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TheConversationAU
Small populations of Stone Age people drove dwarf hippos and elephants to extinction on Cyprus
Imagine growing up beside the eastern Mediterranean Sea 14,000 years ago. You’re an accomplished sailor of the small watercraft you and your fellow villagers make, and you live off both the sea and the land. But times have been difficult — there just isn’t the same amount of game or fish around as when you were a child. Maybe it’s time to look elsewhere for food. Now imagine going farther than ever before in your little boat, accompanied maybe by a few others, when suddenly you spot something on the horizon. Is that an island? An island of tiny elephants and...
Faster is not always better: why the case for higher speed limits is fatally flawed
As the government’s plan to increase speed limits begins to roll out, a group of local and international road safety and health experts has warned the move will lead to more death and injury, and disputed claims higher speed limits will bring economic gains. The group’s open letter echoes concerns raised since the policy was announced – that roads will become less predictable to use, less efficient and significantly more dangerous, particularly for children and other vulnerable people. Evidence suggests the changes are also unlikely to improve commutes or boost economic growth and productivity, as Transport Minister Simeon Brown has argued. Nor will...
The deep political power of fluro: how hi-vis became a symbol of working class masculinity
Recent weeks have seen mobilisations of construction workers protesting the imposition of an administrator on their union by the government. Protesters were decked out in black and hi-vis workwear, with fluorescent orange and yellow as far as the eye could see. On the same day as the biggest rallies, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese held a press conference on the construction site of the new Western Sydney airport wearing a dress shirt, hard hat and hi-vis. While visiting an operational worksite generally requires wearing hi-vis for safety, there’s deeper politics at play, with politicians often choosing such sites – and, consequently,...
Walking the trees: we traced how First Nations groups moved bunya pine and black bean trees
For millennia, Indigenous knowledge holders have passed down lore to the next generation. Much lore describes the relationships between people and Country, including custodial responsibilities to care for other species as kin. Each species carries a history of movement and change in its DNA. By quantifying how related one individual of a species is to another, evolutionary ecologists can infer how a species migrated in the deep past. When we combine both types of knowledge – lore and genetics – we can make new discoveries. Our recent body of research uses genomic techniques and interviews with First Nations knowledge holders to investigate...
‘Held at ransom’: victim-survivors open up about the use of child sex abuse material to fight crime
Warning: This article discusses details of child sexual abuse On one hand I would struggle to know that my abuse material was out there being circulated to even the well meaning authorities. But on the other hand the use of it could help sooo many other children. These are the words of a victim-survivor of child sexual abuse. They reflect a profound tension regarding the use of photos or videos depicting child sexual abuse for legitimate purposes. This material is used by police investigating sexual exploitation, and by courts to prosecute cases. It is also used by the technology industry and researchers...
Could the world’s autocrats successfully plot to defeat the West?
Three decades ago, many liberals proclaimed victory for democracy and a “rules-based international order”. But today the majority of the world’s population live in countries that are only partially free, or are under one form or another of autocratic rule. Why are autocracies on the rise? In her new book, Autocracy, Inc., Pulitzer prize winner Anne Applebaum provides an answer: there is a “network” among the world’s autocrats, who use the clandestine routes of our interconnected world to further their aims and undermine democracy. Review: Autocracy, Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World – Anne Applebaum (Allen Lane) Autocracy Inc....
Could geriatric hospitals reduce pressure on the health system? Maybe – but improving aged care is paramount
Australia is facing a surge in hospital presentations in older adults. Between 2015–16 and 2019–20, hospitalisations among people aged 75–84 increased by an average of 3% annually, the largest rise of any age group. This growing demand places significant pressure on the health-care system, contributing to poor patient flow, extended stays in emergency departments (EDs), and even ambulance ramping. This is when paramedics are made to wait at the hospital’s entrance and can’t transfer their patient into the ED within an appropriate time frame. In response, some health system leaders recently called for the creation of standalone geriatric hospitals to specifically...
Pacific nations want ecocide to become a crime – here’s why NZ should support the proposal
The recent proposal by Vanuatu, Fiji and Samoa to recognise ecocide as a crime against humanity is timely and could provide a global framework of accountability for environmental damage. Ecocide is defined as acts of “unlawful or wanton” environmental destruction, committed in the knowledge of their likely severe, widespread or long-term effects. Last week, the Pacific Island nations formally requested an amendment to the principal treaty of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to add ecocide alongside genocide, war crimes and aggression to the international community’s list of most serious crimes. There is a long way to go before ecocide is recognised...
View from The Hill: The Albanese government is feeling a lot of pain from pincers
When a leader is on the back foot, small things are telling. On Monday, Anthony Albanese, who leaves on Thursday for a meeting of the Quad – comprising leaders of the United States, India, Japan and Australia – in Joe Biden’s home state of Delaware, made a point of saying he anticipated staying only one night in the US. The message to voters full of angst over the cost of living is that the PM doesn’t want to be out of the country more than he has to be. Then on Tuesday, Albanese went out of his way to...
Advertising a house is ridiculously expensive in Australia – could that be affecting the property market?
Australia has long been one of the most expensive places in the world to buy a house. Now, it’s apparently also one of the costliest places to sell one. Recent reporting in the Guardian has raised concerns about the market dominance of Australia’s two main real estate advertising websites, realestate.com.au and Domain. Facing little competition, the largest – realestate.com.au – appears to have significantly increased its fees in recent years, while thwarting disruptive innovations from smaller competitors. Why does that matter? Because when it comes to selling a house, Australia stands out globally. In most other countries, any advertising costs are...
I think my child’s weight is affecting their health. How can I best support them?
Weight fluctuation and change in body composition with growth is a normal part of development. Apart from the first year of life, teenage years experience the most rapid increase in growth and development. Your health-care provider will consider your child’s weight status as part of a holistic assessment considering age, sex, and stage of growth. Not all children with high weight will have health consequences. However, as children get older excess body fat may have health complications including sleep apnoea (where breathing stops and starts during sleep), bone or joint problems, liver disease, high blood pressure or cholesterol, or insulin...
Tito Jackson was a lifelong musician, best remembered for his work with the Jackson 5
If you immediately start singing along to ABC, Blame It On The Boogie, I’ll Be There, Can You Feel It or Who’s Loving You you are a Jackson 5 fan – and for good reason. Tito Jackson (Toriano Jackson) was born in Gary, Indianna, on October 15 1953, the third of nine siblings. Like many of his siblings he was a strong vocalist: a tenor, with great “ears” for harmony singing who also began playing the guitar from an early age. Jackson, who has died at 70, was a lifelong singer and guitarist, releasing his last solo album Under Your...
Rupert Murdoch’s real-life succession drama is underway in a Nevada courtroom. What might happen next?
A unique court case is getting under way in Nevada this week. At stake is the future of the Murdoch empire. The case, which begins on September 17 local time, is scheduled to run (in secret) for two weeks, and sometime after that the Reno Nevada County Probate Commissioner will make what will probably be the biggest decision of their career. The drama centres on a Murdoch family trust that was agreed on in 1999, when Rupert was divorcing Anna. Instead of seeking a larger share of his fortune, she insisted on the setting up of an irrevocable trust, which meant...
Google is worth more in Australia than major news outlets. Here’s how it could better fund journalism
The Global Media Internet Concentration Project examines the concentration of the communications and media in countries around the world. The latest data for Australia have recently been released, and they show just how big Google is here. Alphabet (Google’s parent company) had 2022 revenue in Australia of A$7.9 billion. That revenue is only exceeded by Telstra, and is bigger than Optus and NBN Co. It’s also bigger than the revenues of News Corporation and Nine Entertainment combined. The network media economy includes telecoms and internet infrastructure, digital and traditional publishing and internet-based companies. The 2022 revenue of this economy in Australia...
The power of one: solitary carnivores outkill group hunters
Earth’s majestic “apex predators” are some of the most prolific hunters in the world. But which ones kill the most? Our new research showed solitary hunters such as bears, tigers and Eurasian lynx have higher individual kill rates than social predators such as wolves and lions. And smaller species, such as cheetahs and pumas, tend to kill relatively more prey because their kills are often stolen by more dominant carnivores. Such information allows us to better understand how different predators affect their environment. It can also guide hunting quotas and help evaluate how humans affect carnivores. These apex predators perform vital...
China says AUKUS is ‘driven by Cold War thinking’. Here are 3 reasons it is so threatened by the pact
Ever since AUKUS’ public announcement three years ago, China has been staunchly opposed to the partnership. Beijing has blasted AUKUS diplomatically and mounted a concerted campaign to challenge its legality. China has said AUKUS is “driven by Cold War thinking,” “fuelling military confrontation,” and creating “additional nuclear proliferation risks”. The aim of AUKUS is for the Australian navy to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, with Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States also collaborating on other advanced military technologies. As AUKUS sceptics have argued, it’s entirely possible Australia will never get its planned nuclear-powered attack submarines. Any number of factors — from the mercurial...
Do repetitive head injuries really cause the degenerative brain disease CTE? New research questions the link
Concerns about the long-term impacts of concussion and head injury have become prominent in recent years, particularly among participants and stakeholders of contact and collision sports. Many people have been left wondering about the risk of head injury in sport and whether it is safe to continue to play. People are especially worried about what is commonly known as CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy). A 2022 publication claimed repetitive head impacts in contact and collision sports were the cause of CTE. This article has been influential, with other researchers citing the work and several people using it as evidence in an Australian Senate inquiry...
Have you heard of the open source internet? The antidote to a capitalist web already exists
In the early days of the internet, famously, no one knew if you were a dog. The internet was a place where you could be anyone. More importantly, it was also a place where you could find anything: that rare book, or the perfect pair of neon-pink tights, or a community for your unusual health condition. The underlying model of the internet was that it was decentralised, and everyone had the right to have a voice – even dogs. Marketers realised they could use the internet to make money, but no one had figured out how yet. The original search...
Why is it so hard to get drugs approved for use during pregnancy?
Nobody wants to see another Thalidomide tragedy. The drug was prescribed to pregnant women during the 1950s and early 1960s to treat nausea. But it led to more than 10,000 children worldwide with irreversible birth defects, ranging from limb deformities to facial malformations. Pregnant people need access to medication that is effective, safe and evidence-based. But many drugs that may be safe are now never tested due to ethical concerns, cost and legal risk. This leaves many using drugs in ways that haven’t been approved – or not taking the medications they need out of fear they could cause harm....
Saved from extinction? New modelling suggests a hopeful future for te reo Māori
Just four years ago, experts warned te reo Māori was on a “pathway towards extinction” unless resources were put into teaching young Māori. But a new mathematical model combined with recent data suggests the future of Māori language is not as grim as it once was. My ongoing research looks at the future trajectory of Māori language acquisition over the next few decades. Based on recent data, my model suggests the Māori language could be on a path to recovery. For over 50 years, revitalisation efforts have played a significant role in supporting the language’s resurgence. The progress of te reo Māori...
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