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'Monster' is the largest reticulated python in captivity in Australia. Getting her on the the scales for a weigh-in required a number of handlers, and caution. In December she bit one of her handlers on the hand. 

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China will cut power prices for industrial and commercial users by around 10%, a move likely to squeeze the profits of monopoly grid companies and major generators and pave the way for further power market reforms.

Researchers from South Australia’s Flinders University demonstrate how a polymer can act like a sponge to remove crude oil and diesel from seawater. The lead researcher, Dr Justin Chalker, says it has the potential to be a cheap and sustainable recovery tool in areas affected by oil spills. 'Our goal is for this to be used globally,' he says. 'It is inexpensive, and we have an eye for it to be used in parts of the world such as the Amazon Basin in Ecuador and the Niger Delta that don’t have access to solutions to oil spills.'

• Researchers create super sponge that mops up oil spills

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Scientists have chronicled the 'mass mortality' of corals on the Great Barrier Reef, in a new report that says 30% of the reef’s corals died in a catastrophic nine-month marine heatwave

The study, published in Nature and led by Prof Terry Hughes, the director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, examined the link between the level of heat exposure, subsequent coral bleaching and ultimately coral death

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Campaign draws up eight principles to guide people who want to be healthier and reduce their environmental impact

Eating less meat has long been advocated for our health and that of the planet, but the choices we make within that advice can be just as important, according to a new report.

Choosing lamb, for instance, means the animal is almost certain to have been grass-fed and free range, as sheep are not factory farmed in the same way as pigs or chickens. Meat from pasture-fed animals also tends to have higher levels of “good” fats, which are healthier.

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Ipswich Council has stopped recycling and it's likely that others around Australia will follow suit. Ian A. MacKenzie, Senior Lecturer in Economics, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Plans for sonnen manufacturing base in South Australia at stake as new state government urged to rethink support for household battery storage.

Environment Victoria has welcomed the announcement that the last of three coal processing projects promised public money in 2014 has now officially failed, just a week after state and federal governments committed $50 million each to a coal-to-hydrogen plant.

Given the known failures of carbon capture and storage, investing in such technologies could amount to improper use of public funds.

Transforming our energy system may prove far less risky than propping up traditional over-built electricity supply.

"Even if the Energy Security Board gives Malcolm Turnbull a Rolls Royce model of energy policy, it's not going to be of much use to the country if he immediately seeks to put it in the garage and lock it up for 10 years."

Oil "supermajor" Total buys French electricity retailer as part of long-term hedge against threat to oil demand from rise of electric vehicles. And did we mention the CEO totally drives an EV?

New research now reveals the damage that these coral losses caused to the wider ecosystem functioning of the Great Barrier Reef.

Market operator's latest forecasts for the uptake of electric vehicles suggests 10 million EVs, or half the car fleet, in 20 years.

The NEG seeks to obscure the most valuable information obtained from a market – the price of emissions. Needless complexity and cost arises.

Plan for ban in England announced as Commonwealth leaders urged to join fight against plastic waste.

Recovery plan for threatened Mary river turtle and other species drafted in 2013 but never approved
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Conservationists trying to save the Mary river turtle have had to resort to selling turtle chocolates and soliciting donations from the United Arab Emirates to try to help save the endangered reptile from extinction.

And a Mary river catchment committee that developed a recovery plan for the turtle and four other Mary River species has been waiting years for the federal government to approve the finished plan, which is in draft form and awaiting official sign-off.

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A daily summary of our news plus bite-sized updates from around the world.

Rooftop PV systems can be adversely affected by things outside of a household's control – and without their knowledge. But you needn't be in the dark about it.

Ontario and Quebec’s offset protocol development is back on track after a policy debate delayed around half of the 13 being designed, but concerns remain on the approach the provinces have decided to take.