What it takes to become an astronaut and how to build heat-proof housing

When she was five, Katherine Bennell-Pegg looked up at the stars and never looked back. While most childhood dreams drift back to Earth, hers didn't. The 2026 Australian of the Year reflects on the determination it takes to become an astronaut, and what compels someone to push beyond the limits and boldly go where we've never gone before. After another week of record-breaking heat, it's pretty clear a lot of our homes simply aren't designed for the climate we live in. So how can we design our homes so that they're a sanctuary once more, instead of an oven? Do we treat female voices differently to male voices? New research suggests when it comes to AI assistants, there's a clear divide. So what does that say about us, and does it really matter?