Journalist @GuardianAus. Not here anymore. donnadlu@bsky.social

Donna Lu’s Journalist Portfolio

View as a grid

The Farewell explores the ethics of lying about a cancer diagnosis

The Farewell explores the ethics of lying about a cancer diagnosis

New Scientist — Lulu Wang's moving film The Farewell explores the morality of hiding the truth from a loved one who has been diagnosed with cancer.

How Abusers Are Exploiting Smart Home Devices

How Abusers Are Exploiting Smart Home Devices

VICE UK — Voice-activated assistants, smart TVs and app-controlled locks and light systems promise convenience. They can also enable stalking.

Reviewed: Margaret Atwood's The Testaments'

Reviewed: Margaret Atwood's The Testaments'

New Scientist — Thirty four years after The Handmaid's Tale and a hit TV show later, Margaret Atwood's intriguing sequel, The Testaments, highlights the power of narrative

Why the hunt for alien life is under way far beneath Earth's surface

Why the hunt for alien life is under way far beneath Earth's surface

New Scientist — Microbes that breathe sulphur could redefine what it means to be alive and provide clues about what organisms may lurk in the cosmos

Countries are turning off the internet to stop violence. Does it work?

Countries are turning off the internet to stop violence. Does it work?

New Scientist — Governments are increasingly shutting down access to the internet in an effort to curb organised violence. But evidence shows it usually makes things worse

Should you give your data to a period tracker or smart breast pump?

Should you give your data to a period tracker or smart breast pump?

New Scientist — Health tech firms believe that women are a lucrative and untapped market, but are these products worth the privacy costs?

AI-powered smartphone cameras are changing the way we see reality

AI-powered smartphone cameras are changing the way we see reality

New Scientist — Smartphone cameras now use artificial intelligence to completely transform the pictures we take, and it could change the way we see reality

The Heights review - finally, a warm, complex and credible Australian soap opera

The Heights review - finally, a warm, complex and credible Australian soap opera

The Guardian — The ABC’s 30-episode drama proves that diversity done right is not just tokenism, but makes for genuinely better TV

'The Cry' Isn't Just The Newest Crime Drama, It's An Addictive Nightmare

'The Cry' Isn't Just The Newest Crime Drama, It's An Addictive Nightmare

Junkee — The ABC's new missing child drama is compulsive viewing.

Li Cunxin brings Ben Stevenson's 'Swan Lake' to Queensland

Li Cunxin brings Ben Stevenson's 'Swan Lake' to Queensland

The Saturday Paper — Li Cunxin has waited for the right time to stage Swan Lake at the Queensland Ballet, to be prepared for a visit from his mentor and veteran choreographer Ben Stevenson.

The accumulative effects of racism: it eats away at the essence of your being

The accumulative effects of racism: it eats away at the essence of your being

The Guardian — Australian author and poet Maxine Beneba Clarke uses a lifetime of racist bullying as fuel to succeed, but is troubled by the current resurgence of xenophobia.

When Ethical Hacking Can't Compete

When Ethical Hacking Can't Compete

The Atlantic — Companies are paying "white hat" hackers to probe their cybersecurity systems for weaknesses-but some say that so far, they aren't paying enough.