Why Workplace Harassment Persists Despite Policies — and What Leaders Can Do
Despite widespread policies, sexual harassment remains entrenched in many workplaces, driven by pervasive silence signals that discourage reporting and intervention. A recent study of over 3,700 employees across five nations identified three core silence behaviors—staying silent, silencing others, and not listening—that predict rising harassment levels. The research further shows that front‑line supervisors who model ethical leadership can disrupt these dynamics by sending clear countersignals. Practical countersignals include fairness, integrity, explicit expectations, and genuine attention to concerns, turning paper policies into lived culture.
Israel Isn’t Just Responding to Threats – It’s Reshaping the Middle East
Israel is shifting from a reactive posture to actively shaping Middle Eastern geopolitics. Through targeted military interventions in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Iran, it weakens state cohesion while fostering political fragmentation. Simultaneously, Israel deepens security alliances with Greece and Cyprus...
As Oil Shortages Deepen, Wartime Rationing Offers a Guide for Today’s Governments
The U.S.-Iran conflict has shut the Strait of Hormuz, cutting roughly eight million barrels of oil per day—about eight percent of global demand—and driving prices sharply higher. In response, the Philippines, South Sudan and Mauritius have declared emergencies or begun...
Bumblebees Can Perceive Rhythm, Despite Their Brains Being the Size of a Sesame Seed
A new study published in Science shows that bumblebees, despite having brains the size of a sesame seed, can learn abstract rhythmic patterns and apply them flexibly across different tempos. Researchers trained bees to associate specific LED flash sequences with...
The ‘Chicken Ick’: Why We Suddenly Become Disgusted by Foods We Used to Like
The “chicken ick” describes a sudden, visceral disgust toward chicken that many experience despite previously enjoying it. Researchers link the reaction to sensory mismatches, such as unexpected smell, taste, or texture, and to social cues that trigger emotional contagion via...
Javier Milei’s Inflation ‘Miracle’ in Argentina Is a Warning to the World, Not a Blueprint
Argentine inflation dropped from 211% in 2023 to about 31.5% by the end of 2025 under President Javier Milei. The decline stems from a sharp contraction in real wages and a collapse of industrial activity, with over 2,000 firms shutting and...
Neighbourhoods Are Changing as Cities Prioritize Diversity, Connectivity and Livability
Montreal is witnessing a wave of mixed‑use, transit‑oriented infill projects that combine residential towers with parks, cultural spaces and pedestrian corridors. Developments such as Canoë, Quartier des Lumières and the Molson site emphasize walkability and proximity to subway stations, reflecting...
Iran War: What African Countries Can Do to Get Through the Crisis and Emerge in a Better Place
The US‑Israel war on Iran is destabilising global oil, gas, fertiliser and food markets and has triggered sharp depreciations of African currencies against the dollar. Rising interest rates and tighter foreign‑financing conditions are compounding debt pressures across the continent. Experts...
LNG vs Pumped Hydro: Will NZ Choose to Import Risk or Build Cleaner Resilience?
New Zealand is weighing two contrasting projects to secure its electricity supply amid a global fuel shock. The fast‑track LNG import terminal in Taranaki would cost over NZ$1 billion (≈US$600 million) and deliver power at roughly US$120‑150 per megawatt‑hour, a price deemed uneconomic...
Yes, China Has Made Inroads in the Pacific, but Australia Still Does Far More
Recent Chinese naval activities, including a circumnavigation and a close approach to Australia’s exclusive economic zone, have spotlighted Beijing’s growing maritime presence in the Pacific. Despite these moves, Australia remains the dominant partner, providing extensive fisheries assistance, patrol boats, infrastructure...
Dennis Altman Urges Us to Radically Reimagine the Future – Like He Did in the 60s
Dennis Altman’s new anthology, Righting My World, maps five decades of LGBTQIA+ activism from the 1960s counter‑culture to today’s mainstream Pride celebrations. The book highlights how Sydney’s Mardi Gras transformed from a police‑targeted protest in 1978 to Oceania’s largest tourism‑driven...
AI-Driven Border Surveillance Is Spreading Across West Africa. What This Means for Migrants’ Rights
AI-driven surveillance systems are rapidly being deployed at West African borders, replacing the historically low‑tech checkpoints that relied on trust and simple travel documents. Governments such as Nigeria have introduced biometric passports and facial‑recognition cameras, while the EU’s Emergency Trust...
Handpumps Bring Water to Rural African Communities, but Many Are Broken – Study Models How Best to Maintain Them
Handpumps supply water to over 184 million people in sub‑Saharan Africa, yet between 100,000 and 1.3 million units are broken, creating a hidden crisis. Researchers examined 3,584 pumps across Ethiopia, Malawi and the Central African Republic and built a dynamic optimisation model...
Lady Gaga’s Mayhem Ball Reveals the Gothic Tradition Behind Modern Celebrity
Lady Gaga’s Mayhem Ball, the theatrical tour supporting her 2025 album Mayhem, will wrap up in April after a worldwide run. The production immerses audiences in a gothic universe, featuring skeletons, vampires, plague‑doctor costumes and on‑stage resurrections. By foregrounding themes...
New Discoveries Are Showing How Human Anatomy Is Far From Settled
Recent research shows that human anatomy is far from a finished science. Advances in imaging and renewed cadaveric studies are uncovering variations and previously unknown structures, challenging the static models presented in classic textbooks. Historical anatomy relied on a narrow,...
Iran Was Always Going to Close the Strait of Hormuz
Iran has moved to close the Strait of Hormuz, a tactic long embedded in its defence doctrine, after U.S. President Donald Trump extended a deadline threatening to strike Iranian power plants. The closure throttles roughly 20% of global oil and...
IBS Diets Don’t Work for Everyone. New Research Shows Why – and It’s Not Just About the Food
New research shows that the low‑FODMAP diet’s effectiveness for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) depends as much on gut‑brain interactions as on food restriction. In a six‑month study of 112 adults, researchers tracked symptom changes across the diet’s restriction, reintroduction and...
A Bible Belt Track without a Pulse – It’s No Surprise Fans Hate the 2026 FIFA World Cup Song Lighter
FIFA unveiled "Lighter" as the official song for the 2026 World Cup, a collaboration between American rapper‑singer Jelly Roll, Mexican vocalist Carín León and Canadian producer Cirkut. The track leans heavily into country‑rock with a brief Spanish bridge, prompting a...
Nvidia’s New AI Tool Is Giving Female Game Characters a Makeover – and Gamers Are Pushing Back
Nvidia unveiled DLSS‑5, an AI‑powered upscaling system that promises sharper, more photorealistic game visuals. In demo footage, the tool not only enhanced resolution but also altered the appearance of Grace Ashcroft, a female protagonist in Resident Evil Requiem, giving her...
High Vet Bills Have Eroded Pet-Owners’ Trust – but Vets Aren’t Getting Rich From Their Fees
The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) report flags rising veterinary fees, opaque pricing and rapid corporate consolidation as drivers of eroding trust between pet owners and vets. Contrary to public belief, veterinarians earn modest salaries—about $46,000 to $60,000—and often...
Do You Love Sleeping with Your Pet? Science Reveals There’s a Tricky Trade-Off
Nearly half of U.S. adults—46%—report sleeping in the same bed with a pet, reflecting the growing view of animals as family members. Surveys indicate owners feel more comfort and emotional safety, yet objective sleep studies reveal increased night‑time movement and...
Africa Needs to Fight for a Better Deal on World Trade Rules: It Should Lead the Charge on These 3...
African leaders are using the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé to demand fairer trade rules, focusing on agriculture, e‑commerce and green industrialisation. They aim to curb subsidised imports, boost digital trade infrastructure and secure flexible carbon‑pricing mechanisms. The conference...
The Mathematical Crimes of the Young Sherlock Holmes Series
Amazon Prime’s Young Sherlock Holmes series makes mathematics a central plot device, but it repeatedly misrepresents basic algebra and complex‑number concepts. The opening lecture features an incorrectly solved quintic equation, and later a supposed chemical‑weapon formula is reduced to a...
Australia Has Dedicated More than 20% of Its Land to Conservation but Not Where It Matters Most
Australia now protects about 22 % of its land, a figure that ranks it among global leaders in conservation. However, analysis shows that only a 3 % increase in habitat for threatened species occurred between 2010 and 2022, leaving roughly 160 endangered...
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Rory Medcalf on Australians’ Growing National Security Fears
Australians’ national‑security anxiety has surged, with ANU’s National Security College reporting 64% of respondents worried in February 2026, up from 42% in November 2024. The survey of more than 20,000 people identified AI‑enabled attacks and critical‑supply disruptions as the most likely threats,...
Money Isn’t Free. Here’s What to Know Before Downloading a Cashback App
Cashback apps promise shoppers a rebate on purchases, but the model relies on commissions from retailers and extensive data collection. ShopBack, the market leader with over 55 million users, was recently valued at A$1.4 billion, while banks such as Westpac and...
Your Smart Home Can Be Easily Hacked. New Safety Standards Will Help, but Stay Vigilant
The Australian government has rolled out mandatory minimum security standards for smart‑home devices, targeting weak default passwords, lack of update policies, and opaque vulnerability reporting. The rules require each product to ship with unique credentials, provide a clear disclosure process,...
Wondering if You Really Need that Dental Treatment? Here’s What to Ask and How to Get a Second Opinion
Dental costs deter roughly 30% of Australian adults and nearly half of New Zealanders from seeking care, prompting many to question recommended restorations. Fillings, crowns and implants each have distinct longevity—5‑15 years for composites, 10‑15 years for crowns, and decades for implants with...
Child Protection Workers Are Under Pressure in NZ. Can Predictive Modelling Help?
Frontline child protection workers in New Zealand face growing caseloads, time pressure and fragmented information, making high‑stakes decisions about child safety and family intervention. Predictive modelling, which analyses large administrative datasets to generate risk scores, has been explored for over a...
Family Violence Protection Orders Can Be a Lifeline, but the System Needs Reforming
Family violence protection orders help over 100,000 Australians each year by legally restricting abusive partners and providing a deterrent through criminal penalties for breaches. While they can reduce repeat violence, the system is fragmented across states, with inconsistent definitions, durations,...
Why Does Chronic Pain Often Lead to Depression? Our Research Shows the Answer Is in the Brain
A large UK Biobank neuroimaging study of 14,462 adults revealed that chronic pain triggers a two‑stage remodeling of the hippocampus. Early pain is associated with modest hippocampal growth and better memory, but prolonged pain leads to volume loss, cognitive decline,...
If Rivers Had Legal Rights, Sewage Scandals Would Be Much Harder to Ignore
World Water Day has highlighted a mounting sewage crisis in England, where 450,000 raw sewage discharges were logged in 2024. The scandal is tied to the 1989 privatisation of water utilities, which treats water as a commodity and leaves pollution...
What Humour Means to Older People – and Why some Find It Hard to Keep on Laughing
A new study of 20 adults over 60 reveals humour remains a vital coping tool, but its use is shaped more by social opportunities than by cognitive decline. Participants living alone report fewer chances to share jokes, while many self‑censor...
Syrian Ex-Colonel Faces Crimes Against Humanity Charges in Landmark Case for UK – Expert Explains
Former Syrian Air Force Intelligence colonel Salem Michel Al‑Salem appeared in London facing murder and torture charges tied to the 2011 Damascus protests. The Westminster Magistrates Court sent the case to the Old Bailey, marking the UK’s first prosecution for...
Chalmers Says Latest Treasury Modelling Shows Australia’s Inflation Could Reach 5%, as National Cabinet Meets on Fuel
Treasury modelling released by Treasurer Jim Chalmers indicates Australia’s headline inflation could peak in the high‑4s, potentially reaching 5%, as oil prices remain elevated. Two scenarios are examined: oil at $100 a barrel for the first half of the year,...
Electric Vehicles: What to Know if You’re Considering an EV
Rising petrol prices and geopolitical tensions are prompting Australian drivers to reconsider electric vehicles. New EV models now deliver 300‑500 km of real‑world range and benefit from expanding public charging networks. Home charging remains the cheapest option, with electricity costing...
Men Can Get Out of the Manosphere. Here’s What Former Incels Say About Why They Left
A new Australian Institute of Criminology study examines why some men exit incel and broader manosphere communities. Interviews reveal participants initially join during periods of insecurity, finding temporary solidarity but later experiencing an "unhealthy loop of depression" as echo chambers...
Senegal’s Crisis: Why Debt Restructuring May Be the Least Bad Option
Senegal’s public debt has surged to roughly 132% of GDP, with annual servicing costs of about $9.1 billion. Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has dismissed debt restructuring, opting instead to close 19 government agencies to save roughly $98 million over three years. The...
Australia’s ‘Strategic Infantilisation’ by the US Is Undermining Our Security in Asia
Michael Wesley’s review argues that Australia’s security strategy is trapped in a form of "strategic infantilisation"—an over‑reliance on the United States that undermines its independent diplomatic capacity. He contends that this dependence erodes trust with Southeast Asian neighbours, who see...
Dogs Can Overdose Too: Naloxone Training Can Save Pets’ Lives as Well as Humans
Opioid overdoses, long associated with humans, are now recognized as a threat to dogs, especially as fentanyl and other potent opioids proliferate in Canadian communities. Veterinary and law‑enforcement reports show dogs can inhale, ingest, or absorb opioids, and naloxone—available without...
The Pink Pill: New Documentary Exposes the Long Battle to Bring Addyi — the First Libido Drug for Women —...
The documentary "The Pink Pill" chronicles the decade‑long fight to bring Addyi, the first FDA‑approved drug for women’s low libido, to market. Founder Cindy Eckert bought the rights after a major pharma abandoned the project, launched a 13,000‑patient trial, and...
Tracking Wildlife Using DNA: A Scientific Breakthrough Made with an Indigenous Community
Researchers at INRS partnered with the Abitibiwinni First Nation to develop and test environmental DNA (eDNA) protocols for monitoring 125 North American wildlife species. Field trials in Québec’s boreal forest identified surface snow sampling as the most reliable method, achieving...
What Bite Marks on a Dinosaur Fossil Tell Us About the T. Rex’s Eating Habits
A newly examined Edmontosaurus skull from Montana displays unmistakable Tyrannosaurus rex bite marks. A broken tooth tip lodged in the snout and multiple serrated impressions pinpoint an adult T. rex with a one‑meter skull as the attacker. CT scans reveal...
Memory Is Not to Be Trusted: A South African Memoir Traces the Search for a Family Secret
Dennis Walder, a South African literary scholar, has published Amid the Alien Corn, a memoir that follows his lifelong quest to uncover his mother Ruth’s concealed past spanning Namibia, Germany and apartheid South Africa. The narrative weaves childhood recollections, encounters...
Electric Vehicles Could Soon Be Cheaper than Petrol Cars in Africa – if Financing Barriers Fall
New research from ETH Zürich and PSI finds that electric vehicles paired with off‑grid solar can already be cheaper than petrol cars in many African markets, especially where financing conditions are favorable. Falling battery prices and expanding global EV production...
How Conversation Works – and Why People with Hearing Loss Rely More on Their Powers of Prediction
Conversation relies on rapid brain predictions that keep turn‑taking gaps around 200 milliseconds. People with mild‑to‑moderate hearing loss use these predictive cues more heavily when listening conditions are comfortable, compensating for reduced auditory input. In noisy or low‑volume settings the extra...
Russia’s Relentless Interference Since Start of Ukraine War Has Failed to Break Moldova
Four years after Russia’s full‑scale invasion of Ukraine, Moldova has withstood Moscow’s destabilisation campaign and moved forward on its EU accession path. The country secured candidate status in 2022 and opened accession negotiations in 2024, while President Maia Sandu won...
Oscar Contenders and Women of Substance – What to Watch, Read and See This Week
The Conversation previewed this week’s Oscar race, highlighting Michael B. Jordan’s dual‑role performance in Sinners and recommending Naomi Joseph’s pick, The Secret Agent, alongside Jane Wright’s favorite, Hamnet. The piece also spotlighted cultural works beyond film, including the newly translated Iranian...
Australia May Ban Infant Formula Advertising. Here’s What the Online Ads Actually Say
The Australian government is considering legislation to ban infant‑formula advertising as the voluntary marketing agreement expires in February 2025. Recent analysis identified 158 online ads that use health‑boosting claims to tap parental anxiety, despite breastfeeding rates falling to only 37 percent by...
Sick of Spam Marketing Texts and Emails? This Is How to Stop Them
Australian regulator ACMA fined Lululemon Athletica Australia A$702,900 after the retailer sent over 370,000 marketing emails without a functional unsubscribe option. The penalty follows a series of high‑profile enforcement actions, including fines of $4 million on Tabcorp and $7.5 million on Commonwealth...