It’s been a big week for news – especially if you’re a US politics tragic | As I’m writing this newsletter, there’s still a degree of uncertainty about who the next American president will be.
That might make it the perfect moment to reflect on the last four years of the Trump presidency, and ask, as The Minefield does this week, whether it’s revealed democracy’s fragility – or its resilience?
But if you’d rather think about something else this weekend, we’ve got plenty of other stories for you – from developments in cochlear implant technology to the origins of the body swap.
And if you’re into board games or computer games, don’t miss this article from God Forbid producer Rohan Salmond about the spiritual and philosophical ideas that underpin them.
My favourite quote is from Benn Banasik, who’s doing a PhD on meditation and holds the world record for the longest ever game of Columns on the Sega Mega Drive.
Benn’s mum used to tell him gaming was a waste of time – but he’s since come to see it in a different light. In fact, he says: “There is not much difference between a monk who is in this mindful state sitting there reflecting on the magnitude of the world, and someone who is playing a puzzle game for 11 hours.”
Until next time,
Rosie Ryan, digital editor Enjoy getting Radio National in your inbox? Forward to a friend so they can too! | |
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Cochlear implants can be a life-changing tool for people with hearing loss — but they're not perfect. Now, a biomedical engineer has come up with a new approach to testing improvements to the bionic ears. |
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When Sarah Allely was growing up, haka seemed to be just for the boys. But when she saw it being spontaneously performed in Christchurch after the terror attacks, she started to see it in a new light. |
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Dungeons and Dragons may no longer be reviled as a gateway to Satanism, but these experts say religion and games might have more in common than you might think. |
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News, Events and Opportunities |
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| | | | An augmented reality project looking at how our towns and cities will have to adapt to cope with the impacts of climate change into the future. | | | |
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| | | | From ABC Indigenous comes a new six-part podcast about the 1993 arrest and death of Aboriginal teenager Daniel Yock. Episode one is out on Sunday. | | | |
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| | Speaking Out will replay the Annual Dr Charles Perkins Oration on Friday, November 13. | |
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