DNA reveals a new history of the First Australians

In the picture above, Professor Eske Willerslev talks to Aboriginal elders in the Kalgoorlie area in southwestern Australia.

Understanding the history of Aboriginal Australians, their origins and how their population changed over some 50,000-plus years has always been an enormous challenge.

Many Aboriginal people have their own origin stories. Gudjugudju, a Gimuy Yidinji Elder from the rainforest people around Cairns, says:

The story which has been passed

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The rise of the selfie can lead to a great deal of negative comparison and self-doubt.

Social media is a wonderful way to connect with others, share experiences and opinions and express ideas. But it can have a dark side for body image, which requires a critical and thoughtful approach to counteract.

People who have body image concerns feel worried, distressed and unhappy about their appearance, weight or shape. They may be concerned about being too large, too small,...

Last weekend I tried my best to provide something of a eulogy for Mayang Prasetyo and was quite overwhelmed and thank the organisers and community of both the vigil and the ceremonial gathered together to hear about something of the Mayang I knew from one other human. As a representative of her many friends.

I feel honoured to have met Mayang in her collective friend setting and to celebrate her 22nd birthday with her language school friends. Totravel a bit with Mayang. To have met...

"Misa Criolla, (is) widely regarded as a stunning artistic achievement, combined Spanish text with indigenous instruments and rhythms." (Adam Bernstein - Washington Post)

"A Dynamic spiritual performance of the Catholic Mass based on the rhythms & traditions of Hispanic America." (Album Cover)


Album Cover

This is album number one hundred and four in the series of retro-reviews of both vinyl and Cd albums in my collection. The series is called ...

Last week, a man who murdered his wife while she slept and blamed his actions in part on the effects of a sleeping pill he was taking, was given an extra two years jail time – taking his sentence to 21 years.

The killer, Brian Browning, had pleaded not guilty, relying on the evidence of a doctor who said that doxylamine (the sleeping pill) “could cause a person to do things that were otherwise completely out of character”.

This argument was not accepted by the Victorian...

It is challenging to work out how the new National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) works. As an an allied health professional who is also the Head of Music Therapy, I attempt to anticipate and influence policy changes, conduct research that challenges and tests new directions and teach how music therapy practice needs to evolve in response.

Music therapy is different from music entertainment. It is a research-based practice and profession where music is used to actively support...

In making a preliminary decision on the sale of S. Kidman & Co to a Chinese consortium, the Treasurer Scott Morrison has shed some light on what the government defines as being in the “national interest”.

He describes the Chinese bid as being contrary to Australia’s national interest, because:

“the form in which the Kidman portfolio has been offered as a single aggregated asset, has rendered it difficult for Australian bidders to be able to make a competitive bid.”

Th...

Blue bottles have been washing up on Sydney beaches by the bucketload recently. With their annual arrival, many questions and myths about these creatures seem to be drifting around as well.

What exactly are blue bottles? Are you really supposed to pee on their stings? How do you keep a day at the beach from turning into a real pain? Let’s take a closer look at these mysterious sea dwellers.

What are blue bottles?

Blue bottles are siphonophores, a weird...

Just try not to get annoyed.

Almost half the population of the planet now has access to the internet, with about one in three of those people regularly active on social media.

But this increased opportunity to socialise and communicate in a virtual environment has offered new avenues for antisocial behaviour.

The problem of cyberbullying has received considerable research attention. However, other online antisocial behaviours with similarly harmful outcomes...

"With seven gold & platinum recordings, this four member vocal group is a true international success story." (singers.com)

"it is the original quartet of Claude Morrison, Arnold Robinson, Paul Cooper, and Mark Connors that created their most beloved recordings. One Size Fits All" (allmusic.com)



Album Cover

This is album number one hundred and six in the series of retro-reviews of both vinyl and Cd albums in my collection. The series ...