The Conversation

Everywhere humans go, we take our pets. Fleas are along for the ride, spreading everything from typhus to bubonic plague. Nicholas Clark, Postdoctoral Fellow in Disease Ecology, The University of Queensland Jan Slapeta, Professor of Veterinary and Molecular Parasitology, University of Sydney Konstans Wells, Research Fellow in Ecology, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Australian Open tennis and the recent Ashes Test cricket series show why our sporting stadiums need to be "climate-proofed" to deal with extreme heat. Paul J Govind, Lecturer in Enviromental Law, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

With 99% of green sea turtles in the northern Great Barrier Reef hatching as females due to changing climate, the future for this species now depends largely on effective global conservation measures. Rita Caldas Patricio, Postdoctoral research fellow, University of Exeter Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Last year was a vicious one for climate and energy politics. And with a South Australian election and various other federal decisions in the offing, 2018 looks like being similarly rancorous. Marc Hudson, PhD Candidate, Sustainable Consumption Institute, University of Manchester Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Indigenous ranger programs have now been running successfully for a decade. Given Queensland's size and large Indigenous population, there's a strong case for expanding the program in that state. Emilie Ens, Senior lecturer, Macquarie University Alana Grech, Assistant Director, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

This is an article from Curious Kids, a series for children. The Conversation is asking kids to send in questions they’d like an expert to answer. All questions are welcome – serious, weird or wacky! Why… Gregory Moore, Doctor of Botany, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australians love cooking with gas, but what if you could make your own supply, using leftover food waste? It may be time for more households to embrace home biogas – and stop paying gas bills. Samuel Alexander, Research fellow, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

There's really no such thing as truly sustainable air travel, but you can do some things to reduce your impact - such as flying with airlines with newer aircraft or taking a virtual holiday. Andrew Glover, Postdoctoral research fellow, RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The US was hit by a 'bomb cyclone' last week, bringing icy cold and driving snow. These storms develop very rapidly, forming outside the tropics, typically on continental east coasts in winter. Acacia Pepler, Research Scientist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Andrew Dowdy, Senior Research Scientist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Eun-Pa Lim, Senior research scientist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Pandora Hope, Senior research scientist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

After a month of operation, the Tesla battery at Hornsdale Power Reserve in SA has outperforming expectations - and the model is set to be emulated in Victoria Dylan McConnell, Researcher at the Australian German Climate and Energy College, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Last year saw plenty of warm weather around the country, but other notable events included dry months in the southeast, some very cold winter nights, and record-warm dry season days in the north. Linden Ashcroft, Climatologist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Blair Trewin, Climate scientist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Skie Tobin, Climatologist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Victoria's new plan to control feral horses aims to remove up to 400 a year from the eastern Alps. But without considering aerial culling, the plan seems unlikely to get to grips with the problem. Don Driscoll, Professor in Terrestrial Ecology, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Most modern offices contain a surprising amount of harsh chemicals. If you're heading back to work, check out our list of the best plants to clean the air (and reduce stress). Danica-Lea Larcombe, PhD Candidate in Biodiversity and Human Health, Edith Cowan University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Trying to keep cool this summer while not blowing the power bill? A new mobile game aims to encourage energy efficiency - and research shows it can be more effective than simple advertising campaigns. Rebekah Russell-Bennett, Social Marketing Professor, School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations, Queensland University of Technology Rory Mulcahy, Lecturer of Marketing, University of the Sunshine Coast Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Migratory animals are often blamed for the global spread of disease. However, recent research indicates they may not be the primary culprit. Alice Risely, PhD candidate in Ecology, Deakin University Bethany J Hoye, Lecturer in Animal Ecology, University of Wollongong Marcel Klaassen, Alfred Deakin Professor and Chair in Ecology, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Long Read: Most Australians' power bills have been rising for a decade. There are many reasons why, but the common thread is a lack of government willingness to get to grips with crucial policy problems. David Blowers, Energy Fellow, Grattan Institute Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Paul Keating's government, faced with the prospect of international action on climate change, took steps to preserve the coal industry - a tactic that has been rebooted many times since. Marc Hudson, PhD Candidate, Sustainable Consumption Institute, University of Manchester Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

2017 brought wild, wacky and even deadly weather. Australia was hit by heatwaves and torrential rains, plus some surprisingly cool spells. Hurricanes hit America, and a killer monsoon lashed Asia. Andrew King, Climate Extremes Research Fellow, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

From mistletoebirds, to bush turkeys, to the festively plumaged eclectus parrot, Australian birds can more than hold their own when it comes to embracing the Christmas spirit. Heather Neilly, PhD Candidate, Centre for Tropical Biodiversity and Climate Change Navigation, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

It's the season to be jolly – but don't share that jollity with your pets. Alcohol, whether in a wine glass, egg-nog or a boozy pudding, is seriously bad for our animal friends. Wendy Brown, Senior Lecturer, University of New England Joanne Righetti, Adjunct Lecturer, University of New England Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.