This year marks the 80th anniversary of the first Moomin tale, The Moomins and the Great Flood. In the book, Moomintroll and his friends embark on a journey to find their home after a great flood devastates Moominvalley, meeting odd creatures and new friends along their journey. By Sue Walsh, University of Reading.
Visitors to the site of Pompeii, the ancient Roman town buried (and so preserved for thousands of years) by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD, don’t often think to look beyond the city walls. And it’s easy to understand why: there’s plenty on offer within this monumentally well-preserved town, from jewel-like wall paintings of myths and legends like Helen of Troy, to the majestic amphitheatre and sumptuously stuccoed baths. By Emily Hauser, University of Exeter.
Growth forecasts for the US and other advanced economies have been sharply downgraded by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the wake of dramatic swings in US president Donald Trump’s economic policy. But could the uncertainty and the turmoil in financial markets eventually be enough to push the world into a recession? By Steve Schifferes, City St George's, University of London.
Following the death of Pope Francis, we’ll soon be seeing a new leader in the Vatican. The conclave – a strictly confidential gathering of Roman Catholic cardinals – is due to meet in a matter of weeks to elect a new earthly head. By Darius von Guttner Sporzynski.
Hot cross buns aren’t just a sweet snack that appear at Easter. They carry centuries of storytelling in their dough. From ancient gods to modern supermarkets, these sticky spiced buns have crossed many borders and beliefs. By Darius von Guttner Sporzynski, Australian Catholic University.
The “liberation day” tariffs announced by US president Donald Trump have one thing in common – they are being applied to goods only. Trade in services between the US and its partners is not affected. This is the perfect example of Trump’s peculiar focus on trade in goods and, by extension, his nostalgic but outdated obsession with manufacturing. By James Scott, King's College London.
Tariffs are back in the headlines this week, with United States President Donald Trump introducing sweeping new tariffs of at least 10% on a vast range of goods imported to the US. For some countries and goods, the tariffs will be much higher. By Peter Edwell, Macquarie University.
Like many, I entered The New Yorker through the cartoon door. The first cartoon I loved, and remember to this day, featured a New Yorker staple – two guys sitting in a bar – with one saying to the other: “I wish just once someone would say to me, ‘I read your latest ad, and I loved it’.” By Matthew Ricketson, Deakin University.
The second Donald Trump administration has already sent shockwaves through the political establishment on both sides of the Atlantic. Overseas, the focus has been on the administration’s apparent dismantling of the post-war international order and Trump’s apparent pivot away from America’s traditional allies towards a warmer relationship with Russia and Vladimir Putin. By Dafydd Townley, University of Portsmouth.
When the United States starts a trade war with your country, how do you fight back? For individuals, one option is to wage a personal trade war and boycott products from the US. By Erin O'Brien, Griffith University and Justine Coneybeer, Griffith University.
What if we told you that artificial intelligence (AI) systems such as ChatGPT don’t actually learn? Many people we talk to are genuinely surprised to hear this. By Kai Riemer, University of Sydney and Sandra Peter, University of Sydney.
Not long ago I attended a concert. It was a band that I had been waiting a while to see and so I was excited to be there in the crowd. Part way through, they played my favourite song and I noticed that I felt something different. By Alison Bishop, University of East London.
Maria Clementina Sobieski is one of only three women buried in the famous St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, alongside an estimated 100 or so popes. She lived a life of extraordinary defiance and determination. By Darius von Guttner Sporzynski, Australian Catholic University and Aleksandra Skrzypietz, University of Silesia in Katowice.
The Face magazine had a revolutionary impact on contemporary culture. The legendary “style bible” launched in 1980 was known for its bold design, iconic covers and trailblazing photography, writes James Clifford Kent.
Those who wrote and wrangled over America’s Constitution might be troubled by the second presidency of Donald J. Trump. By Claire B. Wofford, Associate Professor of Political Science, College of Charleston.
If the object of your affection were to suggest that a “platonic” relationship might be of more interest to them, your heart might sink a little. The common understanding of Platonic love, so called after the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, is that it indicates a relationship of strong affection from which sex is excluded. But there’s potentially much more to the concept of Platonic love than the absence of romantic or physical passion. By Armand D'Angour, University of Oxford.
Elon Musk’s role as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE, is on the surface a dramatic effort to overhaul the inefficiencies of federal bureaucracy. But beneath the rhetoric of cost-cutting and regulatory streamlining lies a troubling scenario. By Allison Stanger, Distinguished Endowed Professor, Middlebury.
The UK government’s efforts to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into public services and stimulate economic growth represents a pivotal step in the roll out of the technology in this country. By Professor Ashley Braganza, Brunel University of London and Asieh Hosseini Tabaghdehi, Brunel University of London.
Wartime has often presented opportunities for women to step into leadership roles denied them in peacetime. The Italian Wars, a series of military conflicts fought mainly in Italy between 1494 and 1559 by Europe’s dominant political powers, were no exception. By Susan Broomhall, Australian Catholic University and Carolyn James, Monash University.
Is renting clothes instead of buying them truly better for the planet? As the textile industry faces growing scrutiny for its environmental impact, clothing rental services promise consumers the opportunity to refresh their wardrobe frequently while lowering their carbon footprint. But is this solution as eco-friendly as it appears? By Joëlle Vanhamme, EDHEC Business School and Valerie Swaen, Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain).
When we think of Gabrielle Chanel, her iconic fashion empire comes to mind. Yet, few associate her with the groundbreaking role of a self-made woman ~ a trailblazer who defied societal norms to build a global empire. By Séverine Le Loarne-Lemaire, Grenoble École de Management (GEM).
As we prepare our Christmas fare ~ a hot roast with all the trimmings, a seafood smorgasbord or a beach-side barbecue ~ it is timely to think about what others have on their Christmas menus. By Lisa J. Hackett, University of New England; Huw Nolan, University of New England, and Jo Coghlan, University of New England.
Visitors rediscovering Paris’s Notre Dame cathedral will be stepping into a highly charged conversation about France’s past and its future. Both sacred and secular, the cathedral tellingly illustrates the conflict between tradition and reform in France, as a historically Catholic and imperial power tries to adapt to its multicultural and postcolonial present. By Bradley Stephens, University of Bristol.
At Shrewsbury train station, there is a poster advertising The Cure’s new album, Songs of a Lost World. The confident, monochrome minimalism of the art is at odds with the rambling Victorian brickwork, yet there is a kind of sympathy there also. By Neil Cocks, University of Reading
Award-winning director Madeleine Hetherton-Miau’s latest offering is an evocative and hard-hitting documentary with a strong message. Mozart’s Sister investigates the life of Maria Anna Mozart, the older sister of the more famous Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. By Diane Charleson, Australian Catholic University.
In his sci-fi film Inception (2010), Christophe Nolan imagined his protagonist slipping into other people’s dreams and even shaping their contents. But what if this story wasn’t so far away from real life? By Başak Türker, Institut du Cerveau (ICM) et Delphine Oudiette, Inserm.
For many people, especially those leaning left, Donald Trump’s disqualifications to be president seem obvious. Why did so many people vote for Trump again, they wonder, and how did he win not just the Electoral College vote this time but the popular vote as well? By Alex Hinton, Rutgers University - Newark.
On election eve in the United States, the presidential race is deadlocked. The polls are exceptionally close across the country and in all the swing states – Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin in the industrial midwest; Nevada and Arizona in the west; and Georgia and North Carolina in the south. By Bruce Wolpe, University of Sydney.
By Emma Shortis, RMIT University and Matthew Ricketson, Deakin University.
The promise of a long, healthy, happy existence living an active, community-based lifestyle under warm, sunny skies may be within reach. In fact, it could be on your table. By Marco Romagnoli, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM).
What does it mean to be a reader in Jane Austen’s novels? And what does it mean to read them? Susan Allen Ford, longtime editor of the Jane Austen Society of North America’s journals, confesses to perhaps 25 years of fascination with her subject. By Gillian Dooley, Flinders University.
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He lived and died more than 2,000 years ago but Hannibal is remembered as one of history’s most formidable military commanders and as “Rome’s greatest enemy”. By Darius von Guttner Sporzynski, Australian Catholic University.
OpenAI co-founder Andrej Karpathy envisions a world in which artificial intelligence bots can be made into subject matter experts that are “deeply passionate, great at teaching, infinitely patient and fluent in all of the world’s languages.” Through this vision, the bots would be available to “personally tutor all 8 billion of us on demand.”
In May 2024, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman sparked a firestorm by referencing the 2013 movie “Her” to highlight the novelty of the latest iteration of ChatGPT. By Rizwan Virk, Arizona State University.
My first encounter came as a medical student. Under high magnification, I examined a colleague’s iris, the coloured part of their eye encircling the pupil. By Hessom Razavi, The University of Western Australia.
New scientific understanding and engineering techniques have always impressed and frightened. No doubt they will continue to. OpenAI recently announced that it anticipates “superintelligence” – AI surpassing human abilities – this decade. It is accordingly building a new team, and devoting 20% of its computing resources to ensuring that the behaviour of such AI systems will be aligned with human values. By Anthony Grayling, Northeastern University London and Brian Ball, Northeastern University London.
Simone Biles is the most decorated gymnast, male or female, in history. She won her first world championship all-around gold medal in 2013 and has not lost an all-around competition since. By Vaughan Cruickshank, University of Tasmania; Brendon Hyndman, Charles Sturt University, and Carla Valerio, Southern Cross University.
Back in 2005 ~ before the rise of social media or smart phones, let alone blockchain, metadata and OpenAI ~ computer scientist and entrepreneur Ray Kurzweil published a breathlessly prophetic account of what he called “the singularity”. By Charles Barbour, Western Sydney University.
While promoting her role in the upcoming film adaptation of the Broadway hit “Wicked,” singer Ariana Grande made a podcast appearance that left many of her fans befuddled and concerned. By Lydia Kruse, Purdue University.
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Sometime around 100 AD, the Roman lawyer and aristocrat Pliny sent a letter to his third wife, Calpurnia – who was staying in a different part of Italy – to express how much he loved and missed her... By Konstantine Panegyres, The University of Melbourne.
OpenAI will be removing access to one of its ChatGPT voices, following objections by actor Scarlett Johansson that it sounds “eerily similar” to her own. By Elizabeth Englezos, Griffith University.
We upload some 3 billion images online each day. We make most of these photos on smartphones and use these devices to document everything from gym progress and our loved ones to a memorable meal. By T. J Thompson, RMIT University.
Taylor Swift album drops have become cultural moments – whether or not you are a fan of her music. Each album in the Swift catalogue seeks to open up new themes, discussion, sounds and ideas, while retaining a sense of familiarity that doesn’t alienate fans. By Samuel Murray, University of Liverpool.
Australians are nervous about AI. Efforts are underway to put their minds at ease: advisory committees, consultations and regulations. By Leah Henrickson, The University of Queensland; Catriona Mills, The University of Queensland; David Tang, The University of Queensland, and Maggie Nolan, The University of Queensland.
Last week, USA Today/Gannett posted a job ad for a Taylor Swift reporter, seeking an experienced journalist and content creator to “capture the music and cultural impact of Taylor Swift”. By Kate Pattison, RMIT University.
When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such as Christian Louboutin have cemented our association of the colour red with power and wealth. By Panizza Allmark, Edith Cowan University.
Have you ever entered a gallery, cathedral or grand old ballroom and drawn breath with surprise? Usually, it is opulence, vastness or one stunning painting or sculpture that evokes this response — think Michelangelo’s David, or Chartres Cathedral or the hall of mirrors at Versailles. By Mary Voice, The University of Melbourne.
Dechen, 40, grew up in Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan. Her native language was Mangdip, also known as Nyenkha, as her parents are originally from central Bhutan. She went to schools in the city, where the curriculum was predominantly taught in Dzongkha, the national language, and English. By Tashi Dema, University of New England.
In 1889, the Syndicat du Commerce des Vins de Champagne produced a pamphlet promoting champagne at the Exposition Universelle in Paris, claiming that Dom Pérignon, procurator of the Benedictine Abbey of Hautvillers from 1668, was the “inventor”, “creator” or discoverer" of sparkling champagne. By Garritt C Van Dyk, University of Newcastle.
English Heritage is now selling what it calls “the best thing since sliced bread” at 13 of its sites ~ brown bread ice cream, inspired by a Georgian recipe. The announcement of the flavour mentions several more outlandish Georgian flavours trialled by English Heritage before it landed on brown bread, such as Parmesan and cucumber. By Lindsay Middleton, University of Glasgow.