The Latest Breaking News from The Conversation

Gentle larrikin Terry Denton, famous for his anarchy with Andy Griffiths, made reading fun

At the news Australian children’s illustrator Terry Denton died on September 21, aged 76, millions of readers around the world will feel like they have lost a friend.

The Conversation · Sep 24

83,000 New Zealanders live with dementia. Here’s how simple design changes can help

A dark doormat that looks like a hole in the floor. A patterned carpet that appears uneven. A chair that becomes difficult to recognise or move around.

The Conversation · Sep 23

How has evolution shaped men’s and women’s minds? A new book tells an outdated story

Psychologist Steve Stewart-Williams’ third book about evolutionary psychology, a controversial field often drawn on (and distorted) by the manosphere, is A Billion Years of Sex Differences: How Evolution Shaped the Minds of Men and Women. It’s primarily interested in three questions.

The Conversation · Sep 23

The UN is facing a crisis of trust and possible bankruptcy. Its new leader will have an enormous challenge

The United Nations is deep into the process of looking for its next Secretary General as Portugal’s Antonio Guterres steps down in December after a decade.

The Conversation · Sep 23

Housing stress is on the rise: 7 essential charts from this year’s HILDA survey

Every year, one of Australia’s biggest longitudinal surveys provides a range of insights on how the nation is changing.

The Conversation · Sep 23

Many Australians are overqualified for their jobs – which comes at a price, new data shows

Close to half of Australians believe they have more education than their job requires, a dynamic that is associated with lower job and life satisfaction.

The Conversation · Sep 23

Elections in Brazil: a subdued, digital campaign heightens uncertainty about the results

With less than two weeks to go before voters head to the polls on Oct. 4, 2026, Brazil is experiencing a presidential election campaign that is much less heated than many would expect given the high-level of polarization in the country.

The Conversation · Sep 23

Where should NZ stand on global AI risk? 3 principles to guide a stronger strategy

If some current warnings are to be believed, artificial intelligence may be the human invention that outwits its creators. Understandably, there are now global calls to regulate the technology.

The Conversation · Sep 23

Mosque attack highlights evolving extremism landscape that has brought Pakistan-Afghanistan ties to crisis point

The suicide bombing and gun attack that killed dozens in northwest Pakistan on Sept. 18, 2026, highlighted the fragile security situation in the South Asian country. But it also shone a light on the complex and evolving extremism landscape there and the strained relationship between Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan.

The Conversation · Sep 23

Snack names influence how filling we imagine they will be — new research

Imagine being hungry in a grocery store and looking for a snack. You have a choice between Gobo granola bars or Kipi granola bars. Which do you reach for to fill you up? If you’re like the participants in our new study, you probably said Gobo.

The Conversation · Sep 23