The Conversation

These articles have been published on The Conversation by experts from The University of Newcastle.

The Conversation • 19 Jun 2026

L’accord de paix avec l’Iran doit exiger la libération de Narges Mohammadi et des autres prisonniers d’opinion

L’Iran compte des milliers de prisonniers d’opinion, dont Narges Mohammadi, prix Nobel de la paix 2023. Leur sort n’est aucunement évoqué dans l’accord entre Trump et Téhéran.

The Conversation • 17 Jun 2026

The Iran peace deal must demand the release of Narges Mohammadi and other prisoners of conscience

Tens of thousands of people were arrested this year alone in Iran, and thousands are executed every year.

The Conversation • 9 Jun 2026

Brushing your teeth in hospital could reduce the chance of catching pneumonia

A toothbrush, some toothpaste and a few minutes of care can prevent a life‑threatening infection. That’s rare in modern medicine.

The Conversation • 5 Jun 2026

Marjane Satrapi’s masterpiece Persepolis transformed the world’s understanding of Iran

First published in 2000, Persepolis created a transformative shift in comics, memoir and political storytelling. Its Iranian–French creator has died, aged 56.

The Conversation • 26 May 2026

Cricket and soccer are Australian sporting giants. How can they be struggling financially?

Football Australia and Cricket Australia highlight how sport organisations can appear commercially successful while remaining financially fragile.

The Conversation • 25 May 2026

How to Dress for Old Age offers personal reflections and important lessons for facing life’s last act

David Carlin and Peta Murray offer hopeful, poignant and personally informed responses to ageing and mortality.

The Conversation • 25 May 2026

Nuns have always sat between freedom and control. Now they’re in the social media spotlight

Catholic nuns and religious sisters are gaining new visibility in digital spaces. These contemporary self-representations are connected to a complicated history.

The Conversation • 20 May 2026

For decades, Australian institutions have displayed stolen human remains. But there’s a way forward

The Tasmanian government has apologised for body parts being collected and displayed without consent. This is not the first time this has happened in Australia.

The Conversation • 20 May 2026

Hantavirus quarantine has started. Two infection control experts explain what to expect

Six passengers from the hantavirus-struck cruise ship are in quarantine in Australia. So how do we actually design buildings to keep a virus from spreading?

The Conversation • 15 May 2026

A historic court victory has upheld transgender rights in Australia. A legal academic explains why

The landmark case, known as Tickle v Giggle, has been going for years. Today the Federal Court found transgender woman Roxanne Tickle had been discriminated against.

The Conversation • 7 May 2026

I’ve investigated a hantavirus outbreak. Here’s what I can tell you about the cruise ship cluster

Is hantavirus being transmitted from person to person? Here’s what investigators need to consider before making that call.

The Conversation • 24 Apr 2026

Friday essay: Aboriginal Anzacs fought for Australia, but returned home to racism. It fuelled their activism

More than 1,000 Aboriginal Australians served in WWI – but unlike white soldiers, they weren’t feted as heroes. They responded with collective activism.

The Conversation • 23 Apr 2026

Long before the Anzacs, April 25 was the day women in Australia got the right to vote

Apart from voting, April 25 1896 was also the day women got the right to govern – in a world first.

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.

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