“A democracy needs its people to read, and it is society’s job to make that possible — the same reason we have public schools, water systems and the electric grid.” www.nytimes.com/2026/05/31/o...

brilliant reporting, must read. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/30/w...

“Women’s and men’s rugby are played quite differently, and their brains are different anyway, so looking at what happens in the men’s game doesn’t mean we understand the impact on women’s brains and bodies.” www.theguardian.com/education/20...

love this. "We gain life’s powers by knowing that eventually they will be taken away." www.nytimes.com/2026/05/25/o...

“Jacinta Allan confirmed … the government had rejected a key recommendation from … Ken Lay to cap the number of guns a licence holder can own at four … The review found that the average Victorian firearm licence holder owned about four weapons” www.theage.com.au/national/vic...

A scientist aboard the M.V. Hondius describes how the hantavirus outbreak unfolded. It was “shock after shock,” he said. “You just kind of get numb to it, I guess.” www.newyorker.com/news/as-told...

there’s no end to the list of serious medical conditions that doctors will misdiagnose in women as “anxiety”

“the news says it’s no problem” www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

“As a lawyer, I wish that every article describing a lawsuit would note that the sums demanded are purely for the benefit of headline writers and should always be read in a Dr. Evil voice”

When Tasmania Police misidentified Laura as a family violence perpetrator, she had no idea she'd have to fight for them to hold her abuser — a serving officer — to account. Now, she's fighting for change.

Eight more footballers have joined a multimillion-dollar concussion class action against the AFL, tipping the total to over 100 former players who all claim they have been left brain-damaged by the game.

i’m all for people doing hard things, facing fears, finding ways to cope with mental illness etc. i feel very apprehensive about anything that minimises or glorifies concussion, that suggests CTE is the worst possible outcome of head trauma. even single concussions can have serious consequences.

BACA members accompany kids to court, stand guard outside their homes, and provide a sense of safety with burly presences and deeply rumbling motorbikes.

this is so interesting. especially the potential for GLP-1s to have negative effects — via dopaminergic pathways — on motivation, cravings for good stuff (in moderation)

“The argument for public health [is] that it is better to build a fence at the top of the cliff rather than ambulances at the bottom. Closing VicHealth may look like an easy saving ahead of an election … but it is a false economy,” writes @timreadgreens.bsky.social www.theage.com.au/politics/vic...

i’ve read bring back yesterday, it is beautiful (i was also fixated on carr’s seeming lack of domestic skills, maybe in part because my husband has fked the washing so many times i feel like carr’s late wife helena did: easier just to do it than clean up the mess) www.smh.com.au/culture/book...

Addressing vaccine hesitancy requires skill and patience – some days, the people who do it feel like they’re drowning in a sea of lies. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02...

once, you needed a doctorate’s worth of knowledge and years of experience to build a biological weapon. now, AI may be able to teach you everything you need to know theconversation.com/an-illegal-b...

Staff at NIAID have been instructed to remove the words “biodefense” and “pandemic preparedness” from the US institute’s web pages, according to e-mails Nature has obtained. Read more about the shift in direction for NIAID. go.nature.com/4twztMV

US hospitals are dispensing routinely prescribed meds to patients in labor, only to report them to child welfare authorities when they or their newborns test positive for those very same substances on subsequent drug tests @themarshallproject.org www.themarshallproject.org/2024/12/11/p...

Kudelka from when Gillard's portrait was unveiled (sorry, no alt text.)

NSW to remove ‘good character’ from being considered at sentencing hearings in nationwide first

“every place where writing has become a social interface is now ripe for an injection of A.I., adding an automated editor into every conversation, draining some of the personal from interpersonal interaction.” www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/o...

“It’s a seismic shift that runs counter to the E.P.A.’s mission statement, which says the agency’s core responsibility is to protect human health and the environment, environmental law experts said.” www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/c...

If ever there was a breath of fresh air and optimism in Australian academia it was Emma. Utterly devastating news. www.afr.com/work-and-car...

The danger after Bondi isn’t only that we ask the wrong questions but that we answer them too quickly. Symbolic policymaking may reassure anxious electorates, but it rarely improves security outcomes. www.smh.com.au/national/aft...

if we are to inch towards unity, the more we pause to listen, the more sure-footed our path forward will be www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...

omg. “This is not because I’m directing independent films. It’s because I like my photos and text exchanges where I like my martinis: in my hand. I’m a writer. Two of my favorite things in this world are transcripts and being right, on the spot.” www.wired.com/story/phone-...

New: A piece about journalism today, its trials and consolations

Good morning! Read my story.

great piece, imo not so great headline that doesn’t capture its breadth and depth

The Actuaries Institute of Australia recently published our review of mortality in 2024, which you can find here. content.actuaries.asn.au/resources/re.... A quick summary of our major conclusions #thread.

Victims must always be believed. The uncomfortable truth, however, is that statistically, it is almost impossible to predict lethal family violence because it is so rare. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12...

“pushups won’t save you from ebola.” www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...

The Trump administration is casting more doubt on the safety of vaccines, with the FDA’s top vaccine official suggesting in an internal memo, without offering evidence, that the deaths of at least 10 children were related to the Covid vaccine. Public health experts questioned the findings.

The findings are significant not just because of how much the trial reduced domestic violence, but because only a few years ago it drew fierce criticism from women's advocates and politicians.

joining the chorus of readers singing praise for this beautiful piece. my gosh. www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...

““Poetry makes nothing happen” — Auden. I think that’s true of all writing, with few exceptions. We shouldn’t expect to change the world. Witnessing, recording, protesting, affirming should be enough.” www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/b...

this is such a lovely reflection, from jane goodall, on hope. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/c...

Children and teenagers are twice as likely to develop long Covid after a second coronavirus infection as after an initial infection, a large new study has found.

[Jonas] Vingegaard crashed at Paris-Nice. He did not compete for the next two months after suffering a #concussion, criticising the race doctors for not providing a head injury assessment after he fell, and allowing him to complete the remaining 84km of the stage. www.nytimes.com/athletic/666...

Research shows exactly how entire families adjust when a partner is sick. 👉 Read the full story: theconversation.com/when-a-...

“the path china has traveled can offer lessons for americans about how freedom is lost and the resulting cost.” www.nytimes.com/2025/09/22/b...

“twentieth-century water treatment programs transformed public health by virtually eliminating waterborne diseases. ventilation, filtration and disinfection provide us with the opportunity to dramatically reduce the burden of airborne illnesses.” worksinprogress.co/issue/the-de...

this gorgeous piece on @newyorker.com fact checking is full of gold. “when a talk piece by tad friend described the singer art garfunkel waving his arms around, the checker asked garfunkel to confirm that he had two arms.” www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...

“of course it struggled to be viable – it’s a literary magazine. almost no literary magazines around the world are financially viable; that’s not their purpose. the point is their cultural value, the role they serve as a platform for ideas and creativity…” www.theguardian.com/books/commen...

fascinating, exciting research exploring how maraviroc, an hiv drug, could boost neuroplasticity after brain injury and improve recovery www.nytimes.com/2025/09/04/s...

Special Report Inside the CDC director’s ouster: Kennedy demanded acceptance of new vaccine policies; Susan Monarez refused www.statnews.com/2025/08/28/c...