Society & Culture

EXPLAINERSpace

Space debris. Space Junk. ESA Artist impression. Supplied

Earth’s problem with space junk

More than one million pieces of space junk are thought to be orbiting around Earth, and while they put on a dazzling light show upon re-entry, they pose a major problem for the future

VIDEOSpace

(L-R) Canadian Space Agency astronaut, NASA Artemis II Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, NASA astronaut and Artemis II Mission Specialist Christina Koch, NASA astronaut and Artemis II pilot Victor Gloverand and NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman looks on during the rollout of NASA's next-generation moon rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion crew capsule, to the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, US, in January 17, 2026. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP)

Astronauts journey to next frontier

Humanity’s history of space travel will get a modern makeover as NASA launches its most ambitious moon mission in over 50 years with four astronauts taking diversity to the far side of the moon

NASA Kepler mission

Have we found a second Earth?

Astronomers say they have found a potentially habitable planet that is very much like Earth, however, there is one major difference that could make living there a little less appealing

Cereals thumbnail for 16:9 okay.

Best and worst breakfast cereals

How well do you start your day? Did you know your morning bowl may be packed with sugar and not keep you full? Experts ranked popular boxed breakfasts as choices to embrace or avoid

VIDEOSport

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain reacts during a press conference as he sits with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after defeating Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the men's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, early Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Alcaraz wins the Australian Open

Spanish tennis ace Carlos Alcaraz has made history to become the youngest man to claim a career Grand Slam, denying Novak Djokovic what would have been his 25th championship win

VIDEOEnvironment

Ice floats on the Hudson River seen from the Edge sky deck at Hudson Yards, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Eerie New York snowscape stuns

America’s polar vortex froze the Hudson River and turned New York City into an Arctic landscape – see the incredible scenes that transformed the world’s most famous city as big clean up begins

VIDEOSociety and Culture

Screengrabs from the Life in Australia series, commissioned by the Department of Immigration in the 1960s to attract migrants, restored in 4K by the National Film and Sound Archive. Picture: NFSA/YouTube

What was 1960s Australia like?

Remarkable footage showcasing life in Australia in the 1960s – used as a ‘marketing tool’ to attract more British migrants – has been restored in 4K – but does it really reflect the way we were?

KIDS NEWS WHAT'S ON WRAP. Australiaâs favourite Japanese magic bar, MAHO MAGIC BAR, will delight and astonish the whole family this summer with its family-friendly sessions, perfect to keep the kids entertained this school holidays. Picture: Jeff Busby

What’s on these summer holidays

The festive season is finally here and there’s plenty of magic happening across the country. Here are some of our favourite things to do and see in each state and territory across Australia

9/12/18 NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (3rd L) after lighting a candle with members of SydneyÕs Jewish community while celebrating Chanukah Ð the Festival of Lights Ð at Bondi Beach. Tracey Nearmy/Daily Telegraph

Australia in mourning after Bondi

Jewish communities worldwide will celebrate the triumph of light over forces of darkness during Hanukkah festivities this week and despite our nation’s shock and grief, may peace and love prevail

Science and Technology

KIDS NEWS. Amazon held a GirlsÃ¢â¬â¢ Tech Day in Camden in Western Sydney on December 11, 2025, in conjunction with Western Sydney University and Camden Council. Picture: Thomas James Parish

‘Architects of AI’ pave future path

Time Magazine has just named its 2025 Person of the Year as ‘the architects of AI’ – but with a critical skills gap in Australia, who will become the STEM pioneers of our nation’s AI future?

Primeval Caveman Wearing Animal Skin Holds Stone Tipped Spear Looks Around, Explores Prehistoric Forest in a Hunt for Animal Prey. Neanderthal Going Hunting in the Jungle

Fire-starters change human history

New evidence of humans deliberately making fire up to 350,000 years earlier than previously thought has lit up a team of British scientists – find out why fire was such a species game-changer

Science and Technology

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Aussie kids’ first taste of freedom

Australian kids under 16 trying to log into Snapchat are greeted by lockout screens, with other apps to follow suit as the nation’s historic new laws for accessing social media come into effect

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New plan for Aussie beach safety

The first phase of a plan to make Australian waters safer and reduce shark risk at our beaches is being rolled out in one state. Learn how sharks can be spotted early and how lives can be saved

Oscar Piastri playing cricket for the third XI at the Haileybury and Imperial Service College, in Hertford, England, the school he attended from the ages of 14 to 18 to enhance his prospects of becoming a Formula One driver. Picture : supplied (for The Australian ONLY )

Oscar turns attention to the Ashes

Oscar Piastri’s F1 championship dreams did not come true this year – but the Australian has found a silver lining heading into 2026 that is perfectly timed for his return home for Christmas

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - Daily Telegraph Photos - Saturday, 29 November 2025 Mehr 3 and brother Agastya 6 Sood pictured at Robert Pymble Park, Pymble. Eighteen months ago, one-year-old Mehr Sood suffered two cardiac arrests and spent six weeks in hospital before doctors discovered she had Brugada Syndrome, a rare and potentially fatal heart arrhythmia. She now relies on an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) to keep her heart safe. What makes the story even more extraordinary is what happened next. Using new genetic testing, doctors uncovered that her older brother then just five also had the same hidden condition. Picture: Daily Telegraph / Monique Harmer

Tiny device keeping siblings alive

This brother and sister look like most other Australian children – happy, healthy and full of fun – but inside their chests are tiny devices keeping them alive, after a new test found a hidden harm

FOR KATE UREN . This image portrays a young woman deeply engaged with her smartphone, seen through a distorted, swirling blur effect. The artistic composition highlights the concept of doomscrolling, brainrot, digital addiction, social media immersion, and the modern reliance on technology. The surreal perspective creates a sense of detachment, illustrating how screens can shape and blur reality. The warm and cool tones enhance the mood, evoking themes of isolation, distraction, and digital dependency.

What scrolling does to your brain

Ever wondered why you struggle to put down your device? A neuroscientist has revealed why social media is so addictive – and how it could be reshaping young brains for the worse

A couple of curious wildlife cases have found their way to Healesville Sanctuary wildlife hospital, with not one but two Echidna puggles needing extra TLC., It’s an uncommon sight that has spiked the interest of the veterinary team., The orphaned youngsters were both disturbed in their burrows while people were doing end of year renovations., One was accidentally dug up by an excavator clearing a paddock in Launching Place. The other found under a slab of concrete at a building site near Alexandra., It’s common for female Echidnas to create burrows in random places at this time of year. Often, they will feed the puggles and then go off wandering for a few days at a time, meaning the little ones can be left in the burrow for up to 10 days. Credit Zoos Victoria

Double puggles out of trouble

A couple of curious wildlife cases have found their way to an Australian wildlife hospital, with not one but two echidna puggles now receiving plenty of TLC after their dramatic survival