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Editor's note
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DNA testing is all the rage these days, with more online companies promising to divulge all kinds of juicy details about your identity. Theoretically, you can find out your family history, disease profile and even, supposedly, the kind of wine you’re most attracted to. But before you get too excited, Jane Tiller and Paul Lacaze have listed some things to consider, including whether there’s evidence behind the promises, and thinking twice about what unknown entity might have access to your genetic information once you’ve spat in that tube and sent it off into the
ether.
Meanwhile, new research has found social media are a vital resource for Indigenous Australians, connecting them to community, culture and care networks and offering an outlet for political activism. But as Bronwyn Carlson and Ryan Frazer write, many encounter racism online.
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Sasha Petrova
Deputy Editor: Health + Medicine
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Top story
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DNA testing has its risks, including that you don’t know who will own your genetic data.
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
Jane Tiller, Monash University; Paul Lacaze, Monash University
Online genetic testing promises many things. Some are the stuff of fantasy, while others, even if scientifically feasible, still carry risks. Consider these five things before ordering a test.
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Arts + Culture
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Bronwyn Carlson, Macquarie University; Ryan Frazer, Macquarie University
A new report unpacks the complex role social media play in the lives of Indigenous Australians.
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Julie Shiels, RMIT University
Philanthropists are creating new galleries to share their private collections with the Australian public. But these gifts do not ameliorate the deficit left by declining government arts fundings.
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Politics + Society
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Kristyn Harman, University of Tasmania
As the Commonwealth Games get underway on the Gold Coast, what actually is the Commonwealth and is it still relevant?
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Rick Sarre, University of South Australia
The delegation of authority to police to assess their own use of force is no longer something that can be applied solely on trust.
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Clive Hamilton, Charles Sturt University
The author of the controversial Silent Invasion argues it's not the book, but the reaction to it, that has highlighted something troubling in Australian intellectual life.
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Commonwealth Games 2018
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Sarah Jane Kelly, The University of Queensland
The consumption of sport has already changed dramatically, and esports in major competitions is the next step.
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Science + Technology
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Cassandra Cross, Queensland University of Technology; Molly Dragiewicz, Queensland University of Technology
Why do people continue to send money when caught in any online romance scam? Researchers are now finding the techniques these fraudsters use are similar to those in domestic violence cases.
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Sacha Molitorisz, University of Technology Sydney
Third party data brokers trade in personal information and the industry is worth billions. But the activities of these companies remain largely invisible. It's time to shine a light.
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Education
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David Armstrong, Flinders University
Research shows punishments like suspension and expulsion further disadvantage already vulnerable stdents and could result in long term criminal and anti-social behaviour.
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Environment + Energy
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Christine Eriksen, University of Wollongong; Avianto Amri, Macquarie University; Briony Towers; Emma Calgaro, University of Sydney; John Richardson, University of Melbourne; Katharine Haynes, Macquarie University; Scott McKinnon, University of Wollongong
It's understandable to want to shield children from the impacts of disasters. But research suggests that they should be given a voice in disaster planning and a role in reducing the risks.
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Marc Hudson, University of Manchester
The new pro-coal ‘Monash Forum’ follows in a rich political tradition of think tanks and pressure groups, all with names calculated to lend themselves maximum gravitas and a large dose of obfuscation.
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Health + Medicine
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Jennifer King, University of Sydney
Mesh surgery for urinary incontinence is effective and extensively studied, while the mesh used in pelvic prolapse is problematic. But the Senate has conflated the two, which will confuse women.
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Columnists
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Featured jobs
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RMIT University — Melbourne, Victoria
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Featured events
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RMIT Activator (Level 2, Bldg 98), 102 Victoria St, Carlton, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia — Monash University
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Ultimo, Ultimo, New South Wales, 2007, Australia — University of Technology Sydney
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