“Music has charms to soothe a savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak,” wrote the English poet William Congreve in 1697. These days, we tend to take music’s inherent charms for granted and…
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Displaying 5351 - 5375 of 6591 articles
As I write this, engineers at NASA and Ball Aerospace & Technologies have their fingers crossed they’ll be able to restart the stricken Kepler space observatory, which has been in hibernation mode…
For every medical condition, treatments are most effective when measurement guides the choice of therapy and its effects. Just think of diabetes, where blood glucose levels guide the choice of treatment…
Another Ashes cricket series is upon us and, once again, all the talk is about who has the most potent bowling attack. But, of course, injuries can thwart the best laid plans – so how can biomechanics…
Technology has, without doubt, expanded our understanding of space. The Voyager 1 space probe is on the brink of leaving our solar system. Massive telescopes have discovered blasts of fast radio bursts…
To reach the start line of the Tour de France – currently underway – is an incredible feat in itself for any professional cyclist. It is the culmination of years of dedicated training and competition…
“AUSTRALIANS SAY NO TO ANIMAL EXPERIMENTS,” rang the headline of a recent media release by the activist group Humane Research Australia, referring to an opinion poll it commissioned in May that found…
Cyclists in this year’s Tour de France – currently underway – will cover more than 3,300km over 21 stages in 23 days. Of course, due to the extreme physical exertion required to do this at speed, many…
When discussing how to embed Indigenous Australian knowledge and practices into the Australian national curriculum effectively - particularly the maths curriculum - there’s no better place to start than…
This week saw the passing of Doug Engelbart, one of the giants in the history of computing. Today he is mostly known for his invention of the computer mouse in 1963. Many of his other big ideas lay waiting…
How many electrons are there in the universe? That may seem nigh on impossible to calculate – let alone comprehend – but the discovery of a new population of astrophysical events called Fast Radio Bursts…
Australia must have a strategy to ensure the country’s prosperity and boost its international standing in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), Chief Scientist Professor Ian Chubb said…
Public concerns about issues such as wind farms and vaccines have led to a discussion about why some people have strong fears or adverse reactions, and why their perception of risk doesn’t align with those…
We know professional cyclists have strong legs and the desire to win, but what role does food and drink play in their chances of success? The Tour de France is considered one of the world’s most demanding…
When the IBM computer Deep Blue defeated world chess champion Garry Kasparov in 1997 it seemed to many we had crossed a threshold. By beating us at our (arguably) most complex intellectual task, man had…
The phrase “scientific evidence” has become part of the vernacular – thrown about like a hot potato during discussions of major environmental, health or social issues. Climate change is one example. The…
Last weekend, the Washington Post published a further four slides, leaked from the US National Security Agency (NSA), which outline how data is collected through the PRISM program. The process is fairly…
We all know hygiene is paramount in hospitals, necessary to protect patients and staff alike. But while medical staff usually wear protection when conducting examinations on infectious patients and hospitals…
Talking only about 3D printers and guns is like watching a movie in fast forward, slowing down only to watch the bits where people die. But in the whole story of 3D printing, guns are only one short scene…
The simple pleasure of sending a text message is almost a thing of the past - and shows it’s time we turn our attention to wireless technology. Chat apps such as Apple iMessage and Viber recently overtook…
Do you have trouble remembering all your passwords, PINs and identification codes? If you believe the hype, you could soon be swallowing away all your problems with a “password pill”. But don’t hold your…
The historic 100th edition of the Tour de France, kicking off tomorrow in Porto-Vecchio, Corsica, is being heralded by many as the cleanest Tour ever. This year’s Tour favourite, Britain’s Chris Froome…
Earlier this month, Apple announced iOS 7, the most recent incarnation of its operating system for mobile and portable devices. According to Apple: iOS 7 is completely redesigned with subtle motion, an…
Our genetic material is encoded in DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). DNA is famous. But you may also have also heard of RNA (ribonucleic acid). So, what is RNA, and what is it good for? Quite a lot really…
It’s been more than four months since Australia’s “blackest day” in elite sport, with allegations of widespread misuse of drugs and other substances. After several years of high-profile cases of drugs-in-sport…