Science + Technology – Views and Research – The Conversation

Close-up of high speed internet cables plugged into a server.

Close-up of high speed internet cables plugged into a server.

What would happen if the internet went down?

The deep ocean’s protection against warming started to change in 2016. Nobody knows what happens now

Floating 'pancakes' of sea ice

Floating 'pancakes' of sea ice

People are using AI to make expensive computer programs free. This could change everything

A bright flatlay of green closed locks with an orange lock open in the centre.

A bright flatlay of green closed locks with an orange lock open in the centre.

The phantom lighthouse: new research explains one of Australia’s strangest illusions

Lady Elliot Island lighthouse

Lady Elliot Island lighthouse

Australia has to pay millions to fly an astronaut to space. What do we stand to gain?

A woman in a blue jumpsuit with badges and an Australian flag on the shoulder smiles to the camera.

A woman in a blue jumpsuit with badges and an Australian flag on the shoulder smiles to the camera.

A man measuring vehicle speeds using a laser measurement device,

A man measuring vehicle speeds using a laser measurement device,

Speed camera alerts on navigation apps may be training drivers to speed

What is ‘human composting’ – and how does it work?

A hand holding a seedling against a green background.

A hand holding a seedling against a green background.

An American startup wants to sell sunlight after dark. Who gets a say?

A bright spotlight shining over a dark field

A bright spotlight shining over a dark field

What’s the difference between green, yellow and red capsicums? It’s more than what you see

Colourful capsicums at a grocery store

Colourful capsicums at a grocery store

A critical flaw affecting 70% of all websites has the cybersecurity world panicked

Website code

Website code

All science and technology articles

New research

Four bees seen on a hive.

Four bees seen on a hive.

Honey bee hives have ‘living immune systems’ which defend against disease

There’s a hidden bias affecting what we know – and don’t know – about nature

A cute sugar glider sits on an extended palm.

A cute sugar glider sits on an extended palm.

Where did bats come from? New research points to Europe

Mirror image reflection of bat drinking from water

Mirror image reflection of bat drinking from water

Earth’s oldest evidence of life is written in stone – but it’s at risk of disappearing

A lakeshore under blue sky with curious black rock like shapes strewn across the sand.

A lakeshore under blue sky with curious black rock like shapes strewn across the sand.

‘Stress hormone’ cortisol is blamed for infertility, but major new study hints that could be wrong

A woman in a grey jumper holding her face in her hands looking tired.

A woman in a grey jumper holding her face in her hands looking tired.

More new research

Technology

A train partially derailed with a crane and people in high-vis attending the scene.

A train partially derailed with a crane and people in high-vis attending the scene.

Is high-speed rail generally safe? What can Australia learn from Spain’s accident?

You’re supposed to turn Bluetooth off when you don’t need it – how risky is it really?

A young woman with earbuds in looks at her phone, in front of the sea.

A young woman with earbuds in looks at her phone, in front of the sea.

Ukraine’s drone strikes on Russian data centres may change how we see disinformation

An office building

An office building

Australia’s ‘digital duty of care’ was just introduced to parliament. So what’s in the bill?

A woman with brown hairs speaks at a podium with a bright blue background.

A woman with brown hairs speaks at a podium with a bright blue background.

Artificial intelligence

Is this the ‘mathocalypse’? Why OpenAI’s latest results dump has left mathematicians in shock

What happens to language when machines start talking back?

An ominous digital robot face looming over a small silhouette of a person.

An ominous digital robot face looming over a small silhouette of a person.

After Firmus shelved the biggest ASX listing in 30 years, what does it say to investors about AI hype?

A man in a Firmus high vis vest and helmet

A man in a Firmus high vis vest and helmet

Why a decade of AI safety promises keep failing to bite

US President Donald Trump and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg

US President Donald Trump and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg

Decoding data centres

What does a good data centre future look like? And how do we get there?

Stacked 3D blocks with rockets in the background

Stacked 3D blocks with rockets in the background

Data centres have existed for decades. So why are they so controversial now?

3D blocks and building cranes on a textured background

3D blocks and building cranes on a textured background

Are data centres actually noisy, and is this bad for our health?

3D blocks with concentric circles at the base on a textured background

3D blocks with concentric circles at the base on a textured background

Unsustainable – or manageable? We don’t yet know how data centres will impact Australia’s environment

Stacked 3D blocks with water and smoke coming out the edges

Stacked 3D blocks with water and smoke coming out the edges

Read the full series

Expert life advice

A woman's tanned legs are decorated with sea shells.

A woman's tanned legs are decorated with sea shells.

How does fake tan work, and why does it sometimes smell ‘biscuity’?

The upside of untidiness: why a little mess can be good for your home

Can building more roads make traffic worse? Here’s the mathematics behind it

Aerial photo of a complex freeway junction

Aerial photo of a complex freeway junction

In a culture obsessed with staying young, we ignore the many benefits of ageing

A group of women in floppy sun hats having a good time at a water park.

A group of women in floppy sun hats having a good time at a water park.

Explore the universe

An illustration of a bright red dot with a shining light in its centre against a black sky.

An illustration of a bright red dot with a shining light in its centre against a black sky.

The universe is full of strange ‘little red dots’. A new study shines light on their real nature

China is launching a Moon mission to find water ice. It’s unlike anything NASA has done

NASA’s new space telescope will tackle some of the universe’s biggest mysteries

Illustration of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope against the background of Hubble's 25th anniversary image.

Illustration of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope against the background of Hubble's 25th anniversary image.

Galactic archaeologists find stars in the Milky Way came from another galaxy 12 billion years ago

Two galaxies in the night sky, merging into one.

Two galaxies in the night sky, merging into one.

Curious Kids

Curious Kids: does music affect how plants grow?

A person playing violin to plants in a lab.

A person playing violin to plants in a lab.

Curious Kids: can spiders swim?

A light brown spider on water.

A light brown spider on water.

Curious Kids: if our eyes see upside down, how does the brain flip the picture?

A happy child hangs upside down on monkey bars.

A happy child hangs upside down on monkey bars.

Curious Kids: If you scoop a bucket of water out of the ocean, does it get lower?

A blue bucket and spade on a beach.

A blue bucket and spade on a beach.

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