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

A stack of gold and silver

A stack of gold and silver

Silver and gold hit record highs – then crashed. Before joining the rush, you need to know this

View from The Hill: Hastie pulls out but Liberal leadership battle remains in flux

3 things to know about Kevin Warsh, Trump’s nod for Fed chair

A man in a suit gestures with his hands while talking.

A man in a suit gestures with his hands while talking.

Funny, tender, goofy – Catherine O'Hara lit up the screen every time she showed up

Catherine O'Hara poses for a photo in 2025

Catherine O'Hara poses for a photo in 2025

The government has promised a $25 billion boost to hospital funding – but only hints at real reform

Anthony Albanese with open arms in front of flags.

Anthony Albanese with open arms in front of flags.

JD Vance, suited, shakes the hand of Pope Leo, in his red frock and cap

JD Vance, suited, shakes the hand of Pope Leo, in his red frock and cap

If Pope Leo joined Trump’s Board of Peace, it would compromise centuries of ‘positive neutrality’

People in protective suits prepare to cremate the body of a 12-year-old boy died of the Nipah virus in Kozhikode, Kerala state, India, Sunday, Sept.5, 2021

People in protective suits prepare to cremate the body of a 12-year-old boy died of the Nipah virus in Kozhikode, Kerala state, India, Sunday, Sept.5, 2021

What is Nipah virus? And what makes it so deadly?

Australia needs to get real about Trump’s changing America

Sussan Ley fills frontbench holes temporarily, giving a brief window for Nationals to rethink Coalition split

Sussan Ley stands in parliament and speaks in front of her front bench shadow ministers

Sussan Ley stands in parliament and speaks in front of her front bench shadow ministers

Puzzling slow radio pulses are coming from space. A new study could finally explain them

Artist's impressions of different types of star.

Artist's impressions of different types of star.

With Iran weakened, Trump’s end goal may now be regime change. It’s an incredibly risky gamble

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, in an akubra hat and suit, looking thoughtful in front of water

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, in an akubra hat and suit, looking thoughtful in front of water

Friday essay: how hard is it to govern?

Grattan on Friday: two aspirants who are unlikely to suit the times vie for the Liberal leadership

Dexies, doof and depth: The Paris End’s long-form journalism moves from Substack to page

How Iran shut down the internet and built a sophisticated system of digital control

A man walks past an anti-US mural in Iran

A man walks past an anti-US mural in Iran

Are You Dead? China’s viral app reveals a complex reality of solo living and changing social ties

Man cooking at a stove in a small room next to a bed

Man cooking at a stove in a small room next to a bed

NZ’s finance industry is required by law to treat customers fairly – but how do we define ‘fair’?

pie graphic with one slice in NZ currency

pie graphic with one slice in NZ currency

AI is failing ‘Humanity’s Last Exam’. So what does that mean for machine intelligence?

Glitch art with symbols and distorted patterns

Glitch art with symbols and distorted patterns

What the ‘mother of all deals’ between India and the EU means for global trade

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Antonio Luis Santos da Costa shake hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Antonio Luis Santos da Costa shake hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi

The government wants to track your medicines – here’s why

Young woman browses the shelf of a pharmacy.

Young woman browses the shelf of a pharmacy.

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A red sun rises over a city, in an atmosphere of heat.

A red sun rises over a city, in an atmosphere of heat.

We know how to cool our cities and towns. So why aren’t we doing it?

‘Bold’. ‘Elegant’. ‘Introverted’? How words describing wine get lost in translation

Close up of sommelier pouring red wine into decanter at wine tasting session

Close up of sommelier pouring red wine into decanter at wine tasting session

Anatomy of a heatwave: how a cyclone, humid air and atmospheric waves drove brutal heat in the southeast

intense sun seen through gum leaves, bushfire smoke.

intense sun seen through gum leaves, bushfire smoke.

Will killing dingoes on K’gari make visitors safer? We think it’s unlikely

A dingo walks along a beach in front of the sea

A dingo walks along a beach in front of the sea

Iran’s biggest centres of protest are also experiencing extreme pollution and water shortages

Candles being lit by a kneeling person at a vigil in support of Iranian protest.

Candles being lit by a kneeling person at a vigil in support of Iranian protest.

The seafloor dotted with black rocks

The seafloor dotted with black rocks

Submarine mountains and long-distance waves stir the deepest parts of the ocean

Production image: a group of people in a park, with their dogs.

Production image: a group of people in a park, with their dogs.

Dog parks are an unexploited arena for a television dramedy – so now we have ABC’s Dog Park

What is extremism, and how do we decide?

A group of protester chanting covered in Australian flags

A group of protester chanting covered in Australian flags

One Nation surges into second place in two polls, but Labor remains well ahead after preferences

Pauline Hanson smiles while holding an Australian flag

Pauline Hanson smiles while holding an Australian flag

Fossil fuels are doomed – and Trump can’t save them

wind turbines silhouetted against coal plant.

wind turbines silhouetted against coal plant.

Why are some young people attracted to gangs and what are some evidence-based solutions?

Silhouettes of young people are seen on a public street at night.

Silhouettes of young people are seen on a public street at night.

Donald Trump holding a small model of a triumphal arch

Donald Trump holding a small model of a triumphal arch

Monumental ambitions: the history behind Trump’s triumphal arch

The end of ‘Pax Americana’ and start of a ‘post-American’ era doesn’t necessarily mean the world will be less safe

President Trump holds up a document he's signed regarding the formation of an international Board of Peace.

President Trump holds up a document he's signed regarding the formation of an international Board of Peace.

ICE not only looks and acts like a paramilitary force – it is one, and that makes it harder to curb

A woman is grabbed by federal agents who are in a cluster around her.

A woman is grabbed by federal agents who are in a cluster around her.

Australian inflation jumps, adding to chances of an RBA interest rate hike

People move through Martin Place in the CBD of Sydney

People move through Martin Place in the CBD of Sydney

Xi Jinping has dismissed two of China’s most senior generals. What does this mean?

How much would you pay for school to provide your child with lunch every day?

A young boy in school uniform puts a sandwich in his mouth.

A young boy in school uniform puts a sandwich in his mouth.

Is time a fundamental part of reality? A quiet revolution in physics suggests not

Clock sculpture in front of the Saint Lazare station in Paris.

Clock sculpture in front of the Saint Lazare station in Paris.

Beach swimming was once banned in Australia. How did it become a treasured pastime?

Why is my migraine worse in summer?

Sun shining through blinds.

Sun shining through blinds.

More news and analysis

The Making of an Autocrat

The Making of an Autocrat: podcast out now

All autocrats require an ‘architect’. Meet the man pulling the strings for Donald Trump

Like strongmen the world over, Donald Trump’s power grab required a crisis – and a scapegoat

Donald Trump loathes the courts. He’s following the autocrat playbook to sideline them

Autocrats have long lists of political enemies. This is how Donald Trump has tried to silence his

Listen to the whole podcast series

New research

Great white sharks grow a whole new kind of tooth for slicing bone as they age

A large shark swimming in clear water

A large shark swimming in clear water

Red flowers have a ‘magic trait’ to attract birds and keep bees away

A hummingbird flies in front of a bright red flower.

A hummingbird flies in front of a bright red flower.

Why are human penises so large? New evolutionary study finds two main reasons

A series of phallic rock formations against a blue sky.

A series of phallic rock formations against a blue sky.

How to get managers to say yes to flexible work arrangements, according to new research

Close up of a virtual meeting on a laptop, notebooks, pen

Close up of a virtual meeting on a laptop, notebooks, pen

More new research

Federal politics

View from The Hill: Nationals rebel stirs the pot but Littleproud is dug in

Plenty on the agenda as Anthony Albanese heads to Timor-Leste as PM for the first time

Anthony Albanese waves as he steps down from a plane.

Anthony Albanese waves as he steps down from a plane.

Albanese takes safe course, appointing defence chief Greg Moriarty to replace Kevin Rudd

View from The Hill: Dysfunctional federal opposition is in gridlock

Two men in suits sit in the house of representatives

Two men in suits sit in the house of representatives

More federal politics

World

As Syria’s new government consolidates its power, the Kurdish minority fears for its future

Greenland’s Inuit have spent decades fighting for self-determination

Three people walk through a town with a large snow-covered mountain in the background.

Three people walk through a town with a large snow-covered mountain in the background.

5 years on from the junta’s coup, Myanmar’s flawed elections can’t unite a country at risk of breaking apart

An electoral official signs on the result paper of an electronic voting machine after closing the second phase of the general election at a polling station in Yangon, Myanmar, 11 January 2026

An electoral official signs on the result paper of an electronic voting machine after closing the second phase of the general election at a polling station in Yangon, Myanmar, 11 January 2026

Why the shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis is so significant – expert Q&A

A woman holds a sign reading 'Stop ICE terror now!' at a memorial for Alex Pretti.

A woman holds a sign reading 'Stop ICE terror now!' at a memorial for Alex Pretti.

Climate

NZ’s sodden January explained: what’s driven this month’s big wet?

Beneath Antarctica’s largest ice shelf, a hidden ocean is revealing its secrets

New study sheds light on the threat of ‘marine darkwaves’ to ocean life

NZ is again being soaked this summer – record ocean heat helps explain it

Sport

Geopolitics will cast a long shadow over the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympic Games

The statue of the Virgin Mary seen through the middle of a set of white, intertwined white rings

The statue of the Virgin Mary seen through the middle of a set of white, intertwined white rings

After Scott Robertson, the All Blacks face a deeper question than who coaches next

Life after the ‘Big 4’: are tennis’ modern stars cutting through like they used to?

Tennis' 'Big 4': Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

Tennis' 'Big 4': Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

Manchester United’s problems run deeper than another managerial sacking

exterior shot of manchester united's ground old trafford

exterior shot of manchester united's ground old trafford

Podcasts

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Jonno Duniam on the ‘frenzy’ over hate speech laws and the Coalition split

Liberal Home Affairs Minister Jonno Duniam listens during the Joint Committee review of the Exposure Draft: Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026

Liberal Home Affairs Minister Jonno Duniam listens during the Joint Committee review of the Exposure Draft: Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026

What a US military base lost under Greenland’s ice sheet reveals about the island’s real strategic importance

US soldiers digging tunnels in the snow in Greenland in the 1960s.

US soldiers digging tunnels in the snow in Greenland in the 1960s.

Most of the world just agreed on something: a new treaty to protect our oceans

A manta ray surrounded by fish in the ocean.

A manta ray surrounded by fish in the ocean.

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Jim Chalmers on the Bondi terror attack and the mid-year budget update

Gemma Ware, The Conversation

Nicolas Maduro looking through binoculars

Nicolas Maduro looking through binoculars

All episodes of Politics with Michelle Grattan

All episodes of The Conversation Weekly

Reviews

In his last book, Julian Barnes circles big ideas and reflects on his shortcomings

From grand harbour spectacular to intimate perfection: the varied dance at Sydney Festival 2026

A dancer in front of Sydney Harbour Bridge.

A dancer in front of Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Shakespeare reinvented: how Chloé Zhao blends East and West philosophies in Hamnet

Director Chloé Zhao with actors Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley on the set of Hamnet

Director Chloé Zhao with actors Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley on the set of Hamnet

3 Australian poets explore sites of memory and history – with a degree of play

Your say

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Events

CSIRO ON Prime 19 Applicant Briefing Session

CSIRO

Plan Reading Course

University of Technology Sydney

Influencing Policy | Half-day Workshop

Neville Mackieson Consulting

Developing Policy Acumen

Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG)