Arts and Society
Influencing the cultural conversation
Arts and Society
Influencing the cultural conversation
White power symbol or subconscious twitch? How an Aussie ref landed in a World Cup controversy
An Australian referee has been cleared by FIFA of wrongdoing amid calls from an anti-discrimination body for him to be stood down from the World Cup. Shaun Evans has denied a hand gesture he made during a live broadcast signalled 'white power'. Macquarie University far-right scholars explain how the upside-down 'OK' hand signal became associated with extremism.
Four out of five cigarettes smoked in Australia are illegal. What’s in them?
An estimated 80 per cent of the cigarettes smoked in Australia last year were illegal, according to new wastewater data from the Bureau of Statistics. We asked respiratory experts what could be in them.
Dupe or design theft? Sabo takes on Shein and Kmart in epic battle
Queensland clothing brand Sabo says retail behemoths Kmart and Shein copied its designs. Legal experts say proving ownership of intellectual property in fashion is far more difficult than many consumers realise.
People are using AI to communicate without disclosing it. Is this morally wrong?
From polished meeting notes to an AI-written eulogy, undisclosed assistance can mislead others about what we really think, feel or can do, raising hard questions about when that deception crosses a moral line.
Not A Souvenir: Exhibit turns racist Aboriginalia into an act of truth‑telling
Aboriginal people of my vintage grew up surrounded by Aboriginalia in the form of kitsch everyday objects, often depicting racist stereotypes that showed what Australia thought about us.
Psychologist shortfall to hit 96% by 2038 as sector urges government action
Psychologists have sounded the alarm over “once in a generation” training reforms the government says will plug the gaps in Australia’s crippled mental health workforce.
Macquarie research tackles minerals, cane toads, fisheries and more in ARC boost
Macquarie University researchers have secured more than $3.1 million in ARC Linkage Projects funding to work with industry, government and community partners on groundbreaking studies.
Bedtime stories by ChatGPT? The AI children’s book boom explained
AI tools are turning family photos into instant storybooks and opening publishing to anyone, but experts say the technology comes with serious trade-offs.
‘Poverty porn’: the moral dilemma behind MrBeast’s billion‑dollar empire
Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, runs the most subscribed-to YouTube channel in the world. He is also a prominent philanthropist. But despite improving the lives of many, his methods are controversial.
We found hundreds of huge ancient mass graves hidden in the Sahara desert
New research has found 260 previously unknown enclosure burials east of the Nile River.
The copyright fight that could chill investigative reporting
A landmark High Court case is testing whether the subject of covertly filmed footage can claim copyright and use it to block publication. The decision could reshape public interest journalism, writes Professor Peter Greste.
Is swiping right dead? Why Gen Z is swapping Tinder for talk
When Tinder launched in 2012, Silicon Valley was convinced it had solved modern dating. The right swipe promised efficiency, abundance and ease – a frictionless fix for the messiness of human connection.