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
If they haven’t already, many Australians will soon head off for summer holidays. But behind every smooth check-in, cocktail or airport gate smile is one of more than an estimated 270 million tourism workers – about 8.2% of the global workforce. These workers – cleaners, cooks, waiters, porters and cabin
Brook Attakorn/GettyTV adventurer Bear Grylls has built a global reputation through his often unconventional and sometimes extreme survival feats to stay hydrated. He has squeezed moisture from elephant dung, sipped the contents of camel intestines, downed yak eyeball juice and, perhaps most famously, drank his own urine. If you’ve seen
The black tunnelweb spider. Samuel Purdie, CC BY-NCThe New Zealand velvet worm’s reign as Bug of the Year is coming to an end, with voting now open for the 2026 competition. This year, 21 nominees are vying for the crown in the competition’s fourth year. Nearly 100 bugs have so
Alison Pang/UnsplashWe all scream for ice-cream, especially as temperatures soar in the summer. Ancient civilisations had the same desire for a cold, sweet treat to cope with heat waves. There are plenty of contenders claiming credit for the first frozen desserts, from Italy and France in the 17th century to
Presidency of El Salvador/ HANDOUT/EPA, AP POOL, The ConversationDonald Trump has sounded the alarm, over and over again, that the United States is facing an “invasion” by dangerous gang members. He blames immigrants for the country’s economic problems and claims protesters are destroying US cities. Trump is not the first
Every autocrat needs a clan of loyalists, strategists, masterminds – these are the figures behind the scenes pulling the strings. They’re unelected and unaccountable, yet they wield a huge amount of power. This is the role Stephen Miller has played for Donald Trump – he is the architect
Harry Gouvas/Archaeological Museum of Nikopolis/Wikimedia, CC BY-SAParties in ancient Greece were wild, with evidence of copious alcohol and sex. That’s the popular idea that endures today. But there were different types of parties at the time. Not all involved lots of alcohol and debauchery. Some featured moderate eating and
Vitaly Gariev/UnsplashWe’ve all been there – splitting a bill at dinner, covering a mate’s coffee, or sending a quick transfer for concert tickets. It’s part of modern social life. As money becomes increasingly digital and instantaneous, we no longer need to worry about doing maths in our heads or fussing
Leo Visions / UnsplashYou’ve probably heard the phrase “the house always wins” when it comes to casino gambling. But what does it actually mean? After all, people do hit jackpots, and casino games are supposed to be fair – so what guarantees the casino still comes out ahead? The answer
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
If they haven’t already, many Australians will soon head off for summer holidays. But behind every smooth check-in, cocktail or airport gate smile is one of more than an estimated 270 million tourism workers – about 8.2% of the global workforce. These workers – cleaners, cooks, waiters, porters and cabin
Brook Attakorn/GettyTV adventurer Bear Grylls has built a global reputation through his often unconventional and sometimes extreme survival feats to stay hydrated. He has squeezed moisture from elephant dung, sipped the contents of camel intestines, downed yak eyeball juice and, perhaps most famously, drank his own urine. If you’ve seen
The black tunnelweb spider. Samuel Purdie, CC BY-NCThe New Zealand velvet worm’s reign as Bug of the Year is coming to an end, with voting now open for the 2026 competition. This year, 21 nominees are vying for the crown in the competition’s fourth year. Nearly 100 bugs have so
Alison Pang/UnsplashWe all scream for ice-cream, especially as temperatures soar in the summer. Ancient civilisations had the same desire for a cold, sweet treat to cope with heat waves. There are plenty of contenders claiming credit for the first frozen desserts, from Italy and France in the 17th century to
Presidency of El Salvador/ HANDOUT/EPA, AP POOL, The ConversationDonald Trump has sounded the alarm, over and over again, that the United States is facing an “invasion” by dangerous gang members. He blames immigrants for the country’s economic problems and claims protesters are destroying US cities. Trump is not the first
Every autocrat needs a clan of loyalists, strategists, masterminds – these are the figures behind the scenes pulling the strings. They’re unelected and unaccountable, yet they wield a huge amount of power. This is the role Stephen Miller has played for Donald Trump – he is the architect
Harry Gouvas/Archaeological Museum of Nikopolis/Wikimedia, CC BY-SAParties in ancient Greece were wild, with evidence of copious alcohol and sex. That’s the popular idea that endures today. But there were different types of parties at the time. Not all involved lots of alcohol and debauchery. Some featured moderate eating and
Vitaly Gariev/UnsplashWe’ve all been there – splitting a bill at dinner, covering a mate’s coffee, or sending a quick transfer for concert tickets. It’s part of modern social life. As money becomes increasingly digital and instantaneous, we no longer need to worry about doing maths in our heads or fussing
Leo Visions / UnsplashYou’ve probably heard the phrase “the house always wins” when it comes to casino gambling. But what does it actually mean? After all, people do hit jackpots, and casino games are supposed to be fair – so what guarantees the casino still comes out ahead? The answer
