The Latest Breaking News from Australian Research Council

India’s great untapped resource: its jobless young people

Young people have been taking to the streets across India, demanding governments act to provide more jobs. In the northern state of Bihar, large numbers protested on February at delays in filling public sector vacancies. Some of them had passed the required examinations but waited several years for their job…

The Conversation · Aug 10, 2022

Once the fish factories and ‘kidneys’ of colder seas, Australia’s decimated shellfish reefs are coming back

Australia once had vast oyster and mussel reefs, which anchored marine ecosystems and provided a key food source for coastal First Nations people. But after colonisation, Europeans harvested them for their meat and shells and pushed oyster and mussel reefs almost to extinction. Because the damage was done early – and…

The Conversation · Aug 9, 2022

Australia has been crying out for a national housing plan, and new council is a big step towards having one

The federal government’s confirmation on Monday that it will set up a National Housing Supply and Affordability Council has not received much media or public attention. But, dollar for dollar, it might be the year’s most important and impactful housing announcement.

The Conversation · Aug 9, 2022

Food and drinks are getting sweeter. Even if it's not all sugar, it's bad for our health

Humans have an evolutionary preference for sweetness. Sweet foods, like fruit and honey, were an important energy source for our ancestors.

The Conversation · Jul 29, 2022

Soil abounds with life – and supports all life above it. But Australian soils need urgent repair

Under your feet lies the most biodiverse habitat on Earth. The soil on which we walk supports the majority of life on the planet. Without the life in it, it wouldn’t be soil. Unfortunately, Australia’s soils are not in good shape. The new State of the Environment report rates our…

The Conversation · Jul 27, 2022

New COVID variants may be more transmissible but that doesn't mean the R0 – or basic reproduction number – has increased

During the pandemic we have all become familiar with a lot of epidemiological concepts.

The Conversation · Jul 27, 2022

A cosmic tango: this distant planet's very strange orbit points to a violent and chaotic past

If you close your eyes and imagine a system of planets orbiting a distant star, what do you see?

The Conversation · Jul 22, 2022

Australia and New Zealand have a golden opportunity to build stronger ties in the Pacific – but will they take it?

The Pacific Islands Forum leaders’ meeting hosted by Fiji last week was the first to be held in person since 2019. Following a particularly challenging period, it was an opportunity for leaders to reconnect and agree to the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. This document provides a blueprint…

The Conversation · Jul 19, 2022

When you pick your nose, you're jamming germs and contaminants up there too. 3 scientists on how to deal with your boogers

Come on, you know you do it.

The Conversation · Jul 13, 2022

7 things the Australian Research Council review should tackle, from a researcher's point of view

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare this week announced a review of the Australian Research Council (ARC). The review will require thorough reflection, both on a set of key principles to guide research funding and on the nitty-gritty of ARC operations.

The Conversation · Jul 8, 2022