The Backrooms: how a teenager’s creepy YouTube series became the year’s most anticipated horrorAdam Daniel, Western Sydney University
Not A Souvenir: Tony Albert exhibit turns racist Aboriginalia into a powerful act of truth-tellingSandy O'Sullivan, Macquarie University
With Grouse House TV, Aunty Donna make a bid to usher in the future of independent Australian comedyJessica Balanzategui, RMIT University and Bradley J. Dixon, RMIT University
Metal fans love rebels – until they’re queer. Caleb Shomo’s coming out exposes deep hypocrisyVik J. Squires, The University of Melbourne
When wars destroy heritage, women lose more than monuments – new researchBenjamin Isakhan, Deakin University and Eleanor Childs, Deakin University
Nuns have always sat between freedom and control. Now they’re in the social media spotlightTracy McEwan, Australian Catholic University; University of Newcastle
New documentary traces Kylie Minogue’s career, from harsh early critics to pop stardomLiz Giuffre, University of Technology Sydney
Would you trust AI to help you find ‘the one’? Dating apps are betting it canMaddison Sideris, Deakin University
From ancient kings to Trump and Xi: when did humans start shaking hands? And why?Louise Pryke, University of Sydney
New film Birthright is a biting, relatable satire on Australia’s housing affordability crisisGemma Blackwood, University of Tasmania
For decades, Australian institutions have displayed stolen human remains. But there’s a way forwardIsabella Crebert, University of Newcastle
Most mainstream films already use AI. The new Oscars rules won’t stop thatDaniel Binns, RMIT University and Meg Thomas, The University of Queensland
7 films to help you understand Iranian women’s fight for freedomMiniature Malekpour, University of Sydney
Apps such as Stremio let you stream for free. How do they work? And are they legal?Marc C-Scott, Victoria University
Ted Turner didn’t just revolutionize television − he changed the way we see our worldMichael J. Socolow, University of Maine
What is the ‘Thucydides trap’ Xi warned Trump about? Lessons from an ancient war between Athens and SpartaDavid M. Pritchard, The University of Queensland
The high-tech shipbuilding methods that helped Vikings dominate the seasLisa Bennett, Flinders University
Why was an Egyptian mummy stuffed with a fragment of Homer’s Iliad?Stephan Blum, University of Tübingen and Stefan Baumann, KU Leuven
What a list of Black Death survivors reveals about the way people recovered from plagueAlex Brown, Durham University and Grace Owen, Durham University
Fenian: the anti-Irish history behind Kneecap’s defiant new album titleCiara Smart, University of Tasmania
Museums have always been entangled with European imperialism. Will the world’s first ‘AI art’ museum be any different?Kylie Message, Australian National University
Richard Lewer wins Archibald Prize with radiant portrait of traditional healer Iluwanti KenAiden Magro, University of Sydney
Raghu Rai: the trailblazing photographer who documented the vast diversity of a changing IndiaParvati Nair, Queen Mary University of London
This year’s Venice Biennale marks a major shift in European cultural politicsClare Carolin, King's College London
What Iran’s absence from the Venice Biennale reveals about art and politicsKatayoun Shahandeh, SOAS, University of London
5 reasons Stephen Colbert is one of the most important satirists in American historySophia A. McClennen, Penn State
‘Poverty porn’: the moral dilemma behind MrBeast’s billion-dollar empirePaul Formosa, Macquarie University
5 great podcasts parents can listen to with children – backed by researchCorey Martin, Swinburne University of Technology
How tarot readers are using AIZiv Epstein, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); Farnaz Jahanbakhsh, University of Michigan, and Vana Goblot, Goldsmiths, University of London
One company dominates NZ’s live music scene – how do we encourage competition?Dave Carter, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University and Jesse Austin-Stewart, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University
Community radio drives $153m into Australian music – new studyShane Homan, Monash University; Heather Margot Anderson, Monash University, and Susan Forde, Griffith University
Eurovision 2026: a win for Bulgaria, fourth for Australia, and continued controversy for broadcastersJess Carniel, University of Southern Queensland
How public voting has turned Eurovision from a song contest into a political platformOscar Vorobjovas-Pinta, Edith Cowan University
What happened when financially struggling artists received $1,000 a month, no strings attachedJoanna Woronkowicz, Indiana University and Doug Noonan, Indiana University Indianapolis
The Venice Biennale jury has resigned, proving art institutions cannot remain separate from politicsPatrizia Biondi, University of Sydney
The artist population of Greater Sydney is shrinking – and becoming less culturally diverseIanto Ware, University of Sydney
Streaming platforms give us access to new music, so why are fewer people listening to it?Tim Kelly, University of Technology Sydney
Theatre for young audiences should be seen as critical for children’s cultural agencySarah Austin, The University of Melbourne
Leah Purcell continues exploring The Drover’s Wife – and opera might be its perfect formKatelyn Barney, The University of Queensland and Ren Perkins, The University of Queensland
The power of Tim Winton’s The Shepherd’s Hut is gorgeously evoked in a new stage adaptationLeah Mercer, Curtin University
Game. Set. Match. is a love letter to truth-telling. It is nothing short of brilliantBianca Williams, La Trobe University; The University of Melbourne
Working with First Nations: Delivering on the Priority ReformsAustralia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG)