Issue 239

Timm Döbert spent three years working towards his PhD based in a research camp in Borneo’s lowland rainforests. It was a chance to study close at hand the human impact on a diverse ecosystem – and a privileged opportunity to marvel at the diversity of life on Earth. It’s also a photographer’s paradise. He and colleagues have shared with us some of their favourite images.

In Northern Australia, researchers have Gamba grass in their sights. They're applying cutting-edge advances in satellite, airborne and terrestrial remote sensing along with emerging tools in computer vision and machine learning to address environmental challenges such as invasive species.

Dr Steve Rintoul is embarking on his 13th voyage to the Antarctic. On board the RV Investigator and armed with new deep water robots, he and his team will be probing the remaining unknowns of the Southern Ocean's role in our climate system.

Accounting for emissions savings in producing biofuels compared to fossil fuels is about to get harder. Australia's got an interest in proving the worth of canola.