Topics
Please explain: what is the point of mosquitoes?
Cases of Ross River fever have risen sharply in NSW and Queensland, due to an autumn explosion in mosquito numbers. Entomologist and Honorary Senior Lecturer in Biology at Macquarie University, Dr Matthew Bulbert, explains why these detested insects exist at all.
What are market bubbles and can they be popped?
A newly-published paper says it could be possible to eliminate bubbles and crashes in financial and housing markets. Professor Maroš Servátka, Director of Macquarie Business School Experimental Economics Laboratory, explains how innovative trading rules could solve the problem.
Oil tanks, driving prices into uncharted waters
PLEASE EXPLAIN: Even as major oil-producers have agreed to cut output amid a massive glut, this hasn’t prevented the US oil price falling into negative territory for the first time ever. Dr Lurion De Mello explains how this happened.
Is it possible to learn anything?
Organisational Psychologist Professor Mark Wiggins, of Macquarie’s Centre for Elite Performance, Expertise and Training, explains.
What will the average life expectancy be in 100 years?
Alexandra Bhatti, Associate Lecturer in Public Health in the Department of Health Systems and Populations, explains.
Can we predict when a volcano will erupt?
The recent tragedy in New Zealand highlights the difficulties faced by scientists in forecasting volcanic eruptions. Dr Christina Magill, from Macquarie University's Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, explains.
What is the Dark Net and how does it work?
Dr Stephen McCombie, Senior Lecturer in Cyber Security at the Department of Security Studies and Criminology, explains.
Who is Alexander von Humboldt, and why do we care?
On the eve of the biennial Humboldt Symposium at Macquarie University this weekend, we asked its chair Ingrid Piller, Humboldtian scholar and Distinguished Professor of Applied Linguistics, to explain.
How do planes stay in the air?
Now that Qantas has flown into the history books after completing a record 19-hour flight from New York to Sydney, aeronautical engineer Byron Wilson answers the question on everyone's lips.
Why do we dream?
There are many different theories about why we dream, but of all of them, Sigmund Freud’s has proven to be the most provocative. Associate Professor Simon Boag explains.
Right of resistance: the Hong Kong protests explained
With protests over an unpopular extradition bill continuing, Amy Barrow from the Macquarie Law School explains the chain of events leading to the latest eruption of the fight for civil liberties and democracy in Hong Kong.