The Conversation

What harm can a road do? Plenty. Once built, illegal roads let loggers, miners, poachers and landgrabbers into the jungle, and the felling begins. Bill Laurance, Distinguished Research Professor and Australian Laureate, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Heat is surging in the world’s oceans. Climate change and El Niño explain part of it – but not all. Alex Sen Gupta, Senior Lecturer, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney Kathryn Smith, Postdoctoral Research Scientist, Marine Biological Association Matthew England, Scientia Professor and Deputy Director of the ARC Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science (ACEAS), UNSW Sydney Neil Holbrook, Professor, University of Tasmania Thomas Wernberg, Professor, The University of Western Australia Zhi Li, Postdoctoral researcher, Centre for Marine Science & Innovation, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

South Australia stands out as having the weakest tree-protection laws, but cities around the nation are losing tree cover at a time when climate change makes them more important than ever. Stefan Caddy-Retalic, Ecologist, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide Kate Delaporte, Senior Lecturer, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide Kiri Marker, Science Communications Coordinator, Universität Wien Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In 1898, a pioneering Antarctic expedition was stuck in sea ice for over a year. In 2024, that area is open water. Edward Doddridge, Senior Research Associate in Physical Oceanography, University of Tasmania Annie Foppert, Research Associate, University of Tasmania Stuart Corney, Senior lecturer, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Recent flash droughts in parts of NSW and Victoria appeared quickly and can be followed by intense flooding rains. It’s part of a global trend driven by global warming. Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Lance M Leslie, Professor, School of Mathematical And Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

El Niño can direct more warm water to the base of West Antarctic ice shelves, accelerating melting and increasing global sea level. Maurice Huguenin, Postdoctoral research associate in Physical Oceanography, UNSW Sydney Matthew England, Scientia Professor and Deputy Director of the ARC Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science (ACEAS), UNSW Sydney Paul Spence, Associate professor of oceanography, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Ocean warming seems the main driver of Antarctica’s sea-ice loss. But as satellites show, the change is not universal and sea ice persists in East Antarctica and the Weddell Sea. Craig Stevens, Professor in Ocean Physics, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New research suggests if we can’t eradicate cane toads, we can teach wildlife not to eat them. Georgia Ward-Fear, Post doctoral fellow and Conservation Ecologist , Macquarie University Rick Shine, Professor in Evolutionary Biology, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

When the soil ‘ceiling’ collapses, you end up with a hole exposing a cavity previously hidden underground. Francois Guillard, Senior Lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A lack of human activity in the Southern Ocean is just one reason why the air is so clean. Clouds and rain play a vital role in scrubbing the atmosphere, removing natural airborne particles too. Tahereh Alinejadtabrizi, PhD student, Monash University Steven Siems, Professor in Cloud Microphysics, Monash University Yi Huang, Senior Lecturer in Climate Science, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

You might be wondering: what is a ‘Black Nor'easter’, what’s causing all this rain and does it have anything to do with climate change? Here’s what you need to know. Kimberley Reid, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Atmospheric Sciences, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The energy transition could be scuppered by community scepticism. Communities have to see the benefits. Simon Wright, Senior Research Fellow, Energy & Circularity, Gulbali Institute, Charles Sturt University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Even with the best intentions, policies from different government departments can clash. Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Catherine Lovelock, Professor of Biology, The University of Queensland Sarah Bekessy, Professor in Sustainability and Urban Planning, Leader, Interdisciplinary Conservation Science Research Group (ICON Science), RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Geoengineering proposals to cool the ocean would indeed reduce ice loss from West Antarctica’s glaciers, but not enough to stop sea-level rise or allow the ice sheet to regrow. Alanna Alevropoulos-Borrill, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Nick Golledge, Professor of Glaciology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Natural variability in Australian rainfall can produce “mega-droughts” lasting 20 years or more. Add in human-caused climate change, and future droughts may be far worse than imagined. Georgina Falster, Postdoctoral Fellow, Australian National University Nerilie Abram, Chief Investigator for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes; Deputy Director for the Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science; Deputy Director for the Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather, Australian National University Nicky Wright, Research Fellow, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Marsupial rescue, rehabilitation and release statistics from New South Wales and Kangaroo Island during Black Summer fires reveal poor survival rates, despite the courageous efforts of volunteers. Catherine Herbert, Associate professor, University of Sydney Chris Dickman, Professor Emeritus in Terrestrial Ecology, University of Sydney Holly Cope, Honorary Research Associate, University of Sydney Rachael Gray, Associate Professor in Veterinary Pathology, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Bushwalkers with smartphones could help scientists track a fungus lethal to many of Australia’s most loved trees. Erin Roger, Sector Lead, CSIRO Alyssa Martino, PhD Candidate , University of Sydney Rebecca Paxton, Doctoral student, University of Adelaide Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

There’s so much we still don’t know about whales. Here’s 3 amazing new things we’ve learnt about whales lately: how humpback whales have sex and give birth – and how baleen whales sing underwater. Vanessa Pirotta, Postdoctoral Researcher and Wildlife Scientist, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

What would it mean to bring solar manufacturing back on shore in Australia? Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney Fiacre Rougieux, Senior Lecturer, Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Marine protection represents our best strategy to reverse declining biodiversity. But protected areas also provide a low-tech and cost-effective way for the fishing industry to safeguard stocks. Mark John Costello, Professor, Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.