Our stories from 2024

Business, Law and Politics 6 min read

Conservative governments protect more land while socialists and nationalists threaten more species

by Matt Hayward, Professor of Conservation Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Andrea Griffin, Associate Professor in Wildlife Conservation Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, and Jacob Jones, PhD Candidate in Conservation Politics, School of Environmental and Life Sciences

The dire state of biodiversity across the globe suggests not all governments are willing to act decisively to protect nature. Why is that the case, and is a country’s political ideology a factor?

Health and Wellbeing 5 min read

Yes, you do need to clean your tongue. Here's how and why

by Professor Dileep Sharma, Head of Discipline Oral Health at the School of Health Sciences

Has your doctor asked you to stick out your tongue and say “aaah”? While the GP assesses your throat, they’re also checking out your tongue, which can reveal a lot about your health.

Environment 5 min read

New video shows sharks making an easy meal of spiky sea urchins, shedding light on an undersea mystery

by Jeremy Day, PhD researcher

Long-spined sea urchins have emerged as an environmental issue off Australia’s far south coast.

Education 5 min read

How early entry schemes help Year 12 students experiencing disadvantage

by Dr Sally Patfield, Lecturer at the School of Education

During September, many Australian universities start making early offers to Year 12 students for a place next year. This is ahead of the main rounds of offers, due in January.

Science and Technology 5 min read

I heard there's an aurora coming. How do I check?

by Dr Hannah Schunker, ARC Future Fellow in the School of Information and Physical Sciences (Physics)

Few sights in the night sky are as awe-inspiring as aurora. The vibrant dancing lights – usually seen close to the planet’s poles – are produced by a wind of charged particles streaming from the Sun into Earth’s atmosphere. The resulting disturbances are called geomagnetic storms.

Health and Wellbeing 4 min read

5 foods to add to your shopping list to save money – and they’re good for you too

by Laureate Professor Clare Collins AO, Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle HMRI Food and Nutrition Research Program and NHMRC Investigator Research Fellow

Food prices are adding pressure on household budgets, especially for Australians on the lowest incomes.

Health and Wellbeing 4 min read

From FLiRT to FLuQE: what to know about the latest COVID variants on the rise

by Nathan Bartlett, Assistant Dean - Industry Engagement, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy

We’re in the midst of a bad cold and flu season in Australia. Along with the usual viral suspects, such as influenza, RSV, and rhinoviruses (which cause the common cold), bacterial pathogens are also causing significant rates of illness, particularly in children. These include Bordatella pertussis (whooping cough) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Business, Law and Politics 5 min read

Like being ‘slapped’ or ‘kicked’: judicial bullying is a problem in Australian courtrooms

by Ray Nickson, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, School of Law and Justice and Alice Neikirk, Lecturer, School of Law and Justice

Bullying by judges, magistrates and other judicial officers is a factor in many lawyers leaving the profession. Our latest research has shown that judicial bullying remains an issue across all states in Australia.

Arts, Culture and Society 4 min read

No croutons, no anchovies, no bacon: the 100-year-old Mexican origins of the Caesar salad

by Garritt Van Dyk - Lecturer at the School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Sciences (History)

The most seductive culinary myths have murky origins, with a revolutionary discovery created by accident, or out of necessity.

Environment 4 min read

Groundwater is heating up, threatening life below and above the surface

by Gabriel C Rau, Lecturer in Hydrogeology, School of Environmental and Life Sciences (University of Newcastle), Barret Kurylyk Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Coastal Water Resources (Dalhousie University), Dylan Irvine Outstanding Future Researcher - Northern Water Futures (Charles Darwin University) and Susanne Benz Freigeist Fellow, Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (IPF) (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology)

Under your feet lies the world’s biggest reservoir. Groundwater makes up a whopping 97% of all usable freshwater.

Business, Law and Politics 5 min read

Australia’s first civilian jury was entirely female. Here’s how ‘juries of matrons’ shaped our legal history.

by Alice Neikirk, Lecturer in the School of Law and Justice

It’s hard to imagine now, but for almost 1,000 years, pregnant women in England could avoid the death penalty just by virtue of being pregnant. A pregnant woman sentenced to death would receive a stay of execution until the baby was born.

Science and Technology 5 min read

Is bioenergy ever truly green? It depends on 5 key questions

by Dr Jessica Allen, Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering

Plans to revive an old coal-fired power station using bioenergy are being considered in the Hunter region of New South Wales. Similar plans for the station have previously not gone ahead.

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