Wanted: funds to pollinate climate, nature start-ups
Investors are being tapped for funding for early-stage companies tackling the climate crisis, the energy transition, new foods and cleaner industry.
Science and Technology
Calls to shut down AI porn apps as sharing criminalised
People who create or share deepfake pornography will face jail under new laws, but some think the government could do more to stop the dehumanising activity.
Ticketek customers’ details ‘stolen’ in cyber incident
A federal minister says personal data belonging to some Ticketek customers has been stolen in an apparent breach.
Farmers flying high as demand for aviation fuel soars
Growing demand for sustainable aviation fuel is good news for Australian agriculture, according to research from Rabobank.
children
identification technology
internet
politics
pornography
social issue
telecommunication service
Safeguards needed to police fake porn generation apps
Some phone apps and websites have little to no protections to stop people from using AI-image generation to create porn from photos without a person's consent.
Budget breakdown for agriculture to reduce emissions
The Albanese government has detailed how $63 million will help farmers reduce their emissions, with almost half of that to improve greenhouse gas accounting.
More funding is needed for critical, complex computers
The federal government has poured money into the global race for cutting-edge computing technology, but it may need to broaden its horizon.
environmental issue
environmental politics
manufacturing and engineering
politics (general)
science and technology
Australia urged to work with China in clean energy push
Australia's $22.7 billion manufacturing push towards net-zero emissions must involve China and will eventually need to tax fossil fuels, an ex-ACCC chair says.
Cameras reveal wombat burrows can be safe havens after fire and waterholes after rain
As large and severe fires become more common in forests across southeastern Australia, our wildlife will need all the help they can get – including the humble wombat burrow.
Wastewater reveals divide in alcohol consumption
Alcohol consumption is trending downward, but a study has revealed a disparity between city and regional drinking habits.
Telstra’s 3G shutdown delayed over triple zero concerns
Telstra has delayed its 3G shutdown for two months, with about 200,000 customers still relying on the network, over concerns it will impact emergency calls.
Sustainability and tech at the heart of beef event
Advances in agriculture will be a focus of Beef Week which starts in Rockhampton on Sunday, with more than 120,000 people expected at the triennial event.
Atlassian releases do-it-yourself chatbots for business
Australian businesses will be offered the chance to design their own generative AI 'agents' in a move the developer says could keep employees away from ChatGPT.
Quantum computing bid receives billion-dollar boost
The first fault-tolerant quantum computer in Australia is on its way, with 400 jobs to be created in the process due to a billion dollar government investment.
Dodging polar bears and scoffing butter on Arctic trek
A glaciologist from subtropical Queensland is about to embark on an epic Arctic trek that combines science, adventure and an obscene amount of butter.
‘Dream big’: first Aussie astronaut hopes to inspire
After a year of rigorous training, a 39-year-old engineer and mum of two has become the first person to qualify as an astronaut under the Australian flag.
Sweat-powered fitness trackers possible in two years
Fitness gadgets that track your vital signs could be powered by sweat in the future after a research into nanogenerators by Australian universities.
World-first generator turns greenhouse gas into power
Queensland scientists have created a way to produce electricity using carbon dioxide in a development they say could power phones and computers.
computing and information technology
consumers
research
research and development
road transport
safety of citizens
science and technology
technology (general)
transport
Tesla and Hyundai reveal plans to replace taxi drivers
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has promised to reveal a self-driving robotaxi in August but transport experts say autonomous technology is not ready for the road.
TikTok says it boosts economy by $1.1b amid ban threat
TikTok delivers a significant economic boost to the Australian economy, a report has found, in what experts say is an attempt to prove its worth.
Aussie curiosity about AI tech reaches all-time high
Artificial intelligence has become a hot topic for web searches in Australia, according to Google, causing a record-breaking number of web searches.
Aussie scientist’s take on the battle of the reptiles
A study led by the University of Queensland has revealed how some lizards have evolved to avoid the deadly neurotoxins of Australia's most venomous snakes.
Hackers dial up data extortion, email attacks
Hackers are stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from businesses in email attacks, a cybersecurity report shows, but ransomware is becoming less common.
Rare flock seeks sewage plant tree change
Victoria has recorded its largest group sighting of a grassland bird usually found in northern NSW and parts of Queensland and WA.
Outback Discovery: Scientists Excited by Major Dinosaur Find in Queensland
Dinosaur-fans rejoice! A nearly complete pterosaur fossil has been unearthed in regional Queensland.
Hearing loss is twice as common in Australia’s lowest income groups, our research shows
Around one in six Australians has some form of hearing loss, ranging from mild to complete hearing loss.
Couples leap at chance for romance on February 29
Couples have tied the knot or renewed their vows on the leap day as February 29 jumps from a calendar correction to a romantic new tradition.
breaking_news
computing and information technology
news media
politics
politics (general)
science and technology
technology (general)
Australia looks at forcing Facebook to do news deals
All options are on the table as the federal government tries to get Facebook to negotiate deals with Australian news outlets.
Invasive bees defy evolution to cover Sydney-sized area
Invasive Asian honey bees have defied evolutionary expectations to grow from a single swarm into more than 10,000 colonies in Queensland, researchers say.
Discovery of deadly opioid in US wastewater bodes ill
Australian scientists have detected an opioid that is three times more potent than fentanyl in wastewater in the United States, in a worrying discovery.
Island dwelling birds more likely to be endangered
Australia's island-dwelling birds are among the species most at risk of extinction, and it might be due to their lack of preparedness for introduced predators.