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Australian flowers and their pollinators have evolved a specific way of communicating – all based upon colour. aussiegall/Flickr

Colourful language – it’s how Aussie birds and flowers ‘speak’

In Australia, honeyeaters are far and away the most abundant and important nectar-feeding birds, so also the most important avian pollinators of flowers. What effect has their visual perception had on…
More than just beakers and Bunsen burners, chemistry extends across many areas. *USB*

Proteins to plastics: chemistry as a dynamic discipline

AUSTRALIA 2025: How will science address the challenges of the future? In collaboration with Australia’s chief scientist Ian Chubb, we’re asking how each science discipline will contribute to Australia…
To really get into the brain’s mechanisms, we need to build a working model. Tankakern/Flickr

It’s time to build a bionic brain for smarter research

The structure of the brain reveals a network of massively interconnected electrochemically active cells. It is known that information can be represented by changes of state within this network, but that…
Students born in the Information Age are digital natives, but in an already crowded curriculum, where will technology subjects stand? Lupuca/Flickr

Connecting to Australia’s first digital technology curriculum

Australia finally has its first digital technology curriculum which is mandatory for all Australian children from Foundation, the name replacing kindergarten, to Year 8. The Technologies area now has two…
We know gravity waves exist but just haven’t detected any… yet. www.shutterstock.com

An end in sight in the long search for gravity waves

Our unfolding understanding of the universe is marked by epic searches and we are now on the brink of discovering something that has escaped detection for many years. The search for gravity waves has been…
Like humans, ‘man’s best friend’ can sense our emotions through voice alone. Flickr/TheGiantVermin

Dogs hear human happiness – it’s in his (or her) master’s voice

Dogs really are our best friends. A study published today in Current Biology shows not only do dogs and humans read emotions in each other’s “voices”, but both are more attuned to “happy” sounds. And the…
MongoDB co-founder and chairman Dwight Merriman still writes code. TechCrunch/Flickr

The new technologies needed for dealing with big data

While much focus and discussion of the so-called “Big Data revolution” has been on the data itself and the exciting new applications it is enabling — from Google’s self-driving cars through to CSIRO and…
How much‽ Children can quickly run up huge bills on online games without their parents’ knowledge. Shutterstock

The app trap: how children spend thousands online

For many parents who caved into the pressure and splashed out on a new tablet computer for their children this Christmas, the not inconsiderable initial purchase bill may almost be a distant memory. Yet…
Slime on Earth… that’s all there was for a billion years. www.shutterstock.com

Life on Earth was nothing but slime for a ‘boring billion’ years

Evolution of life on Earth began about 3.5 billion years ago but it has not been a constant or continuous process. During the middle years of Earth’s history (1.8 billion to 800 million years ago), evolution…
A spike in suicides linked to spikes in heat. www.shutterstock.com

Heatwaves linked to an increase in Australian suicide rates

Heatwaves and high temperatures can have a dramatic impact on people’s physical health. We only have to look at the increases in emergency department admissions during recent heatwaves to know that. But…
Insecticide resistance is a growing problem… one that is leading to novel soultions. tpmartins/Flickr

Resistance shapes the discovery of new insecticides

Recent news around the world has focused on the dangers of antibiotic resistance. But what of another type of resistance which can also have a huge impact on the population: that to insecticides? Antibiotic…
Galaxies of every shape and size. NASA/ESA/S. Beckwith(STScI) and The HUDF Team

The measure of the universe through Doppler lensing

There are so many galaxies in the universe that if you point a telescope in any direction in the night’s sky you are bound to see some. Just look at the image (above) of the sky as provided by the Hubble…
The oldest star is out there somewhere. But which one is it? www.shutterstock.com

The oldest star in the universe? Maybe, maybe not!

There is a myth that goldfish have a three-second memory, and I sometimes wonder if the same is true about the part of the human mind that deals with science in the news. This week, the international media…
The disease is written in our DNA code… somewhere. www.shutterstock.aom

Diving deep into data to crack the gene code on disease

The key to understanding disease is in our DNA – the human genome which contains the instructions on how our body should develop and grow. The key to progress in genomics research is in combining as much…
A better grounding in mathematics is needed for a career in science. Shutterstock

A lack of maths just doesn’t add up for a career in science

Our future in science, technology and engineering relies on a foundation and understanding of mathematics. And while it is pleasing to see a growth in interest in our advanced mathematics course at the…
We have fish to thank for the makeup of our face. Flickr/Ben Shepherd

Hello fish face – a fossil fish reveals the origins of the face

Lets face it – without a face no-one would recognise us, nor would we be able to guess what others might be thinking or feeling. Faces and their subtle degrees of symmetry and expression have defined human…
Electricity – just one bright idea to stem from physics. Flickr/JonathanCohen

Physics: a fundamental force for future security

AUSTRALIA 2025: How will science address the challenges of the future? In collaboration with Australia’s chief scientist Ian Chubb, we’re asking how each science discipline will contribute to Australia…
New horizons for offshore oil and gas development. Flickr/arbyreed

Mobile foundations the key to unlocking offshore reserves

The offshore energy industry is a market sector that must remain innovative to stay competitive to secure Australia’s energy future. Latest statistics show Australia’s total petroleum output has an annual…
What will the nation look like in 2025? NASA

Australia’s future depends on a strong science focus today

AUSTRALIA 2025: How will science address the challenges of the future? In collaboration with Australia’s chief scientist Ian Chubb, we’re asking how each science discipline will contribute to Australia…
Who needs maths anyway? www.shutterstock.com

Maths is important but should it be compulsory?

Compulsory maths for year 12 students! I’d like to see that – or would I? There was much discussion recently about making it compulsory for year 12 students in NSW to study some mathematics. As a card-carrying…
An explosion in the universe (artist’s impression). www.shutterstock.com

The oldest star discovery tells much about the early universe

The discovery of an ancient star formed approximately 13.6-billion years ago just after the Big Bang is telling us much about the early universe. The star – designated SMSS J031300.36-670839.3 – lies within…