Last chance to save nature

The endless tide of bad news about the environment can depress people rather than inspire them, but there are shafts of light in the darkness.

The end of democracy?

A number of social, international and technological trends are converging to threaten the democracy and social cohesion we have taken for granted for decades.

Our brain’s odyssey

The human brain is the most complex thing in the natural world, and the mysteries of its decision making and social drives have long fascinated philosophers, scientists and religious thinkers.

Climate change action

It is becoming increasingly apparent that the world’s leaders are more intent on a talk-fest at COP27 than actually doing anything meaningful about the situation.

Discrimination

Stereotypes, discrimination, intolerance and prejudice may all have different definitions, but each of them affect society and our fellow citizens and we must do our best to recognise and combat them.

Songlines, dreaming tracks and Aboriginal mapping

Songlines, or dreaming tracks, mark the routes followed by localised “creator-beings” in indigenous Australian culture. These paths are recorded in traditional song cycles, stories, dance, and art, and are often the basis of ceremonies connecting native people to their land.

Curiouser and curiouser!

Modern science tends to ignore outsiders but reductionist science is not the only way of knowing things and more attention should be paid to ancient knowledge, new ideas and ‘thinking outside the box’.

What is consciousness?

Scientists, naturalists and philosophers have wrestled with the nature of consciousness for thousands of years, and understanding its nature would do much to reveal the mysteries of human decision making.

The deep roots of history

History books are written on paper, but history writes itself into our trees. Dendrochronology opens a fascinating window into our past, as tree rings tell a long story of climatic and environmental change and even bear the scars of massive solar storms and mysterious cosmic radiation events.

To lie is human

Everyone, even George Washington, has told a lie or two in their time, whether to sugar coat a social situation or trick a person – or a country – into supporting us.

The uses and abuses of religion

Although the basic premise of religions is the same, throughout history politicians and military leaders have blatantly used it to gain control.

The pursuit of happiness

We spend billions of dollars each year looking for happiness, hoping it might be bought, consumed, found, or travelled to, but other, more contemplative cultures and traditions assure us that this is a waste of time, and living in the moment is the best way to find true contentment.