Our Stories
Please explain: The rise and rise of vapes
On January 1 it became illegal to import disposable vapes, and while Australia waits for legislation to make selling them without a prescription unlawful, why are young people still taking up the deadly habit?
Taylor Swift: A masterclass in marketing
Opinion: Macquarie University marketing expert Dr Abas Mirzaei explores the unstoppable influence of Taylor Swift's personal brand.
Boost to palliative care may be needed for cancer patients
Nearly one-third of people who died from cancer in NSW between 2014 and 2019 received hospital care that could be classified as “potentially burdensome” in the month leading up to their death, according to a new study.
IVF 'add on' treatments: Fair choice or false hope?
Many Australians using Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) to conceive are paying for costly ‘add-on’ treatments that lack high-quality evidence that they will improve their chances of taking home a healthy baby.
New genetic therapy could be a gamechanger for MND and frontotemporal dementia
Macquarie University neuroscientists have developed a single-dose genetic medicine that has been proven to halt the progression of both motor neurone disease (MND) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in mice – and may even offer the potential to reverse some of the effects of the fatal diseases.
Are conspiracy theories a cultural art form?
Why do people buy into conspiracy theories when they don’t necessarily believe them? In a recent paper, Macquarie University Professor of Philosophy, Neil Levy, looks at society’s complex relationship with evidence, the desire to suspend disbelief and the role of gamification in conspiracy theory.
Why Shakespeare's plays remain relevant in the 21st Century
A new book by English literature scholar Dr Roberta Kwan argues that Shakespeare's tales remain a powerful influence more than four centuries after his death partly because they tackle our need to know what to do in tricky situations.
Screen test: Paper still wins in the reading stakes
Research suggests that reading on screens is a less effective way to absorb and retain information than reading the old-fashioned way, but why? And when so many of us are noticing shortening attention spans, how do we learn to concentrate on books again?
Inflation eases, but the RBA still has plenty to ponder
Opinion: Australia’s central bank is poised to meet for the first time in 2024 and will have plenty of challenges to focus on. Professor David Orsmond from the Macquarie Business School explains.
Teacher shortage: how to attract our best and brightest to the profession
Opinion: School of Education researcher Dr Janet Dutton says while everybody wants their children to be taught by the best teachers, they don't want their children to be teachers. Dr Dutton tackles some of the reasons behind the shortage and proposes steps that could return teaching to a profession our brightest students want to enter.
A stargazer's guide to heavenly events in 2024
Macquarie University astrophysicist Professor Richard de Grijs explains some of the most impressive events ahead in the night sky this year, and the dates and times to see them.
Water recycling could be key to cooling Sydney’s west
A new research project is poised to deliver the formula to safely recycle water into gardens and parklands at scale, addressing both urban heat and sustainability challenges in western Sydney.