The Latest Breaking News from the Australian Research Council

Increased land management by Aboriginal people in southeastern Australia around 6,000 years ago cut forest shrub cover in half, according to our new study of fossil pollen trapped in ancient mud.

Climate change and biodiversity loss are mounting threats to Australia’s water security. So we often hear calls for more dams. But is that the answer?

We know that boys and girls are produced in much the same frequency. But how – and why – is this 1:1 ratio achieved?

King Charles and Queen Camilla will visit Australia from Friday on a five-day tour of Canberra and Sydney.

How can a desert burn? Australia’s vast deserts aren’t just sand dunes – they’re often dotted with flammable spinifex grass hummocks. When heavy rains fall, grass grows quickly before drying out. That’s how a desert can burn.

Australia’s child support system can not only increase women’s poverty, but can actually facilitate financial abuse, according to our recent research.

Nature loss directly threatens half the global economy. The rapid destruction of biodiversity should alarm the many Australian businesses dependent on nature, such as those in agriculture, tourism, construction and food manufacturing. Yet nature considerations are often ignored in business decision-making.

Global life expectancy has increased dramatically over the past century, with Australia among the best performing countries.

The Australian construction industry has long been facing a crisis of serious defects in apartment buildings. In the past, alarming incidents such as the Sydney Opal Tower evacuation and the Melbourne Lacrosse fire signalled systemic problems in construction.