the conversation
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Can We Measure How Much Energy Our Brains Use?
After a long day of work or study, your brain might feel like it has been drained of energy. But does our brain burn more energy when engaging in mental athletics than it does during other activities, such as watching TV? To answer this question, we have to look at the engine room of our…
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When Did Eggs Go From Chicken to Chocolate?
A lot of Easter traditions – including hot cross buns and lamb on Sunday – stem from medieval Christian or even earlier pagan beliefs. The chocolate Easter egg, however, is a more modern twist on tradition. Chicken eggs have been eaten at Easter for centuries. Eggs have long symbolised rebirth and renewal, making them perfect…
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Carbon Offsets Aren’t Going to Save Us, We Need Stronger Action
This week, the Albanese government is attempting to reform the safeguard mechanism to try to make it actually cut emissions from our highest polluting industrial facilities. Experts and commentators see Labor’s plan as a cautious, incremental change that doesn’t yet rise to the urgency of the intensifying climate crisis. But it could generate momentum after…
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Your Shower Thoughts, Answered: Where Does Wind Actually Come From?
The short answer is wind happens because the Sun heats some parts of the planet more than others, and this uneven heating starts a wind going. That means wind energy is really a kind of solar energy! All winds are made the same way Wind systems on Earth vary from the global-scale trade winds and…