iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 02/10/2026

Hilary McPhee co-founded McPhee Gribble, the legendary Australian publishing house responsible for Monkey Grip, Puberty Blues and Cloudstreet.

theconversation.com

Literary pioneer Hilary McPhee launched Helen Garner, published Cloudstreet – and inspired me

094

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 29/09/2026

Four viruses and one bacteria were responsible for 12% of the world’s cancer cases in 2024. Does this mean they’re preventable?

theconversation.com

One in eight cancers are likely caused by an infection worldwide – new study

085

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 30/09/2026

In one research project, more than 93% of stage managers interviewed said they had ‘probably’ or ‘definitely’ experienced burnout.

theconversation.com

Stage manager is arguably the most stressful job in live performance. Here’s why

042

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 29/09/2026

Diets like the Fast 800 or intermittent fasting have become popular ways to lose weight. But they’re not long-term solutions.

theconversation.com

Do calorie-restricted diets work? Or will I just re-gain the weight?

021

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 28/09/2026

People with rigid thinking patterns who prefer routine and order may be drawn to extremist groups’ black-and-white solutions. But autism itself is not the problem.

theconversation.com

Are autistic people more vulnerable to extremist content?

084

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 23/09/2026

The high cost of housing is also keeping half of young adults up to age 29 living with their parents.

theconversation.com

Housing stress is on the rise: 7 essential charts from this year’s HILDA survey

164

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 23/09/2026

Cytomegalovirus, or CMV, can pass from mother to baby in pregnancy and cause hearing loss, cerebral palsy or other lifelong disabilities. But it can be prevented.

theconversation.com

CMV infection can pass from mother to baby during pregnancy. Here’s how to prevent it

064

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 23/09/2026

The NSW government is moving to curb rape myths in trials to reduce the impact on victim-survivors and increase the likelihood of justice being done.

theconversation.com

Rape myths shape how we respond to sexual violence. What are they and what impact do they have?

094

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 23/09/2026

In inquiries and reviews, governments endlessly ask Indigenous communities what should be done, but rarely act on it. It’s time that changed.

theconversation.com

Governments across Australia know how to stop violence against Indigenous women, they just don’t do it

194

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 22/09/2026

Some people with obsessive-compulsive disorder have experienced traumatic events as children, and develop a deeply held fear of who they are or might become.

theconversation.com

What kind of a person am I? How fear and rejection can underpin OCD

151

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 22/09/2026

There’s been a late rise of influenza A, mostly due to the ‘super K’ strain.

theconversation.com

No, you’re not imagining it. Flu season is late and cases are up

022

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 13/09/2026

New evidence shows more people might benefit from this cholesterol-lowering medication than we previously thought. But that doesn’t mean everyone should take one.

theconversation.com

What are statins? And can healthy people use them to prevent heart disease and dementia?

052

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 14/09/2026

Data centres were once treated as invisible pieces of digital infrastructure. Now, they’re the focus of intense political debate.

theconversation.com

Data centres have existed for decades. So why are they so controversial now?

031

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 12/09/2026

Parents play a vital role in educating young people about sex, sexuality and pornography. But where do you start?

theconversation.com

How to talk to your kids about edgy or violent porn in an age-appropriate way

1204

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 09/09/2026

A messy room isn’t usually created by one great act of mess-making. It results from hundreds of tiny behaviours.

theconversation.com

Can a messy person become a tidy person? Or are we doomed?

121

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 10/09/2026

Mozzies are causing Buruli ulcers in more parts of Australia. New research suggests a mosquito control can help reduce risks in future.

theconversation.com

Mozzies are causing Buruli ulcers in more parts of Australia. Here’s what you need to know

033

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 08/09/2026

Ovarian cancer has a particularly poor survival rate. Only one in two women will live five years beyond their diagnosis.

theconversation.com

Can removing your fallopian tubes really reduce your risk of ovarian cancer?

032

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 08/09/2026

Around one in three women report their birth experience as traumatic. And it’s not always related to medical emergencies.

theconversation.com

Does debriefing about a difficult birth stop it turning into trauma?

052

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 07/09/2026

Here’s what inflatable operators are supposed to do – and where the risks arise.

theconversation.com

Are jumping castles safe? An amusement ride safety expert explains

143

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 07/09/2026

R U OK? Day is Australia’s most recognisable mental health campaign. A study using nine years of data looked at how it affected wellbeing and access to care.

theconversation.com

Does ‘R U OK? Day’ actually improve people’s mental health?

044

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 02/09/2026

A new approach could allow even the most aggressive forms of ovarian cancer to be detected in their early stages.

theconversation.com

Ovarian cancer is hard to detect. Focusing on these 4 symptoms can help with diagnosis

065

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 02/09/2026

As a supporter or friend, you don’t need to have the answers, and you shouldn’t speculate. Here’s how to just be there and offer practical support.

theconversation.com

Families waiting for news from Nepal and Tibet will feel both hope and despair – and this can change minute to minute

021

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 26/08/2026

It might be tempting to focus on your ‘good days’. But here’s what to keep in mind when an assessor asks about your health and everyday life.

theconversation.com

Here’s what to keep in mind before and after an aged care assessment

164

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 25/08/2026

Tinned tuna is affordable, high in protein and doesn’t need cooking, making it a convenient and nutritious lunchtime staple. Here’s how much you can eat.

theconversation.com

Can you eat too much tinned tuna?

082

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 25/08/2026

Having larger in-person networks appeared to protect young people against developing severe depression symptoms. But large online networks had the opposite effect.

theconversation.com

Knowing someone who attempted suicide raises young people’s own risk – new study

034

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 21/08/2026

Pressure to hold the family together, visa worries and fear of social exclusion can make it harder to leave abusive relationships.

theconversation.com

Leaving abusive relationships can be harder for migrant women. Here’s what they need to feel safe

073

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 21/08/2026

On-call work doesn’t always mean responding to an emergency. But you typically have to switch into work mode very quickly – so it can be hard to fully switch off.

theconversation.com

How being ‘on-call’ for work can disrupt your sleep – even if the call never comes

041

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 19/08/2026

A new study showed that for people who were susceptible to psychosis, cannabis use in their 30s was associated with an earlier onset of psychosis by 6.3 years.

theconversation.com

Cannabis isn’t ‘safer’ in your 20s and 30s – it’s linked to an earlier onset of psychosis

164

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 20/08/2026

Do you hear ‘psychotherapy’ and imagine lying on a couch, talking about dreams? Here’s where that image comes from – and why it might be time for an update.

theconversation.com

What’s the difference between psychotherapy and psychoanalysis?

022

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 17/08/2026

When a chemist wrote a book about vitamin C curing the common cold, the world took note. How wrong we all were.

theconversation.com

Can vitamin C cure a cold? How a Nobel Prize winner convinced us it could

033

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 15/08/2026

Drinking a lot of cow’s milk can increase your child’s risk of low iron. Here’s what to look out for.

theconversation.com

Worried your toddler isn’t getting enough iron? Here’s what parents need to know

021

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 15/08/2026

Psychosis is not a diagnosis. It’s a cluster of symptoms that affect how you think and perceive reality.

theconversation.com

Trauma can trigger psychosis – and talk therapy can help treat both

0145

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 12/08/2026

Symptoms and impacts may fluctuate and it can be difficult to show you’ve tried other treatments.

theconversation.com

People with psychosocial disability from mental illness will lose out from tightened NDIS eligibility

068

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 11/08/2026

In the US and Sweden, there’s been a drop in the number of babies receiving the vitamin K injection. But Australia doesn’t collect national data.

theconversation.com

Vitamin K shots stop internal bleeding in newborns. So why are some parents refusing them?

0134

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 10/08/2026

Maybe you live with your parents. Maybe you’re unsure. Here’s what to keep in mind if sharing your sexuality in a census question feels tricky.

theconversation.com

The census will ask about your sexual orientation. What should you write?

033

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 10/08/2026

There’s been a rise of shingles cases among younger adults aged 25–49. Why aren’t they eligible for a free vaccine?

theconversation.com

Should the shingles vaccine be free for all adults? We asked 5 experts

1134

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 08/08/2026

Grief is an understandable response to witnessing harm to places and species that matter to us.

theconversation.com

I feel deep sadness about bird flu and environmental loss. Is this normal?

0113

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 09/08/2026

Lesbians were misrepresented and parodied by men in ancient Roman texts. Yet these depictions can reveal a lot if we read between the lines.

theconversation.com

‘A hard-on more raging than a man’s’: what the tribas figure reveals about lesbians in ancient Rome

063

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 05/08/2026

There’s little transparency about who has access to deeply personal medical data or how companies handle it.

theconversation.com

Clinicians ask ‘do you mind if I use AI?’ Perhaps you should

0910

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 04/08/2026

There’s an important difference between scrutiny and concern. Here’s why this matters.

theconversation.com

Ariana Grande’s appearance attracted intense scrutiny, not just genuine concern

003

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 03/08/2026

After backlash from the LGBTQIA+ community, the government agreed to include gender and sexual orientation questions in the new census. So why not intersex?