The Conversation

Fatal shark bites are very rare. But the stats do suggest that the likelihood of an attack proving fatal is higher in Australia - probably because our waters are home to the "big three" dangerous species. Blake Chapman, Adjunct Research Fellow, Science Communicator, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The fourth Aussie Backyard Bird Count, which has just finished, has some potentially worrying news about one of our best-loved species. Kerryn Herman, Research Ecologist, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Global greenhouse gas levels have hit their highest point in at least 3 million years, according to new figures from the World Meteorological Organisation. Paul Fraser, Honorary Fellow, CSIRO Paul Krummel, Research Group Leader, CSIRO Zoe Loh, Research Scientist, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

More than 1,500 introduced species have been recorded on the Galapagos Islands, and most have arrived since the archipelago's tourism industry was expanded in the 1970s. Veronica Toral-Granda, PhD candidate, Charles Darwin University Stephen Garnett, Professor of Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Geostorm is the newest addition to the Hollywood climate doom canon. It is terrible, which is why you should think about this genre but under no circumstances actually watch this movie. Marc Hudson, PhD Candidate, Sustainable Consumption Institute, University of Manchester Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Would you be shocked by a supermarket without carrots, potatoes or broccoli, at any time of year? But harvesting in the off-season does serious damage to our soil. Bill Cotching, Soil scientist, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Kerry Schott says the states and territories will have a degree of flexibility in how they legislate on emissions reduction targets. Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australian vehicles have been accused of creating more emissions than their manufacturers advertise. But are Australian testing standards up to scratch? Zoran Ristovski, Professor, Queensland University of Technology Nic Surawski, Lecturer – Air Quality/Vehicle Emissions, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In an unchanging climate, we would expect record-breaking temperatures to get rarer as the observation record grows longer. But in the real world the opposite is true - because we are driving up temperatures. Andrew King, Climate Extremes Research Fellow, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Ever feel so stressed you can't carry on? You're not alone - koalas have a similar problem, and hundreds are being rescued by veterinarians each year. Edward Narayan, Senior Lecturer in Animal Science; Stress and Animal Welfare Biologist, Western Sydney University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A new report highlights direct and indirect impacts of climate change on physical and mental health. Alistair Woodward, Professor, University of Auckland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Victoria's proposed ban on single-use plastic bags is a step forward, but what about all the other unnecessary packaging? A truly effective waste policy should offer a comprehensive plan for packaging. Trevor Thornton, Lecturer, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Where do sky-high energy costs come from? Energy companies who build unnecessary infrastructure, passing on the cost to consumers and making a profit. Bruce Mountain, Director, Carbon and Energy Markets., Victoria University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New Zealand's wildlife and natural wonders are major draw cards for tourists, but tourism companies operating in national parks contribute little to conservation. Valentina Dinica, Senior Lecturer Public Policy, Victoria University of Wellington Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Chicken eyes are stranger than you think: they can look up and down at the same time. Maggie J. Watson, Postdoctoral Researcher in Ecology, Conservation and Parasitology, Charles Sturt University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The National Energy Guarantee proposal seems geared towards locking in the status quo rather than driving the much-needed energy transition. Frank Jotzo, Director, Centre for Climate Economics and Policy, Australian National University Salim Mazouz, Research Associate, Centre for Climate Economics and Policy, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Tasmania's swift parrots are in trouble. Scientists are aiming to help them by keeping them safe from predators, but without better habitat protection, the species may go extinct. Dejan Stojanovic, Postdoctoral Fellow, Australian National University Matthew Webb, Australian National University Rob Heinsohn, Professor of Evolutionary and Conservation Biology, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

While China launches its new energy market, Australia is still lagging behind in implementing a mechanism to control carbon emissions Peter Christoff, Associate Professor, School of Geography, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Walter Munk might be the most under-appreciated man in surfing, but he is a big deal in ocean science. If you've ever checked a surf forecast before paddling out, you have him to thank. Paul Spence, Senior Lecturer, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Shane Keating, Senior Lecturer in Mathematics and Oceanography, UNSW Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A new study gives insight into the strange breeding behaviour of banded stilts. These water birds fly thousand of kilometres to nest in temporary desert salt lakes. Reece Pedler, PhD student, Deakin University Andy T.D. Bennett, Professor, Deakin University Raoul Ribot, Lecturer in Ecology, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.