New Australian AI tech makes identifying birds a finch
Australian ornithologists will get a helping hand from new AI technology designed to identify birds across the country from collated audio.
Science and Technology
‘Like an accent’: Not all frogs ribbit the same
Frog calls are just as diverse and unique as frog species, researchers say after analysing more than 700 individual frog calls.
Australian cave researchers dig up quite a big skink
A newly confirmed giant prehistoric skink dubbed Mega Chonk could "break the internet" with its bulky bod and seriously spiky armour, researchers say.
Why 40°C is bearable in a desert but lethal in the tropics
Have you ever wondered why 40°C is bearable in a desert but lethal in the tropics?
Is it true the faster you lose weight the quicker it comes back?
When people decide it’s time to lose weight, they’re usually keen to see quick results. But does slow and steady really win the weight-loss race? Or is fast weight loss just as effective and safe?
Little Qld station’s huge contribution to reef science
A research station on the Great Barrier Reef is celebrating its profound impact on global marine science, at a time when coral reefs are in the crosshairs.
Sharks leave their mark on dolphin species
A new study has revealed the frequency of shark attacks on dolphins along the Queensland coast, with about 25 per cent showing signs of injuries.
How is climate change affecting El Niño and La Niña?
For more than 30 years, climate researchers have puzzled over the link between human-caused climate change and El Niño and La Niña events. New research is shedding light on what might be happening.
Farmers want more safeguards around sharing data
With the push by the federal government for farmers to become more climate smart, some producers say data-sharing safeguards are needed first.
‘Thylacine of the seas’ risks extinction, warn experts
Researchers are sounding the alarm over Tasmania's maugean skate, warning one extreme weather event could decimate its already-vulnerable population.
Critical minerals in demand but gas remains ‘important’
Mines and gas fields will continue to power national prosperity even as the federal budget accelerates Australia towards net-zero emissions.
Black rhino birth a true labour of love
NSW zookeepers are celebrating the birth of a critically endangered black rhino calf after more than a little human assistance.
Businesses fear missing out on opportunities in Asia
As Australia ramps up investment and trade opportunities with Asia, business leaders believe Australia is still missing out on opportunities in the region.
Ukrainians urge greater action on Russia propaganda
Ukrainian Australians have been regularly targeted by Russian propaganda and death threats, a parliamentary inquiry into foreign interference has heard.
Australian children spend more hours on small screens
The amount of screen time Australian children spend watching TV, playing games or using the internet has increased dramatically, figures show.
They breed ’em tough at Ningaloo as coral warms to task
Scientists at WA's World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef are breeding extra-tough coral capable of surviving climate change-induced mass bleaching events.
Countdown on as thousands gather for rare solar eclipse
Thousands of eclipse chasers from across the globe are set to witness a rare total solar eclipse as the sun vanishes from the sky in the remote Ningaloo region.
Day will turn to night in WA during rare solar eclipse
Thousands of eclipse chasers from across the globe will witness a rare total solar eclipse as the sun vanishes from the sky in WA's remote Ningaloo region.
Dinosaur skull reveals journey via warmer Antarctica
Analysis of Australia's first near-complete sauropod dinosaur skull has revealed new details of the animal's anatomy, relationships and feeding habits.
Disturbing scale of child abuse delivers ‘wake-up call’
One in three Australian children suffer physical abuse while one in four suffer sexual abuse, according to a new nationwide study.
Space technology to monitor, forecast quality of water
The CSIRO has launched a new water quality forecasting service using satellites and ground-based sensors in a world-first system.
Cultural burning is safer for koalas and better for people too
Koalas are an iconic endangered species living in a fire-prone environment. This makes them an ideal subject when investigating solutions to wildfires.
Seaweed farmers dare to dream but drowning in red tape
Australian seaweed farmers have set an ambitious target of $100 million worth of production each year but complain regulatory hurdles are getting in the way.
Crocodiles are uniquely protected against fungal infections. This might one day help human medicine too
As the threat of antibiotic-resistant microbes grows, so does our need for new and effective treatments. Could the defensins of these beasts hold the answers to help create a new wave of life-saving therapeutics?
Aphasia patients get chance to be ‘part of life again’
A new telehealth program helping rural people with aphasia is showing early signs of success, offering patients 50 hours of speech therapy from their own homes.
White spot outbreak forces partial prawn lockdown
A deadly disease that hammered the Asian prawn industry has hit Australian producers, sending prawns from NSW's Clarence Estuary into a biosecurity lockdown.
What Australia learned from recent devastating floods – and how New Zealand can apply those lessons now
Perhaps the key lesson for New Zealand, and also Australia, is the need to think beyond emergency management to building long-term resilience within agencies and communities.
COVID deaths hit 12-month low
Case numbers of COVID have fallen significantly across the nation as new treatments provide hope in the fight against the deadly virus.
The Green Comet is visible again after 50,000 years
A space voyager known as the Green Comet is now visible from Australia, 50,000 years after its last earth encounter in the time of the Neanderthals.
Lab leads nanoscopic hunt for plastic in human bodies
Aussie scientists are hard at work trying to determine if the world's plastic pollution crisis extends to the innermost reaches of the human body.
Electric Uber rides double in six months
Uber has revealed Australians are taking twice as many electric car rides as they were six months ago amid plans to design its own vehicles.