3 Questions: Neural transparency and the future of AI design
Assistant Professor Pat Pataranutaporn describes a new interface that lets everyday users glimpse inside an AI’s neural network…
The AI investment surge hasn’t produced the expected results yet. That could change in 2026
What should boards be asking about AI investment right now? Boards that approved artificial intelligence (AI ) budgets…
Was Venezuela struck by an earthquake ‘doublet’? Here’s what we know so far
Debris after an earthquake in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, June 24 2026 Mark Quigley, The University of Melbourne…
International Crypto Law 2026: Global Regulations & Compliance Strategies
Cryptocurrency is now a multi-trillion-dollar asset class that supports DeFi and tokenized assets. By 2026, what used to…
The consequences of relying on AI for accurate news
Media Lab study shows that, much like how GPS has weakened our navigation skills, AI can make us…
Banks race to patch new cyber vulnerabilities, and other cybersecurity news
This regular round-up brings you key cybersecurity stories from the past month. Top cybersecurity news: Banks shoring up…
Pope Leo XIV to Publish First Encyclical on Artificial Intelligence and Human Dignity on 25 May
Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas (“Magnificent Humanity”), will be published on 25 May, addressing artificial intelligence…
How the war in the Middle East is impacting global energy systems
Expect energy disruptions and economic damage, especially in developing countries, and prepare to build a more resilient, sustainable…
From beef ribs to a ‘heavenly’ walk: Xi‑Trump summit symbolism underscored American power and Chinese tradition
China’s President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump visit the Temple of Heaven in Beijing on May…
Middle East conflict looks increasingly like a war nobody can win
Bamo Nouri, City St George’s, University of London and Inderjeet Parmar, City St George’s, University of London…
What will it take to get ships going through the Strait of Hormuz again?
Jennifer Parker, The University of Western Australia; UNSW Sydney Wednesday’s ceasefire announcement by President Donald Trump, linked…
3 lessons on the energy transition in an age of crisis
In early 2022, Jason Bordoff and Meghan O’Sullivan cautioned in a Foreign Affairs article titled ‘Green Upheaval’ that “talk of a…
Why hasn’t the US military used force to secure the Strait of Hormuz?
The Conversation, CC BY-SA Justin Bergman, The Conversation; Matt Garrow, The Conversation, and Mitchell Costello, The Conversation Since…
Gold is meant to be a ‘safe haven’ in uncertain times. Why is it crashing amid a war?
Rand Low, Bond University Gold has long enjoyed a reputation as a financial “safe haven” during stormy times.…
The global price tag of war in the Middle East
The US-Israeli war with Iran has generated a media economy of its own, dominated by body counts, bomb…
Oil, petrol, gasoline: a chemical engineer explains how crude turns into fuel
Image credits: anankkml/Getty Zachary Aman, The University of Western Australia As the US–Israel war on Iran escalates, so…
Ocean bacteria team up to break down biodegradable plastic
MIT researchers uncovered the roles of bacterial species from the environment as they consume biodegradable plastic. Zach Winn…
How the Iran war could create a ‘fertiliser shock’ – an often ignored global risk to food prices and farming
Most shipping companies have suspended journeys through the strait of Hormuz Nima Shokri, United Nations University and…
The Invisible Stress of a Cold Home
Most people think of a cold house as a comfort issue, something you tolerate with thicker socks or…
Why Indoor Air Quality Is Becoming a Business Essential for Small Companies
Indoor air quality has quietly shifted from a background detail to a daily business risk, and HVAC systems,…
Sensors beneath the mattress shed light on sleep
Today’s sleep diagnostics are complex and often unrepresentative of real-life sleep conditions. The Swiss health start-up Undae Science…
Age verification online can be done safely and privately. Here’s how
Richard Williams/Unsplash Marten Risius, The University of Queensland and Johannes Sedlmeir, University of Münster Online chat service Discord…
Uri Poliavich on Responsibility, Risk, and Continuity
Speed tends to steal the spotlight these days. Risk feels glamorous as long as it sparkles. And continuity?…
Reducing Government Costs and Increasing Access to Greenspaces in the United Kingdom with DINO
Parks and greenspaces in England deliver an estimated £6.6 billion ($8.4 billion USD) in health, climate change, and environmental benefits…
I’m walking here! A new model maps foot traffic in New York City
The first complete charting of foot traffic in any US city can be used for infrastructure decisions and…
Winter Olympic security tightens as US-European tensions grow
Keith Rathbone, Macquarie University Since the murder of 11 Israeli hostages at the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics, security…
Radiators, Baseboards, or Forced Air How Each Heating Style Changes a Room
The way a home is heated does more than control temperature—it quietly shapes how rooms feel, sound, and…
How mountain terraces have helped Indigenous peoples live with climate uncertainty
Farmers during harvest season in Batad, Ifugao, Philippines. Paul Connor and the Ifugao Archaeological Project, CC BY Stephen…
Global power struggles over the ocean’s finite resources call for creative diplomacy
Jonas Gamso, Arizona State University and Hossain Ahmed Taufiq, Arizona State University Oceans shape everyday life in powerful…
How AI will transform the workplace in 2026
Cisco SMEs share their workforce-tech predictions for the coming year. If you think just about every assumption about…
Why AI Companies May Invest More than $500 Billion in 2026
The consensus estimate for 2025 capital expenditure by AI hyperscalers is climbing. However, analyst estimates have consistently underestimated…
New research may help scientists predict when a humid heat wave will break
As these events become more common at midlatitudes, a phenomenon called an atmospheric inversion will determine how long…
A predawn op in Latin America? The US has been here before, but the seizure of Venezuela’s Maduro is still unprecedented
A motorcycle rides past graffiti depicting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on Jan. 3, 2026. Juan Barreto/AFP…
This is what the new frontier of AI-powered financial inclusion looks like
Artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI can turn vast, complex data into tailored financial insights, offering services such…
How bus stops and bike lanes can make or break your festive city trip
Harry Radzuan, London South Bank University; University of Manchester; Jiaying Xue, London South Bank University, and…
Skills development is critical to bridging the global digital talent gap
Skills development is essential to keep the global workforce relevant. The conversation around artificial intelligence (AI) is often…
What will it take to achieve net-positive AI energy by 2030?
With data-centre electricity demand expected to double by 2030, AI’s growth could strain grids and drive up costs…
Australia’s social media ban is now in force. Other countries are closely watching what happens
Sanket Mishra/Unsplash Lisa M. Given, RMIT University After months of anticipation and debate, Australia’s social media ban is…
Thirty years after the Balkans peace deal, a different US leadership is fumbling the war in Ukraine
The Dayton accords, signed in December 1995, ended three years of bitter conflict in the Balkans. Stefan Wolff,…
The Hong Kong high-rise fire shows how difficult it is to evacuate in an emergency
Milad Haghani, The University of Melbourne; Erica Kuligowski, RMIT University, and Ruggiero Lovreglio, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa –…
This year’s climate talks saw real progress – just not on fossil fuels
Antonio Scorza/COP30, CC BY-NC-ND Jacqueline Peel, The University of Melbourne It wasn’t a comfortable process for the tens…
How AI can accelerate the energy transition, rather than compete with it
Data-centre spending is projected to reach $1.1 trillion by 2029, driven largely by AI-related energy and compute demand.…
Five key issues at the UN climate summit in Brazil – and why they matter to you and the planet
Alix Dietzel, University of Bristol and Katherine Fitzpatrick, University of Bristol The world’s most important climate summit –…
ASEAN takes major step toward landmark digital economy pact
Image: REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa Southeast Asian nations have reached a critical milestone in negotiations for the world’s first comprehensive…
The Roman empire built 300,000 kilometres of roads: new study
Rosario Lepore / Wikimedia, CC BY Ray Laurence, Macquarie University At its height, the Roman empire covered some…
Vaping as a Lifestyle Choice: What You Should Know
Vaping has evolved beyond simply being a replacement for smoking. For many, it has become a lifestyle choice…
We must empower local leaders to meet global goals – here’s why
Cities drive over 80% of global gross domestic product and innovation – yet their leaders still lack a…
Op-shopping, worm farms and cornstarch blood bags: how Australian theatre is staging a greener future
Grace Nye-Butler, Griffith University Theatre has long gathered and connected communities through story and shared experience. The performing…
You’ve just stolen a priceless artifact – what happens next?
The tiara of Empress Eugénie was one of eight priceless pieces of jewelry stolen from the Louvre in…
How strategic foresight can future-proof the Gulf’s energy transition
Strategic foresight is essential for the resilience of GCC states highly dependent on energy exportsImage: REUTERS/Ben Job The…