Research in the news

NSW mid-rise housing reforms are driving a surge in dense developments across Sydney. Professor Chris Pettit from the City Futures Research Centre notes the scale marks a “step up from current densities” but warns time-limited affordable housing may worsen affordability pressures in the long term.

Associate Professor Negin Nazarian from the School of Built Environment outlines ways to keep homes cool without relying on air-conditioning, from selecting cooler materials during renovations to adjusting daily routines. During heatwaves, she emphasises the importance of “focusing on the person, not just the room.”

Extreme heat is forecast for Western Sydney, with suburbs including Penrith, Parramatta and Blacktown set to reach around 44°C. Associate Professor Riccardo Paolini from the School of Built Environment notes that a combination of geography, topography and urbanisation are directly contributing to the region's intense temperatures.

China’s birth rate continues to decline as couples cite high costs, career pressures and economic uncertainty. Associate Professor Pan Wang from the School of Humanities & Languages says the one-child policy “fundamentally reshaped family norms,” limiting the impact of recent pronatalist measures.

As obesity rates climb in China, many overweight adults are enrolling in month-long weightloss bootcamps. Associate Professor Pan Wang from the School of Humanities & Languages urges greater government regulation, noting that “thinness has become a form of social capital” that such camps exploit.

A new report by the NSW ADC and UNSW reveals widespread neglect of older people and adults with disability, calling for better early intervention and service coordination. Dr Megan Blaxland from the Social Policy Research Centre says the findings can help organisations “be more attuned to signs of neglect” so support can be offered earlier.

Property expert Professor Chyi Chin Lee from the School of Built Environment notes that in China’s cooling real estate market, only buyers with urgent housing needs are purchasing, reflecting broader shifts in housing demand that spotlight the deepening affordability challenges across Asia and Australia.

Professor Chris Pettit from the City Futures Research Centre says Tallawong’s severe commuter-parking overflow shows that expanding car parks is not a long-term fix, urging a shift toward the integrated public transport and active-travel networks seen in leading global cities.

Associate Professor Jan Lanicek from the School of Humanities & Languages discusses antisemitism in the wake of the attack at Bondi Beach and what we can do to prevent it. [Timestamp 09:37]

Benjamin Driver from the School of Built Environment warns that unchecked urban sprawl into bushland is increasing deadly bushfire risks on city outskirts, arguing for better metropolitan planning and protection of natural buffers to reduce vulnerability.

As Australia's under-16 social media ban takes effect, some teens have welcomed the change. Professor Michael Salter from the School of Social Sciences describes the ban as a "necessary circuit breaker" to reduce the risk of young users encountering harmful online content.

As end-of-year celebrations ramp up, Dr Katinka Van De Ven from the Social Policy Research Centre shares five strategies to help people cut back on alcohol over the holiday season. She emphasises: "the key is to put protective strategies in place before alcohol starts affecting your judgment."

As the NDIS moves to algorithm-generated plans with reduced human oversight, Dr Georgia van Toorn from the School of Social Sciences warns errors in assessments could be “baked in” to budgets with potentially "dire consequences" for participants. She adds that poor transparency and limited appeal rights make implementing safeguards essential.

Dr Georgia van Toorn from the School of Social Sciences discusses the NDIA’s move to reduce human oversight in NDIS plans and budgets generated by AI software. She notes “a computer-generated support plan may not actually produce a very good outcome,” and cautions that budgets risk being misaligned with participants’ needs. [Timestamp 2:31:37]

From mid-2026, NDIS plans will be computer-generated, leaving staff with limited discretion to adjust them. Dr Georgia van Toorn from the School of Social Sciences warns that greater reliance on automated tools and reduced human oversight could “amplify some of the problems" already seen with inadequate plans. [Timestamp 0:21:07]

As Christmas parties and end-of-year events proliferate, many people struggle to reduce their alcohol intake. Dr Katinka Van De Ven from the Social Policy Research Centre offers practical strategies and stresses avoiding “all or nothing thinking” as smaller steps are more likely to support long-term goals. [Timestamp 1:21:20]

Dr Katinka Van De Ven from the Social Policy Research Centre outlines seven practical tips to cut back on alcohol during December. She notes the benefits of reducing or stopping begin immediately, and reminds listeners that “a slip is a slip, not a failure”. [Timestamp 2:42:16]

As AI music platforms like Suno expand through partnerships with major record labels, Professor Emery Schubert from the School of the Arts & Media joins Life Matters for a panel discussion exploring how AI is reshaping creativity, authorship and the blurred boundaries of music-making.

KFC’s new bánh mì-style sandwich has drawn criticism for missing the cultural essence of the Vietnamese classic. Dr Sukhmani Khorana from the School of the Arts & Media notes it is “not just about the ownership of specific recipes and cultural appropriation,” but signals a broader shift toward mass-produced convenience.

A new clinical trial has found that a common antidepressant significantly reduced domestic violence reoffending. Professor Michael Salter from the School of Social Sciences calls the findings a “signal” to health departments and urges a "multi-sectoral response" that treats health as one of many entry points for tailored DV interventions.

Experts have raised concerns over privacy and accuracy after social media platform X introduced a new location feature. Dr Elaine Jing Zhao from the School of the Arts & Media notes VPNs are widely used for many reasons, limiting the tool’s reliability, and warns misinterpretation can lead to “unintended consequences”.