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Earlier this year, the Doomsday Clock moved closer to midnight than it has ever been. Since 1947, this has been the measure of how close humankind is to a global catastrophe due to nuclear weapons and other threats.
This week, the world comes together to try to do something about it.
Diplomats will meet in New York for a month-long review of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which aims to rid the world of nuclear weapons.
As nuclear weapons expert Tilman Ruff explains, expectations for this year’s conference are low. Not only are the world’s nuclear-armed nations growing and modernising their arsenals, the US, Russia and Israel are attacking nations without nuclear weapons.
Ruff says this raises profound questions for those countries adhering to the treaty: they may believe the best way to prevent military aggression is to pursue nuclear weapons themselves. As diplomats gather to try to prevent this, the stakes could hardly be higher.
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Justin Bergman
International Affairs Editor
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Tilman Ruff, The University of Melbourne
The Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than at any point in its history.
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Frank Bongiorno, University of Canberra
Albanese’s Labor government seems to be under little threat politically. But difficult economic times and an insecure global environment are making voters anxious.
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Fei Gao, University of Sydney
See if you’re among the millions of Australians who’ll probably be better off hanging onto your work receipts for tax time next year.
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
Angus Taylor has defended preferencing One Nation ahead of Michelle Milthorpe in the May 9 Farrer byelection
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David McCooey, Deakin University
Like Jorge Luis Borges before her, Solvej Balle employs fantasy to philosophise on the nature of reality.
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Guy C. Charlton, University of New England; Timothy Fadgen, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
The US Supreme Court will soon rule on Donald Trump’s attempt to end automatic citizenship rights for people born in the US. It’s not a clear-cut issue in NZ either.
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Ian Musgrave, Adelaide University
Tea tree oil has been linked to fertility issues. But the experiments were done in rats. Here’s what else is behind the scary headlines.
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Huseyin Sumer, Swinburne University of Technology; Bita Zaferanloo, Swinburne University of Technology; Vito Butardo Jr, Swinburne University of Technology
Yuck. Research shows poor mouthguard care can lead to bacterial buildup and potential health risks.
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Kai Riemer, University of Sydney; Sandra Peter, University of Sydney
Three ways to think about AI, massive job cuts, and the future of work.
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Susan Carland, Monash University
The recent clip from her ongoing press tour has gone viral – with an overwhelming positive response from Muslims and Arabs.
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Politics + Society
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Peter Whiteford, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University; Jenny Gordon, Australian National University; Roger Wilkins, The University of Melbourne
A new report looks at poverty and deprivation across the country since 2010. Disadvantage is becoming more entrenched and severe.
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Health + Medicine
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Georgia van Toorn, UNSW Sydney
The government plans to cut the number of NDIS users by 160,000 over the next four years. Here’s what we know about how they’ll do that and who’ll be affected.
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Business + Economy
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Vibhu Arya, University of Technology Sydney
It’s much harder for Australians to cancel a subscription paid for with a credit or debit card than for shoppers in the UK, India and the European Union.
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Environment + Energy
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Robert Davis, Edith Cowan University
In parts of Western Australia and Southern Australia, mouse numbers are reaching plague proportions.
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Sione Fanga Taufa, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Small Pacific nations run on diesel, and the Middle East crisis is driving some to the brink. What can be done in the short and medium term?
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Jennifer Lavers (Métis Nation ᓲᐊᐧᐦᑫᔨᐤ), Charles Sturt University
When we see shearwaters washed up dead on beaches, we might think strong winds or a failed migration are to blame. That’s not the case – it’s hotter oceans
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Science + Technology
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Lina Przhedetsky, The University of Melbourne
The Privacy Commissioner’s decision is important for protecting renters’ rights. It must be matched with legal reform.
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Arts + Culture
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Helen Wolfenden, Macquarie University
The radio presenter has died at 64 following a cancer diagnosis. His loss will be acutely felt by his fans.
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Jonathan Graffam-O’Meara, The University of Melbourne
From comedian Anne Edmonds, Bad Company doesn’t quite know who it is for, and doesn’t understand the people it is making fun of.
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Make better use of rural school buses
"The current national fuel supply challenge is hitting small rural and remote communities very hard. However, it presents a unique opportunity to do something very practical to help by expanding the range of services provided by rural school buses. There are thousands of rural school buses in Australia which almost exclusively now only carry school age children to and from school. When I first started teaching and driving a school bus in rural South Australia in 1967, the bus was also a courier lifeline for many farmers and others. In the morning, bread bags would be dropped at the bakery and mail posted. In the afternoon, the baker delivered orders to the buses, letters and parcels were collected as were any urgent medical supplies. During peak work times such as seeding, shearing and harvest, some groceries were also carried to save long trips into town and interruptions to time
critical workflow. The same applied to small replacement parts for machinery. As well, a lift would be given when a vehicle or tractor had broken down. Reinstating very successful and valued past practices as outlined would be inexpensive, make better use of an existing funded resource, and also assist reduce the impact of the current fuel crisis on those often with the fewest options to deal with it."
Dr John Halsey, Emeritus Professor Society for the Provision of Education in Rural Australia, Flinders University 
We'd love to hear from you. You can email us with your thoughts on our stories and each day we'll publish an edited selection.
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Australia-Korea Foundation (in conjunction with InASA and Seoul National University)
Gwanak-gu, Seoul, South Korea
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