Arts and Society

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Solved – the site of Australia's first astronomical observatory
VIDEO: A Macquarie University researcher has re-written history books by discovering the true location of Australia’s first astronomical observatory.
A plant that tells you it needs water? Welcome to the future of SynBio
We are now at the point when synthetic biology techniques can allow information to flow from digital systems into living organisms, paving the way for technologies of vast potential, say Macquarie University researchers.
Family Court abolition doesn't fix the problems faced by divorcing families: study
Killing the Family Court is not about to make divorce easy, quick or cheap. Indeed, Macquarie Law School research shows that without careful implementation and further reform, it is likely a step in the wrong direction, write Sonya Willis and Rose Al-Kahili.
Biden's burden: Time for America to shake its addiction to war on the cheap
Healing the deep wounds in US society includes reckoning with the consequences of endless war, writes Macquarie University international security specialist Dr Tom Waldman, author of a new book about modern American warfare.
The Buffy dilemma: when creators fall short, what's a fan to do?
Whether a creative work like Buffy the Vampire Slayer should be judged on its own merits or through the prism of its creator's alleged bad behaviour is a thorny issue for fans, writes historical fiction specialist Dr Stephanie Russo.
Ancient Roman city reveals its winemaking secrets
An archaeological dig in Turkey has uncovered a wine press likely to have made the sweet wine used in religious ceremonies, and drunk on the sly by women, says Dr Emlyn Dodd, Macquarie researcher and Assistant Director for Archaeology at the British School at Rome.
World first: Muddied mummy reveals new details of ancient practice
Macquarie researchers have used cutting-edge medical technology to reveal a previously unknown method of preserving Egyptian mummies.
'Good for the soul': The PM who loved poetry
Australia’s wartime leader John Curtin declared from his first days in office that everyone should read poetry, writes Macquarie University poetry scholar and Curtin’s great-grandson, Dr Toby Davidson, author of a new book about the PM’s passion for verse.
Please explain: Why does the world need poetry?
When Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th US President, a spellbinding poetry reading from National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman stole the show. As Professor Louise D’Arcens explains, poets have long been helping us make sense of the world.
Media at the crossroads: why 2021 is a game changer for news in Australia
2021 is a make-or-break year for Australian news media – and nothing less than the strength of our democracy is at stake, says Macquarie University media researcher Dr Tai Neilson.
In Kamala's footsteps: a girls' guide to crashing through the glass ceiling
VIDEO America's new Vice-President represents how high women can go, but also the obstacles they must overcome to get there, says Macquarie Business School Professor of Gender, Work and Organisation Alison Pullen.
New book upends thinking on why people have 'bad beliefs'
Why do some people, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, believe vaccination is dangerous and climate change not real? Macquarie University Professor of Philosophy Neil Levy has written a book that upends conventional thinking about why people have ‘bad beliefs’.