The Conversation

Subscribe to The Conversation feed
Updated: 5 min 59 sec ago

After the vicious cold snap, here are our tips to warm up while keeping your environmental footprint down

Wed, 2020-08-05 05:54
Try a few star jumps every hour, it'll make a massive difference to your warmth. Peter Osman, Scientist, Energy Efficiency & Renewables, CSIRO Peta Ashworth, Professor and Chair in Sustrainable Energy Futures, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
Categories: Around The Web

Climate explained: could electric car batteries feed power back into the grid?

Wed, 2020-08-05 05:54
In the near future, we may see electric cars supplying power to smart grids or communities with their own independent microgrids. Alan Brent, Professor and Chair in Sustainable Energy Systems, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
Categories: Around The Web

From superheroes to the clitoris: 5 scientists tell the stories behind these species names

Tue, 2020-08-04 05:59
From a Hugh Jackman-esque spider to honouring traditional Indigenous words, these species have memorable names. Anthea Batsakis, Deputy Editor: Environment + Energy, The Conversation Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
Categories: Around The Web

How climate change made the melting of New Zealand's glaciers 10 times more likely

Tue, 2020-08-04 05:59
For the first time, scientists have been able to quantify how much climate change contributed to glacial melt, using more than 40 years of data from New Zealand's retreating glaciers. Lauren Vargo, Research Fellow in the Antarctic Research Centre, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
Categories: Around The Web

Pacific Islands must stop relying on foreign aid to adapt to climate change, because the money won’t last

Fri, 2020-07-31 12:34
Western solutions to Pacific Island issues often end in failure. These countries must build their autonomy to survive climate change. Patrick D. Nunn, Professor of Geography, School of Social Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast Roselyn Kumar, University of the Sunshine Coast Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
Categories: Around The Web

Unwelcome sea change: new research finds coastal flooding may cost up to 20% of global economy by 2100

Fri, 2020-07-31 05:59
In Australia, coastal flooding is expected to be worse along the northern coast in Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Ebru Kirezci, PhD candidate, University of Melbourne Ian Young, Kernot Professor of Engineering, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
Categories: Around The Web

Sharks are thriving at the Kermadec Islands, but not the rest of New Zealand, amid global decline

Fri, 2020-07-31 05:59
Historically, basking sharks were caught as bycatch in New Zealand fisheries and seen in their hundreds in some inshore areas. They have disappeared and we don't know why. Adam Smith, Senior Lecturer in Statistics, Massey University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
Categories: Around The Web

New Zealand wants to build a 100% renewable electricity grid, but massive infrastructure is not the best option

Thu, 2020-07-30 15:51
New Zealand's electricity generation is already more than 80% renewable, but experts warn a 100% target would require significant over-building of renewable generation that would rarely be used. Janet Stephenson, Associate Professor and Director, Centre for Sustainability, University of Otago Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
Categories: Around The Web

America has corn and Asia has rice. It's time Australia had a native staple food

Thu, 2020-07-30 15:41
Aboriginal people once used native grasses to produce bread. So let's resurrect Australia's ancient breadmaking tradition. Angela Pattison, Research scientist at Plant Breeding Institute, University of Sydney, University of Sydney Rebecca Cross, Lecturer in Human Geography, University of Sydney Tina Bell, Associate Professor, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
Categories: Around The Web

Under climate change, winter will be the best time for bush burn-offs – and that could be bad news for public health

Thu, 2020-07-30 05:57
New research has found the window of opportunity for hazard reduction burns won’t actually get smaller, but instead change seasons. Giovanni Di Virgilio, Research associate, UNSW Annette Hirsch, Post Doctoral Research Fellow, UNSW Hamish Clarke, Research Fellow, University of Wollongong Jason Evans, Professor, UNSW Jason Sharples, Professor of Bushfire Dynamics, School of Science, UNSW Canberra, UNSW Melissa Hart, Graduate Director, ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, UNSW Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
Categories: Around The Web

My talk with Jane Goodall: vegetarianism, animal welfare and the power of children’s advocacy

Wed, 2020-07-29 11:10
Jane Goodall is a pioneering primatologist who redefined what it means to be human. She spoke to Clive Phillips, a professor of animal welfare. Clive Phillips, Professor of Animal Welfare, Centre for Animal Welfare and Ethics, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
Categories: Around The Web

The mystery of the Top End's vanishing wildlife, and the unexpected culprits

Wed, 2020-07-29 06:00
Small mammals in northern Australia have been rapidly vanishing for the last 30 years, and scientists weren't sure why. Now, a major new study found feral livestock are largely to blame. Alyson Stobo-Wilson, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Charles Darwin University Brett Murphy, Associate Professor / ARC Future Fellow, Charles Darwin University Graeme Gillespie, Honorary Research Fellow, University of Melbourne Jaana Dielenberg, Science Communication Manager, The University of Queensland John Woinarski, Professor (conservation biology), Charles Darwin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
Categories: Around The Web

Climate explained: are we doomed if we don't manage to curb emissions by 2030?

Wed, 2020-07-29 05:57
To limit warming to 1.5℃ above pre-industrial levels, we'll need to cut global emissions by 7.6% each year this decade. It's difficult, but not impossible. Robert McLachlan, Professor in Applied Mathematics, Massey University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
Categories: Around The Web

Humans see just 4.7km into the distance. So how can we truly understand what the bushfires destroyed?

Tue, 2020-07-28 12:59
Many scientific concepts, including bushfires and climate change, happen at scales outside human perception. So how can we ever understand them? Nanda Jarosz, PhD Candidate, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
Categories: Around The Web

Carbon emissions are chilling the atmosphere 90km above Antarctica, at the edge of space

Tue, 2020-07-28 06:01
Carbon emissions are chilling the atmosphere 90km above Antarctica, at the edge of space John French, Atmospheric physicist, University of Tasmania Andrew Klekociuk, Principal Research Scientist, Australian Antarctic Division and Adjunct Senior Lecturer, University of Tasmania Frank Mulligan, National University of Ireland Maynooth Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
Categories: Around The Web

'A wake-up call': why this student is suing the government over the financial risks of climate change

Mon, 2020-07-27 15:55
Climate-related financial risks have already entered the corporate boardroom. With this case, they’ve now come knocking at the government's door. Jacqueline Peel, Professor of Environmental and Climate Law, University of Melbourne Rebekkah Markey-Towler, Research assistant, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
Categories: Around The Web

How a scientific spat over how to name species turned into a big plus for nature

Mon, 2020-07-27 05:54
A public debate recently erupted among global taxonomists. Strongly-worded ripostes were exchanged. A comparison to Stalin was floated. But eventually, they worked it out. Stephen Garnett, Professor of Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University Les Christidis, Professor, Southern Cross University Richard L. Pyle, Associate lecturer, University of Hawaii Scott Thomson, Research associate, Universidade de São Paulo Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
Categories: Around The Web

Australia has an ugly legacy of denying water rights to Aboriginal people. Not much has changed

Fri, 2020-07-24 12:03
Across the NSW portion of the Murray-Darling Basin, Aboriginal people make up almost 10% of the population. Yet they hold a mere 0.2% of all available surface water. Lana D. Hartwig, Research Fellow, Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University Natalie Osborne, Lecturer, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University Sue Jackson, Professor, ARC Future Fellow, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
Categories: Around The Web

Court action, confusion and a big escape clause: here’s why changes to environment law shouldn't be rushed

Fri, 2020-07-24 05:53
The proposed changes to be introduced to Parliament in August may ultimately damage the natural places they're designed to protect. Megan C Evans, Lecturer and ARC DECRA Fellow, UNSW Peter Burnett, Honorary Associate Professor, ANU College of Law, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
Categories: Around The Web

In a world first, Australian university builds own solar farm to offset 100% of its electricity use

Thu, 2020-07-23 11:30
Households shouldn't have to do all the heavy lifting in the renewables transition. A new solar farm shows organisations and businesses how it's done. Jake Whitehead, Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellow & Tritum E-Mobility Fellow, The University of Queensland Andrew Wilson, Project Director - Warwick Solar Farm, The University of Queensland Peta Ashworth, Professor and Chair in Sustrainable Energy Futures, The University of Queensland Saphira Rekker, Lecturer Finance, The University of Queensland Tapan K Saha, Professor, Leader-UQ Solar, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
Categories: Around The Web

Pages