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The ancient landscape at Yarrabubba preserves traces of the world’s oldest known asteroid impact. Shutterstock

We found the world’s oldest asteroid strike in Western Australia. It might have triggered a global thaw

Aaron J. Cavosie, Curtin University; Chris Kirkland, Curtin University; Nick Timms, Curtin University; Thomas Davison, Imperial College London, and Timmons Erickson, Curtin University

The Yarrabubba asteroid landed 2.2 billion years ago. Around the same time, the icy Earth went through a big thaw.
Without a radical change of course on climate change, Australians will struggle to survive on this continent, let alone thrive. AAP/Dave Hunt

Scientists hate to say ‘I told you so’. But Australia, you were warned

Will Steffen, Australian National University

For decades Australian scientists have, clearly and respectfully, warned about the risks to Australia of a rapidly heating climate. After this season's fires, perhaps it's time to listen.
Young people, like teen activist Izzy Raj-Seppings, have directly participated in prevention and emergency relief efforts this bushfire season. Joel Carrett/AAP

Bushfire education is too abstract. We need to get children into the real world

Briony Towers, RMIT University; Annette Gough, RMIT University, and Blanche Verlie, University of Sydney

One problem with the Australian Curriculum bushfire content statements is that they are relatively abstract and detached from children’s lived experiences.
Initial NDIS planning failed to recognise the unique needs and challenges of people with mental illnesses. SanchaiRat/Shutterstock

It’s hard for people with severe mental illness to get in the NDIS – and the problems don’t stop there

Nicola Hancock, University of Sydney and Jennifer Smith-Merry, University of Sydney

Some people with mental illnesses are unable to work or look after themselves but because their conditions are episodic, it's difficult to meet the NDIS entry requirement of having a permanent disability.
Glossy black cockatoo populations on Kangaroo Island have been decimated. But a few precious survivors remain. Flickr

Conservation scientists are grieving after the bushfires – but we must not give up

Stephen Garnett, Charles Darwin University; Brendan Wintle, University of Melbourne; David Lindenmayer, Australian National University; John Woinarski, Charles Darwin University; Martine Maron, The University of Queensland, and Sarah Legge, Australian National University

The destruction of recent fires is challenging our belief that with enough time, love and money, every threatened species can be saved. But there is plenty we can, and must, now do.
Implosion is the most dramatic way of demolishing a building but it’s also the most wasteful and hazardous. Luke Schmidt/Shutterstock

Unbuilding cities as high-rises reach their use-by date

Norman Day, Swinburne University of Technology

The problems of demolishing high-rise buildings in busy cities point to the need to prepare for unbuilding at the time of building. We'd then be much better placed to recycle building materials.
Three North American little brown bats with signs of white-nose syndrome, which is virtually certain to hit Australian bats without further action. KDFWR/Terry Derting

Australia’s threatened bats need protection from a silent killer: white-nose syndrome

Christopher Turbill, Western Sydney University and Justin Welbergen, Western Sydney University

It's been a deadly summer for Australia's wildlife. But beyond the fires, we need to act now to protect bats -- which make up a quarter of Australian mammal species -- from a silent overseas killer.