A new poll has revealed what the public think are the most important discoveries and inventions of all time – and what will be the biggest scientific breakthrough in the next 100 years.

New projections by the UNSW Institute for Climate Risk & Response (ICRR) reveal a 4°C rise in global temperatures would cut world GDP by around 40% by 2100 – a stark increase from previous estimates of around 11%.

New study reveals that while high-quality, nonjudgmental listening improves how people feel about a conversation—reducing defensiveness and enhancing perceptions of the listener—it does not make persuasive messages more effective at changing attitudes. Using a large-scale field experiment on immigration, the researchers found that sharing a compelling personal narrative significantly and durably shifted participants’ views, regardless of whether the speaker practiced active listening. This challenges the widespread belief that listening is essential for persuasion, suggesting instead that what is said may matter more than how empathetically it is delivered.