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Researchers at The Australian National University (ANU) have delved into the world of online conspiracy theories, showing most of the people behind them are actually pretty ordinary. The study looked at eight years of content, sifting through more than two billion comments posted on Reddit, including everything posted to the subreddit r/conspiracy.

New research from The Australian National University (ANU) has found overconfidence driven by outstanding performance is the decisive factor when companies behave badly. When high-performing companies and individuals behave unethically it is because past successes make them arrogant or cut corners to maintain strong performance.

A new study led by ANU has created a 3D map of the magnetic field in a small wedge of the Milky Way galaxy, paving the way for future discoveries that will improve our understanding of the origin and evolution of the Universe. Lead researcher Dr Aris Tritsis from the ANU Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics (RSAA) said this was the first study to tomographically measure the strength of our galaxy's magnetic field.

A new study from The Australian National University (ANU) has found a number of 2D materials can not only withstand being sent into space, but potentially thrive in the harsh conditions. It could influence the type of materials used to build everything from satellite electronics to solar cells and batteries - making future space missions more accessible, and cheaper to launch.

A study by scientists at ANU on the magnetic fields of planets has found that most planets discovered in other solar systems are unlikely to be as hospitable to life as Earth. Plants and animals would not survive without water on Earth. The sheer strength of Earth's magnetic field helps to maintain liquid water on our blue planet's surface, thereby making it possible for life to thrive.

Researchers from The Australian National University (ANU) are unlocking some of the secrets of the Earth's inner core by adapting and further developing a technique used in hospitals around the world. Tomography is the imaging process used in x-rays and ultrasounds, and involves waves passing through the body, before bouncing off body tissue and back to a receiver.

A study from ANU has found billions of dollars are being wasted in water recovery subsidies to increase irrigation efficiency across the Murray-Darling Basin. The Australian Government estimates $3.5 billion in subsidised onand off-farm water infrastructure has achieved some 700 gigalitres per year increases to stream and river flows across the Murray-Darling Basin.

Researchers have uncovered the world's oldest known tattooist's kit - and among the most startling conclusions is that two of the four tattooing tools found are made from human bone. The intricate, multi-toothed tattooing tools were found on Tongatapu Island - Tonga's main island. Radiocarbon dating found them to be around 2,700 years old, making them the oldest confirmed tattooing combs found in Oceania.

Scientists at The Australian National University (ANU) have made a fresh series of breakthroughs that could help further revolutionise solar technology - making it more efficient, and more accessible - following major discoveries last year. The team from ANU have been concentrating on the solar cell's skin layer, which is 1,000 times thinner than a human hair, and is used to conduct electricity and protect the solar cell.

Researchers at The Australian National University (ANU) have made a remarkable discovery about a group of lizards, and how they've managed to thrive in extreme conditions on one of the world's highest mountain ranges. The Liolaemus lizards - found mainly around South America's Andes Mountains - reproduce in a way that challenges one of biology's best known rules, Dollo's Law.

A study of metal contamination in south-west Tasmania by The ANU has found lakes in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA) are contaminated with dangerous metals, and at levels among the highest in the world. ANU researchers studied airborne contamination for the first time in Tasmania and found metal contaminants travelled 130km down-wind of historical mining sites in Queenstown and Rosebery.

 A team of researchers have answered one of the most long-standing questions about how the immune system fights viruses and the discovery could help improve vaccine design. A team from The Australian National University (ANU) and Monash University found the immune system can recognise more proteins from viruses and vaccines than previously thought.

A great mystery around one of our most unique fish species has been solved by researchers at The Australian National University (ANU). Scientists knew Lungfish shared some traits with humans - such as the ability to breathe air through lungs - but a new study proves they also have a similar life span, potentially up to 80 years.

Scientists from ANU have used new space technology to predict droughts and increased bushfire risk up to five months in advance. ANU researcher Siyuan Tian said the team knew they needed to move into space to get closer to understanding the complex nature of drought. They used data from multiple satellites to measure water below the Earth's surface with unprecedented precision, and were able to relate this to drought impacts on the vegetation several months later.

A scientific breakthrough intended to help boost the yields of food crops - such as wheat, cowpeas and cassava - might also improve understanding of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's that could one day lead to a cure. Scientists from ANU and the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Germany revealed that blue-green algae produces tiny carbon-capturing engines akin to the way blobs form in a lava lamp and liquid protein droplets form in Alzheimer's disease.

Non-English speaking migrants take to the unique Australian dialect more readily than English-speaking migrants, according to research by ANU. The research from the School of Literature, Languages and Linguistics found migrants learning English as their second language use "Aussie words", such as 'esky', 'thong', 'doona' and 'nappy' at the same rate as Australian-born people.

A landmark study from The Australian National University (ANU) has found that forest soils need several decades to recover from bushfires and logging - much longer than previously thought. Lead researcher Elle Bowd from the ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society said the team found forest soils recovered very slowly over many years from these events - up to 80 years following a bushfire and at least 30 years after logging.

Faulty mobile phones and solar cells could soon be a thing of the past thanks to a ground-breaking invention developed at The Australian National University (ANU). Engineers have developed a powerful new tool to help manufacturers spot defects or unwanted features in everyday technology - such as mobile phones, batteries and solar cells - more easily and much earlier in the fabrication process.

Research shows how women in Anglo-Saxon England faced the same issue as many women today - age and beauty related sexism. Dr Christine Cave of the ANU School of Archaeology and Anthropology said her research suggested women of this era were typically valued for their youth and appearance, with their peak social status reached at around age 30.

A new study from The Australian National University (ANU) has uncovered some alarming trends when it comes to obesity rates amongst children of Australian immigrants. PhD candidate Tehzeeb Zulfiqar looked at data for thousands of Australian children, aged from four to 11. She found children whose mothers were born in low or middle income countries are more likely to be overweight or obese than children whose mothers come from wealthier countries like Australia.