We have to talk about ChatGPT, or as my sister @anitranot styles it, ‘ChattieG.’ (which is both funnier and easier to say). The reaction to Chattie in academia seems to oscillate between moral panic (“OMG, The Youngs will cheat on their assignments!!”) and world-weary cynicism (“it writes like shit anyway”). Very few people seem to be talking […] … learn more→

As the volume and variety of data about people increases, so does the number of ideas about how data might be used. Studies show that many people want their data to be used for public benefit. However, the research also shows that public support for use of data is conditional, and only given when risks such as those […] … learn more→

Technology is supposed to make our lives easier. Smart phones provide a palm-size window to the world, enabling us to do almost anything at the touch of a button. Smart homes look after themselves, and virtual meetings mean that for many, time spent commuting is a thing of the past. So we should have more […] … learn more→

In any home with children, items inevitably accumulate. Throughout birthdays, Christmas parties, celebrations of events such as sporting victories or impulsive purchases, we find ourselves invaded by a flood of toys, clothes and trinkets. Parting with these possessions is a completely different matter. While some children are convinced to place their old toys in solidarity collection bins […] … learn more→

Australian high school students have achieved steady results in a new round of international tests. The latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results, released on Tuesday night, show 15-year-olds have recorded similar results to 2015 and 2018 in mathematics, science and reading. But when looked at over the past 20 years, Australian students’ performance has […] … learn more→

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed many industries by enabling machines to perform tasks that traditionally require human intelligence. The research community is just one of the groups exploring the benefits of AI in analysing content, organising data and more. However, as with any new technology, there are ethical considerations we must consider […] … learn more→

Although it may seem strange, science has a lot to say about our friendships. For example, why we have a limited number of friends. Robin Dunbar , an Oxford anthropologist, proposed his famous number 150: the average number of friendships a person can maintain simultaneously. These friendships are organized in circles : about five best friends, about ten additional good friends, and […] … learn more→

The rampant increase of hate messages on social media is a scourge in today’s technology-infused society. Racism, homophobia, xenophobia and even personal attacks on people who have the audacity to disagree with someone else’s political opinion – these and other forms of online hate present an ugly side of humanity. The derision on social media appears in vile and […] … learn more→

Doctoral and emerging researchers often believe that they must, from the very get go, publish in highly ranked journals. Where does this idea come from. Well sometimes word of mouth. Sometimes universities may try to point researchers in the top ranked journal direction. Some universities actually offer clear instructions about what journals to choose via […] … learn more→

It seems like we have free will. Most of the time, we are the ones who choose what we eat, how we tie our shoelaces and what articles we read on The Conversation. However, the latest book by Stanford neurobiologist Robert Sapolsky, Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will, has been receiving a lot of media attention for arguing science shows this is an illusion. Sapolsky summarises […] … learn more→