vaccination

Babies with older siblings have a higher infection risk, but are less protected through vaccination

New research reveals maternal vaccination drops with each pregnancy. This means later-born children are less protected but at higher risk of...

previous day 4

The Conversation

Thomas schober

Can ‘grip strength’ exercises actually help you live longer?

Can ‘grip strength’ exercises actually help you live longer?

This sounds far-fetched. But what does the science say?

previous day 10

The Conversation

Hassan Vally

Online ads are becoming harder to spot – but we’re not powerless to stop it

Online ads are becoming harder to spot – but we’re not powerless to stop it

Increasingly, digital advertising is designed to dissolve into the flow of the content you consume online.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Daniel Angus

How flu overtook COVID as Australia’s deadliest respiratory virus

How flu overtook COVID as Australia’s deadliest respiratory virus

In the second half of 2025 influenza killed more Australians a month than COVID. Here’s how it happened.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Adrian Esterman

Hanson’s gas policy follows the far‑right playbook: attack ‘elites’ and push for drilling

Hanson’s gas policy follows the far‑right playbook: attack ‘elites’ and push for drilling

One Nation wants to differentiate itself from the Liberals on energy at a time when the parties increasingly overlap on social issues.

previous day 3

The Conversation

Emily Foley

How to encourage a child to try new, scary things (without traumatising them in the process)

How to encourage a child to try new, scary things (without traumatising them in the process)

If your child has ever dug their heels in on the morning of school athletics day, or refused to speak in front of the class, you’re not alone.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Elizabeth Westrupp

From cloning romance authors to YouTube piracy, AI is transforming audiobooks

From cloning romance authors to YouTube piracy, AI is transforming audiobooks

Pirate versions of bestselling books are swamping YouTube. Barbara Cartland’s voice will be cloned for her audiobooks. And audiobook giants are...

previous day 3

The Conversation

Millicent Weber

Galloway Hoard exhibit in Sydney dives into the secrets of the Viking world

Galloway Hoard exhibit in Sydney dives into the secrets of the Viking world

This mysterious Viking-age hoard lay buried for more than a millenium. Unearthed by an amateur metal detectorist, it is now on show in Sydney.

previous day 5

The Conversation

Louise d'arcens

One Nation surges to first on primary votes in two new polls

One Nation surges to first on primary votes in two new polls

Both Redbridge and YouGov polls have Pauline Hanson’s party ahead of the government, before preferences.

previous day 10

The Conversation

Adrian Beaumont

From ‘USA94’ to now: how soccer has changed since the last American World Cup

From ‘USA94’ to now: how soccer has changed since the last American World Cup

More matches, smaller nations, significant rule changes – the 2026 World Cup will be vastly different to the 1994 version in the US.

previous day 2

The Conversation

Steve Georgakis

Jacinda Ardern turns her own imposter syndrome into self‑help wisdom for young readers

Jacinda Ardern turns her own imposter syndrome into self‑help wisdom for young readers

In this adaptation of her bestselling memoir, Jacinda Ardern turns inward toward the psychological terrain of her own self-doubt – and how to...

previous day 10

The Conversation

Katie Pickles

View from The Hill: Ed Husic stirs pot on AUKUS as Peter Garrett to lead public inquiry

View from The Hill: Ed Husic stirs pot on AUKUS as Peter Garrett to lead public inquiry

The controversial AUKUS pact continues to cause headaches for the government - even within its own ranks.

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The Conversation

Michelle Grattan