Artificial intelligence, nuclear power a costly combo
Powering Australia's growing number of data centres using small nuclear reactors could take decades and cost billions of dollars more than renewable energy.
science (general)
Fuel crisis forces emissions down but a rebound looms
Global fossil fuel emissions are expected to fall due to conflict in the Middle East but experts say it is not a sustainable climate solution.
Building net zero: architects call for housing rethink
A challenge to make Australian homes greener has found smarter design, better materials and renovating rather than rebuilding can dramatically cut emissions.
Recycle, reuse or regret: clock ticks on solar waste
Australia needs to act quickly to address the growing number of end-of-life solar panels before a wave of waste hits in the 2030s.
Hot topic: Aussies lose sleep and work to rising temps
Global warming is affecting Australians' ability to sleep, exercise and work outdoors, costing the economy billions of dollars in lost productivity.
environmental cleanup
environmental issue
environmental pollution
global change
global warming
natural science
nature
research
research and development
science (general)
science and technology
technology (general)
weather
Aussie sun meets US tech in carbon capture experiment
Technology that captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and uses sunlight to release it will be tested in Australia as part of an international partnership.
Bushfire bill blows out to $6b a year as climate warms
Researchers have put a figure on the growing toll of bushfires in Australia but say better preparation could prevent billions of dollars in losses.
‘No surrender’: UN urges action as 1.5C goal slips away
Global temperatures are on track to rise by 2.8C by the end of the century unless nations make deep emission cuts, including those from coal, oil and gas.
Ill winds: calm weather puts Great Barrier Reef at risk
Australian researchers have identified weather patterns that can raise the risk of coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef, and winds play a key role.
Gas industry urged to pull ’emergency brake’ on warming
A powerful greenhouse gas responsible for about a third of global warming is not being accurately measured by many oil and gas producers, a report has found.
Warming seas threaten billion-dollar salmon industry
Climate change could cost Tasmania's salmon industry millions of dollars in revenue and force major changes to farming operations, a report has warned.
‘Long memory’: Pacific faces decades of global warming
Cutting all greenhouse gas emissions will not immediately reverse the effects of climate change on the world's largest ocean, a study has found.
Antarctic blind spot emerges as major sea-level threat
Australia could lead an international research mission to go where no ship has gone before: an enormous ice basin capable of raising global sea levels.
Counting the cost: tool estimates fossil fuel impacts
From additional heat to the loss of coral and glaciers, an online tool promises to calculate the effect of coal, oil and gas developments.
Mother whale’s heartbreaking moment with stillborn calf
A heartbreaking interaction between a humpback whale mother and her stillborn calf suggests a deep and little understood maternal connection.
Multimillion-dollar boost to create ‘climate unicorns’
Artificial intelligence firms might be dominating headlines but a $30 million program aims to put renewable energy start-ups in the funding spotlight.
Rising sea levels threaten more than 267,000 properties
Rising seas and storm surges could cost Australia more than $855 billion, endangering homes, businesses, infrastructure and land.
Cheaper, smarter and tougher: $105m bet on Aussie solar
Twenty Australian solar research projects will attract a record investment to improve the technology and help to lower costs.
Australia’s coral reefs retreat as heatwaves intensify
Marine heatwaves are threatening coral reefs, including those in Australia, but research shows they could recover if given a break between bleaching events.
Dolphin contracts bird flu as staff pulled from island
With bird flu now being detected in dolphins, scientists are being evacuated from a remote Australian territory to protect them from psychological distress.
Roaches to the rescue: cyborg insects to deliver aid
Swarms of cyborg cockroaches could deliver critical care to people trapped in a tight spot, with researchers turning tiny insects into search and rescue titans.
Stranger things: Aussie helps crack cosmic cold case
A team of international scientists have used cutting-edge technology, including a radio telescope in rural Australia, to open a new "cosmic window".
AI giant opens Aussie hub to find ‘what’s coming next’
Bushfires, floods and cybersecurity risks will be among the issues probed at an Australian innovation hub opened by a global data centre firm.
Aussie-led solar breakthrough slashes costs
An international research team led by Monash University has developed a world-first solar cell that replaces rare, expensive metals with cheap tin oxide to dramatically lower production costs.
Energy rollercoaster: Australian bills to fall and rise
Australian households can expect lower electricity costs in the coming years, a report says, but they shouldn't get used to them.
Tiny ancient fungi could slash Aussie fertiliser bill
A team of scientists has built Australia's first highly detailed database of fungi, which has the potential to help boost food crops and slash fertiliser costs.
Why whales are making Star Wars sounds in Aussie waters
Researchers are installing more underwater microphones to track whale migration in Australia and they are already hearing out-of-this-world calls.
Pioneering researcher remembered as cancer fight ends
A renowned pathologist and former Australian of the Year has been remembered as a selfless fighter who strived to improve the lives of others.
Humpback whale clocks new record after mega migration
A humpback whale has travelled a distance further than Sydney to London, in a record for longest proven migration by the species.
Aussie artificial intelligence may give robots a leg up
A new, water-efficient artificial intelligence hub could help robots make important decisions without delay.
Aussie tech behind AI chips and spaceships to come home
An Australian company supporting tech giants such as Intel, BYD and Blue Origin will move its manufacturing back home after a multimillion-dollar boost.