Background Briefing

Can a two year old - or a foetus - show symptoms of bi-polar disorder? In America, they think so, and, of course, there are medications for it. There is no doubt some children develop serious mental illness and need help, but it may be going too far. There is a wide range of normal human temperament, and behaviour. Society tolerates few eccentricities. Reporter Jane Shields.

Professor Julian Savulescu is an eminent ethicist from Oxford University. He believes we should proceed with research into enhancing not only the genetics of fighting disease, but the genetics and pharmacology of improving IQ, behaviour, mood, character and morality. He argues there are immense benefits, not only for individuals, but for society as a whole. Only by knowing, can we prevent the abuses of knowledge. A lecture from the Sydney Ideas series at the University of Sydney.

The Northern Territory murder rate is the highest in Australia - and killings there have particular characteristics. Aboriginal murders are usually straight-forward domestic violence and drunkeness, but many white or Asian murders are particularly macabre and disturbing, leading to speculations that the NT, with its remote places, its oppressive weather, and its frontier mystique attracts more than its share of men who are disturbed, dangerous, and blood curdlingly callow. Reporter Heather Stewart.

From the l920s, it was compulsory for most university students to join the student union. Now it's voluntary, and there's a distinct change in the campus culture and student lifestyle at most universities. The bigger, richer universities are faring best, but the smaller ones are losing their clubs, amenities and services. Reporter: Hagar Cohen.

Australian bees are doing very nicely. They are in huge demand here for pollinating local almond orchards and in huge demand overseas because they are disease free. But unless we're careful problems plaguing American hives could turn up here. Colonies are collapsing in the US because the bees are overworked, poorly managed, and have a bug called varroa destructor, which is said to look like a baked bean with fangs. Quarantine is tight to make sure it doesn't enter Australia as a stowaway. Reporter Stan Correy.

Whether adults like it or not, the Internet is where life's at for young people now - friendships, games, school stuff, comedy, adventure and sex. Teenagers are getting used to coming across pornography, and dirty old men. Sometimes they even turn the tables, and play indiscreet games. We don't know enough about the Internet generation - and government filters won't work on the new 3G phones. Reporter: Wendy Carlisle.

Pulitzer prize winning science writer Natalie Angier talks in an inspiring and entertaining way about the basics of science: from the wonders of the cell and bacteria to the mysteries of the night sky and the cultures of chimpanzees, to name a few. Science is in flux as it faces pressures from both faith-based politics in the US, and the push towards privatisation of scientific knowledge through patenting.

Should animals have rights? Under the law animals are treated as things just as human slaves were treated as things. Is there an argument that the intelligence of some animals means that they deserve more rights than others? Professor Steven Wise teaches animal rights law at Harvard and is speaking here at a conference hosted in May by the University of NSW and Voiceless.

There's an invasion of noxious weeds on the way as the planet heats up and dries out. Invasive plants could flatten Australia's native vegetation, blowing out current costs of about $8 billion a year. Warnings abound that we don't understand these plants - including from people who say that some weeds can do a good job. Reporter Diane Martin.

No one's telling how much of our money is being stolen through the Internet because no one wants us to lose confidence in the system. The banks are making so much money out of it, they prefer to wear the costs or push them down to the customer. In the meantime, everyone has a story and global criminals are stalking our accounts, our phones and our PCs. Reporter: Ian Townsend.