A wood and glass case invented in the early 19th-century transformed the movement of plants around the world. In Melbourne, several thousand people greeted a primrose on its arrival from England.
Sara Wilkinson, University of Technology Sydney and Fiona Orr, University of Technology Sydney
In a world of increasing urbanisation, density, pressure and, some say, isolation, there’s a natural salve for stress, pressure and mental illness. And it’s right above our heads.
Exposure to nature plays a positive role in brain development by providing children with opportunities to take risks, discover new things, and be creative.
Is providing birds with food and water making them too dependent? Or are gardens just the new frontier of Australia’s urban landscape? New research aims to find out.
Lizzy Lowe, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau and Margaret Stanley, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
It is possible to use small spaces such as transport corridors, verges and the edges of sporting grounds for native wildlife habitat restoration, helping to bring biodiversity back into cities.
Bird baths are more than just ornamental splash pools. They’re also a site where animals socialise and intense rivalries play out. And bird bath design, location and cleanliness can have a big impact.
There are birds we love to hate, such as the Noisy Miner. But much of the annoying behaviour on show may be a result of human-induced changes to habitats.
There’s something in the air that actually has health benefits when you take time to walk among the plants and trees. What that is exactly is still being studied by scientists.