Lumen
A matter of life or death
Life is short. Three words used widely as a call to action to live large and unashamedly take opportunities. It’s also a statement of fact, and for researchers, a never-ending challenge to find new ways to push healthy boundaries at both ends of human life.
Lumen readers' prize - The time issue
Your chance to win wine and books.
Exclusive event: Lumen Live! The FJ and the footbridge
Meet the people behind the iconic Uni prank.
Time of the crime
The time of death isn't quite as simple as lawyers and 'whodunnit' writers suggest. We take you to the scene of the crime.
News in brief - The time issue
The true origins of Stonehenge - just one of the thousands of media stories generated by the University of Adelaide receiving international attention.
The music between the notes
Anna Goldsworthy writes for Lumen on how an ageing metronome still links her to her past.
A matter of life or death
Life is short. Three words used widely as a call to action to live large and unashamedly take opportunities. It’s also a statement of fact, and for researchers, a never-ending challenge to find new ways to push healthy boundaries at both ends of human life.
The (non?)existence and (un?)importance of time
A philosopher and a physicist debate time.
Wine o'clock
In the vineyards and winery on the Waite campus, time is more than a concept: it’s a vital component of grape growing and winemaking.
Australian comedy as an agent of change
Exploring comedy's power to change ideas.
Rebooting the Muse
Examining how the arts can recover from Covid.
News in brief - Spring 2024
Making news around the world.
Exclusive event: Lumen Live! The FJ and the footbridge
Meet the people behind the iconic Uni prank.
The music between the notes
Anna Goldsworthy writes for Lumen on how an ageing metronome still links her to her past.
Reel time at the movies
Our movie critic explores movies and time.
The backfire of time
A new novel by a literary legend.
Wine o'clock
In the vineyards and winery on the Waite campus, time is more than a concept: it’s a vital component of grape growing and winemaking.
A new prank revealed
Another Lumen exclusive!
Lumen readers' prize - The time issue
Your chance to win wine and books.
The speed of time
For an athlete, time is often the toughest opponent. Olympian and honoured alum Amber Halliday knows this all too well. As one of the world’s best rowers, her challenge wasn’t only how to shave milliseconds off the clock, but also how to find the time to train.
The student and the centenarian
Tempus fugit. Differing perceptions of time.
World News - The time issue
Profiles of our amazing international alumni.
Letters to the editor - The time issue
Our readers share their stories - and prize winning contest entries.
A legacy across time
Our donors of the past would surely be amazed to see their gifts continuing to have impact a century or more later.
Time of the crime
The time of death isn't quite as simple as lawyers and 'whodunnit' writers suggest. We take you to the scene of the crime.
The speed of time
For an athlete, time is often the toughest opponent. Olympian and honoured alum Amber Halliday knows this all too well. As one of the world’s best rowers, her challenge wasn’t only how to shave milliseconds off the clock, but also how to find the time to train.
A new prank revealed
Another Lumen exclusive!
Mystery solved!
It has been one of Adelaide’s great unsolved mysteries for more than 50 years: just how did an FJ Holden end up dangling from the Uni footbridge above the River Torrens in 1971?
The art of creation
In this edition of Lumen we celebrate all things creative. Art, music, theatre, comedy, literature, research, teaching and volunteers. Plus we unveil a new artwork created by noted Australian artist and alum Peter Drew.
A history begun audaciously, continued boldly
Our new look Lumen shares the personal stories of students, staff and alumni – and how our University continues to change lives. Guest “history editor” Keith Conlon explores our past, and how our State and our University have grown together.
News in brief - The time issue
The true origins of Stonehenge - just one of the thousands of media stories generated by the University of Adelaide receiving international attention.
World News - The time issue
Profiles of our amazing international alumni.
Celebrating our legacy
Our Chancellor reflects on our past - and future.
World News - Spring 2024
Three alumni share how their extraordinary talents have taken them around the world.
News in brief - Spring 2024
Making news around the world.
Creating a new university
The making of a modern university.
Featured

A new prank revealed. Another Lumen exclusive!
A life-size mannequin hanging from the Elder Hall tower. Footsteps leading from the VC’s house. A pirate flag unfurled atop Bonython Hall. A 70-year-old whodunit? Lumen reveals all.
About Lumen
Lumen is the University of Adelaide’s peak magazine – for and about the University. It is published bi-annually and distributed via a print edition and email to more than 100,000 recipients.
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From the Newsroom
20
May
Trial aims to help cool endometriosis pain
Breath work, meditation and cold-water immersion therapy are at the centre of a University of Adelaide trial which is now underway and seeking participants.
19
May
Top students receive Hawker scholarships
University of Adelaide students Evelyn Cirillo and Joel Ransom are the latest C.A.S. Hawker Scholarship recipients.
19
May
Australian scientists describe 71 new Australian bee species
A team of Australian researchers has discovered 71 new native bee species belonging to the resin pot bees, or Megachile (Austrochile), which are unique to Australia and present in every state and territory except Tasmania.
14
May
Climate change is turning coastal lagoons into ‘salty soup’
The impacts of human activity and climate change are coalescing to make coastal lagoons saltier, changing the microbial life they support and the function they play in their ecosystems, according to new University of Adelaide research.
University events
15
May
Wise and wonderful women exhibition
The exhibition explores the working lives of women academics in South Australian universities from 1970 to 2024. It draws on findings from a Fay Gale Centre project that critically examined historical and biographical reflections of women who worked in Adelaide’s universities. Thursday 15 May to Wednesday 9 July. Ira Raymond Exhibition Room, Barr Smith Library, North Terrace campus. Further information.
20
May
Join some of Australia’s most visionary business leaders for a full day of bold ideas, strategic insights, and fresh perspectives to support smarter business decisions. Ticket sales close Friday 9 May. Discover where Adelaide is heading – through inspiring keynotes and thought-provoking panels on key sectors including the business economy, tourism, technology, and innovation. Tuesday 20 May, 9 am to 4 pm. William Magarey Room, Adelaide Oval. Tickets.
21
May
EU climate policy – targets, achievements, and open challenges
In this lecture, Professor Hans Fehr (University of Würzburg, Germany) will begin with an overview of the EU’s climate policy evolution and assess its progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions compared to other major global actors. Wednesday 21 May, 12–1 pm. Rooms 7.04/7.05, Level 7, Nexus 10 Tower, Pulteney Street. Register.
21
May
The global rise of plea bargaining and the innocent defendant’s dilemma
The last decade has seen a significant growth in the global use of plea bargaining. During that period of time, there has also been significant growth in academic research related to plea bargaining, including research examining how coercive plea practices encourage innocent defendants to falsely condemn themselves and, sometimes, other innocent people. Wednesday 21 May, 2–3 pm. G03 lecture theatre, Napier building, North Terrace campus.
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