LATEST ARTICLES

Joys of pre-loved luxury watches and the profits to be made

Joys of pre-loved luxury watches and the profits to be made

Three sleek and gleaming second-hand watches are presented on a simple tray for a customer’s perusal. Luxury, artisanal pieces, their value is astronomical – collectively worth just over $1 million and increasing by the day – elegant symbols of a world awash with Covid recovery cash with prices for prestige real estate, cars, jewels, art and …read more

Shop less and reduce, reuse and recycle this Christmas

Shop less and reduce, reuse and recycle this Christmas

A slightly marked white sofa bed; a pair of cream-coloured patent leather shoes (size 40); boxes of N95 masks; bags of peanuts in the shell (‘no expiry date, consume at your own risk’), tiny rocks for a fish tank or plant pot  – all free items recently listed on Hong Kong’s private Reduce Reuse Recycle …read more

Publishing in elite journals no guarantee of tenure

Publishing in elite journals no guarantee of tenure

Research by a team of US neuroscientists is intended to debunk widely believed myths that prestigious grants or publication in top-flight journals were necessary to obtain a tenure-track position. These myths could drive trainees to pursue large or complex time-intensive research projects, the paper’s authors said, and could unnecessarily prolong time in training.

A new tool to assess researchers for promotion and recruitment

A new tool to assess researchers for promotion and recruitment

Spanish researchers have developed a tool to measure academics’ knowledge, skills and abilities and improve research efficiency. In the past decade, despite steady growth in academic staff and investment, European universities have “not always reached the desired levels of research productivity”, write the authors of a study published in Science and Public Policyin August 2021. This …read more

The allure and scarcity of Rolex sports models

The allure and scarcity of Rolex sports models

A Rolex Oyster Perpetual stainless steel sports watch with a Tiffany blue dial was described in the auction catalogue as having the manufacturer’s stickers and being in “practically unworn condition”. It sold in early November for 18,900 Swiss francs (US$20,700), four times the Rolex catalogue price of a brand new watch of the same type.

6 direct-to-consumer fashion retailers that have launched IPOs in 2021, from Poshmark to Rent the Runway to Roger Federer-backed shoe brand On

6 direct-to-consumer fashion retailers that have launched IPOs in 2021, from Poshmark to Rent the Runway to Roger Federer-backed shoe brand On

Athletic wear, fashion and cosmetics have been flying out of e-commerce warehouses since the pandemic began as consumers concentrated on buying for their health and their looks, and from home. This year, several primarily direct-to-consumer online firms featuring these items have launched initial public offerings (IPOs). As both manufacturers and retailers, the brands have surged …read more

Curtin University’s Peter Teunissen is first in two research fields

Curtin University’s Peter Teunissen is first in two research fields

Curtin University senior professor Peter Teunissen has seen the field of satellite technology expand at a phenomenal rate over the past few decades.  From a distance of thousands of kilometres, satellites can now help detect ore deposits on Earth, determine the moisture content of soil for better crop planting, provide instant navigation assistance for walkers …read more

Uni of Wollongong’s Sharon Robinson is top in biophysics

Uni of Wollongong’s Sharon Robinson is top in biophysics

Plant physiologist Sharon Robinson has been monitoring plant health in Antarctica for more than 20 years and her findings are sobering. After a successful pilot project, she marked a series of Antarctic sites with tags on rocks in 2003 for on-going observation. She wanted to learn more about the endemic plants and how they survive in …read more

RMIT’s Kate Nguyen helps protect buildings from bushfires

RMIT’s Kate Nguyen helps protect buildings from bushfires

With degrees in chemical engineering and materials engineering from Vietnam universities, followed by a doctorate in civil engineering from the University of Melbourne, Thuy Quynh Nguyen was inspired to use her expertise to limit bushfire damage to Australia’s rural homes.

MBAs are still the postgraduate degree of choice for many

MBAs are still the postgraduate degree of choice for many

Chris Uren studied a masters of business administration course online at Macquarie University and it completely changed his ­career trajectory. Now almost 32, he had been employed as a frontline team member in the international division of Qantas and, like so many thousands of airline employees, he was stood down when the Covid-19 pandemic started to …read more