The Conversation
These articles have been published on The Conversation by experts from The University of Newcastle.
The Conversation • 22 Oct 2021
Cleo Smith has been gone almost a week. Why missing children cases grip the nation
Cleo is the latest missing child case to grip the nation. And our fascination with every twist and turn of such cases can both help and be a curse.
The Conversation • 22 Oct 2021
Curious Kids: why do we see the 'sky' during the day, but the galaxy at night?
The sky on other planets doesn’t look the same as the sky on Earth does. And that’s because of the different gases in Earth’s atmosphere.
The Conversation • 21 Oct 2021
Despite lockdowns, 1,142 Australians, including 66 kids, died on our roads in the past year. Here's what we need to do
Countries around the world are managing to reduce their road deaths to zero. There are ways Australia can get there too.
The Conversation • 13 Oct 2021
Refugee students struggle with displacement and trauma. Here are 3 ways schools can help them belong
A recently published book provides strategies for schools to help young people dealing with trauma and forced migration to integrate into their new communities.
The Conversation • 8 Oct 2021
10 ways we can better respond to the pandemic in a trauma-informed way
The COVID-19 pandemic is a stressful time for all, and even more so for people experiencing trauma-related stress. How can public health emergency responses avoid further trauma for vulnerable people?
The Conversation • 8 Oct 2021
Friday essay: a world of pain – Australian theatre in crisis
The end of the pandemic may be in sight. The pain for Australia’s theatre sector is only just beginning.
The Conversation • 6 Oct 2021
Is salt good for you after all? The evidence says no
A new study questions whether current global salt limits are too low. But don’t reach for the salt just yet – the guidelines are unlikely to change any time soon.
The Conversation • 5 Oct 2021
Beyond Oxbridge and Yale: popular stories bring universities to life — we need more of them in Australia
The lack of a collective memory of university education and the student experience presents a serious problem in Australian life.
The Conversation • 29 Sep 2021
The Gabby Petito case has been exploited by the media. We need to stop treating human tragedy as entertainment
The obsessive and voyeuristic media response to the disappearance of US travel influencer Gabby Petito has demeaned and trivialised a real-life tragedy.
The Conversation • 27 Sep 2021
From Bruce Lee to Shang-Chi: a short history of the kung fu film in cinema
The history of martial arts films is almost as long as the history of cinema. Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings excitingly pushes the genre forward.
The Conversation • 23 Sep 2021
Australia is no stranger to earthquakes, yet our planning polices have not adapted
In 1989, Newcastle was hit by Australia’s deadliest earthquake, but high-rise development in the city’s CBD has continued nonetheless. Australia needs a consistent planning code for earthquake risk.
The Conversation • 22 Sep 2021
Curious kids: why do sloths go slow?
Like the lazy koala, the reason sloths go slow has a lot to do with what they eat.
The Conversation • 17 Sep 2021
Local, face-to-face support offers a lifeline for uni students in regional and remote Australia
Community-run centres in regional and remote Australia are having positive impacts on students who were historically under-represented at university and at high risk of dropping out.
The Conversation • 15 Sep 2021
During COVID lockdown, is it OK to go to the beach? We asked 5 experts
Many Sydneysiders have been heading to beaches in their local areas as the weather warms. So, if it’s allowed under the public health orders for your area, is it OK to go to the beach?
The Conversation • 14 Sep 2021
We're two frontline COVID doctors. Here's what we see as case numbers rise
The hospital system is already strained. And this is what we face as Australia prepares to open up.
The Conversation • 10 Sep 2021
COVID gives us a chance to rethink traditional end-of-school exams, and move into the 21 century
Our educational model, and particularly end-of-school assessments, are based on old modes of practice that no longer serve the 21st century student and their future. We have other options.
The Conversation • 8 Sep 2021
Why are we seeing more COVID cases in fully vaccinated people? An expert explains
‘Breakthrough’ infections can happen because of waning immunity or high viral doses. But our vaccines are still excellent at preventing severe disease and death.
The Conversation • 2 Sep 2021
This shy little wallaby has a white moustache and shares its name with a pub meal. Yet it's been overlooked for decades
Meet the parma wallaby: for decades it was presumed extinct, until it turned up in New Zealand. Today, its failure to charm Australians may have doomed it – for good.
The Conversation • 1 Sep 2021
Curious Kids: why is the Sun's atmosphere hotter than its surface?
The temperature of the Sun’s surface is about 6,000℃. But higher above the surface, in the atmosphere, it suddenly shoots up to more than a million degrees!
The Conversation • 6 Aug 2021
Younger adults can get very sick and die from COVID too. Here's what the data tell us
It seems things have shifted slightly since earlier in the pandemic. A growing proportion of people hospitalised with the Delta strain are aged in their 30s or 40s.
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.