James Wheeler/PexelsWhen the topic of central banks and the outlook for interest rates comes up, economists often turn to the so-called “star” variables to help with their predictions. What do we mean by star variables? Why they are important to central bankers, and how do they influence interest-rate decisions? The
SolStock/GettyYou’ve been hanging out for a break, getting through the busy last weeks of work or class. You’re finally ready to relax. And then tiredness descends, you feel the tickle in your throat, and you realise you’re getting sick. Why does this always seem to happen just in time for
Roman fresco, Pompeii. Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsIf you were to visit a bookshop in the ancient world, what would it be like? You don’t just have to imagine it. The ancient Roman writer Aulus Gellius, who lived in the 2nd century CE, gives us a number of descriptions of
Tom Rumble/Unsplash, CC BY-NC-NDJanuary is consistently Australia’s busiest month for moving house – around 14-18% of the yearly total, far higher than any other month. When people choose a new neighbourhood to live in, there are many factors to weigh up such as price, commute time, school zones and
You have probably seen the images of the surface of Mars, beamed back by NASA’s rovers. What if there were a time machine capable of roaming Earth during its remote geological past, perhaps even going right back to its beginnings, beaming back pictures of similar quality? This is not
By any measure, 2025 was not a good year for world peace. Worse, it was just the latest of a decade-long decline of peace and upsurge of war. As author of a book on world peace and how we can achieve it (that’s literally the title), here’s my assessment.
Phynart Studio/Getty ImagesRecent surveys estimate more than 6.7 million Australians – almost half of all workers, and the majority in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra – work from home at least some of the time in paid or unpaid roles. With that increase in working from home, it’s easy to
In democratic systems, the courts are a vital check on a leader’s power. They have the ability to overturn laws and, in Donald Trump’s case, the executive orders he has relied on to achieve his goals. Since taking office, Trump has targeted the judiciary with a vengeance. He has attacked
Every summer in Australia, millions of people head to the beach, and every year, thousands are rescued by lifeguards or Surf Life Savers and even surfers or other bystanders. Tragically, many people lose their lives on our coasts. The red and yellow flags, iconic to many Australians, are meant to
Annija/PexelsWhen we think about new year’s resolutions, we often think about changing our habits or new setting goals around food, exercise and work. But why not take our reading seriously too? Social media reading platforms often ask us to set annual reading goals based on the number of books we
Today, the National Archives of Australia (NAA) released a key selection of records of the Australian Cabinet and its National Security Committee from 2005. The election in October 2004 had given the Howard government a commanding majority in the House of Representatives. From July 2005, it also obtained
Pomodoro Cat/Forest/Focus Friend/Focus To-DoIt’s hardly a revelation that we’re living in an era of distraction and smartphone addiction. Our phones interrupt us, hijack our attention, and tempt us into scrolling. Even when we aren’t interacting with them, their mere presence makes it difficult to concentrate. To address this, app developers
James Wheeler/PexelsWhen the topic of central banks and the outlook for interest rates comes up, economists often turn to the so-called “star” variables to help with their predictions. What do we mean by star variables? Why they are important to central bankers, and how do they influence interest-rate decisions? The
SolStock/GettyYou’ve been hanging out for a break, getting through the busy last weeks of work or class. You’re finally ready to relax. And then tiredness descends, you feel the tickle in your throat, and you realise you’re getting sick. Why does this always seem to happen just in time for
Roman fresco, Pompeii. Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsIf you were to visit a bookshop in the ancient world, what would it be like? You don’t just have to imagine it. The ancient Roman writer Aulus Gellius, who lived in the 2nd century CE, gives us a number of descriptions of
Tom Rumble/Unsplash, CC BY-NC-NDJanuary is consistently Australia’s busiest month for moving house – around 14-18% of the yearly total, far higher than any other month. When people choose a new neighbourhood to live in, there are many factors to weigh up such as price, commute time, school zones and
You have probably seen the images of the surface of Mars, beamed back by NASA’s rovers. What if there were a time machine capable of roaming Earth during its remote geological past, perhaps even going right back to its beginnings, beaming back pictures of similar quality? This is not
By any measure, 2025 was not a good year for world peace. Worse, it was just the latest of a decade-long decline of peace and upsurge of war. As author of a book on world peace and how we can achieve it (that’s literally the title), here’s my assessment.
Phynart Studio/Getty ImagesRecent surveys estimate more than 6.7 million Australians – almost half of all workers, and the majority in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra – work from home at least some of the time in paid or unpaid roles. With that increase in working from home, it’s easy to
In democratic systems, the courts are a vital check on a leader’s power. They have the ability to overturn laws and, in Donald Trump’s case, the executive orders he has relied on to achieve his goals. Since taking office, Trump has targeted the judiciary with a vengeance. He has attacked
Every summer in Australia, millions of people head to the beach, and every year, thousands are rescued by lifeguards or Surf Life Savers and even surfers or other bystanders. Tragically, many people lose their lives on our coasts. The red and yellow flags, iconic to many Australians, are meant to
Annija/PexelsWhen we think about new year’s resolutions, we often think about changing our habits or new setting goals around food, exercise and work. But why not take our reading seriously too? Social media reading platforms often ask us to set annual reading goals based on the number of books we
Today, the National Archives of Australia (NAA) released a key selection of records of the Australian Cabinet and its National Security Committee from 2005. The election in October 2004 had given the Howard government a commanding majority in the House of Representatives. From July 2005, it also obtained
Pomodoro Cat/Forest/Focus Friend/Focus To-DoIt’s hardly a revelation that we’re living in an era of distraction and smartphone addiction. Our phones interrupt us, hijack our attention, and tempt us into scrolling. Even when we aren’t interacting with them, their mere presence makes it difficult to concentrate. To address this, app developers
