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

US-Israel attacks on Iran

Smoke rised above a city landscape.

Smoke rised above a city landscape.

Iran will respond to US-Israeli strikes as existential threats to the regime – because they are

US-Israeli attack on Iran risks plunging the world into turmoil

People watch airstrikes in Tehran

People watch airstrikes in Tehran

Iran has been attacked by US and Israel when peace was within reach

Top Stories

A blurred image of a person walking in front of a Commonwealth Bank branch

A blurred image of a person walking in front of a Commonwealth Bank branch

Why Commonwealth Bank’s $1 billion suspected loan fraud should change how we bank and do business

Toby Walsh, UNSW Sydney

Co-author of Liberal election review says party members will be ‘horrified’ at decision to suppress it

Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra

A grey-haired man with glasses looks down

A grey-haired man with glasses looks down

What is Aspergillus, the fungus behind recent hospital deaths?

Close-up of a petri dish with a kind of mould

Close-up of a petri dish with a kind of mould

Woolworths’ AI agent rambled about its ‘mother’. It’s a sign of deeper problems with the tech rollout

A supermarket aisle with a glitch effect.

A supermarket aisle with a glitch effect.

Ley formally resigns, tells Taylor it’s ‘vital’ he holds Farrer

How should Australia handle ‘sovereign citizens’ clogging the courts? A former magistrate explains

Alanna Kennedy of the Matildas celebrates a goal with teammate Sam Kerr.

Alanna Kennedy of the Matildas celebrates a goal with teammate Sam Kerr.

Home ground disadvantage? How sleep and travel could impact the Matildas

Ed Sheeran caught the train to Melbourne to protect the climate. But what about his thousands of fans?

Pop star Ed Sheeran in a white t-shirt, holding a guitar and with a colourful background.

Pop star Ed Sheeran in a white t-shirt, holding a guitar and with a colourful background.

Blame John Howard for our housing and migration woes, says Amy Remeikis – but is he due some credit too?

John Howard, an older balding man in a suit and tie, with an Australian flag

John Howard, an older balding man in a suit and tie, with an Australian flag

NSW’s new rapid response police unit may help some people feel safer, but it also raises difficult questions

Police walk by the Sydney Harbour foreshore.

Police walk by the Sydney Harbour foreshore.

One street tree can boost Sydney house prices by $30,000 – or cost $70,000 if it’s too close: new study

A gif of fire on a road

A gif of fire on a road

‘Don’t leave late’ is the best advice for fires or floods. These terrifying videos show why

Friday essay: I thought a 5-day solo hike would reclaim a lost self. My menopausal body had other plans

Grattan on Friday: Albanese celebrates caucus unity, but it can come at a cost

Politicians say immigration threatens ‘Australian values’, but our research shows no one knows exactly what that means

A ship full of English immigrants heading to Australia with a boxing kangaroo and football in the foreground

A ship full of English immigrants heading to Australia with a boxing kangaroo and football in the foreground

The horrific bashing of LGBTQ+ teens is a sign of a dangerous Islamic State resurgence

Composite image of a man looking downcast with silhouetted figures behind him

Composite image of a man looking downcast with silhouetted figures behind him

Ukraine: after four years of war, exhaustion on both sides is the main hope for peace

A woman stands looking at a display of flowers and Ukrainian flags.

A woman stands looking at a display of flowers and Ukrainian flags.

How can a tick bite cause a deadly meat allergy? An expert explains

eastern paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus

eastern paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus

Raincoat no longer waterproof? A textile scientist explains why – and how to fix it

A person wearing a yellow jacket in the rain.

A person wearing a yellow jacket in the rain.

The Conversation shortlisted in Quill Awards for Victorian Journalism

A composite of a man in an orange shirt, an aerial image of a scam centre and a map with risky instagram images

A composite of a man in an orange shirt, an aerial image of a scam centre and a map with risky instagram images

Royals in crisis

Misconduct in public office: three reasons why the case against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is so complex

View from behind of two police officers walking down a path

View from behind of two police officers walking down a path

The Epstein scandal has battered Britain’s political establishment. Can the radical-right Reform party benefit?

There have been 58 royal arrests in UK history – Charles I was not the last before Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

(L-R) Sophia Dorothea of Celle, King Charles I, the Princes in the Tower, and Elizabeth I.

(L-R) Sophia Dorothea of Celle, King Charles I, the Princes in the Tower, and Elizabeth I.

How could Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor be removed from the line of succession to the throne?

More top stories

Johnson & Johnson talcum powder bottles photographed in the UK

Johnson & Johnson talcum powder bottles photographed in the UK

What’s the link between talcum powder and cancer?

Michael Caine’s voice is iconic. Why would he sell that to AI?

Michael Caine: half his face is white noise.

Michael Caine: half his face is white noise.

Sydney’s Biennale theme, ‘rememory’, urges us to confront trauma – now more relevant than ever

Black-and-white illustration of a heart, two faces, swirling circles, arrows, and reaching hands.

Black-and-white illustration of a heart, two faces, swirling circles, arrows, and reaching hands.

Should unis ditch group assignments?

Opposition education spokesman Julian Leeser at a press conference inside Parliament House in Canberra.

Opposition education spokesman Julian Leeser at a press conference inside Parliament House in Canberra.

AI can slowly shift an organisation’s core principles. How to spot ‘value drift’ early

Digital replicas of people in an office setting

Digital replicas of people in an office setting

A billboard showing English text reading GLOBAL SOLIDARITY IN THE AI ERA with Chinese text and computer graphics

A billboard showing English text reading GLOBAL SOLIDARITY IN THE AI ERA with Chinese text and computer graphics

How China is betting cheap AI will get the world hooked on its tech

A man in fatigues carrying a gun stands in front of a charred vehicle.

A man in fatigues carrying a gun stands in front of a charred vehicle.

Violent aftermath of Mexico’s ‘El Mencho’ killing follows pattern of other high-profile cartel hits

Punch the monkey isn’t the first lonely zoo animal to capture our hearts – or raise troubling questions

composite image showing famous zoo animals mollie the orang utan, Punch the monkey, the last thylacine and a cart-pulling elephant.

composite image showing famous zoo animals mollie the orang utan, Punch the monkey, the last thylacine and a cart-pulling elephant.

One Nation wants to get more doctors in rural areas – but it’s got the wrong approach

A young doctor writes notes on a clipboard, in front of a pink background.

A young doctor writes notes on a clipboard, in front of a pink background.

‘Buy it nice or buy it twice’: what the ‘frugal chic’ trend tells us about our clothing habits

Woman sitting on a couch surrounded by clothing items

Woman sitting on a couch surrounded by clothing items

Dating apps are facilitating LGBTQ+ hate crimes. How can users stay safe?

A man sitting on a couch, scrolling on his phone.

A man sitting on a couch, scrolling on his phone.

A closeup of a sponge garden

A closeup of a sponge garden

Deeper ocean ecosystems are unique – and uniquely vulnerable without better protection

New global study: long after war, injuries from landmines and explosives kill nearly 4 in 10 victims

The 3 big challenges facing Ukraine when the war ends

Damage inside an apartment in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Damage inside an apartment in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Iran’s exiled crown prince is touting himself as a future leader. Is this what’s best for the country?

One Nation has been on the fringes of Australian politics for 30 years. Why is its popularity soaring now?

2 of 3 new federal polls have the Coalition gaining from One Nation, but Labor clearly ahead

Anthony Albanese stands at a lectern and addresses a crowd

Anthony Albanese stands at a lectern and addresses a crowd

A new space race could turn our atmosphere into a ‘crematorium for satellites’

A cosmic explosion with the force of a billion Suns went unseen – until we caught its echo

Two jets of light shooting out from a bright point in the centre of the image.

Two jets of light shooting out from a bright point in the centre of the image.

Does ‘free’ shipping really exist? An expert shares the marketing tricks you need to know

Truck with parcels

Truck with parcels

More news and analysis

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New research

20 billion galaxies: new survey of the sky will reveal the universe in unprecedented detail

Bright clouds of pink and orange dust, surrounded by stars.

Bright clouds of pink and orange dust, surrounded by stars.

Science knows of 21,000 bee species. There are likely thousands more

Several native bee photographs marching across a black background

Several native bee photographs marching across a black background

3D-printed ‘ghost guns’ are not as untraceable as criminals think – new study

3D printer printing a plastic object.

3D printer printing a plastic object.

We studied primary care in 6 rich countries – it’s under unprecedented strain everywhere

More new research

Federal politics

Modern multicultural Australia must strengthen the ties that bind our diverse groups: Julian Hill

Two new federal polls have One Nation gaining on Labor

Pauline Hanson stands in the Senate chamber and gesticulates as she speaks

Pauline Hanson stands in the Senate chamber and gesticulates as she speaks

View from The Hill: Angus Taylor appoints Tim Wilson as part of a new-look Liberal economic team

Who is Angus Taylor and can he cut it as opposition leader?

More federal politics

World

Cuba has survived 66 years of US-led embargoes. Will Trump’s blockade break it now?

New police powers to ‘move on’ rough sleepers only mask NZ’s deeper homelessness problem

A person sleeping rough in city streets

A person sleeping rough in city streets

As war in Ukraine enters a 5th year, will the ‘Putin consensus’ among Russians hold?

A group of people in traditional Russian garb stand behind a man in a suit

A group of people in traditional Russian garb stand behind a man in a suit

Gaza’s cultural sites have been decimated. UNESCO’s muted response sets a dangerous precedent

The Great Omari Mosque in Gaza City after it was damaged by an Israeli strike.

The Great Omari Mosque in Gaza City after it was damaged by an Israeli strike.

Climate

How Australia’s new fuel efficiency scheme quietly created a carbon currency for cars - and it’s working

Extreme weather is transforming the world’s rivers. We need new ways to protect them

Climate change is drying out the ‘forgotten rivers’ that keep the Murray-Darling alive. We need a new plan

An aerial photo of the Murray-Darling River

An aerial photo of the Murray-Darling River

‘Blood cobalt’ is disappearing from batteries – and cheaper, cleaner batteries are arriving

Sport

Calls for a boycott of the 2026 FIFA World Cup are growing, but how realistic is one?

A golden trophy

A golden trophy

After the Milan Cortina medals, what comes next for Australian winter sports?

Australian Winter Olympic medalists Jakara Anthony, Josie Baff and Cooper Woods (top) with Matt Graham and Scotty James.

Australian Winter Olympic medalists Jakara Anthony, Josie Baff and Cooper Woods (top) with Matt Graham and Scotty James.

How to manage winter Olympic crowds in an eco-friendly way

The IOC’s ban of a Ukrainian athlete over his helmet reveals troubling double standards

Close up of a skeleton athlete's helmet depicting images of athletes

Close up of a skeleton athlete's helmet depicting images of athletes

Podcasts

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Geoffrey Watson calls for a royal commission on the CFMEU scandal

A man in glasses speaking in front of a microphone

A man in glasses speaking in front of a microphone

Politics with Michelle Grattan: New Liberal Deputy Jane Hume on why she wants a woman contesting every seat

Politics with Michelle Grattan: Tony Barry on why a new Liberal leader isn’t a quick fix

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

All episodes of Politics with Michelle Grattan

All episodes of The Conversation Weekly

Reviews

Jean Tong’s Do Not Pass Go is Kafka for the modern corporate age

Production image: a woman cuts a ribbon.

Production image: a woman cuts a ribbon.

A love letter to Country: grief, motherhood and loss in Jada Alberts’ Black Light

Production: a younger woman paints her old mothers fingernails

Production: a younger woman paints her old mothers fingernails

Even the best writing about science recalls ancient myths

Is Wuthering Heights actually romantic? Heathcliff would say no

a brooding couple, a blonde woman and a long-haired man, against a stormy sky

a brooding couple, a blonde woman and a long-haired man, against a stormy sky

Your say

Image compilation of Lord of the Flies, plus Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump.

Image compilation of Lord of the Flies, plus Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump.

Your say: week beginning February 23

Your say: week beginning February 16

A montage representing issues of real estate, inflation and whooping cough.

A montage representing issues of real estate, inflation and whooping cough.

Your say: week beginning February 9

Your say: week beginning February 2

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Events

CSIRO ON Prime 19 Applicant Briefing Session

CSIRO

CLAIR Forum 2026: 'Sustainable and Thriving Communities'

University of Technology Sydney

Developing Policy Acumen

Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG)