Sand is an excellent material to play with. It is versatile, widely available, open-ended and cheap. And you don’t need a fancy plastic mould to make something special.
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Articles on Sand
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Establishing the age of K'gari (Fraser Island) confirms it emerged before the reef, despite the climate being suitable for coral growth long before then.
The energy-intensive process of producing cement and concrete contributes significantly to global warming while depleting resources. Much more sustainable alternatives are being developed.
From capillary forces to sand grain shape, the simple mix of sand and water hides the complexity within.
Coastal erosion in West Africa is a cause for global concern. The global community must rally to address climate change which is causing the retreat.
A trip to the beach is a perfect opportunity to explore the peculiar properties of some fascinating fluids.
A trip to the beach is off limits for some people with a disability. We need to change that, and the law supports it.
Over the past six months, tourists and locals have been shocked to see Byron’s famous Main Beach literally disappearing. Satellite imagery and local knowledge has revealed what’s going on.
As sand markets boom, entrepreneurs, organized crime and others are cashing in — leaving widespread environmental damage in their wake.
Sandy beaches are densely populated and occupy more than one third of the global coastline.
Sand may seem abundant when your toes are buried in it, but it’s becoming scarce along many coastlines around the world.
Given that we know humans moved across these landscapes, we wondered whether there might also be evidence of other forms of human activity on these surfaces of sand.
Little chunks of plastic are now scattered throughout the oceans and pollute most beaches around the world, including the nesting sites of threatened and endangered sea turtles.
Ocean acidification poses an increasing threat to the sediments that form the framework of coral reefs - within around 30 years, these carbonate sands may no longer be able to form.
Lucky Bay on WA’s south coast has been scientifically declared to have the whitest sand in Australia. But if you think your local beach can take the title, we want to hear from you.
Overuse of sand for construction and industry is harming the environment and fueling violence around the world. Scientists explain why we need international rules to regulate sand mining and use.
There is a direct correlation between the age of the builder, spade size and the speed at which boredom sets in.
Lightning strikes are powerful – but we haven’t had solid estimates of their energy until now. Researchers turned to the hollow stone tubes they create by vaporizing sand for more precise calculations.
Top contributors
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Senior Lecturer in Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton
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Senior Lecturer in Mathematics and Oceanography, UNSW Sydney
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Professor of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington
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Associate Professor of Geosciences, University of South Florida
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Professor of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Bournemouth University
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Rachel Carson Chair in Sustainability, Michigan State University
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Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow, Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain)
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Assistant Professor - Human Environment Systems, Boise State University
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Ph.D. Candidate, University of Georgia
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Research Manager, Griffith Centre for Coastal Management, Griffith University
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Senior research associate, Murdoch University
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Professor of Biogeochemistry, Director of the Centre for Coastal Biogeochemistry, Southern Cross University
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Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University
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Associate Professor, School of International Development and Global Studies, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa
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Research Associate, African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University
