Lists
Giant 'kings of apes' once roamed southern China. We solved the mystery of their extinction
What happened to the three-metre tall apes that once lived alongside orangutans? A new study suggests they were too slow to adapt to a changing world.
South Africa is taking Israel to court for genocide in Palestine. What does it mean for the war in Gaza?
Today, hearings will begin in the International Court of Justice, where South Africa is accusing Israel of genocide in Palestine. How will the proceedings work, and what does it mean for the war?
Magazines were supposed to die in the digital age. Why haven't they?
As digital media took off in the 2010s, few believed magazines could survive. While the industry isn’t what is once was, magazines are still very much alive, but why?
New analysis unlocks the hidden meaning of 15,000-year-old rock art in Arnhem Land
Rock art directly represents how our ancestors saw the world. A new approach involving the history of the landscape brings fresh meaning to Arnhem Land rock art.
Why is the universe ripping itself apart? A new study of exploding stars shows dark energy may be more complicated than we thought
After a decade studying thousands of supernovae, astronomers are still perplexed by the enigma that led Einstein to his ‘greatest mistake’.
Indonesia is one of the world's largest democracies, but it's weaponising defamation laws to smother dissent
Two human rights activists have been acquitted of defaming a powerful government minister. It’s the latest in a string of concerning authoritarian uses of Indonesian law.
Senate estimates and inquiries: what are they, what’s the difference, and why do we have them?
Senate estimates and inquiries are the homes of some of Australia’s most memorable political moments, but what are they really? How do they work?
Male pregnancy and weird courtship wiggles: how NZ’s wide-bodied pipefish confounds expectations
Female wide-bodied pipefish are brightly coloured, but it is the male that initiates courtship – and carries the babies.
1 in 3 people are lonely. Will AI help, or make things worse?
As far back as the dawn of the internet, scholars have discussed how AI might serve to replace (or supplement) human relationships.
Here's why you should (almost) never use a pie chart for your data
They are popular because they are popular, which is a circular argument that suits a pie chart. But there are some serious downsides to using the humble pie.
After 3 months of devastation in the Israel-Hamas war, is anyone 'winning'?
Israel has seen limited success in its primary war aims, while Hamas can claim a partial victory because it is still standing. But is the conflict headed towards a stalemate?
Australia is still reckoning with a shameful legacy: the resettlement of suspected war criminals after WWII
Official investigations of suspected Nazi collaborators have long closed. But families are still grappling with the hidden secrets of loved ones, a new book details.
Storm clouds ahead: scandals that have rocked Australian politics
While we seem to have a steady stream of political scandals in Australia, many of them have been seen before, albeit in a different guise.
The strange story of the grave of Copernicus
A team of archaeologists discovered the remains of the 16th-century father of modern astronomy, who demonstrated that the Earth orbits the Sun.
AI is our ‘Promethean fire': using it wisely means knowing its true nature – and our own minds
AI will not become sentient and decide to kill us all. But our own conscious or unconscious beliefs about AI can potentially increase the likelihood of any outcome, including catastrophic ones.
Our dogs can terrify (and even kill) wildlife. Here’s how to be a responsible owner this summer
Being out in nature is beneficial for both us and our dogs – but we can’t forget about the wildlife that calls it home.