And when will it end? ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Temperature records are being broken across southern Australia as an intense heatwave settles in. Victoria’s notched up the hottest temperature ever recorded in the state with the mercury hitting 48.9°C at Hopetoun and Walpeup. And in South Australia’s Renmark, it hit 49.6°C. It’s shaping up as the worst since the heatwaves of the Black Summer of 2019–20.

But where do heatwaves like this actually come from? And how do we know how long it will last? Environmental geographer Steve Turton explains the weather systems inflicting this heat upon us.

And as Victorian firefighters race to control fires and residents evacuate, Turton reminds us that in the background is the drumbeat of climate change, steadily pushing average global temperatures higher.

Doug Hendrie

Deputy Environment + Energy Editor

Where did southern Australia’s record-breaking heatwave come from?

Steve Turton, CQUniversity Australia

Australia’s northwest is well known for its heat. But this furnace-like area can deliver heatwaves to the southeast, thousands of kilometres away.

View from The Hill: Dysfunctional federal opposition is in gridlock

Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra

A stand-off between leadership hopefuls Andrew Hastie and Angus Taylor delays the inevitable and prolongs the Liberals’ pain.

5 years on from the junta’s coup, Myanmar’s flawed elections can’t unite a country at risk of breaking apart

Adam Simpson, Adelaide University ; Nicholas Farrelly, University of Tasmania

Far from being free and fair, the elections lack any meaningful resemblance to democratic practice.

A new company tax mix has been proposed. We need to be careful how we assess it

Janine Dixon, Victoria University; Jason Nassios, Victoria University

A proposal to change the mix of company taxes would lead to higher national income over time by collecting more from foreign investors.

Should I take a fish oil supplement for my heart, joints or mood?

Mary Bushell, University of Canberra

Because we can’t make enough omega-3s on our own, we need to get them from food or, sometimes, supplements.

Red flowers have a ‘magic trait’ to attract birds and keep bees away

Adrian Dyer, Monash University; Klaus Lunau, Heinrich Heine Universität Düsseldorf

Birds and bees see the world in different ways – and some flowers have evolved to take advantage of the gap in their perspectives.

Swap muesli bars for homemade popcorn: 5 ways to pack a lower-waste lunch box

Neha Lalchandani, Deakin University

Packing lunchboxes every day can seem like a thankless and impossible task. It needs to be healthy, low waste … and something your child will actually eat.

Beach swimming was once banned in Australia. How did it become a treasured pastime?

Anna Clark, University of Technology Sydney

Swimming at the beach was largely banned in Australia until the early 19th century – but now, it’s intrinsic to our national identity.

Politics + Society
Australia is turning the spotlight on financial abuse in relationships. What can NZ learn? Jonathan Barrett, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington As Australia reforms laws that can inadvertently trap financial abuse victims, New Zealand must ask what protections – and risks – exist here.

Environment + Energy
NZ’s sodden January explained: what’s driven this month’s big wet? James Renwick, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington A run of damaging storms that has spoiled midsummer and caused floods and landslides isn’t bad luck, but a combination of local, regional and global drivers.

Arts + Culture
Rocket or arugula? How a salad vegetable mapped the Italian diaspora Matt Absalom, The University of Melbourne The words used to describe this peppery green are a linguistic fossil record revealing the history of Italian migration.

Books + Ideas
Lainie Anderson’s novels about a real pioneering policewoman invite us to play historical detective Sue Turnbull, University of Wollongong Miss Kate Cocks, the real-life first policewoman in South Australia, is the star of Lainie Anderson’s historical crime novels – with a Phryne-Fisher-like offsider.

To celebrate or not to celebrate
"I was disappointed in the data collected regarding society’s attitude to the date of Australia Day. To collect meaningful data, the question itself should be more neutral. By asking 'we should not celebrate Australia Day on 26 January' you are influencing the responses and stoking the flames. It was a 4 point alternative: 2 x disagree and 2 x agree which artificially forces respondents into one camp or the other. Granted this gives researchers, policy-makers, lobbyists and journalists nice neat numbers to quote; however, it disenfranchises that proportion of society which would, if it could, respond '3: undecided or neutral'. I can appreciate the arguments on both sides but do not have a strong feeling either way regarding actually changing the date. Moreover, I find the conflict between the camps (which articles like this amplify) quite distressing. The conflict I’ve witnessed, and the hate spat at fellow Australians in the process, does nothing to make me prouder of my country."
Name withheld

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