Issue 238

Throwing a more sustainable shrimp on the barbie

With prawn aquaculture on the rise to meet booming global demand, there's a focus on the sustainability of fishmeal feeds that contain wild-caught fish ingredients. Prawn nutrition research has shown the way forward for eliminating that pressure on wild fisheries.

Experimenting with fuel and fire

A lot has been learned about fire behaviour from the bushfires that have lashed the Australian continent in the past. But to really refine fire behaviour knowledge, researchers need to put their hypotheses to the test through carefully orchestrated large-scale field experiments.

Up in smoke

In 2006, when fires broke out near Cape Grim, Tasmania, scientists measured the smoke plumes in unprecedented detail, resulting in a more accurate smoke forecasting tool for use in weather forecasting, and for issuing health-related smoke warnings.

Tracing pollen to better forecast asthma storms

The science of thunderstorm asthma is relatively unknown, what is least understood is the interaction between pollen and thunderstorms.

Fingerprinting wine to prevent fraud

Wine fraud is a threat to Australia’s wine industry, but a technique to fingerprint wine could help protect the industry.

Taking a responsible approach to new genetic technologies for conservation

With rats and mice driving sea birds and other animals on remote islands to extinction, scientists and environmental managers are now turning their attention to new genetic technologies that could offer more targeted solutions than traditional baiting programs. Risk analysis and responsible research is front and centre in the discussion.

How to plan for decisions in the midst of bushfire catastrophe

"It doesn’t matter how many fire hoses you have, you can’t be everywhere at once." So how do you plan ahead for all the decisions you might need to take in the midst of catastrophe? That includes when and where to take shelter.