Mothers have little to show for extra days of work under new tax changes
A mother in a low-income family can lose 85-95% of her earnings from working more days to income tax, loss of benefits and childcare costs.riopatuca/ShutterstockThe federal government’s new Chil...
Turbulence isn't just a science problem
A crowd of people moving at different rates is a form of turbulence. from www.shutterstock.com Making science for people is a series that explores how humanities, arts and social sciences expertise is...
More than just a tantrum: here's what to do if your child has oppositional defiant disorder
Oppositional defiant disorder is a pattern of disobedient, hostile, and defiant behaviour directed towards authority figures.Sara Baker/ShutterstockDefiance and tantrums are common in childhood. Paren...
How men are embracing 'clean eating' posts on Instagram
Most 'clean eating' posts on Instagram portrayed men engaging in muscle presentation to convey virile strength and power.ShutterstockInstagram is the world’s fastest growing social network site...
Overcrowded housing looms as a challenge for our cities
The return of the historic problem of overcrowded dwellings points to a need in Australia for better understanding of the causes and regulatory responses.Jacob Riis (1889)Overcrowding is an inevitable...
The politicisation of English language proficiency, not poor English itself, creates barriers
The Australian government is considering yet another English language test for migrants. The rationale for the proposal is the prospect “Australia will be home to one million people who do not s...
View from The Hill: China challenge is the issue of the moment in Australian foreign policy
Two contributions made in separate forums in Parliament House on Tuesday captured the sharp cross-currents in the China-Australia relationship.At the Australia China Business Council’s “Ne...
It's not clear where Trump's 'Space Force' fits within international agreement on peaceful use of space
Overnight US President Donald Trump announced the establishment of a “Space Force” as a separate force of the US military. Trump has indicated the reasoning behind the Space Force stems fr...
Could playing Fortnite lead to video game addiction? The World Health Organisation says yes, but others disagree
Fortnite is a web based multi player survival game developed by Epic Games.ShutterstockCould your child be addicted to playing video games? Maybe. If you’re a parent looking for tips on moderati...
Poll wrap: Coalition's record Newspoll losing streak, and Rebekha Sharkie has large lead in Mayo
Recently, hard-right Coalition MPs have not had as much influence on government policy as they used to, and Malcolm Turnbull is probably benefiting from this.AAP/Mick TsikasThis week’s Newspoll...
Proposed NSW logging laws value timber over environmental protection
Increased logging in NSW could affect threatened species.Nativesrule, Author providedNew South Wales is revamping its logging laws for the first time in two decades, drafting regulations that will gov…
We're laughing in an echo chamber: it's time to rethink satire
John Oliver presents Last Week Tonight. Is he merely preaching to converted?Screenshot from YoutubeIn 2017 the BBC asked a timely question: are we living in a golden age of satire? The evidence sugges…
Love them or loathe them, private label products are taking over supermarket shelves
Supermarkets are stocking more of their own brands even as they shrink stores. ShutterstockColes is aiming to have private label products make up 40% of its product range over the next five years. Thi…
How old is too old for surgery, and why?
Many changes in the body occur in response to the injury and trauma inflicted during surgery. from www.shutterstock.comMany of us will have been in situations with older loved ones where a doctor says…
ABC contributes as much to the economy as it costs the taxpayer: Michelle Guthrie
ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie has hit back against critics with a Deloitte Access Economics assessment that the public broadcaster contributed more than A$1 billion to the Australian economy …
How the Anglican Church has hardened its stance against same-sex marriage
In the aftermath of the legalising of same-sex marriage in Australia, the Anglican Church has ramped up its discrimination against gay people to new heights.Not content simply with the discrimination …
Creating research value needs more than just science – arts, humanities, social sciences can help
Actually yes, science and the arts do work together. from www.shutterstock.com This week we’re launching Making science for people, a series of articles that explores how humanities, arts and so…
Patriarchs on pedestals? How doctors are taught to improve their bedside manner
Student doctors need good role models to learn good patient communication. from www.shutterstock.comUp until around 30 years ago, in the days of paper patient files, doctors were on pedestals and pati…
Partially right: rejecting neoliberalism shouldn't mean giving up on social liberalism
shutterstockRichard Denniss’s Quarterly Essay, “Dead Right: How Neoliberalism Ate Itself and What Comes Next”, is a thought-provoking call to arms against an array of perceived ills …
From Klansmen to a kindergarten teacher: the unmissable films of Sydney Film Festival
Adam Driver and John David Washington in Spike Lee's BlackKkKlansmanProduction Co: 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, Blumhouse Productions, Legendary Entertainment We queued up for hours on George Stre…
Higher density and diversity: apartments are Australia at its most multicultural
Areas with higher-density apartment living, such as Rhodes in Sydney, are home to many overseas-born residents.Marcus Jaaske/ShutterstockIncreasing numbers of city dwellers live in apartments. This is…
Australia must embrace transformation for a sustainable future
Judy van der Velden/Flickr, CC BY-NCLast Friday, the Australian government released its first report on our progress towards meeting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Th…
View from The Hill: Clive Palmer's back on the trail, with Brian Burston in tow
Surely Clive Palmer is one souffle unlikely to rise twice – although predictions are hazardous when we’re talking about a man dedicated to buying votes.It beggars belief that Palmer, discr…
Bees get stressed at work too (and it might be causing colony collapse)
Ever been overworked, tired and felt muddle-headed? Research now shows honey bees suffer from the same thing – and we understand why.A honey bee’s life is hardly relaxing. Every day forag…
The privacy problem with camera traps: you don't know who else could be watching
A spotted-tailed Quoll detected during a small mammal survey at Carrai Plateau, New South Wales.Paul Meek, Author providedWe use remotely activated cameras – known as camera traps – to stu…
Why stereotypes of sexy women fans persist at the World Cup
This article is part of a World Cup series exploring the politics, economics, science and social issues behind the world’s most popular sports event.Globally, women’s football fandom is on…
Health Check: should healthy people take probiotic supplements?
If you eat a healthy diet, it's probably not worth it.Shutterstock/Koldunov AlexeyA visit to the supermarket these days can feel more like walking through a pharmacy, with an ever-expanding range of m…
To design safer parks for women, city planners must listen to their stories
The rape and murder of aspiring comedian Eurydice Dixon in an inner-city Melbourne park – while deeply shocking – is part of an avalanche of gendered violence perpetrated against women in …