ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on March 11, 2026.
Do Middle-earth and Westeros make sense? Climate scientists modelled them to find out
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Cook, Senior Research Fellow, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne When English author J.R.R. Tolkien crafted his fantasy world Middle-earth, he argued storytellers are essentially “sub-creators” – they build fictional realms with internally consistent laws. For a world to be truly immersive and
Commercial space technology is shaping the Iran war – the law can’t keep up
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Marie Brennan, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Waikato When the United States and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran nearly two weeks ago, the first confirmation didn’t come from governments. It came from commercial satellites. Images from US companies Planet Labs and Vantor captured
My mind keeps on going blank. How worried should I be?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sophie Andrews, Associate Professor and Lead, Healthy Brain Ageing Research Program, Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast We’ve all been there. Whether it’s at a crucial moment of an exam, walking into a room for a specific purpose, or making an impromptu speech, your mind goes
‘We’re the good guys’: why moral storytelling doesn’t make the war on Iran necessary or legal
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tamer Morris, Senior Lecturer, International Law, University of Sydney Since the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran, most international law experts appear to be speaking with one voice on the legality of the attacks. Legal experts have said the attacks violated Article 2(4) of
What’s it like to be a bat? Scientists develop new solution to the puzzle of animal minds
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cristina Luz Wilkins, PhD Candidate, Department of Environmental Studies, University of New England In 1974, philosopher Thomas Nagel posed a deceptively simple question: “what is it like to be a bat?”. His point wasn’t really about bats. He was offering a provocative challenge about the limits of
Can exercise reduce period pain? And what kind is best?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mike Armour, Associate Professor at NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University Having your period can be a painful experience. Period pain, also known as dysmenorrhea, is a very common condition with around nine in ten young women aged 13 to 25 in Australia having regular period
The Oscars are usually a mess, but this year’s Best Picture nominees are strong. Here’s who should win
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ari Mattes, Lecturer in Communications and Media, University of Notre Dame Australia Film critics – myself included – love to bemoan the death of high-quality cinema in the age of streaming, pointing to mediocre Best Picture Oscar nominees as evidence that the production of great (or even
Tucker Carlson helped make Donald Trump and JD Vance. Could he be the next president?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dennis Altman, Vice Chancellor’s Fellow and Professorial Fellow, Institute for Human Security and Social Change, La Trobe University It’s well known that Donald Trump consumes television broadcasts and often makes policy based more on Fox News punditry than advice from political or government advisors. So it’s unsurprising
Iran oil shock: the EU has very few options to limit the war’s economic impact – and prevent a recession
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sergi Basco, Profesor Agregado de Economia, Universitat de Barcelona After the US and Israel began their military strikes on Iran on February 28, oil and gas markets were plunged into chaos and energy prices shot up. As of today, Brent Crude Oil prices are 20% higher than
Trump’s war against Iran is uniquely unpopular among US military actions of the past century
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Walldorf, Professor of Politics and International Affairs, Wake Forest University It’s clear that regime change is among the biggest objectives of the U.S. war in Iran. “I have to be involved in the appointment” of Iran’s next leader, President Donald Trump said on March 5, 2026.
Who profits from war with Iran? Understanding that will be key to resolving the conflict
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jagannadha Pawan Tamvada, Professor of Entrepreneurship, Kingston University When US and Israeli forces launched airstrikes on Iran, the shock waves were felt far beyond the region. As the conflict escalates, understanding who benefits from this crisis might be as important as counting its costs. The timing could
Animals can talk over huge distances – but humans might be changing their range
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben JJ Walker, Researcher, UNSW Sydney Animals are noisy. And their noises can travel a long way. But making sounds can be a double-edged sword: it can help them communicate, sometimes over long distances, but it can also reveal them to predators. In new research published in
Sex, pink and empowerment are used to sell alcohol to women. They don’t always like it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kristen Foley, Research Fellow, Centre for Public Health, Equity and Human Flourishing, Torrens University Australia Ellidy pops into the bottle shop on her way out to dinner with friends. She’s faced with rows of evocative labels – using artwork, imagery and symbols to help portray the essence
All it takes is paint and pancakes. How to boost your preschooler’s science skills
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Goutam Roy, PhD Candidate in STEM education, Charles Sturt University Parents of young children will be aware of the need to encourage early reading and maths skills in their kids. They know it’s important to make time to read with their children. Or point out that “cat”
Amid a surge in energy prices, a windfall tax on gas profits could be the best way to protect households
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Locky Xianglong Liu, Research fellow, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University The war in Iran has once again exposed how vulnerable the world’s energy markets are to geopolitical disruption. In wild swings, benchmark crude oil prices spiked as high as US$120 per barrel, roughly 50% higher than
Louis Theroux’s Inside the Manosphere exposes the business model of misogyny
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Roberts, Professor of Sociology, School of Social Sciences, Monash University Over the past two years, viral clips, news headlines and TV series such as Adolescence have ensured much of the public has encountered the “manosphere” – an online ecosystem that repackages misogyny, anti-feminism and male grievance
Taking the wealth – the plunder and impoverishment of West Papua
REVIEW: By Lee Duffield Declining population in West Papua, and critical loss of life through clashes with the Indonesia military raise the question of genocide in a new book by Brisbane writer Dr Greg Poulgrain. This work, Curse of Gold, published in English by Kompas, as the title indicates traces the roots of subjugation going
View from The Hill: David Littleproud quits as Nationals leader, declaring ‘I’m buggered’
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Nationals leader David Littleproud has unexpectedly quit his post, declaring he is “buggered” and “out on my feet”. His announcement came as a shock to colleagues and follows a period of extreme turbulence for his party and the Coalition, which
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Middle East war set to push inflation higher than forecast, warns RBA deputy governor
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Reserve Bank’s Deputy Governor Andrew Hauser says inflation in Australia looks likely to be higher than projected before the war in the Middle East broke out. The Reserve Bank’s board will meet to discuss interest rates next week. Reserve
Australia is sending an aircraft and personnel to the Middle East. Does this mean we are entering the war?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is off to another Middle Eastern war, which is likely a surprise to many given how contentious the country’s involvement in the Iraq war was. The Albanese government has decided to send a
