The Latest Breaking News from Australian Research Council

Magnetic attraction used to remove PFAS pollution

University of Queensland researchers have pioneered a technique to remove per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals from water.

Newcastle Herald · Jan 20, 2023

On a tiny Australian island, snakes feasting on seabirds evolved huge jaws in a surprisingly short time

When we think of evolution, we tend to picture slow changes occurring over very long periods of time, typically millions of years. However, evolution can actually happen much faster, over only a few generations: think COVID-19 strains, for example. And this fast evolution isn’t just restricted to viruses and microbes.

The Conversation · Jan 16, 2023

Is it OK to kick a robot dog?

Last Saturday night, a young woman out on the town in Brisbane saw a dog-shaped robot trotting towards her and did what many of us might have felt an urge to do: she gave it a solid kick in the head.

The Conversation · Jan 11, 2023

For Australia to lead the way on green hydrogen, first we must find enough water

Australia is well-positioned to be a global leader in green hydrogen production. Green hydrogen is produced using a renewable power source such as solar or wind. As a substitute for fossil fuels, it will help to meet growing renewable energy needs.

The Conversation · Dec 20, 2022

The historic COP15 outcome is an imperfect game-changer for saving nature. Here's why Australia did us proud

Billed as the event that’ll determine the fate of the entire living world, the United Nations’ COP15 nature summit has wrapped up in Canada with a historic deal, which includes protecting roughly a third of nature by 2030.

The Conversation · Dec 20, 2022

Phosphorus supply is increasingly disrupted – we are sleepwalking into a global food crisis

Without phosphorus food cannot be produced, since all plants and animals need it to grow. Put simply: if there is no phosphorus, there is no life. As such, phosphorus-based fertilisers – it is the “P” in “NPK” fertiliser – have become critical to the global food system.

The Conversation · Dec 16, 2022

Aboriginal people have spent centuries building in the Darling River. Now there are plans to demolish these important structures

Apart from managing the land, Indigenous people have also managed waterways, including the Murray River and the Darling/Baaka River, for thousands of years.

The Conversation · Dec 15, 2022

Without Indigenous leadership, attempts to stop the tide of destruction against nature will fail

At the crucial COP15 nature summit in Canada, almost 200 countries are reckoning with the world’s extraordinary loss of the variety of life. Climate change, mining, urban development and more are threatening Earth’s biodiversity to an extent never before witnessed in human history.

The Conversation · Dec 13, 2022

For the first time ever, we have a complete skull description of a true fossil giant wombat

The place we call Australia today was in many ways vastly different 80,000 years ago.

The Conversation · Dec 12, 2022

Women are 50–75% more likely to have adverse drug reactions. A new mouse study finally helps explain why

Compared to men, we know much less about how women experience disease.

The Conversation · Dec 12, 2022