Another year of publishing and promoting our world-changing research stories brought more than half a million readers to our ever-expanding multi-media platform, The Lighthouse.

It was a year when the mainstream and industry media flocked to pick up our content and republish it in extraordinary numbers as we proved yet again to be a home for topical, evidence-based content our audience can trust. The on-going pandemic drove thousands of readers to us looking for facts and scholarly opinion with How Will the Pandemic End our top explainer article of the year.

When researchers from the Department of Cognitive Science called for volunteers for a study to discover whether a tiny regular dose of ‘magic mushrooms’ can boost creativity, they were flooded with willing participants, media coverage and clicks after The Lighthouse published the story. It proved to be our most popular original research story of the year.

Why do sharks attack humans attracted thousands of readers in the wake of a NSW fatality in May; a world-first breakthrough in the race to treat and cure Alzheimer’s disease spread hope throughout the year;  while a story about the launch of a Business School-backed website – Housing Fever: new website takes temperature of runaway market – drew record engagement from real estate obsessed Australians.

A MCCALL-made film The Skin of Others, about pioneering Australian Douglas Grant landed in the top ten most popular new stories, while articles offering stressbusting tips for HSC students and an analysis of lockdown rule-breakers also resonated.

In 2021 we expanded our broadcast-quality video content, launching the new Leading Lights In Conversation series with high-impact Macquarie alumni. Working with our own Alumni Relations team we kicked off the series with a stellar line-up – former Justice of the High Court, The Hon. Michael Kirby, NASA scientist Abigail Allwood and psychologist Hugh Mackay. Watch this space for blockbuster best-selling author Liane Moriarty in coming weeks.

“I want to thank the generous and inspiring academics who give their time and talent to The Lighthouse in a content partnership with our writers which continues to build new audiences and enhance the University’s reputation as a powerhouse of world-changing research,” said Lighthouse editor Angie Kelly.

“It’s an exciting privilege to help shine a light on the amazing difference our community of experts makes in solving some of the biggest challenges of our time.”

Take a look at our 2021 Lighthouse highlights video below and subscribe to our daily news emails here.