• Rabbit stew

    Open Forum     |      July 10, 2025

    New research finds that domesticated rabbits evolve quickly to match new environments when they escape into the wild and establish feral breeding populations.

  • Stop deep sea mining before it begins

    Kate Neville     |      July 7, 2025

    Deep-sea mining promises critical minerals for the energy transition without the problems of mining on land. It also promises to bring wealth to developing nations. But the evidence suggests these promises are false, and mining would harm the environment.

  • Smashing news for avocados

    Open Forum     |      July 5, 2025

    The future of smashed avocado might depend on patches of native vegetation preserved alongside farmland, as new Curtin research reveals the hidden role of these habitats in supporting the insects that keep crops – and brunch menus – thriving.

  • Nature positive, action negative

    Open Forum     |      June 19, 2025

    New research led by Griffith University argues that the term “nature positive” does more to boost greenwashing companies and vote-seeking politicians than nature conservation.

  • Building soil carbon with beneficial microbes

    Open Forum     |      June 7, 2025

    Field trials conducted at The University of Queensland show microbial biotechnology could be a game-changer for farming with simultaneous benefits for soil regeneration, crop yield and carbon sequestration.

  • The book of life

    Ruth Morgan     |      May 28, 2025

    Carbon animates the entirety of the living world and though it comprises only a tiny fraction of Earth’s composition, our planet would be lifeless without it.

  • It is easy being green

    Open Forum     |      May 18, 2025

    Democratic countries tend to be rated as ‘greener’, or more environmentally friendly, compared to other countries, but this may be because they’re shifting the burden of their own pollution overseas, according to Swiss and UK scientists.

  • A wolf in wolf’s clothing

    Timothy Hearn     |      April 10, 2025

    Humans wiped out North America’s Dire Wolf around 10,000 years ago with the technology of the time, and now people have brought them back to life – after a fashion – in the same way.

  • Natural ingredients

    Euan Ritchie     |      April 5, 2025

    The Albanese government came to power in 2022 promising to reform the nation’s nature laws, but failed to take action, while the Coalition promises a bonfire of ‘green tape’ for industry.

  • Living livestock

    Catie Gressier     |      March 21, 2025

    The diversity of livestock breeds has been decimated by the drive to ever greater efficiency, leaving pig, cattle and other stocks vulnerable to disease and inbreeding.

  • Microplastic major problem

    Open Forum     |      March 18, 2025

    Australian researchers have found that compost is full of microplastics, with every kilogram of compost containing between 1,500 to 16,000 microplastic particles.

  • Even plants feel the heat

    Open Forum     |      February 24, 2025

    Understanding how plants withstand heat stress is key to developing strategies to help both native plants and crops survive in an increasingly warming climate, supporting both ecosystem stability and food security.