Science

Research and ideas across the sciences

Why Australia should urgently vaccinate wildlife most at risk from H5N1 bird flu

We should not wait for perfect certainty. It’s time to act before catastrophe.

Jane Younger, Senior Lecturer in Southern Ocean Vertebrate Ecology, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of TasmaniaAug 5, 2026

The Conversation

We don’t know how well threatened species fight off bird flu – but we need to

As bird flu takes hold, we must find and conserve species with less genetic ability to fight the virus.

Carolyn Hogg, Professor of Biodiversity & Conservation and Co-Lead, Australasian Wildlife Genomics Group, University of SydneyAug 5, 2026

The Conversation

Health insurance rebates may change for the over-65s. Our new study shows what to expect

New research shows what happens if the extra health insurance rebate for over-65s is scrapped, as planned. Here’s why the sky won’t fall in.

Nathan Kettlewell, Associate Professor, School of Economics and Marketing, University of Technology SydneyAug 5, 2026

The Conversation

Pauline Hanson was once dubbed ‘queen of the men’s rights movement’. Her 30-year career shows why

As consistent as her beliefs on race and immigration, Hanson has been championing men’s rights causes for 30 years – at the expense of women.

Blair Williams, Lecturer in Australian Politics, UNSWAug 5, 2026

The Conversation

The idea of the ‘company man’ was forged decades ago. Its problems still haunt leaders today

If we are serious about equality, appointing more women to leadership roles should be accompanied by questioning the model of leadership itself.

Claire Wright, Senior Lecturer and Business Historian, School of Management, University of Technology SydneyAug 5, 2026

The Conversation

Australia’s Year 3 numeracy scores have ‘dipped’ – should we be concerned?

Yes, there appears to be a downward trend in Year 3 numeracy. But the decline is small and not statistically significant.

Katherin Cartwright, Senior Lecturer Primary Education, University of SydneyAug 5, 2026

The Conversation

See the Sun’s surface in higher detail than ever before in new telescope images

The closer you zoom in, the more fascinating it is.

Hannah Schunker, ARC Future Fellow, Physics, University of NewcastleAug 5, 2026

The Conversation

Australian poetry classics: Kenneth Slessor’s Five Bells gives Sydney Harbour back its darkness

Five Bells is an elegy for Kenneth Slessor’s friend Joe Lynch, an artist who drowned in Sydney Harbour in 1927 after falling from a ferry.

Bronwyn Lea, Professor in Australian Literature and Writing, The University of QueenslandAug 5, 2026

The Conversation

Dodos probably weren’t as stupid as historians made them out to be: new research

Dodo skull scans show the famously extinct birds were no less brainy than their surviving relatives – and may have roamed at dusk and dawn.

Sara Citron, PhD Candidate in NeuroscienceAug 5, 2026

The Conversation

After Ceuta, Europe is once again mired in migration chaos of its own making

Anti-immigration critics seized on Ceuta migrant situation as evidence of the failure of soft policies, but in reality the bloc has become far more restrictionist in the past decade.

Nicholas R. Micinski, Assistant Professor of Human Rights and Cultural Relations, American University School of International ServiceAug 5, 2026

The Conversation

Behind the betel nut smile: the quiet epidemic of oral cancer in Papua New Guinea

Chewing betel ‘quid’ is culturally ingrained in PNG. But it is also linked to high oral cancer rates. A new project aims to improve early detection and reporting.

Nerida Bun, Lecturer in Dentistry, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The University of Papua New GuineaAug 6, 2026

The Conversation

Giant ice mountains on the other side of Earth once dictated Australia’s climate – new study

Mountains of ice far away in the northern hemisphere surely couldn’t change rainfall in Australia – or could they?

Laurie Menviel, Associate Professor, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSWAug 6, 2026

The Conversation

An insider once in charge of failing banks lifts the lid on banking

Harrison Young has held senior banking jobs around the world, from the US and UK to China and Australia. In Prudence and Ambition, he shares what he’s learned.

Kevin Davis, Emeritus Professor of Finance, The University of MelbourneAug 6, 2026

The Conversation

Ryan Murphy’s new thriller The Shards takes place in 1981 – but it’s about the present

Based on Ellis’ 2023 book of the same name, new TV series The Shards follows elite Los Angeles teenagers as their world falls apart.

Holden Walker, PhD Candidate and Associate Lecturer, School of Art, English and Media, University of WollongongAug 6, 2026

The Conversation

Big US-style trucks are killing more pedestrians in Australia – our research proves it

Pedestrians are more likely to be killed by heavier cars – and even more so if the vehicle is taller, Australian-first research has found.

Neema Nassir, Associate Professor in Transport Engineering, Department of Infrastructure Engineering, The University of MelbourneAug 6, 2026

Nautilus

Three Things to Avoid in Middle Age If You Want to Stave Off Dementia

It may be easier said than done The post Three Things to Avoid in Middle Age If You Want to Stave Off Dementia appeared first on Nautilus.

Jake CurrieAug 5, 2026

The Conversation

Inflation is slowing, but the cost of living story is more complicated

Lower inflation does not mean prices will return to where they were before. Inflation measures the average change in prices over time, not which specific prices are rising or falling.

Colin Mang, Assistant Professor of Economics, McMaster UniversityAug 5, 2026

The Conversation

Once-weekly HIV pill as effective as daily dose, research shows

A weekly oral pill would give people living with HIV greater treatment choice.

Chloe Orkin, Professor of Infection and Inequities, Centre for Immunobiology, Blizard Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of LondonAug 5, 2026

The Conversation

Indigenous communities aren’t rejecting tourism – they just want to shape it themselves

Tourism that seeks to engage with indigenous communities often masks the enduring historical struggle of who gets to decide what a place is and who benefits from it.

Teea Palo, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, Business School, University of EdinburghAug 5, 2026

The Conversation

Why AI wants you to buy more – and mindfulness could help you buy less

As AI makes advertising more personal and persuasive, mindful shopping habits could help consumers stay in control.

Sharad Gupta, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, Cardiff Metropolitan UniversityAug 5, 2026

The Conversation

Disabled people face greater climate change risks – and they can also help NZ adapt

New research shows disabled people remain overlooked in climate policy, despite lived experience that could help build more resilient communities.

Raven Cretney, Senior Lecturer, Department of Tourism, Sport and Society, Lincoln University, New ZealandAug 5, 2026

Nautilus

People With This Neanderthal Hormone Receptor Have More Muscle Mass

Are you regular swole? Or neanderthal swole? The post People With This Neanderthal Hormone Receptor Have More Muscle Mass appeared first on Nautilus.

Jake CurrieAug 5, 2026

Nautilus

This Image from the Dark Energy Camera Is a Bit Van Gogh, No?

Astronomy meets 19th-century art The post This Image from the Dark Energy Camera Is a Bit Van Gogh, No? appeared first on Nautilus.

David NieldAug 5, 2026

Nautilus

What Happens When You Put an AI-Powered Banana Casino in a Monkey Reserve?

AI really is everywhere these days The post What Happens When You Put an AI-Powered Banana Casino in a Monkey Reserve? appeared first on Nautilus.

Jake CurrieAug 5, 2026