The Conversation
Australian passenger vehicle emission rates are 50% higher than the rest of the world – and it’s getting worse
Australian vehicle emissions are even worse than official figures show and are likely to fall even further behind the rest of the world unless much more ambitious policies are adopted.
Robin Smit, Adjunct Professor, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney
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Hard to kill: here’s why eucalypts are survival experts
From sacrificial bark to fire-germinating gumnuts to stealthy buds the eucalyptus has evolved an arsenal of protective measures.
Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne
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Ridding Macquarie Island of pests pays off as seabirds come back from the brink – but recovery has just begun
One of the world’s largest programs to eradicate multiple predators and pests has started to restore the island and its once vast nesting colonies to their former glory.
Jeremy Bird, Research Associate, Ecology and Biodiversity, University of Tasmania
Justine Shaw, Senior Research Fellow in Antarctic and island conservation science, Queensland University of Technology
Richard Fuller, Professor in Biodiversity and Conservation, The University of Queensland
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Fire is a chemical reaction. Here’s why Australia is supremely suited to it
We’re all familiar with fire. But do you really know what it is and how it starts? Here’s the chemistry of fire – and why Australia is so prone to going up in flames.
Jason Dutton, Professor of Chemistry, La Trobe University
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Did your dog dig in asbestos-laden mulch? Here are the risks – and what to do next
Exposure to asbestos can cause the same cancer in dogs as it does in humans. Recent cases of asbestos-contaminated mulch highlight the need to better protect our pets.
Chiara Palmieri, Professor, The University of Queensland
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New ecosystems, unprecedented climates: more Australian species than ever are struggling to survive
We’ve brought some species back from the brink – but more and more are being threatened. Here’s why
Frédérik Saltré, Research Fellow in Ecology for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Flinders University
Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Matthew Flinders Professor of Global Ecology and Models Theme Leader for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Flinders University
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Scientists shocked to discover new species of green anaconda, the world’s biggest snake
Green anacondas are the world’s heaviest snakes, and among the longest. it’s remarkable this hidden species has slipped under the radar until now.
Bryan G. Fry, Professor of Toxicology, School of the Environment, The University of Queensland
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‘Green’ or ‘blue’ hydrogen – what difference does it make? Not much for most Australians
There are two approaches to producing low-emission hydrogen, and public acceptance (or rejection) of each method will be important for hydrogen and its place in the energy transition.
Mitchell Scovell, Research Scientist, CSIRO
Andrea Walton, Social Scientist, CSIRO
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Australians are washing microplastics down the drain and it’s ending up on our farms
We sampled sewage sludge from 13 wastewater treatment plants across three states. We found every resident adds microplastics to farmland, in dried sewage sludge (biosolids) used as fertiliser.
Shima Ziajahromi, Advance Queensland Research Fellow, Griffith University
Frederic Leusch, Professor of Environmental Science, Griffith University
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Ross Garnaut and Rod Sims have proposed a $100 billion-a-year fossil fuel tax – and it’s a debate Australia should embrace
As other nations race to restructure their economies in line with a low-carbon future, Australia risks being left behind. An economy-shaping tax on fossil fuels is a conversation we must have.
Ian A. MacKenzie, Professor of Economics, The University of Queensland
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As the world heats up, solar panels will degrade faster – especially in hot, humid areas. What can we do?
We’re going to build a lot more solar as we race to clean up the grid. But as the world heats up, solar will degrade faster in hot, humid areas. We need to plan ahead.
Shukla Poddar, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Photovoltaics and Renewable Energy Engineering, UNSW Sydney
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20°C seems the optimal temperature for life on Earth to thrive – what does this mean in a warming world?
The ‘20°C effect’ could give us new insights into how temperature controls ecosystems and influences evolution – as well as how species might adapt to climate change.
Mark John Costello, Professor, Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University
Ross Corkrey, Adjunct Senior Researcher in Biostatistics, University of Tasmania
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Climate change is forcing Australians to weigh up relocating. How do they make that difficult decision?
Climate change is increasing the risks of extreme heat, floods and bushfires, meaning more people are having to consider moving home. But different people come to different decisions.
Justine Dandy, Associate Professor, Centre for People, Place & Planet, and School of Arts and Humanities, Edith Cowan University
Zoe Leviston, Research Fellow, College of Health and Medicine, Australian National University
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Can we be inoculated against climate misinformation? Yes – if we prebunk rather than debunk
When we see false information circulating, we might move to debunk it. But prebunking lies and explaining manipulation techniques can work better.
Christian Turney, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Research, University of Technology Sydney
Sander van der Linden, Professor of Social Psychology in Society, University of Cambridge
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Australia’s shot-hole borer beetle invasion has begun, but we don’t need to chop down every tree under attack
It’s a horror story unfolding in the west that could sweep across the country. Beware the shot-hole borer, an exotic pest that threatens our tree crops, plantations, urban forests and wild places.
Theo Evans, Associate Professor, The University of Western Australia
Bruce Webber, Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO
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Soft plastic recycling is back after the REDcycle collapse – but only in 12 supermarkets. Will it work this time?
Australia’s Soft Plastics Taskforce has been under pressure to fill the vacuum left by the demise of REDcycle. But this time the small trial announced for Melbourne has the potential to succeed.
Anya Phelan, Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Griffith University
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The world’s coral reefs are bigger than we thought – but it took satellites, snorkels and machine learning to see them
Our new maps show coral reefs are more extensive than we thought.
Mitchell Lyons, Postdoctoral research fellow, The University of Queensland
Stuart Phinn, Professor of Geography, Director - Remote Sensing Research Centre, Chair - Earth Observation Australia, The University of Queensland
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NZ votes the red admiral butterfly ‘bug of the year’ – how to make your garden its home
The native red admiral is less common than it used to be, but we can all help threatened bug species by ensuring they have the right habitats to thrive in.
Janice Lord, Associate Professor in Botany, University of Otago
Connal McLean, Natural History Technician – Invertebrates, Te Papa Tongarewa
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A major blackout left 500,000 Victorians without power – but it shows our energy system is resilient
The event has prompted questions about the reliability of the state’s electricity grid. But it’s important to note these extreme winds would have seriously disrupted any power system.
Roger Dargaville, Director Monash Energy Institute, Monash University
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New logging rules in NSW put the greater glider closer to extinction. When will we start protecting these amazing animals?
Australia has already lost so many wonderful mammal species. Do we want the southern greater glider to suffer the same fate?
David Lindenmayer, Professor, The Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University
Kita Ashman, Adjunct research associate, Charles Sturt University
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