Fake Banner
Not Just The Holidays: The Hormonal Shift Of Perimenopause Could Be Causing Weight Gain

You’re in your mid-40s, eating healthy and exercising regularly. It’s the same routine that...

Anxiety For Christmas: How To Cope

Christmas can be hard. For some people, it increases loneliness, grief, hopelessness and family...

The Enceladus Idea In The Search For Life Out There

A small, icy moon of Saturn called Enceladus is one of the prime targets in the search for life...

Deontological Decisions: Your Mother Tongue Never Leaves You

Ιf you asked a multilingual friend which language they find more emotional, the answer would usually...

User picture.
The ConversationRSS Feed of this column.

The Conversation is an independent source of news and views, funded by the academic and research community and delivered direct to the public. The Conversation launched in Australia in March 2011.... Read More »

 Blogroll
Babies In Your 30s Is Not Modern - Your Great-Grandmother Did It Too

Babies In Your 30s Is Not Modern - Your Great-Grandmother Did It Too

Dec 19 2014 | comment(s)


Freeze your eggs or your career? Shutterstock

By Jenna Healey, Yale University

Mental Illnesses Run In Families, So How Can We Protect Children?

Mental Illnesses Run In Families, So How Can We Protect Children?

Dec 19 2014 | comment(s)


Children should be taken into consideration when helping adults with mental health issues. Shutterstock

By Sam Cartwright-Hatton, University of Sussex

Mental illness runs in families. This is well known and uncontroversial. There is much that we could do to reduce this risk, but we currently do almost nothing.

5 Common Misconceptions About Seasonal Flu

5 Common Misconceptions About Seasonal Flu

Dec 18 2014 | comment(s)

It’s that time of the year again. You probably think I mean Christmas, but as a virologist the sight of glitter, fairy lights and moulting pine trees immediately makes me think of the flu season. And if there’s one thing that can ruin your family’s Christmas, it’s the arrival of that particular unwanted guest.

But there are lots of myths around about flu. Here’s a quick guide to some common knowledge that actually turns out to be wrong.

Why I’ll Talk Policy With Climate Change Deniers But Not Science

Why I’ll Talk Policy With Climate Change Deniers But Not Science

Dec 18 2014 | comment(s)


What rising sea level? Peter, CC BY-SA

By Mark Maslin,University College London

There are many complex reasons why people decide not to accept the science of climate change.

The doubters range from the conspiracy theorist to the skeptical scientist, or from the paid lobbyist to the raving lunatic.

To Build Character In Kids, Forget Focusing On Self-Esteem

To Build Character In Kids, Forget Focusing On Self-Esteem

Dec 18 2014 | comment(s)

Sports Math: Using A Cricket Nightwatchman Is A Bad Idea

Sports Math: Using A Cricket Nightwatchman Is A Bad Idea

Dec 18 2014 | comment(s)


Nightwatchman Nathan Lyon bowled by Mohammed Sharmi last week. AAP/ David Mariuz

By Tim Trudgian, Australian National University

Imagine you are captain of the national cricket team. With 20 minutes left in day one of a test match, your top-order batsman is dismissed. Do you employ a nightwatchman? That is, do you send in a tail-end batsman to see out the bowling until the end of the day’s play and protect your top-order?

Well, a little bit of math can show you that you shouldn't.