Yesterday
Translators tipped to be replaced by AI within three years
Machine translation is advancing rapidly, although interpreting meaning rather than just words and sentences remains a daunting task.
- Updated
- The Economist
Formula 1 is booming. So are romance novels about the sport
The sports romance genre is seeing a new trend thanks in part to the popularity of the Netflix docuseries Drive to Survive.
- Gregory Leporati
Lin-Manuel Miranda on Mufasa and the secret to a Disney hit
The Hamilton creator, who crafted the soundtrack for the new prequel to The Lion King, reflects on writing songs that have universal appeal.
- Sarah Bahr
This Month
It’s a Wonderful Life is a ritual, but its darkness must be dealt with
The organisers of a festival celebrating Frank Capra’s classic holiday film are finally tackling the difficult subject at its heart.
- Erik Piepenburg
Five grown-up films for a sequel-free Boxing Day
Hollywood’s obsession with rehashes carries on to the biggest day of the year for Australian cinema owners, but there are some flicks for discerning adults.
- Michael Bodey
What the Dickens have they done to the year 12 English syllabus?
Charles Dickens, George Orwell and Sylvia Plath will all disappear from the HSC English syllabus in NSW, but their replacements aren’t too shabby.
- Jonty Claypole
24 hours in Chadstone: a postcard from Melbourne’s shopping temple
I spent a night in the mega mall in the week before Christmas, and even a bloated Victorian budget couldn’t spoil the mood.
- Gus McCubbing
You’ve seen this book everywhere. TikTok is responsible
The romance novel “Icebreaker” has sold almost 2 million copies since publisher Anthea Bariamis discovered it on BookTok, a forum turning the fiction industry on its head.
- Lucy Dean
Suburban pub grub suits Westpac’s new CEO
Living in Sydney’s inner west makes Anthony Miller an outlier among big bank chiefs. The former investment banker is determined to make his firm stand out, too.
- Updated
- Lucas Baird
The sole survivor from jazz’s most important photograph
One summer morning in 1958, a group of jazz notables gathered on the steps of a Harlem brownstone for a photo that became iconic.
- Hank Shteamer
Barnesy, Farnesy... blue Wiggle? The best music books of 2024
Some icons of music wrote their story this year – or had it written for them. Here’s our pick of the greatest music book hits for when the Christmas carols are done.
- Michael Bailey
Our streaming reviewer’s top picks for a holiday binge
The best Australian comedy series in years, Larry David’s swansong and reboots of classic source material like Fargo and The Watchmen will keep you submitting to the “play next episode” option this holidays.
- Terry Pontikos
Inside the program putting people back on the moon
One-armed robots are being trained in lunar construction as earthlings prepare to return to our satellite for the first time in 50 years – and not for days this time, but months.
- Jessica Camille Aguirre
What really goes on at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s ‘medieval court’
The 126-room mansion in Florida has become a scene of spectacular shindigs and high-stakes meetings with foreign leaders, effectively becoming a shadow White House.
- Tom Teodorczuk
How self-addressed envelopes made a fashion icon
Her clothes have been worn by stars like Cindy Crawford and Madonna, but Collette Dinnigan had an off-piste start to life - and reveals it may not be over yet.
- Bonnie Campbell
How Dungeons & Dragons became cool
The role-playing game, celebrating its 50th birthday, was once a nerdy niche. It’s championing by Hollywood creators has won it unprecedented popularity.
- The Economist
Ted Danson’s new show is less ‘Cheers’, more tears
The veteran sitcom actor’s new series “A Man on the Inside” mixes laughs with a serious look at how society views ageing.
- Terry Pontikos
- Opinion
- Review
Five streaming Christmas movies that are so bad, they’re good
“Brain rot” was the Oxford English Dictionary’s word of the year. Here’s some holiday drivel to help you join the trend.
- Rachael Bolton
Women-only gallery at MONA to let men in for housework lessons
The Ladies Lounge will briefly reopen after a successful appeal against a discrimination suit, and will even admit men – with some (apron) strings attached.
- Michael Bailey
Queenslander’s Doctor Who theme joins sound archive
Atherton-born composer Ron Grainer’s pioneering electronic theme for the sci-fi series has joined a beer ad and a politician’s maiden speech in the National Sound Archive.
- Liz Hobday