PFAS might be everywhere – including toilet paper – but let's keep the health risks in context, writes researcher Mark Patrick Taylor The United States Environmental Protection Agency has announced new limits on the toxic "forever chemicals" – perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – in drinking...
The Climate Council, in partnership with Sarah Wilson, founder of the I Quit Sugar movement, has launched a new campaign to raise awareness about the health risks associated with gas in our homes. According to Ms Wilson, toxic gases such as nitrogen dioxide, which are leaked...
– but what teachers in New Zealand really want are clear guidelines and expectations, writes Christine Braid Anyone watching the debate over the NZ National Party’s recent curriculum policy announcement could be forgiven for thinking there is a deep divide in education philosophy and best practice...
The Vic Kids Eat Well Awards recognises individuals and organisations that have made efforts to provide healthier food and drink options for children in Victoria, Australia. The importance of promoting healthy eating habits for children, is the highlight of the awards and recognises some of the...
Lara Herrero and Wesley Freppel report that after almost 60 years, several vaccines have come at once You might not have heard of respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. But it caused more than 100,000 global deaths in 2019, making it a leading cause of death...
My child is in a composite class this year. Is this a good thing? Katherine Bates looks at the pros and cons. The majority of classes in Australian primary schools are made up of children from the same grade. The philosophy behind this is students of...
Why is this a problem? Teresa Swist, Fiona Suwana, Kalervo Gulson and Terry Flew look at 10 questions parents should ask. A Sydney high school recently introduced fingerprint technology to "help narrow down" students who were vandalising school toilets. Under the plan, students needed to scan their...
Katharine Kemp reports, including data on sex, periods and pregnancy New research reveals serious privacy flaws in fertility apps used by Australian consumers – emphasising the need for urgent reform of the Privacy Act. Fertility apps provide a number of features. For instance, they may help users...
The vast majority of Australian children are up-to-date with their vaccines, write Holly Seale, Abela Mahimbo and Jane E Frawley. But vaccination rates have dipped slightly over the past few years. Fewer health checks, reduced access to routine health care during lockdowns, and fear of COVID...
Personalised learning is billed as the ‘future’ of schooling, writes Maya Gunawardena: what is it, and could it work? It is not uncommon for kids to complain about school, but studies show significant numbers of Australian students are actually disengaged with their education. A 2017 Grattan Institute...
