The Conversation

Unravelling the mystery of how life in Antarctica survived past ice ages involved sampling some of the oldest museum records. When combined with a dating database, a familiar story is revealed. Mark Stevens, Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Adelaide Andrew Mackintosh, Professor & Head, School of Earth Atmosphere and Environment; expert on glaciers and ice sheets, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Red tingle forests in south-western Australia have the lowest fire risk when they’ve not been subjected to prescribed burning. New research explains why Philip Zylstra, Adjunct Associate Professor at Curtin University, Research Associate at University of New South Wales, Curtin University Grant Wardell-Johnson, Adjunct Associate Professor, Molecular and Life Sciences and ARC Centre for Mine Site Restoration., Curtin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

To give native species their best chance of survival, we have to embrace ecosystem-based conservation – rather than trying to rescue individual species in isolation. William Geary, PhD Student, Deakin University Adrian Wayne, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, The University of Western Australia Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Tim Doherty, ARC DECRA Fellow, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia continues to support unlimited growth in fossil fuel production and export, flying in the face of the latest IPCC report. Mapped: 67 new coal, and 49 gas/oil projects. Richard Denniss, Adjunct Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A wonky skull. Enlarged ear chambers. Asymetrical ears. It looks like the elusive night parrot has traded off vision for excellent hearing Elen Shute, Researcher, Flinders University Alice Clement, Research Associate in the College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University Gavin Prideaux, Associate professor, Flinders University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A study of 230 electric vehicles found only 25% of charging happens during peak demand periods. Their patterns of use also mean spare battery capacity could be fed into the grid at these times. Thara Philip, E-Mobility Doctoral Researcher, The University of Queensland Andrea La Nauze, Lecturer, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Kai Li Lim, St Baker Fellow in E-Mobility, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Already, climate change plays out in all parts of the world. Every further increment of warming will bring rapidly escalating hazards, including more intense heatwaves and heavier rainfall. Bronwyn Hayward, Professor of Politics, University of Canterbury Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A child born now is likely to suffer, on average, three to four times as many climate extreme events in their lifetime as their grandparents did. Frank Jotzo, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy and Head of Energy, Institute for Climate Energy and Disaster Solutions, Australian National University Mark Howden, Director, ANU Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Spread by the wind, the fungal rusts are among the most feared of all plant diseases. A 2016 myrtle rust outbreak on Lord Howe Island was contained, but now its unique plants are again under threat. Robert Park, Judith and David Coffey Chair in Sustainable Agriculture, Plant Breeding Institute, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Fear and Wonder is a new climate podcast, brought to you by The Conversation, and sponsored by the Climate Council. Misha Ketchell, Editor, The Conversation Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

For the second time in five years, millions of fish suffocated in the Darling River. This was not a natural disaster – it’s our doing Richard Kingsford, Professor, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia still feels the thylacine’s presence in its landscape, wildlife and culture. A new book explores everything we know about the thylacine and the hope of a return. Menna Elizabeth Jones, Associate Professor in Zoology, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

As the world waits with bated breath for the release of the latest UN climate report, let’s take a fresh look at the IPCC. What can we expect from the Synthesis Report on Monday evening? Nerilie Abram, Chief Investigator for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes; Deputy Director for the Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

After three long years of rainy weather, La Niña is over. But that doesn’t mean El Niño is a certainty. Here’s why. Nandini Ramesh, Senior Research Scientist, Data61, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Most food in Australia remains free of PFAS, but a new study has found it can build up in cattle on PFAS-affected farms. But there are ways to manage the land and livestock to reduce the risks. Antti Mikkonen, Principal Health Risk Advisor – Chemicals, EPA Victoria, and PhD Candidate, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia Mark Patrick Taylor, Victoria's Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Households and businesses are set for more hip-pocket pain after regulators flagged hefty electricity price rises in four Australian states. Ariel Liebman, Ariel Liebman Director, Monash Energy Institute and Professor of Sustainable Energy Systems, Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New Zealand’s urban green space has dwindled over the past six decades. The Commissioner for the Environment has issued a warning and a challenge – get greener before climate change gets meaner. Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Shocking scenes of scorched koalas in the 2019-20 bushfires sparked research into cultural burns for wildlife. A two-year study on the world’s second-largest sand island suggests it’s the way to go. Romane H. Cristescu, Researcher in Koala, Detection Dogs, Conservation Genetics and Ecology, University of the Sunshine Coast Darren Burns, Community Land & Sea manager at Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation, Indigenous Knowledge Kye McDonald, PhD Candidate, University of the Sunshine Coast Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Nuclear submarines may offer protection – but they will leave us with a high-level nuclear waste headache Ian Lowe, Emeritus Professor, School of Science, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The diets of Tasmanian devil are narrowing in areas where humans have changed the landscape. This has big implications for conserving the species. Anna C. Lewis, PhD Candidate, UNSW Sydney Tracey Rogers, Professor Evolution & Ecology, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.