The Conversation
These articles have been published on The Conversation by experts from The University of Newcastle.
The Conversation • 31 Mar 2026
‘Mum and Dad both finished school in Year 10’ – how to help first-in-family students graduate from uni
For students in our study, university was not simply about finding a job, but about changing their life trajectories.
The Conversation • 23 Mar 2026
Money isn’t free. Here’s what to know before downloading a cashback app
A multi-billion dollar industry is putting cash back in consumers’ pockets. But there’s a catch.
The Conversation • 23 Mar 2026
Morgan le Fay was King Arthur’s sister – but also a healer, mathematician and murderer
Morgan’s powers fall under two key branches of natural philosophy: the science of medicine, and the science of necromancy according to physics.
The Conversation • 23 Mar 2026
TVs keep getting more pixels – but we are approaching the limits of what our eyes can actually see
Televisions have come a long way from cathode ray tubes to 8K OLED screens. Do they need to go any further?
The Conversation • 20 Mar 2026
Friday essay: my mother survived polio – stories like hers show why vaccination matters
As a child, Catharine Coleborne’s mother spent a year in bed with polio. Stories like hers reveal why we can’t afford to go backwards on vaccination.
The Conversation • 6 Mar 2026
Is honey good for you? Can it speed recovery if you’re sick or injured?
Here’s how the claims about honey for specific injuries and diseases stack up to science.
The Conversation • 5 Mar 2026
What this year’s Tropfest winning film tells us about mothers in the screen industry
Lianne Mackessy’s Crescendo won top prize – a significant personal and industry milestone.
The Conversation • 2 Feb 2026
Does coffee raise your blood pressure? Here’s how much it’s OK to drink
You’ve probably noticed your heart rate increases after you start drinking your morning coffee. But the impact on blood pressure is more complicated.
The Conversation • 13 Jan 2026
The Pout-Pout Fish visually exemplifies contemporary animation – but something is lost in translation
The much beloved and best-selling picture book series The Pout-Pout Fish comes to the big screen, with mixed results.
The Conversation • 31 Dec 2025
How baseball helped shape Japanese migrants’ experiences during the White Australia policy
The century-old story of Sydney’s Nippon Baseball Club offers insights into the lives of Asian migrants during the White Australia policy.
The Conversation • 17 Dec 2025
Is democracy the worst form of government – apart from all the others? We asked 5 experts
Recent studies have shown declining levels of trust in democratic systems. We asked experts to consider democracy’s strengths and weaknesses.
The Conversation • 2 Dec 2025
Giving men a common antidepressant could help tackle domestic violence: world-first study
A commonly prescribed antidepressant has sparked a reduction in domestic violence reoffending among highly impulsive, violent men.
The Conversation • 27 Nov 2025
How England’s Premier League is trying to stop football’s financial arms race – without a salary cap
The Premier League’s new financial rules shift focus from backward-looking accounting to real-time cost control.
The Conversation • 11 Nov 2025
Is your child’s school using generative AI? Here are 8 questions to ask
While parents may be hearing about AI in their work or in the news, they may not realise it is also being introduced into their child’s classrooms.
The Conversation • 7 Nov 2025
Will the US Supreme Court consider a request to overturn same-sex marriage?
Given the more conservative configuration of the Supreme Court today, the court decision that legalised same-sex marriage cannot be taken for granted.
The Conversation • 3 Nov 2025
‘Wog’ humour, tense US politics and real-world monsters: what to watch in November
Standouts this month include the latest season of The Diplomat, addictive British reality TV and a political thriller starring Rebecca Ferguson.
The Conversation • 13 Oct 2025
What is gingivitis? How do I know if I have it?
Here are some tell-tale signs of gingivitis, and what to do about this common type of gum disease.
The Conversation • 9 Oct 2025
Buying with a sibling or rentvesting: some unorthodox approaches to buying a first home
While these strategies work for some people, they are not necessarily possible for most aspiring first home owners.
The Conversation • 6 Oct 2025
More and more Australian families are homeschooling. How can we make sure they do it well?
Homeschooling ranges from highly structured ‘school at home’ to ‘unschooling’ where kids learn through living.
The Conversation • 2 Oct 2025
New documentary about the Malka Leifer case centres trauma, persistence and survival
The new Stan documentary Surviving Malka Leifer is challenging to watch but shows us three women claiming their power.
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The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.