Contact's top 10
Did you miss these top stories from 2021?
From world news and expert opinion to feel-good community stories and alumni success, there’s plenty to gain from reading Contact’s 10 most-read stories of 2021.
As we head into year three of the pandemic, January feels like the perfect time to reflect on the stories that captured the highs and lows of the year that was.
So, what made the list? Some highlights include profiles on UQ graduates with fascinating careers – like the investigator cracking cold cases, the veterinarian who inspired the movie Red Dog, and the graduate behind the sunshades that are dotting beaches Australia-wide.
During the more turbulent months of 2021, our most clicked-on stories covered expert takes on life during the pandemic, and political unrest in Afghanistan.
Our readers were also curious about cryptocurrency, the 2032 Olympics bid, and a wholesome story about a little wooden ferry that returned to UQ four decades on.
If you could use a break from 'doomscrolling' your newsfeed, kick off the New Year with our most popular reads from 2021 instead.
Keep reading to see what made the list.
Wave of destruction: marking 10 years since the 2011 floods
Anyone who lived through it will forever remember the summer of 2011 after a ‘once in a century flood’ overwhelmed Toowoomba, the Lockyer Valley, and the Greater Brisbane region for the second time in 40 years.
The cryptic world of cryptocurrencies
Cryptocurrency fever gripped the internet, with the meteoric rise of Dogecoin and a minefield of speculative crypto buying and selling fuelled by Elon Musk’s Twitter account.
Why the Taliban won Afghanistan, and why they won’t hold it
Professor Peter Greste spent time in Afghanistan in the 1990s as a reporter for the BBC. In the wake of the crisis that unfolded in the country last year, Professor Greste analysed the Taliban's beginnings and their eventual return to power.
Golden opportunity
UQ Olympic experts weighed in on whether hosting the Games in 2032 will benefit Brisbane's economy, tourism industry, transport and infrastructure, as well as Australia's future athletes.
Ticket to freedom: should Australia introduce a vaccine passport?
Contact put the questions to UQ experts and alumni: is a vaccine passport a fair and safe way forward? How would it work? Can the tourism industry and businesses survive without one? And can we expect one any time soon?
The little wooden ferry that came home
A beloved cross-river ferry called Hamilton permanently dropped anchor at UQ's St Lucia campus after almost 40 years of service, and half a decade in storage.
Catching serial killers
Meet Dr Angela Williamson, the UQ graduate cracking cold cases with the FBI’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program – the real-life unit that inspired the Netflix crime thriller series Mindhunter.
Place in the sun
If you wander down to the beach on a warm day, chances are you’ll spot a few CoolCabanas. Increasingly, these eye-catching sun shelters in stripes and bright patterns are becoming the sight of summer. Meet the father-son duo behind the business that is ruling the beaches.
The big question: The return of the Taliban
After 20 years at war, the Taliban swiftly regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021. Contact asked a range of UQ experts: as the Taliban takes back control of Afghanistan, how will this impact the region and international relations?
The Red Dog vet
Meet Dr Rick Fenny, the real-life vet to Red Dog and the UQ graduate who turned a veterinary science degree into a business empire.
Join the conversation
What was your favourite Contact story of 2021? Share your favourite story and tell us why in the comments section below.
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