Top predators in crisis
In many places, the numbers of large predators have fallen by more than 90 per cent over the course of a few decades. Scientists are working feverishly to learn how this dearth of...
View ArticleCorals can suffer from nutrient imbalance
Improving water quality could help save coral reefs. Coral polyps and their associated zooxanthellae depend on each other for survival- the coral provides shelter and nutrients, while the single-celled...
View ArticleDeadly devil disease is here to stay
The devil is apparently in the chromosomes. In 1996 there were approximately 250,000 Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) in the wild, but by 2009 their numbers had crashed to less than 50,000 —...
View ArticleCan Australia’s shores cope with a super trawler?
What do history and science tell us about the impacts of trawling. The arrival of the controversial 142 metre-long Dutch super trawler Abel Tasman (previously named Margiris) on Australian shores has...
View ArticleAustralia’s new leader in botanical science
Australia has a new scientific institute that brings together an astoundingly broad sweep of botanic research organisations and collections, services and facilities. The Australian Institute of...
View ArticleIt’s Frog ID week – here’s how you can help
More than 240 frog species are under threat from climate change, bushfires, floods, habitat loss and degradation, and disease. You can help save them by taking part in the fourth annual FrogID Week,...
View ArticleReverse extinctions, Tasmanian tigers and smoky mice
The idea of bringing back extinct flora and fauna is not new, but the challenge is two-fold: first in sequencing a full genome from recovered DNA fragments, and then in taking stem cells...
View ArticleCan there be problems when scientists reintroduce endangered species?
There are many projects aiming to replenish or broaden the gene pool of wild animal populations that are under threat. Few are more vital to survival than efforts to save the Tasmanian devil....
View ArticleHow many species can be found in a glass of ocean water?
If you’ve ever been involved in a school experiment looking at ocean or river water under a microscope, you’ll know that even a single drop teems with life, from larvae and fish visible...
View ArticleDo kangaroos form longterm relationships?
While kangaroos are a very social species, there has until recently been no evidence that they form long-term relationships between individuals. But a new study by researchers from UNSW Sydney...
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