The Conversation Yearbook 2019

Title page
Copyright page
Contents
Introduction
Chapter One: From the Perspective of Time
	An incredible journey: The first people to arrive in Australia came in large numbers, and on purpose
	Earthrise, a photo that changed the world
	History, not harm, dictates why some drugs are legal and others aren’t
	Notre Dame: How a rebuilt cathedral could be just as wonderful
	What’s the point of education? It’s no longer just about getting a job
	Courting ‘quiet Australians’ from ‘bubble central’, it’s been a remarkable first year for Scott Morrison
Chapter Two: Hate and Fear: Twin Tests of Freedom
	Christchurch mosque shootings must end New Zealand’s innocence about right-wing terrorism
	Christchurch attacks are a stark warning of toxic political environment that allows hate to flourish
	Why overhauling NZ’s gun and terrorism laws alone can’t stop terrorist attacks
	To protect press freedom, we need more public outrage—and an overhaul of our laws
Chapter Three: Weighing Up the Risks
	Ministers fiddle while buildings crack and burn
	Banning mobile phones in schools: beneficial or risky? Here’s what the evidence says
	Why dangerous asteroids heading to Earth are so hard to detect
	Drinking water study raises health concerns for New Zealanders
	According to TV, heart attack victims are rich, white men who clutch their hearts and collapse. Here’s why that’s a worry
Chapter Four: In Answer to Your Question
	How might Labor win in 2022? The answers can all be found in the lessons of 2019
	Why do we not use the magnetic energy the Earth provides to create electricity?
	Explainer: What is surveillance capitalism and how does it shape our economy?
	Below zero is ‘reverse’. How the Reserve Bank would make quantitative easing work
	A report claims koalas are ‘functionally extinct’—but what does that mean?
	Why do spiders need so many eyes but we only need two?
Chapter Five: Teasing Out the Truth
	Myth-making, social media and the truth about Leonard Cohen’s last letter to Marianne Ihlen
	Team-building exercises can be a waste of time. You achieve more by getting personal
	Election tip: 23.9% is a meaningless figure, ignore the tax-to-GDP ratio
	NZ has dethroned GDP as a measure of success, but will Ardern’s government be transformational?
	These 5 foods are claimed to improve our health. But the amount we’d need to consume to benefit is ... a lot
	Is it true dogs don’t like to travel?
	Separating the art from the badly behaved artist—a philosopher’s view
Chapter Six: From Cradle to Grave: Key Policy Challenges
	Preschool benefits all children, but not all children get it. Here’s what the government can do about that
	More students are going to university than before, but those at risk of dropping out need more help
	Jobs are changing, and fast. Here’s what the VET sector (and employers) need to do to keep up
	It’s perfectly legal for doctors to charge huge amounts for surgery, but should it be allowed?
	The edges of home ownership are becoming porous. It’s no longer a one-way street
Chapter Seven: Creatures of Our Emotions
	Ooshies—a cautionary toy story about cashing in on childhood innocence
	The paradox of happiness: The more you chase it the more elusive it becomes
	In an Australian first, the ACT may legally recognise animals’ feelings
	Why do some people worry more than others?
	Having a sense of meaning in life is good for you—so how do you get one?
	‘I really have thought this can’t go on’: Loneliness looms for rising numbers of older private renters
Chapter Eight: Living with Climate Change
	Forty years ago, scientists predicted climate change. And hey, they were right
	Our cities need more trees, but some commonly planted ones won’t survive climate change
	The Darling River is simply not supposed to dry out, even in drought
	Cities turn to desalination for water security, but at what cost?
	Australia’s still building 4 in every 5 new houses to no more than the minimum energy standard
Chapter Nine: The Many Faces of Australia
	Queensland to all those #Quexiteers: Don’t judge, try to understand us
	How indigenous expertise improves science: The curious case of shy lizards and deadly cane toads
	Hidden women of history: Mary Jane Cain, land rights activist, matriarch and community builder
	Vale Les Murray, a witty, anti-authoritarian, national poet who spoke to the world
	Loud, obnoxious and at times racist: The sordid history of AFL barracking
	Australia’s ethnic face is changing, and so are our blood types