Black and white anti-doping fight nears stalemate – here's how to break it

By Paul Dimeo

The world of anti doping in sport sometimes feels like a battle between opposing forces on the same side. The debate has become polarised between those advocating zero tolerance and those who want to accept performance...

How universities boost economic growth

By Anna Valero

In 1900, just 1% of young people in the world were enrolled at university. Over the course of the next century this exploded to 20%, as recognition of the value of such an education became widespread. And it turns out that...

Disabled people don't want to be your inspiration, but if they are it's no surprise

By Tom Shakespeare

Should we be inspired by Paralympian achievement? Commentator Frances Ryan recently counselled Guardian readers to be careful to think through their reactions to disabled superhuman athletes and academic poster boys like...

What causes your food to decay – and the clever chemistry that can stop the rot

By Simon Cotton

A hotel in Reykjavík has on display a McDonalds burger and fries, seemingly undecomposed after 2,512 days and counting. It was bought on October 30, 2009, the day that the last McDonalds in Iceland closed. But you...

Banning kratom won't stop users or solve the drugs health crisis – so why continue this losing war?

By Andres Roman-Urrestarazu

While we have seen a surge in new psychoactive substances in recent years, there has also been a rediscovery in the West of old herbal narcotics that have traditionally been used in different parts of the world. One...

How studying a disease that affects hundreds of people could save millions of lives

By Adam Taylor

A rare disease is one that affects fewer than five in 10,000 people. You might wonder why anyone would dedicate their life to studying a disease when only a handful of people would benefit from a cure. Why not study one of...

A brief history of why students go away to uni

By Keith Vernon

As the middle of September arrives, the annual migration of students going away to university will once again begin. In the UK, this ritual of going away to study is widely regarded as the normal university experience....

Winners and losers from the government's compromise on superannuation

By Helen Hodgson

The government has watered down its superannuation reforms in the final release of the proposed changes. The superannuation contribution caps and the reforms to the non-concessional cap are less comprehensive than the...

Valerie Amos: 'academic freedom and freedom of speech must be protected and respected'

By Baroness Valerie Amos

This is an extract from a speech made by Valerie Amos for the Menzies Oration on Higher Education at the University of Melbourne on September 14, 2016. You will be aware of the student movement linked to the...

State aid lessons for Australia from the Apple EU tax case

By Pamela Finckenberg-Broman

State aid is not necessarily the right forum to tackle tax avoidance by multinationals, but it is effective. The European Commissions case against Apple for receiving undue tax benefits from Ireland demonstrates the EU...

Take control over the end of your life: what you need to know about advance care directives

By Nola Ries

Many agree on the factors contributing to a good death. People want to be treated with dignity, have relief from pain and, as much as possible, to control what happens to them. Advance care planning is one way to...

When process becomes product – repacking science communication

By Kate Patterson

I like deadlines. They punctuate my projects. Deadlines and deliverables force me to package my projects into consumable chunks, into a product that is necessary for sharing and showing my work and also for reaching my...

What exactly does 'instantaneous' mean?

By Kevin Knudson

How short is an instant? Is it a second? A tenth of a second? A microsecond? You might think all of these qualify. What about 100 years? That certainly doesnt seem like an instant, and to a human being, it isnt, since wed...

With 10,000 Syrian refugees resettled in the US, are more on the way?

By Jeffrey H. Cohen

On Sept. 12, a new cease-fire took effect in Syria. With a lull in fighting, some are hopeful for an end to the nations ongoing civil war. Yet, even if the war ends soon, rebuilding the country will take time. As many...

The twilight of the mom and pop motel

By Andrew Wood

In 1939, when John Steinbeck imagined Highway 66 as the road of flight, he evoked the crushing realities of Depression-era migrants whod been pushed off their land by failing crops, relentless dust and heartless...

Social media and defamation law pose threats to free speech, and it's time for reform

By David Rolph

Recent discussion about freedom of speech in Australia has focused almost exclusively on Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. For some politicians and commentators, 18C is the greatest challenge to freedom of...

Repatriating refugees is Kenya's only answer. But it needs help

By Cristiano D'Orsi

Kenya shocked the world when it announced earlier this year that it would be closing the globes largest refugee camp, Dadaab. Citing economic, security and environmental reasons, Kenyas Ministry of Interior declared that...

Reserve Bank independence: sobering lessons from India and South Africa

By Vishnu Padayachee

Two BRICS member countries, India and South Africa, have recently experienced rather unedifying episodes related to the leadership of their central banks. Raghuram Rajan, the governor of the Reserve Bank of India, was...

The triple vulnerability of being poor and disabled in rural South Africa

By Richard Vergunst

Over the last two decades the South African government has passed several pieces of legislation to ensure that people with disabilities are included in society and are able to access services such as health care. This...

Media owners steer government away from reform in the public interest

By Tim Dwyer

The Turnbull governments media bill has been sent off to another Senate inquiry, despite protestations from the government and the industry over the need to pass it urgently. Communications Minister Mitch Fifields...

Shadow banking increases the risk of another global financial crisis

By Necmi K Avkiran

Banks may still be evading increased regulation by shifting activities to shadow banking. This system is well established as part of the financial sector, but it provides products that separate an investor from an...

What exactly is the scientific method and why do so many people get it wrong?

By Peter Ellerton

Claims that the the science isnt settled with regard to climate change are symptomatic of a large body of ignorance about how science works. So what is the scientific method, and why do so many people, sometimes...

Eager for some good economic news? New Census report has you covered

By Jay L. Zagorsky

Each year in September, the U.S. Census Bureau releases a report showing how income and poverty have changed over time. The most recent report, which came out on Sept. 13, was filled with great news. Compared with the...

Gay Liberal senator denounces marriage plebiscite

By Michelle Grattan

The governments proposed marriage plebiscite has been delivered a fresh blow with openly gay Liberal senator Dean Smith declaring he will not vote for it. Smith described the plebiscite as abhorrent and told Fairfax...

Free speech and the media are too often in a marriage of convenience

By Denis Muller

Who can say what to whom in Australia? In this six-part series, we look at the complex idea of freedom of speech, who gets to exercise it and whether it is being curtailed in public debate. The closely related...

To really tackle corporate tax evasion we need a public register

By Brett Govendir Et Al

The Australian government shouldnt rely on leaks like that of the Panama Papers to pick up on tax evasion, it should consider stronger action. The federal government showed some leadership earlier this year by...

Drugs fatalities overtake car fatalities for the first time

By Ian Hamilton Et Al

Seven years ago, fatalities from opiates overtook fatalities due to road accidents in the US. Sadly, the same phenomenon is now playing out in England. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), show...

Murder on the rise as South Africa fails to stem high crime rates

By Anine Kriegler

South Africa struggles with very high levels of crime and violence. Take the crime statistic on murder rates. The country ranks in the top 10 worst countries that report crime statistics according to the most recent data...

Bio-banding is football's big idea for developing young talent – and why it might not work

By Neil Gibson

Now that the summer football transfer window has closed, a new record has been set for spending in England. A total outlay of more than 1 billion on Premier League players sounds astronomical when you think that Trevor...

The police are being militarised – should we be worried?

By Martin Innes

Faced by a wave of public concern, the Metropolitan Police has paused its planned trial of what it refers to as spit guards, but which journalists have dubbed spit hoods. These wire mesh devices are placed over the head of...

With Uzbekistan's dictator dead, Russia seeks to extend its influence

By David Lewis

The death of Islam Karimov, a dictator who ran Uzbekistan since its creation a quarter-century ago, has kicked off a new round of geopolitical competition in Central Asia. Despite the rise of China in the region, Russia...

Here's what happens when you 'like' a brand on Facebook

By Mark Pelletier Et Al

Businesses seem obsessed these days with getting you to like them on Facebook. Its difficult to browse the internet without being inundated with requests to like a companys Facebook page or with contests and offers...

Flashbulb memories of dramatic events aren't as accurate as believed

By Jennifer Talarico

Where were you on Sept. 11 when you first heard that a plane had hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center? Many of us may have vivid memories of that day, recalling where we were and what we were doing when we...

How the pain of 9/11 still stays with a generation

By Dana Rose Garfin

The Sept. 11, 2001 (9/11) terrorist attacks were the worst acts of terrorism on American soil to date. Designed to instill panic and fear, the attacks were unprecedented in terms of their scope, magnitude and impact on the...

How building design changed after 9/11

By Shih-Ho Chao

When buildings collapse killing hundreds or thousands of people, its a tragedy. Its also an important engineering problem. The 1995 collapse of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City and the World Trade...

Defeating terrorism through design: Think souks, not office buildings

By Thomas Fisher

To fight terrorist networks, we need to understand them and learn from them. Obviously that doesnt mean training to become terrorists ourselves. But we can learn from the way many terrorist organizations operate via...

One in five tattoo inks in Australia contain carcinogenic chemicals

By Terry Slevin

A report this week from the Australian governments National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) shows whats in the ink thats under the skin of more than 2 million Australians and about 100...

Apple Watch pivots to fitness – and focuses on a different style of self-help

By Jefferson Pooley

When Apple unveiled its original watch in 2014, the California company touted three tent-pole features of the new wearable: style, communication and fitness. Rolling out the second-generation Apple Watch this week, Apple...

Here's what dogs see when they watch television

By Ilyena Hirskyj-Douglas

Dog owners often notice their pets watching televisions, computer screens and tablets. But what is going on in their poochs head? Indeed, by tracking their vision using similar methods used on humans, research has found...

The limit of labels: ethical food is more than consumer choice

By Christopher Mayes

Over the past hundred years, industrial agriculture and the globalised food system have produced cheaper, longer lasting and more diverse food items. We can now enjoy tropical fruits in winter, purchase whole chickens at...

The US has banned antibacterial handwashes – here's why Australia should too

By Christine Carson

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week ruled to disallow the use of the more than a dozen antibacterial compounds in so-called antibacterial handwashes. Australias regulator is now assessing whether...

Apple is losing the innovation game, it can't trap users anymore

By John Rice

Not only is Apple suffering from a major lack of hardware innovation but its also being outdone in software and online, where apps reign supreme. It quite possibly signals the companys eventual demise. The recent launch...

Renewables are getting cheaper all the time – here's why

By Bonnie McBain

The stars are aligning for Australia to transition to 100% renewable electricity. Our fossil fuel infrastructure is ageing, which means we will soon need to invest in new power generators. New technologies such as battery...

Urban food systems may be just a 'side dish' at Habitat III

By Grace Muriuki Et Al

The year 2016 is crucial for both food and cities. In October, UN member states will convene for the Habitat III conference in Quito, Ecuador, to discuss guidelines for sustainable urban development for the next 20...

Why electric fans may not help the elderly in a heatwave

By George Havenith

Researchers have found that when elderly people use an electric fan in extreme heat, instead of cooling them down, it actually raises their core body temperature and increases their heart rate. Our bodies produce heat...

Any detention of migrant children is a violation of their rights and must end

By François Crépeau

Children represent around a quarter of all migrants worldwide. While in June 2015, one in ten migrants reaching the Macedonian border from Greece was a child, in October 2015 it was one in three. Without regular status...

When parents disagree with doctors on a child's treatment, who should have the final say?

By Rosalind McDougall

Doctors and parents sometimes disagree about a childs medical treatment. As the recent case of six-year-old boy Oshin Kiszko highlights, some disagreements between doctors and parents cant be resolved by further...

Love in the time of racism: 'Barbed Wire and Cherry Blossoms' explores the politics of romance

By Imogen Mathew

Popular media forms, from Oodgeroo Noonuccals poetry to the dystopian sci-fi television series Cleverman, have often been used by Aboriginal Australians to inform and entertain. The latest example of this type of political...

Penicillin, the mould that saves millions of lives

By Sergio Diez Alvarez

In developed countries, infectious diseases accounted for most deaths until very recently. And in developing countries, infectious diseases remain the cause of death for a large percentage of the population. It is in...

We really must talk about gas

By Mike Sandiford

The European Commissions latest Quarterly report on electricity markets makes sobering reading down under. Over the last year wholesale electricity prices have been falling just about everywhere across the developed...