A window on a vanished world

Greenland is a cold and barren desert today, but DNA extracted from sediments there opens a vista into a vanished verdant world ruled by mighty mammoths.

Action on invasive species

More Australian species will go extinct unless more is done to fix and fund Australia’s threat abatement system.

Strengthen the things that remain

Most of Victoria’s native bush has been cleared for agriculture over the last two hundred years, and urgent action is required to protect remaining pockets of scrub and forest to safeguard precious biodiversity.

You be good. I love you

The plight of one talkative parrot, the African grey, is linked to a wide-ranging global network of wildlife and drug trafficking that Australia should do more to tackle.

The mighty mangrove

Many mangrove swamps have been cleared for coastal developments, but these hardy shrubs are vital in protecting coasts from erosion and absorbing carbon dioxide, and can thrive in metal contaminated conditions.

Dinosaur planet

Dinosaurs didn’t go extinct because they were obsolete or stupid, but because an asteroid ploughed into Earth. What would life on our planet be like if that catastrophe had never happened?

Analysing the Maribyrnong River flood

The urbanised lower reaches of the Maribyrnong River in Inner-Western Melbourne experienced major flooding in mid-October, and lessons must be learned about urban development in the catchment given the prospect of future extreme weather events.

How do newborn marsupials survive?

Australia is famous for its remarkable marsupials, which – unlike other mammals – give birth to tiny “neonates” which then develop in their mother’s pouch.

Cultural burning

Advocates of the practice of “cultural burning” fail to acknowledge the potential health effects of particulates generated by such “cool burns”.

Last stand of the Karaaf wetland?

The Karaaf Wetlands on Victoria’s Surf Coast looks like an untouched oasis with its kangaroos, wallabies, and birds that migrate to it from Japan and China, however it is under threat as the town of Torquay grapples with a population boom and our endless hunger for development.

Saving the koala

Koalas are an endangered species in NSW, ACT and Queensland but remain abundant in some parts of South Australia and Victoria, and Flinders University researchers now assessing whether their success in southern Australia can help save the species elsewhere.

The spread of smart fertilisers

Fertilisers that increase nitrogen efficiency are being designed to boost crop productivity while reducing farming costs and environmental impact.