The Conversation: In-depth analysis, research, news and ideas from leading academics and researchers.

illustration of an electric car charging while a diesel car takes off.

illustration of an electric car charging while a diesel car takes off.

Why Australia has to boost fuel supply – and electrify transport

From fake medicines to watches, counterfeits are everywhere and getting harder to catch

A woman in a mask and surgical gloves holding out what looks like a vial of Botox

A woman in a mask and surgical gloves holding out what looks like a vial of Botox

Fed up with health insurance costs? 5 expert tips to negotiate a better deal

Pregnant woman lying down, laptop on legs, on phone

Pregnant woman lying down, laptop on legs, on phone

King Charles embarks on state visit to the US – can he repair the special relationship?

King Charles III and Donald Trump during a state visit.

King Charles III and Donald Trump during a state visit.

You’d better start paying attention to the manosphere. You’re living in it

A composite image of Donald Trump in between two shirtless muscular men

A composite image of Donald Trump in between two shirtless muscular men

Banning protest slogans won’t end antisemitism. We need to understand the complex forces driving it

Meghan Quinn becomes first woman to head Defence Department

Former conservative congressman to become new US ambassador in Canberra

Negative gearing tax breaks could finally be tightened in the May budget. What options are on the table?

A general view of houses in Brunswick, Melbourne

A general view of houses in Brunswick, Melbourne

Jay Chou as a dapper 19th Century man.

Jay Chou as a dapper 19th Century man.

The Taiwanese pop megastar spreading the hidden Chinese history of Australia’s gold rush to a global audience

Black and yellow bird sits on a tree branch.

Black and yellow bird sits on a tree branch.

Possums and gliders are pushing a native bird to extinction. What can we do?

Sebastian Sawe from Kenya shows off his supershoe after winning the men's race at the London Marathon.

Sebastian Sawe from Kenya shows off his supershoe after winning the men's race at the London Marathon.

How 2 men smashed through a marathon barrier long thought unbreakable

Is oil king again? China’s surging cleantech exports show the opposite is true

aerial view of a container ship being loaded at port.

aerial view of a container ship being loaded at port.

Latest attack threatening President Trump reflects rising political violence in US

A man in a suit standing in front of a podium points to his head.

A man in a suit standing in front of a podium points to his head.

Could the Strait of Malacca be the next global flashpoint?

Tanker ships off the coast of Singapore.

Tanker ships off the coast of Singapore.

Donkeys are a symbol of endurance for Palestinians – they are also a target of settler violence and care

A man sits on a white donkey.

A man sits on a white donkey.

Months on from the Bondi terror attack, the national gun buyback is floundering

A line of large firearms lined up on a table

A line of large firearms lined up on a table

Coalition would boost Australia’s fuel reserve to 60 days

Why the Coalition’s lurch to the right is bad for the climate

Nationals Leader Matt Canavan and Opposition leader Angus Taylor at a press conference.

Nationals Leader Matt Canavan and Opposition leader Angus Taylor at a press conference.

A24 is a billion-dollar brand parading as cinema’s indie darling. Here’s how it pulls it off

Left to right: Keir Starmer, Margaret Thatcher, Gordon Brown, Theresa May

Left to right: Keir Starmer, Margaret Thatcher, Gordon Brown, Theresa May

UK prime ministers have always faced political scandals – so why can’t they weather them now?

How much a new $1,000 tax offset would really be worth – and who’s better off avoiding it

A stack of $100 Australian bills

A stack of $100 Australian bills

What do people mean when they say their nervous system is overloaded or needs a reset?

Woman works on laptop with her son sitting on the table next to her

Woman works on laptop with her son sitting on the table next to her

How Israel’s history has shaped the way it wages war

An Israeli soldier.

An Israeli soldier.

Your ‘recycled polyester’ leggings are not as sustainable as you think

Colourful illustration of a man and women in lab coats against a background of scientific symbols.

Colourful illustration of a man and women in lab coats against a background of scientific symbols.

New research shows men still outnumber women as experts in science news

‘Like a computer in my heart’: how AI poetry betrays our desire for human connection

Antarctica’s ice shelves are vulnerable to melting from below – knowing how far ocean heat reaches is crucial

A field camp nearly 900 kilometres from the ocean-facing edge of the Ross Ice Shelf.

A field camp nearly 900 kilometres from the ocean-facing edge of the Ross Ice Shelf.

Fluorescent quail embryos could help solve serious birth defects in humans

A fluorescent pink and orange microscopic image with a black hole at its centre.

A fluorescent pink and orange microscopic image with a black hole at its centre.

Bought a new EV? Here’s a quick guide to driving and charging

man holding toddler and teaching him to plug in his electric vehicle.

man holding toddler and teaching him to plug in his electric vehicle.

A new nuclear arms race is accelerating. There’s only one way to stop it

A man sits at a computer, alone in an open plan office filled with desks.

A man sits at a computer, alone in an open plan office filled with desks.

Meta and Microsoft have joined the tech layoff tsunami. Is AI really to blame?

Anne Hathaway’s inshallah moment goes viral. Here’s what it means, and when it can be used

A photo of Anne Hathaway against a red background

A photo of Anne Hathaway against a red background

View from The Hill: Taylor defends putting One Nation ahead of Farrer independent as ‘least worst option’

What does disadvantage look like in Australia? New research shows who’s struggling most

A composite of money, late payment notices, young and old people in a muted, grey colour palette

A composite of money, late payment notices, young and old people in a muted, grey colour palette

Shipwrecked in a time-loop – Solvej Balle’s On the Calculation of Volume plays a long game

How to model good eating and body image habits for your kids

Smiling little girl eating watermelon.

Smiling little girl eating watermelon.

Tea tree oil may affect fertility, the EU says. A pharmacologist explains why that’s so misleading

Bottles of tea tree oil

Bottles of tea tree oil

We studied the bacteria on kids’ sports mouthguards. The results were eye-opening

A young boy contemplates putting a mouthguard in his mouth.

A young boy contemplates putting a mouthguard in his mouth.

Banks must cancel direct debits on request. Why isn’t it the same for card payments?

A person holding a credit card shopping online with a laptop

A person holding a credit card shopping online with a laptop

More news and analysis

Power and Policy

The carbon tax debate damaged Julia Gillard’s leadership – and good climate policy for years to come

A composite image of Julia Gillard in front of a coal factory

A composite image of Julia Gillard in front of a coal factory

WorkChoices helped end John Howard’s leadership. The policy’s ghost still haunts the Liberals

A composite of John Howard next to a building site

A composite of John Howard next to a building site

While it wasn’t his idea, Medicare helped make the mythos of Bob Hawke

Bob Hawke against a yellow background of Medicare cards

Bob Hawke against a yellow background of Medicare cards

Multicultural Australia was built under a Liberal prime minister. The current party should take heed

Read the whole series

Start your day with evidence-based news.

Get our free daily newsletter

New research

Scientists finally know how old the Twelve Apostles are – and they’re much younger than anyone thought

Photo of a limestone stack rising from the sea

Photo of a limestone stack rising from the sea

Seismic ‘whiplash’ – new research shows what happens when earthquakes stop suddenly

Toppled building in Hatay, Türkiye, near where a major earthquake stopped in 2023.

Toppled building in Hatay, Türkiye, near where a major earthquake stopped in 2023.

How does imagination really work in the brain? New theory upends what we knew

Dreamy illustration of a figure in a boat harvesting glowing moons on a river.

Dreamy illustration of a figure in a boat harvesting glowing moons on a river.

Why cash has made an unexpected comeback in Australia: new study

Generic images of Australian fifty and twenty dollar notes and a dollar coin

Generic images of Australian fifty and twenty dollar notes and a dollar coin

More new research

Federal politics

The times seem to suit Anthony Albanese. So why isn’t he more popular?

Anthony Albanese with a flag in the background

Anthony Albanese with a flag in the background

A free shower is the least older people can expect. But aged care funding misses one key point

Nurse or Cader brushing hair of smiling elderly woman

Nurse or Cader brushing hair of smiling elderly woman

Tinkering with the capital gains tax discount isn’t enough. Here’s why it needs to go

Row of townhouses in Melbourne’s growing suburbs.

Row of townhouses in Melbourne’s growing suburbs.

Slump for Labor in YouGov survey, but not in other federal polls

Anthony Albanese points in the air

Anthony Albanese points in the air

More federal politics

World

A landmark US court ruling on birthright citizenship is coming. What does NZ law say?

New Zealand passport lying on top of a New Zealand flag

New Zealand passport lying on top of a New Zealand flag

In a fractured world order, where does the global south fit in?

No diesel, no power: why the global oil shock is hitting small Pacific nations hard

Has the Strait of Hormuz emerged as Iran’s most powerful form of deterrence?

Iranians drive past a billboard carrying a sentence reading in Persian: ’The strait of Hormuz remains closed’.

Iranians drive past a billboard carrying a sentence reading in Persian: ’The strait of Hormuz remains closed’.

Life

The science of cosiness: a textiles expert explains feather down, bamboo, polyester duvets

A couple lie in bed covered by a cosy duvet.

A couple lie in bed covered by a cosy duvet.

Wondering if you’re a ‘light’ or ‘deep’ sleeper? The science isn’t that simple

Young woman sleeps soundly in a double bed.

Young woman sleeps soundly in a double bed.

Girls in bands: two 90s rock icons on romance, ruthlessness and boring men

6 ways your smartwatch is lying to you, according to science

Person wearing teal T-shirt, adjusting smartwatch

Person wearing teal T-shirt, adjusting smartwatch

Climate

Here’s what to expect from the first Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels

smoke stacks at an industrial plant silhouetted by an orange sky at sunset

smoke stacks at an industrial plant silhouetted by an orange sky at sunset

The end of oil? As fuel shocks cascade, 53 nations gather to plan a fossil fuel phaseout

single oil pump-jack against sunset sky.

single oil pump-jack against sunset sky.

Green tram tracks cut heat and beautify cities. Why isn’t Australia doing it?

a tram running along green tram tracks next to trees and a road.

a tram running along green tram tracks next to trees and a road.

The beloved emperor penguin and Antarctic fur seal are now officially endangered. Here’s what can be done

Reviews

In Journey to the End of Time, Alex Miller contemplates the mysterious gift of story

Alphabet Lane is an unsettling new drama that rejects the myth of the idyllic country life

Artists at Melbourne International Comedy Festival are asking: what does it mean to be a comedian?

Hannah Gadsby leans on a microphone.

Hannah Gadsby leans on a microphone.

Perspectives on a collection: why you should explore New Asian Art at the National Gallery of Australia

A woman walks past a collage of green photographs.

A woman walks past a collage of green photographs.

Podcasts

No power, all influence: How One Nation gets what it wants

Inside One Nation’s strategy of scandal, chaos and controversy

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Economist Chris Richardson on next steps in fuel crisis

Who is Hungary’s Péter Magyar and how he overturned Viktor Orbán’s illiberal democracy

All episodes of Politics with Michelle Grattan

All episodes of The Conversation Weekly

Your say

Your say: week beginning April 27

Your say: week beginning April 20

Your say: week beginning April 13

Your say: week beginning April 7

Are you an academic expert who wants to share your knowledge?

Pitch an article

Most read this week

Newsletters

Subscribe to The Conversation Daily

Subscribe to Science newsletter

Stars

Stars

Subscribe to NZ Weekly

Mountain

Mountain

Subscribe to Books & Ideas Weekly

Lightbulb

Lightbulb

Jobs Board

Manager, Academic Services

Applications close 20 May 2026

Hawthorn VIC, Australia

Executive Assistant

Applications close 19 May 2026

Parkville, Melbourne, Australia

Research Assistant, Energy Storage

Applications close 15 May 2026

Melbourne, Australia

Executive Director, Future Students | UTS College

Applications close 15 May 2026

Events

Writers on Campus: Writing Past Lives

La Trobe University

The end of the world as we know it: how to survive (or even thrive) in the new global disorder

The University of Melbourne

The Future of Ownership

Melbourne Connect

Working with First Nations: Delivering on the Priority Reforms

Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG)