Giant ‘kings of apes’ once roamed southern China. We solved the mystery of their extinction
Artist’s impression of a group of Gigantopithecus blacki in a forest in southern China. Garcia/Joannes-Boyau (Southern…
Ian Moffat Rock art is one of the most intriguing records of the human past –…
Why is the universe ripping itself apart? A new study of exploding stars shows dark energy may be more complicated than we thought
The remains of a Type Ia supernova – a kind of exploding star used to measure…
Shutterstock ChatGPT has repeatedly made headlines since its release late last year, with various scholars and…
Here’s why you should (almost) never use a pie chart for your data
YesPhotographers/Shutterstock Our lives are becoming increasingly data driven. Our phones monitor our time and internet usage…
Male pregnancy and weird courtship wiggles: how NZ’s wide-bodied pipefish confounds expectations
If you’ve ever watched a natural history programme on TV, you’ve probably seen animals performing a…
Future historians may well regard 2023 as a landmark in the advent of artificial intelligence (AI)….
The strange story of the grave of Copernicus
Astronomer Copernicus, or Conversations with God (1873) Jan Matejko / Wikimedia Commons Nicholas Copernicus was the…
Meteors, supermoons, a comet and more: your guide to the southern sky in 2024
Geoffrey Wyatt What exciting events will we see in the southern sky in 2024? Meteor showers,…
Our dogs can terrify (and even kill) wildlife. Here’s how to be a responsible owner this summer
Shutterstock In Australia, dog ownership often goes hand-in-hand with a love for the great outdoors. Whether…
Want to buy a home telescope? Tips from a professional astronomer to help you choose
While the unaided eye or binoculars can reveal much of the night sky, a telescope reveals…
The science of the ideal salad dressing
HannaTor/Shutterstock Summer means salads. And salads are even more delicious with a good dressing. Most salad…
Alpha, beta, theta: what are brain states and brain waves? And can we control them?
Shutterstock There’s no shortage of apps and technology that claim to shift the brain into a…
People once lived in a vast region in north-western Australia – and it had an inland sea
For much of the 65,000 years of Australia’s human history, the now-submerged northwest continental shelf connected…
How to make gravy (using chemistry)
OKMG/Shutterstock “Gravy Day” is a relatively new date in the Australian calendar. Paul Kelly’s song How…
How many people need to be in a room for two to share a birthday? It’s fewer than you think. Here’s why
A veridical paradox with practical uses. Cottonbro Studio/Pexels CC BY-SA Have you ever bumped into someone…
19-million-year-old fossil jaw bone hints the biggest whales first evolved somewhere unexpected
The baleen whale fossil at Museums Victoria Research Institute. Eugene Hyland, Museums Victoria Baleen whales are…
2023 was the year of generative AI. What can we expect in 2024?
Midjourney image by T.J. Thomson In 2023, artificial intelligence (AI) truly entered our daily lives. The…