Big Ideas

Laughing in the face of crisis and trouble. A good sense of humour lets people see hope in an otherwise hopeless situation. And it’s the glue that keeps relationship together.

Many more people say they feel acute anxiety or depression and these are debilitating conditions. Four writers talk about their personal experience and the intensity of modern life as one of the causes.

Where people and wild animals share the same space some form of management seems to be unavoidable. What does it take to ensure the welfare of animals in the wild?

Australia is a vast continent, so is it feasible for the entire nation to have equal access to modern, digital, telecommunications services?

What is it be like to be a lawyer who witnesses the execution of your client? Richard Bourke knows the feeling. He represents defendants facing capital punishment, and inmates on death row, in Louisiana in the United States

Why have so many of you lost faith in politics? And why is that a problem? Chris Uhlmann offers exceptional insights into what’s going on behind the scene in Canberra.

As temperatures rise, corals die and glaciers on the top of equatorial mountains melt away. The race to climate-proof iconic ecosytems.

Can we really call a painting beautiful when it’s inspired by the ugliness of violence and death? Margaret MacMillan talks about the role of artists and writers in shaping our views on war.

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Margaret MacMillan says that war is a part of being human, so we need to examine it boldly. What motivates men and women to fight in a war? Why do we fear, but also love war?

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Margaret MacMillan explores the history of war. People throughout time have dreaded dead and destruction, but also benefited from the progress that war can bring.

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