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SHOCKING: 2 - You Need To See This

Why is it misogynistic to call a woman a ‘witch’?

Over recent weeks, the slogan “ditch the witch” has been featured alongside AI-generated photos of Victorian premier Jacinta Allan. She’s depicted in a dusty and distressed witch’s hat, a fake wart on her chin, on billboards and trucks around Melbourne in the lead up to the state election this November.

The Conversation

This Renaissance queen helped build a nation. Her (male) critics called her dangerous

Bona Sforza was one of the most remarkable women of Renaissance Europe. Born into one of Italy’s leading ruling families and connected to figures such as Lucrezia Borgia through the tangled politics of Italian dynasties, she became queen consort of Poland and grand duchess of Lithuania.

The Conversation

Maggie O'Farrell flattens 19th century Ireland into a theme-pub cliché in her new novel

Maggie O’Farrell’s tenth novel Land is a sprawling family saga. It traverses the landmarks of 19th century Irish history, including the Great Famine – with its corollary, incarceration in the workhouse – and the mapping of Ireland via the Ordnance Survey.

The Conversation

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Aliens might exist. But there are three reasons why they’re not visiting us

The United States government’s recent release of hundreds of previously classified Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs) cases spanning the 1940s to the present, along with the new Steven Spielberg movie, Disclosure Day, about extraterrestrial life, has fuelled the idea that aliens are visiting Earth.

The Conversation

Would you buy milk from a gene-edited cow? Consumers may be more open than you think

As temperatures rise, New Zealand’s dairy farmers face a growing challenge: keeping cows cool enough to remain productive.

The Conversation

Where do Socceroos come from? Our map reveals Australia’s junior talent hotspots

When Football Australia (FA) announced the Socceroos’ squad for the FIFA World Cup, there was plenty of interest on the mix of experienced and new players.

The Conversation

SpaceX raised $75B in record IPO – here’s why insiders like Elon Musk are much likelier than public stock buyers to get rocket-powered returns these days

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is becoming a publicly traded company after selling 555.6 million shares in what was the biggest initial public offering in history. But my new research suggests that investors who bought those shares are unlikely to see the explosive growth that past IPOs had.

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Friday essay: despite the AI hype, some experts warn of a bubble – what happens if it pops?

In the last few years, the hype around artificial intelligence has become stratospheric. Riding a wave of venture capital, tech leaders promised us AI would revolutionise work, boost productivity and lead to incredible new breakthroughs. OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, set a new record when it attained US$110 billion in…

The Conversation

How bait-and-switch sales tricks make us click on online ‘bargains’ – and what to do about it

You’re browsing a major online marketplace for a warm winter jacket, when a sponsored listing catches your eye: a black, fleece-lined jacket, prominently priced for sale from A$18.99 each. It’s just what you want. So you click through, ready to grab a bargain.

The Conversation

Cartier, ‘the jeweller of kings’, has come to the NGV in a dazzling new exhibit

Founded in Paris 179 years ago, Cartier has fostered a legendary reputation as the creator of luxury goods for royalty, the aristocracy, film stars, and the generally wealthy. The English king Edward VII famously referred to Cartier as “the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers”.

The Conversation

Kids should be involved in their health care. Here’s how to make that happen

Children have a right to learn, play and grow.

The Conversation

Climate change is causing fish to move to cooler water. But what if their escape route is blocked?

Around the world, ocean warming is causing fish to move polewards in search of cooler water.

The Conversation

Will ‘move on’ orders for rough sleepers make cities safer – or revive Victorian-era cruelty?

A proposed law currently before New Zealand’s parliament would give police the power to move people on from public spaces if they are found begging, rough sleeping or otherwise causing a disturbance.

The Conversation

Why corporate inclusion policies are moral decisions, not just business ones

Executives are facing pressure from boards, employees, regulators and consumers to either defend or abandon diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Many are retreating from their DEI commitments. But in the rush to respond to political headwinds, a more fundamental question is going unasked: Is inclusion a moral imperative?

The Conversation

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The Conversation

The high cost of undiagnosed and untreated ADHD: Unequal mental-health access and the care economy

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that can persist from childhood into older adulthood. It impacts individuals from all ethnic groups and socioeconomic backgrounds.

The Conversation

Canada’s AI strategy and universities: Beyond literacy, students need to be fluent with AI

The Canadian government’s new artificial intelligence strategy positions AI as a major driver of job creation, economic growth and national competitiveness. It has also drawn some criticism for not providing enough detail on safety and governance.

The Conversation

Canada has alternatives to corporate grocery chains. Here’s what governments can learn from them

In March 2026, the Toronto city council approved a municipal grocery store pilot in four communities to address issues of food access and high food costs. The proposal is one of several recent responses to the growing push for “publicly owned and operated” grocery store alternatives.

The Conversation

What is the Common Travel Area? Why the Ireland-UK border arrangement isn’t a ‘loophole’ for migrants

A horrific knife attack in Belfast has exacerbated tensions which have spilled over into widespread disorder.

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The Conversation

How Taiwan is balancing between American and Chinese visions of energy dominance

U.S. President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national energy emergency on his first day back in office framed fossil fuel production as a geopolitical weapon. “Energy dominance” — flooding global markets with American oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) — would reassert American power, undercut China’s clean-technology leverage and discipline…

The Conversation

‘She should have seen it coming’: How radicalization policies put the burden on Muslim mothers

For several years now, the radicalization of young people has been making headlines. This phenomenon can be linked to the far-right movement, as we saw on May 30 in Shawinigan during a demonstration calling for a “White Québec,” or revolve around other forms of radicalism, including Islamist movements.

The Conversation

Creative employers are struggling to fill vacancies due to a lack of skills – here’s how we can fix that

Skills matter enormously when it comes to retaining the UK’s global competitiveness in the creative industries. Forecasts suggest that demand for additional jobs in the sector is set to grow in the coming years. But does the UK’s creative workforce possess the required skills to meet this demand?

The Conversation

The Gulf Stream suddenly moved north during an ancient cold snap – and it’s a warning for our future

Around 13,000 years ago, as the world was emerging from the grip of the last ice age, much of the North Atlantic region plunged back into near-glacial conditions.

The Conversation

AI doesn’t just help us think, it thinks instead of us: what this means for the process of learning

Deep in Book VII of Plato’s Republic, Socrates describes prisoners chained inside a cave, mistaking shadows cast on a wall by firelight for reality itself. They name the shadows, debate them and develop expertise about them. The prisoners are completely, sincerely wrong, and they have no idea. The cave isn’t…

The Conversation

Kids on social media more than two hours a day at higher risk of mental illness

As the United Kingdom and other countries make moves to follow Australia’s lead in restricting access to social media for under 16s, there is still much we don’t know about how the technology impacts young people’s mental health over time.

The Conversation

Forced labour in west African cybercrime academies: how fear traps young men

Forced labour in cybercrime might call to mind scam compounds in south-east Asia. A growing body of scholarship, journalism and policy attention has entrenched that stereotype. Images of fortified compounds, armed guards and confiscated passports are shaping how courts worldwide interpret cybercriminal participation.

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