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What we now know about long COVID and our brains

January 6, 2023

By Professor Tissa Wijeratne OAM Published on January 6, 2023 As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we’re learning more about the potential long-term impact of COVID-19 on the human brain. Globally, millions of people have contracted COVID-19 over the past few years, and some have even caught the virus two or more times. Of more than 665 million cases worldwide, nearly one in every two people with COVID-19 is at risk of developing Post-COVID-19 Neurological Syndrome (PCNS).

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What’ll be big in 2023? AI, that’s what

January 4, 2023

By Dr Simon Coghlan Published on January 4, 2023 A kind of artificial intelligence (AI) called generative AI has vividly captured public attention. In 2022, many of us were first introduced to – and intrigued by – the capacities of image-generating AI like Midjourney, DeepAI and DALL-E 2 to produce sophisticated and strange pictures based on ‘interpretations’ of written input. Then, later in the year, ChatGPT went viral. AI image generators like Midjourney produce sophisticated images from simple instructions.

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‘Tis the season to celebrate Australia’s diversity

December 23, 2022

By Dr Kirsten Stevens Published on December 23, 2022 As the weather begins to warm in Australia, we’re all ready for a break. This is the antipodean silly season: a time of tuning out from the work-a-day grind to indulge in summer barbeques and end-of-year work parties. It’s a chance to gather together with family and friends, consume copious food and drink, and exchange gifts and good cheer. As the weather begins to warm in Australia, we’re all ready for a break.

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Did Charles Dickens invent Christmas?

December 20, 2022

By Professor Ken Gelder Published on December 20, 2022 I’ve seen two stage versions of English writer Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. One I saw in Glasgow in 2011 – an intimate, warm adaptation, with puppets for apparitions and a Scrooge speaking in broad Scots. The English author Charles Dickens and his daughters. Picture: Getty ImagesThe other was at the Old Vic in London only a few weeks ago, a musical adaptation by Jack Thorne.

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Why we judge chocolate by its cover

December 19, 2022

By Dr Thejani Gunaratne Published on December 19, 2022 Chocolate is the most popular confectionery product in the world and, for many of us, the sensory experience of chocolate has an immediate impact on our mood. Research shows that the main reasons people choose chocolate are for emotional satisfaction and a sense of indulgence. Many people report that the primary factor they consider when deciding which type to purchase is the taste and flavour.

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