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Editor's note
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It was 50 years ago today that Apollo 8 launched and headed for the Moon, and Australia played a key role in keeping contact between NASA and the three astronauts. It was a mission that paved the way for the historic Moon landing the following year, and as Tristan Moss writes it’s remembered for the Christmas message the astronauts sent back from the Moon (including “confirmation” of a Santa sighting).
The mission is also remembered for the iconic photograph of Earth rising above the Moon — the first time we’d captured all of humanity (minus the three astronauts on board) in a single image. Simon Torok and colleagues write it changed our perception of our place in space and fuelled environmental awareness around the world.
And we also want to thank everyone who has donated to The Conversation this year and supported independent, evidence-based journalism. We need 86 more people to donate to reach our target of 7,000 donors in 2018! If you can make even a small contribution, please do so here.
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Michael Lund
Deputy Editor: Science + Technology
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Top story
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The role downunder played in helping track the Apollo 8 mission to the Moon.
Tristan Moss, UNSW
The three astronauts read from the Bible as part of their message from the Moon. Then on return one declared: "Please be informed there is a Santa Claus."
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Earthrise: astronauts aboard Apollo 8 captured this spectacular photo of Earth rising above the lunar horizon as they emerged from behind the dark side of the Moon.
Image Credit: NASA
Dr Simon Torok, University of Melbourne; Colleen Boyle, RMIT University; Jenny Gray, University of Melbourne; Julie Arblaster, Monash University; Lynette Bettio, Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Rachel Webster, University of Melbourne; Ruth Morgan, Monash University
Fifty years ago people saw our planet from the outside for the first time.
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Health + Medicine
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Alfred Allan, Edith Cowan University; Maria Allan, Edith Cowan University
Forgiveness isn't about minimising or forgetting the pain we feel. It's about letting go of our feelings of resentment and revenge.
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Charles Musselwhite, Swansea University
Windows help those who can't get out understand and participate in the world around them.
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Therese O'Sullivan, Edith Cowan University
In many households, Christmas means visits from relatives eager to smother kids with kisses. But respectful parenting means giving the kids fair warning so they can decide whether that's ok.
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Politics + Society
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Peter Manning, University of Technology Sydney
A new form of journalism, dubbed "access journalism" is creeping into the media, and its reliance on allegations and lack of evidence poses a serious threat.
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
Looking back on the federal politics of 2018, voters can conclude they’ve been given a rough trot. What’s been dubbed “the permanent election campaign” to which we are subjected these days is a curse…
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Arts + Culture
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Peter Tregear, University of Melbourne
Our identity unquestionably shapes (and can limit) how we interact with the world. But it should not become the only foundation upon which we build our understanding of it.
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Heather Merle Benbow, University of Melbourne; Deborah Tout-Smith, Museums Victoria
For Australians serving overseas in WWI, Christmas was particularly difficult. Menus reveal how soldiers tried to maintain the traditions of home.
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Cities
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Troy Innocent, Swinburne University of Technology
Melbourne has its first playable art tram – a 32.5-metre-long musical score played via augmented reality. So what's the idea of playable trams and playable cities really about?
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Business + Economy
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Aysha Fleming, CSIRO; Ingrid van Putten, CSIRO
Australian fishing boats throw away up to half the fish they catch. To make the seafood industry sustainable, we need to eat all the fish that get caught.
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Frank J. Cilluffo, Auburn University; Sharon L. Cardash, Auburn University
Intelligence officials in many countries are concerned the company could be helping the Chinese government spy on companies, military units and government agencies.
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Education
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Bronwyn Hinz, University of Melbourne
2018 was a mixed bag for schooling policy in Australia, with new ministers, a new organisation and auspicious anniversaries. It’s worth reflecting on the year that’s been.
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Science + Technology
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Barbara Maher, Lancaster University
Air pollution is bad for our heart and lung health – and a new study says it may be bad for brain health, too.
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Environment + Energy
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Michael Hopkin, The Conversation
Yeah, we get it – environment news can be depressing. So here are ten uplifting stories from 2018 that prove it's not all doom and gloom out there in the natural world. Happy reading!
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