Another four climate change records broken in 2021
The past seven years, from 2015 to 2021, have been the seven warmest years on record....
Astronomers use gravitational lensing “cosmic telescope”
Physicists estimate that the Big Bang was around 13.8 billion years ago. Not long after the...
New study finds ancient dogs came in many shapes and sizes
Dogs are known for being one of the most morphologically diverse species on the planet –...
From the vault: Part of a disCERNing crowd
Australian astrophysicist Martin White discusses life with and around the Large Hadron Collider.
The major parties’ university and research funding policies
First, a little bit of background. University funding is a complex system, although currently it’s largely...
A smart contact lens that can deliver glaucoma treatment
A contact lens that can measure intraocular pressure and deliver a glaucoma treatment when needed has...
Denisovan tooth found in Laos
Denisovans, the mysterious archaic humans first identified in a cave in Siberia, also lived down under....
Australia to put “selfie sticks” in space
A “selfie stick” for a satellite? It sounds strange. And simple. But it’s one of those...
First complex ecosystems formed in Ediacaran
New research coming out of the University of Cambridge, UK, suggests that complex ecosystems emerged earlier...
Maleny Eco Village: How to start an eco community
In Queensland’s Sunshine Coast hinterland, two people are making their vision for the future a reality...
Black hole Sagittarius A* imaged for the first time
On Thursday last week, NASA’s Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) captured the first ever image of the...
Report forecasting future of COVID-19 calls for cooperation
Increased societal inequality and other negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic could continue well into the...
"Biocrusts" keep 700 million tonnes out of global dust cycle
A new study has highlighted the global importance of biological soil crusts – or “biocrusts” for...
Gene-editing cockroaches with CRISPR-Cas9 – and maybe other insects
Researchers have found a simpler way to genetically modify cockroaches with CRISPR-Cas9, considerably reducing the time...
A mineral and some light can turn carbon dioxide into a cleaning agent
Chemists are constantly hunting for ways to make carbon dioxide (CO2) into more useful, carbon-containing substances....
Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai eruption's atmospheric waves
When the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha‘apai volcano erupted on 15 January 2022, it devastated the Kingdom of...
Japanese membrane using nanotechnology for purifying water
Water supply is a growing global issue, especially with climate change bringing on more droughts. Seawater...
Federal election gives Aus space industry a financial boost
Australia’s satellite construction, launch and traffic control industries have been given a significant boost towards building...
Underwater tropical spiders & faster tsunami warnings
Tropical spider can hide underwater for 30 minutes Jaws might have popularised the phrase “just when...
The variation advantage: how to master tennis, learn a language, or build better AI
Want to become a better tennis player? If you repeatedly practise serving to the same spot,...
Spring cleaning cells take out the trash before mitosis
Before cells divide by undergoing mitosis, they do a little bit of a clean-up and toss...
Plants grown in moon soil from Apollo missions
If you’re like me and struggle to keep an indoor plant alive, the thought of growing...
How the Aus government can save the Great Barrier Reef
Widespread coral bleaching has now occurred on the Great Barrier Reef for the fourth time in...
Extreme storms could help protect coasts from rising seas
Extreme storms can cause extensive damage to property, beaches, dunes and the surrounding infrastructure, but a...
Surprising link between 1918 pandemic and modern influenza
The 1918-19 influenza pandemic killed between 17 million and 100 million people worldwide. But, while some...
The latest in fertility research using rodent models
Not only are rodents one the most diverse animal groups alive today, but they have huge...
Shadows of black holes uncover a new method of studying them
In 2019, the world was stunned by the first-ever image of a black hole, a monster...
A degradable coating that turns paper into plastic
Researchers have developed a coating for paper that makes it behave like plastic – but still...
Dragonflies making the world right with impressive aerial dynamics
Dragonflies are one of the most ancient groups of insects, originating some 325 million years ago,...
Kamini opioid addiction in Australia
Multani Kamini Vidrawan Ra (Kamini for short), is an opioid substance derived from the opium poppy...
Port Kembla Steelworks looks at alternatives to coal
Our civilisation is built of steel. It’s in your car, microwave, house, and cutlery drawer. But...
How “liveable” are Australian cities, really? Not at all, if you want to walk
Australian cities are not designed to make their residents healthy – and nor do they have...
A new type of nontoxic wood glue
A new type of nontoxic wood glue made entirely from biological materials has been created by...
Female octopus death spiral caused by changes in cholesterol
Octopuses are known for their uncanny intelligence, but the bizarre behaviour of some female octopuses seems...
Browning bananas and food wastage
Today is International Plant Health Day – a perfect opportunity to talk about how society shuns...
Genetic discovery may lead to high-protein wheat of future
Scientists have identified genetic variants linked to a higher protein content in wheat, paving the way...
From the vault: Can human bodies really be cryogenically frozen?
It’s a story that has all the makings of a good science-fiction thriller – intrigue, an...
"Forever chemicals": what are PFAS?
If you follow the science news, you’ll probably see research about PFAS – where they’re found,...
Scientists revive light-sensing cells in organ donor eyes
In a series of discoveries that could transform brain and vision research, scientists have revived the...
Hawaiian chameleons get brighter in the absence of predators
In 1972, a pet shop owner on the island of Oahu, in Hawaii, ordered a few...
A catalogue of exoplanets using NASA telescopes
An exoplanet is a planet outside of our Solar System. While the first possible exoplanet observation...
Neurons in the brain distort our perception of time
KCLOC is a 3D animated short film that explores peoples’ perception of time. One question posited...
Modelling uncovers how birds flock together
We’ve all experienced the stunning sight of a flock of birds soaring overhead, engaged in a...
Hawksbill turtles don't have a great sense of direction
We spend a lot of time marvelling at animals like pigeons and sharks, which can navigate...
Icehouse modelling suggests climate change might be worse
Six times since 1990, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released major assessment reports...
Wikipedia-inspired method to establish clinical guidelines
To improve the process for establishing clinical practice guidelines, a group of international researchers has developed...
James Webb's MIRI provides images of unprecedented quality
Late last month, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope completed its seventh and final alignment phase. Now,...
High helium: atmospheric helium levels are rising
Fossil fuels – natural gas in particular – are enriched in helium. So, it would make...
An even chance we’ll have a 1.5°C hotter year or two before 2026
The world has a 50% chance before 2026 of experiencing at least a year of global...
Fossilised fruit scratches at the mystery of screw palms
Plants from the Pandanus genus grow in the tropics all over the world, where hundreds of...