Between the 1950s and 1980s an estimated 200,000 children were adopted by families in America, Europe and Australia. Adoptees are now seeking to connect with their place of birth and to understand the reasons why so many were sent abroad.

Smoking has killed about 100 million people in the last century. And the toll is expected to reach one billion. Besides the human, there are also enormous economic costs connected to tobacco consumption. While progress has clearly been made, why have decades of public health campaigns, restrictive regulation and extra taxes not crushed Big Tobacco by now?

Are sugars, fats and processed carbs your guilty pleasure?

You know you shouldn’t eat them but it’s hard to resist.

Poor food choices take a big toll on our health system and some doctors are now prescribing healthy meals instead of drugs.

How is history made, and who gets left out?

History tells us where we came from, what happened along the way, and who we have become – our national identity.

But history is the product of the cultural values and beliefs of the time in which it was written.Who gets to shape these shifting narratives? And why has history so often excluded and silenced First Nations Australians?

Are you a bird lover? Birds play a crucial role in our ecosystem, but their very existence is under threat. What can we do to protect the future for birdlife? A panel of bird lovers share their different perspectives on the enduring allure of birds.

Are you a bird lover? Birds play a crucial role in our ecosystem, but their very existence is under threat. What can we do to protect the future for birdlife? A panel of bird lovers share their different perspectives on the enduring allure of birds.

Professional sport relies more and more on surveillance and body monitoring to improve performance. And increasing commercial interest in this data risk outweighing the benefits for the athletes. Even more: the degree of surveillance currently tolerated in professional sport may be permitted in community sports and other workplaces if the current status quo of collecting excessive personal data remains unchallenged.

The mission of the Beaker Street Festival is to make science accessible to all. Members of Tasmania’s deaf community share their experiences. Also, science communicators discuss the opportunities and obstacles of public engagement.

Illegal drug taking, alleged bullying and harassment, and deliberately losing matches to gain access to prized young recruits. These are some of the scandals that, over the years, have plagued the biggest sporting competition in the country, the AFL – the Australian Football League. But despite these, and other, crises, governance of the 700 million dollar a year competition leaves a lot to be desired.

Globalisation has long been touted as the end game for big businesses and governments alike. Where is globalisation headed, and do the benefits outweigh the costs?