The robot reef protector

An underwater drone that can keep watch on reef health and accurately identify and even attack the devastating crown-of-thorns starfish is ready to be put to the test on the Great Barrier Reef.

Making cities a better home for everyone – and everything

It’s the urban age for people – and for other species too – so it’s time to start planning for all the plants and animals that call our cities home.

Chemical contaminants threaten wildlife more widely than thought

An international team of scientists led by Monash University has warned that the danger to wildlife through chemical pollution is a wider problem than previously thought as the effects of indirect contamination are not being factored into discussions.

More efficient irrigation doesn’t help the environment

Increasing the efficiency of irrigation by lowering evaporation and leakage should lower consumption, but in practice farms simply use more water for their crops, with even less being returned to the environment.

The race to save endangered orchids

Scientists from the Threatened Species Recovery Hub and Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria are in a race against time to save some of Australia’s most endangered native orchids.

The Meg is a horror story but our treatment of sharks is scarier

While fiction about shark attacks fascinate the public, in reality, it is the sharks who suffer at the hands of man. Millions are slaughtered every year, despite the vital role they play in ocean ecology.

Why heatwaves hit some cities harder than others

Heatwave-related deaths are influenced not only by absolute temperatures but also by how acclimatised people are to heat, according to new research published in ‘Climatic Change’.

Fairy wrens learn by listening in

New research involving biologists from The Australian National University (ANU) shows that some birds are just as skilled as humans at eavesdropping.

Working with nature can help us build greener cities

A more strategic approach to urban growth can ensure our cities maintain adequate green space and become low-carbon, efficient and affordable.

City-slicker kiwis: bringing natives back to the big smoke

Restoring New Zealand’s native species should not be limited to national parks or isolated islands of protection – creatures like kiwi, bats, and tuatara could also be reintroduced into suitably prepared urban areas.

Whatever happened to the ‘eighth wonder of the world’?

The fate of the spectacular Pink and White Terraces of Lake Rotomahana in New Zealand has been contentious since they disappeared following the 1886 eruption of Mt Tarawera. New research may hold the answer.

Why the plastic bag backflip is a bad idea

Supermarket Coles has backflipped on its vow to dump single-use plastic bags saying customers aren’t coping with the change to reusable bags. Six experts explain why it’s a bad idea