The 2018 Prime Minister's Prizes for Science were awarded at Canberra's Parliament House on October 17. Along with the top prize, life science, physics, innovation and teaching were recognised.
Academic rigour, journalistic flair
Analysis and Comment
Another review into the safety of pet food leads to another review into pet food. It's been a decade since this issue was brought to the government's attention, so what needs to happen now?
Robots in the classroom are highly engaging and motivating for students, and can have a cascading effect on learning across an entire school.
It might look like an unfinished piece but it's the work of artificial intelligence, the first artwork of its kind to be sold at auction.
To stay safe in a tsunami, remember that the sequence of waves may occur over hours to days, and the biggest wave in the sequence could occur at any time.
Mind wandering engages the same neural pathways used to receive stimuli from the real world, evoking emotions similar to real life. VR can elicit these same feelings.
The five planets visible to the naked eye since ancient times are putting on a dazzling display this month, in a night-sky dance along with the Moon.
Archaeologists are trash sifters. They use clues preserved in artefacts, plant and animal remains that people threw away or left behind to reconstruct the past.
The new film is a down-to-Earth portrayal of astronaut Neil Armstrong and our complex relationship with the Moon.
Research and News
Lee's research identified the cause of mysterious and devastating mass frog extinctions that spread across the world starting in the 1970s: it was a skin fungus.
Tourism and technology
Mind wandering engages the same neural pathways used to receive stimuli from the real world, evoking emotions similar to real life. VR can elicit these same feelings.
The additional precautions many women take when travelling alone help us manage our fears and feel more empowered to enter into public spaces.
My favourite gem
Some diamonds come from depths of more than 650km. Tiny imperfections in these gems give us clues about what's happening in Earth's hidden geological layers.
Zirconia is a mineral with a crystal structure made from the elements zirconium and oxygen. It looks pretty like diamond, but is only worth a fraction of the value.
From around the world
A weather expert explains where petrichor – that pleasant, earthy scent that accompanies a storm's first raindrops – comes from.
PhD scholarships
Research and Expert Database
Editors’ Picks
God vs science
'I don't believe in God, I believe in science,' atheists often argue. But that doesn't mean their thinking is evidence-based.
The news that a former moderator is suing Facebook over unsafe work practices suggests it's time we finally took the mental health of moderators seriously.
Desert people
They were looking to study rock art at a remote desert site but what they found showed people had been using the place almost since the first people arrived in Australia.
Take control
Our unproductive 'zombie' screen hours can creep up – but they don't need to rule us. Here are four steps to help you use new tools to monitor and change your technology habits.
Surprising salt
We take salt water for granted, and often overlook how important it is for our own lives and in sustaining a healthy planet.
Busy ants
Ants have many tricks to deal with rain – like holding their breath, blocking nest entrances or drinking excess water and releasing it elsewhere by 'communal peeing.' But can they see rain coming?
Science books
New research shows children's images of scientists are all too often male.
Community angst
Research has shown that large social platforms like Facebook can reinforce problematic social hierarchies and prejudices around gender, sexuality and race.
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Events
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Most Read past week
- Five in a row - the planets align in the night sky
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- A recipe for mummy preservation existed 1,500 years before the Pharaohs
- Yes, a tsunami could hit Sydney – causing flooding and dangerous currents
- Why you might be paying more for your airfare than the person seated next to you
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