The Conversation
Whale of a tale? The stories about whales helping tackle climate change are overblown
We want good news on climate change. But whales storing enough carbon needs more evidence.
Olaf Meynecke, Research Fellow in Marine Science, Griffith University
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We can't just walk away after the logging stops in Victoria's native forests. Here's what must happen next
Now begins a long and difficult process to recover vast areas of forest after more than 50 years of destructive logging.
David Lindenmayer, Professor, The Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University
Chris Taylor, Research Fellow, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University
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Using electric water heaters to store renewable energy could do the work of 2 million home batteries – and save us billions
A heater with a 300-litre tank can store as much energy as a home battery at a fraction of the cost. Being able to store surplus solar energy at the right times helps grid stability and cuts emissions.
David Roche, Research Director - Strategic Energy Collaborations, University of Technology Sydney
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Think of solar panels more like apple trees – we need a fairer approach for what we use and sell
The need to limit output to the grid costs solar panel owners up to $4.5 million a year in South Australia alone. A bill of rights and responsibilities can make connecting to the grid fairer for all.
Niraj Lal, Visiting Fellow at the ANU Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems, Australian National University
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Native raspberries, limes and geraniums: how did these curious plants end up in Australia?
Whether riding on the feathers of birds or evolving on Gondwana, Australia’s plants got here in very different ways
Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne
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Why does my dog eat grass? And when is it not safe for them?
Studies in Yellowstone National Park show plant matter (mostly grass) is found in up to 74% of wolf scats, suggesting the behaviour may be inherited from the beginning of doggy time.
Susan Hazel, Associate Professor, School of Animal and Veterinary Science, University of Adelaide
Joshua Zoanetti, PhD candidate in Veterinary Bioscience, University of Adelaide
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It's not just climate – we've already breached most of the Earth's limits. A safer, fairer future means treading lightly
We’ve blown past the safe and just limit for vital Earth systems, from climate change to the biosphere and the use of fertilisers and freshwater. For humans to thrive means living in safe limits
Steven J Lade, Resilience researcher at Australian National University, Australian National University
Ben Stewart-Koster, Senior research fellow, Griffith University
Stuart Bunn, Professor, Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University
Syezlin Hasan, Research fellow, Griffith University
Xuemei Bai, Distinguished Professor, Australian National University
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'An exciting possibility': scientists discover markedly different kangaroos on either side of Australia's dingo fence
The merits of the dingo fence are hotly debated, and there have been calls to pull it down. We need a better understanding of how the mega-structure affects species that live along it.
Vera Weisbecker, Associate Professor, 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
Frédérik Saltré, Research Fellow in Ecology for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Flinders University
Rex Mitchell, Postdoctoral Fellow, Flinders University
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A sustainable Australia depends on what happens in our cities – that's why we need a national urban policy
Our largest cities, home to 80% of the population, are central to achieving sustainability in a time of climate change. The federal government has begun to act on the need for coherent urban policies.
Robert Freestone, Professor of Planning, School of Built Environment, UNSW Sydney
Bill Randolph, Professor, City Futures Research Centre, Faculty of the Built Environment, UNSW Sydney
Wendy Steele, Interim Director, Urban Futures Enabling Impact Platform, and Professor in Sustainability and Urban Policy, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University
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A new trade deal delivers cheaper Australian beef and British sweets – but does little to avert dangerous global warming
A free trade agreement between Australia and the United Kingdom has begun – and it failed to put climate change at the forefront.
Margaret Young, Professor, The University of Melbourne
Georgina Clough, The University of Melbourne
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Photos from the field: spying on Antarctic moss using drones, MossCam, smart sensors and AI
It was the trip of a lifetime for an Australian research team studying moss in Antarctica. After two months at Casey Station they returned with great videos and loads of data for further analysis.
Johan Barthélemy, Developer Relations Manager, NVIDIA and Honorary Senior Research Fellow, University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong
Barbara Bollard, Professor of Computational Conservation, Auckland University of Technology
Juan Sandino, Postdoctoral research fellow, Queensland University of Technology
Krystal Randall, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Wollongong
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What should happen to native forests when logging ends? Ask Victoria's First Peoples
The end of native timber harvesting in Victoria offers a generational opportunity for First Peoples to care for Forest Country
Jack Pascoe, Research fellow, The University of Melbourne
Matthew Shanks, Director, Cultural Land Management at Taungurung Land and Waters Council, Indigenous Knowledge
Michael-Shawn Fletcher, Professor in Biogeography, The University of Melbourne
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New DNA testing shatters 'wild dog' myth: most dingoes are pure
Dingoes are not wild dogs, research reveals. Most of the 307 wild animals sampled in this study were pure dingo. Australia’s apex predator deserves our respect after thousands of years on this land.
Kylie M Cairns, Research fellow, UNSW Sydney
Mathew Crowther, Associate professor, University of Sydney
Mike Letnic, Professor, Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, UNSW Sydney
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Shop around to beat electricity price spikes? It's not as easy as it should be
Electricity prices are going up again by as much as 25% on July 1. The advice to consumers is to shop around to get the best deal. Yet neither electricity bills nor comparison sites are user-friendly.
Lurion De Mello, Senior Lecturer in Finance, Macquarie University
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Australian shelters and pounds kill 50,000 mostly healthy cats and kittens in a year. There's a way to prevent this pointless killing
Some 60-100% of cats taken in are strays and at least 50% are kittens born in the preceding six months. Community cat programs focused on free desexing in problem areas are badly needed.
Jacquie Rand, Emeritus Professor of Companion Animal Health, The University of Queensland
John Morton, Industry Fellow, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland
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3 little-known reasons why plastic recycling could actually make things worse
As a sustainability researcher, I know how quickly we could make big changes to reduce plastic pollution. Here’s what we – both individually and globally – should be doing more of, and what to avoid.
Pascal Scherrer, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Business, Law and Art, Southern Cross University
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Picture this: green hydrogen plants next to green steelworks to boost efficiency and kickstart both industries
If we put green hydrogen plants next to green iron and steelmaking, we can clean up steelmaking and boost the hydrogen industry.
Changlong Wang, Research fellow, Monash University
Andrew Feitz, Director, Geoscience Australia
Marcus Haynes, Computational Geoscientist, Geoscience Australia
Stuart Walsh, Senior lecturer, Monash University
Zhehan Weng, Research scientist, Geoscience Australia
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'WA's Christmas tree': what mungee, the world's largest mistletoe, can teach us about treading lightly
Mungee is a revered teacher to Noongar people with lessons for us all. This mighty mistletoe knows how to prosper in the hostile, infertile, but biologically rich landscapes of southwestern Australia.
Alison Lullfitz, Research Associate, The University of Western Australia
Jessikah Woods, Emerging artist, Indigenous Knowledge
Lynette Knapp, The University of Western Australia
Shandell Cummings, Artist, art administrator and educator, Indigenous Knowledge
Stephen D. Hopper AC, Professor of Biodiversity, The University of Western Australia
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Electricity prices are rising again. Here's how to ensure renters can cash-in on rooftop solar
Landlords don’t think renters will pay more for homes with rooftop solar. But the evidence suggests otherwise.
Bjorn Sturmberg, Senior Research Fellow, Battery Storage & Grid Integration Program, Australian National University
Lee White, Fellow, Australian National University
Mara Hammerle, PhD candidate, Australian National University
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Antarctic alarm bells: observations reveal deep ocean currents are slowing earlier than predicted
Scientists have detected a 30% slowdown of the deep ocean currents that form in Antarctica, with profound consequences for Earth’s climate, sea level and marine life.
Kathy Gunn, CSIRO
Matthew England, Scientia Professor and Deputy Director of the ARC Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science (ACEAS), UNSW Sydney
Steve Rintoul, CSIRO Fellow, CSIRO
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