Pursuit
Cutting-edge research and insightful commentary by world-leading experts
Welcome to Pursuit
More about usHealth & Wellbeing
Is ‘herd immunity’ in intensive care doing more harm than good?
New research suggests an antibiotic treatment commonly used in Intensive Care Units is putting patients at risk by creating ‘herd peril’
Science Matters
Dark matter might be ‘light’
We don’t know the mass of dark matter particles, so researchers are developing new techniques to look for new, lighter types
Science Matters
Mathematicians moved by dance, karate and building a better world
To mark Women in Mathematics Day, two early career mathematicians – Dr Wei Huang and Dr Astrid Zeman – share their inspirations, achievements, ambitions and hobbies
We are Country
Ensuring culturally safe research isn’t simply acknowledging Country, it's recognising and empowering Indigenous Knowledge, says University of Melbourne expert.
Dodging disease and death in the first US presidential debate
A University of Melbourne expert says the first US presidential debate didn’t have a winner but was a testimony to dire political discourse without compassion.
Eat processed meat – but not every day
The World Health Organisation’s decision to list processed meat as a carcinogen has alarmed many. But should we be worried, or just maintain a balanced diet?
Women on temporary visas remain vulnerable to domestic and family violence
The government may be committed to responding to violence against women, but a University of Melbourne expert says temporary visa holders remain vulnerable.
Is ‘herd immunity’ in intensive care doing more harm than good?
New analysis from the University of Melbourne suggests an antibiotic treatment commonly used in Intensive Care Units is putting patients at risk of ‘herd peril’
Mathematicians moved by dance, karate and building a better world
To mark Women in Mathematics Day, two University of Melbourne mathematicians share their inspirations, achievements, ambitions and hobbies
Engineering & Technology
Australia’s construction industry must help build a sustainable future
Financial viability alone is no longer enough, the building sector must look at its carbon budget
Science Matters
Australia and China should cooperate for the security of Pacific Island Countries
Rivalry between Australia and China in the South Pacific is harming the prosperity of the region
Design
These maps tell us we need to cool our sweltering streets
Our Map of the Month shows the impact of asphalt and concrete on city temperatures, and why we need to ‘de-pave’ and ‘re-plant’ in a warming climate
Science Matters
Government needs to plan for resilient food systems in Australia
With increasing shocks to our food supply, we need clear government accountability to ensure the right to adequate food
Subscribe to Pursuit
Receive your weekly email digest from Pursuit
Discussion & Debate
Public Affairs
Are think tanks undermining democracy?
The growing influence of think tanks could deeply transform the foundations of Australian education, particularly in policy development
Humanities
Why fake news is anything but new
News has been falsified for as long as it’s been sold and can be traced as far back as the concept of news itself
Public Affairs
Are universities part of the populism problem?
Universities are drivers of educated debate, so with democracy in crisis amid rising populism and inequality, what have they been doing?
Humanities
The undoing of Roe v. Wade
The US Supreme Court decision may embolden conservative grassroots activists to continue campaigning to overturn other liberal decisions
Public Affairs
Is our democracy broken?
While many Australians are still coming to terms with having five Prime Ministers in as many years, what does the future look like for the world’s sixth oldest continuous democracy?
Sciences & Technology
Science Matters
You might find a rare species in your backyard
‘Bioblitz’ events like the City Nature Challenge are advancing science and empowering communities to discover species never seen before in some urban areas
Science Matters
Once just a speck of light, now revealed as the biggest known galaxy in the early Universe
Detailed pictures of one of the first galaxies show growth in the early Universe was much faster than first thought
Science Matters
Chocolate that brings joy to your gut health and your tastebuds
As well as being a mood-boosting treat this Easter, chocolate can also be good for us, and researchers are working to make it even better for gut health
Go Figure
Are you a mosquito magnet? Here’s why and what you can do about it
Some people just seem to attract mosquitoes, but what’s the science behind it? Beer might have something to do with it
Science Matters
Victoria’s new habitat law fails to protect a tiny endangered species
A critically endangered wingless stonefly in Australia could face extinction after the government went against scientific advice
Science Matters
From ‘honey laundering’ to fake free-range: food fraud costs billions
Deception in our food chains is on the rise and often hard to detect. Here are some things consumers can look for, but we still need earlier interventions
Education
Learning & Teaching
Australian teachers shouldn’t be afraid to teach Indigenous Knowledge
The Australian Curriculum’s deeper engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures is a matter of national importance
Health & Wellbeing
Three things schoolkids need to succeed
The keys to school readiness are hearing, vision and communication, and early intervention can make all the difference
Engineering & Technology
Australian universities must prioritise Indigenous engineers
Indigenous ingenuity has all the hallmarks that modern engineers strive for – and Australia universities must shift their higher education paradigm
Learning & Teaching
Blind faith in Australia’s education ‘system’ is failing our kids
To improve Australia’s education system, we need to move away from the idea that the basic features of education are fixed
Learning & Teaching
Do on-screen teachers help or hinder real-life recruitment?
The government’s ‘Be That Teacher’ campaign aims to help address Australia’s teacher shortages, but film and TV stereotypes tell a different story
Business & Economics
Inside Business
By investing in women now, we will accelerate progress
This year’s International Women’s Day underscores the enormous potential return on investment from backing women
Legal Affairs
Three ways to avoid mega projects going way over budget
Big projects are almost always over budget, but in Australia they too often have massive cost blowouts. There are ways to fix this.
Inside Business
How a First Nations’ approach in marketing is helping to decolonise healthcare
Marketing, traditionally associated with branding and sales, now holds immense potential as a catalyst for social change
Inside Business
It’s time for boards to get serious about impact
While many corporate boards see the need to engage with environmental and social issues, they’re falling short on reforms that put people and the planet first
Inside Business
More Australian adult children are living with their parents longer
Australian parents are waiting longer for an empty nest as their adult children are living under the same roof for longer, finds the annual HILDA survey
Inside Business
Too many Aussies are starting a family and raising their kids in poverty
New research finds that the birth of a first child reduces household income and increases the risk of disadvantage
Politics & Society
Legal Affairs
What the Bondi Junction tragedy tells us about compulsory treatment
How should we balance public safety with the rights of people with a mental illness to make decisions about their own wellbeing?
Legal Affairs
I’ve seen war and beyond the horror lies a shared humanity
Being a humanitarian worker in conflict zones exposes you to the worst and best of humanity, showing us there’s more that unites us than divides us
Design
Is this the world’s coolest street? Or is the system rigged?
Melbourne, Australia – or at least one of our streets – has topped yet another global ranking, but what does it mean to be officially ‘cool’ and who decides?
Design
‘Bumping spaces’ build community – when they are within reach
Social connection needs time and effort, but crucially it also needs meeting places, and our Map of the Month highlights that not all Melburnians have equal access to these ‘bumping spaces’
Humanities
Australia’s media isn’t accurately reporting all sides of the Murray-Darling Basin debate
A lack of balance in media reporting may have harmed public perception of environmental water allocations in the Murray-Darling – and Indigenous custodians barely get a look in
Arts & Culture
Engineering & Technology
‘Anti-hero’: A philosophical take on Taylor’s existential authenticity
Taylor Swift fans adore her authenticity, but what does it actually mean to be ‘authentic’ when you are a mega-celebrity in the digital age?
Humanities
What remains of a performance when the curtain goes down?
Archives are an incomplete but important record of dance and theatre, and the history and artistry of University of Melbourne students is being revisited through these ‘remains’
Humanities
Lunar New Year is all about food, family, food, peacebuilding and food
Lunar New Year brings people together, but it’s the food that connects them
Humanities
‘The Man’: Taylor’s feminism could go so much further
Taylor Swift’s ‘The Man’ promotes the idea of women being given the same standards as men, we should instead focus on not making ‘alpha male’ the standard
Humanities
‘...Ready for it?’: How Taylor is changing modern society
Celebrities – like Taylor Swift – are increasingly lending their fame to socio-political issues, taking their fans with them and blurring the line between celebrity and activism
Legal Affairs
‘Picture to burn’: The law probably won’t protect Taylor (or other women) from deepfakes
Legal redress is hard if you fall victim to an AI-generated pornographic and abusive deepfake
Environment
Health & Wellbeing
Healthcare has a waste problem, but we can achieve net zero
Climate change is the biggest health issue facing the planet. Healthcare professionals deal with the outcomes, but can also be part of the solution
Inside Business
People or planet? We must invest in both for a sustainable future
Environmental and social issues need to be considered together for sustainable finance reforms to contribute positively to the wellbeing of the planet and its people
Science Matters
How whales struggle to navigate in a sea of noise pollution
New modelling shows that as noise from shipping and other human activities surges, whales will find it increasingly harder to successfully migrate
Science Matters
Understanding how fire shapes plants will help protect them
A new approach predicts how plants respond to fire, helping scientists, land managers and the community protect thousands of species from biodiversity loss
Humanities
When Australia’s first Environment Ambassador helped save Antarctica from mining
Australia has had a special Ambassador for the Environment since 1989, and without that first appointment, Antarctica might’ve been open to commercial mining
Health & Medicine
Health & Wellbeing
This policy could make women’s super more vulnerable to financial abuse
Australia’s opposition says early access to superannuation is an election policy for the party’s campaign. But we’ve already seen it makes women vulnerable to economic abuse
Health & Wellbeing
Too many people die after leaving prison
The high rate of death soon after release from jail is tragic, but also avoidable. This urgently needs a coordinated, whole-of-government response
Health & Wellbeing
Sorry, those blue-blocking lenses probably won’t help your digital eye strain
Eye strain from extended screen time is a growing problem, but evidence suggests that blue light is not the cause, and blue-blockers are not the solution
Health & Wellbeing
Non-binary people have hormone therapy and surgery more often than you might think
New research finds that a growing number of non-binary people have or want to affirm their gender medically
Health & Medicine
What you need to know about new treatments for children with peanut allergies
Three in 100 Australian kids have a peanut allergy. New research is investigating the quality-of-life benefits of new treatments and their value for money
Health & Wellbeing
Could your GP prescribe a Parkrun instead of a pill?
‘Social prescribing’ is a growing area where health professionals connect patients to non-medical services and activities to benefit their wellbeing