2016

Tropical forest carbon storage at risk from defaunation

Disappearing vertebrates are affecting the structure and carbon storage capacity of tropical forests.

Safety among the gum trees for Wye River

Our leading bushfire risk expert Justin Leonard has been working with the community and a wider Advisory Panel to develop a set of voluntary guidelines that will help improve the townships resilience to bushfire.

Are toxic algal blooms the new normal for Australia’s major rivers?

Blooms of toxic blue-green algae were unheard of in Australia's major waterways before 1991. Now the Murray River is experiencing its fourth bloom in a decade.

Symposium highlights Australia as a vibrant hub for synthetic biology

Biofactories, biosensors and beyond: new technologies are being inspired by nature. Synthetic biology is one of the most rapidly growing areas of modern science and there has been a groundswell of interest in Australia.

Panning for platinum – the prospects are good

The search for the world’s rarest precious metal could get easier, thanks to bacteria.

Systematically addressing disaster resilience in Australia could save billions

The cost of replacing essential infrastructure damaged by disasters will reach an estimated $17 billion in the next 35 years. It is essential we systematically build disaster resilience in Australia.

Species everywhere are on the move

Plants and animals all over the world are redistributing and changing their behaviour in response to warming temperatures. Observing these changes tells us a lot about our changing climate.

Beating the eucalypt blues – new ways to model air quality

Australia is obliged to report on pollution levels. How we model these levels can be improved.

Saving the Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is at risk from factors in and out of the water. Dr Christian Roth discusses what needs to change, and how, to save our reef.