-
How the ‘yeah-but’ mentality stalls progress on bag bans and other green issues
Anne Lane | July 25, 2018Meet the ‘Yeah-buts’ – those who know plastic is bad for the environment, but can’t get behind the bag ban because it affects their own convenience. This mindset can stall the best-laid green plans to help save the planet.
-
The Great Barrier Reef is not bouncing back – but there is hope
Open Forum | July 23, 2018The Great Barrier Reef is losing its ability to recover from disturbances, but effective local management could revive its capacity to bounce back.
-
Fighting the ‘white cancer’ threatening global food security
Nerissa Hannink | July 21, 2018Researchers have made a ‘game changing’ shift in our understanding of how plants succumb to high levels of salt in agricultural soils.
-
The case for introducing rhinos to Australia
Bill Laurance | July 20, 2018Would you pay to see rhinos in Australia’s savannas and forests? It’s not as outlandish as it sounds – and it could help save the world’s few remaining rhino populations.
-
Why plastic bag bans triggered such a huge reaction
Rebekah Russell-Bennett | July 17, 2018Despite the obvious benefits of reducing litter and waste, the removal of single use plastic bags from supermarkets has sparked a hostile reaction from some shoppers.
-
Australia’s newest snake may already be endangered
Open Forum | July 17, 2018The ink has barely dried on a scientific paper describing a new species of snake, yet the reptile may already be in danger of extinction due to mining. A team of biologists led by The University of Queensland’s Associate Professor Bryan Fry discovered a new species of bandy-bandy snake at Weipa on the west coast of the Cape York Peninsula.
-
Australian cities need to green up their buildings
Sara Wilkinson | July 9, 2018Research shows that encouraging greenery on Australia’s city buildings will reduce temperatures as well as create new habitats for wildlife – and human socialising.
-
Smart city planning can preserve old trees and the wildlife that needs them
Philip Gibbons | July 7, 2018The ecological value of old trees is irreplaceable for native Australian fauna. Identifying and preserving these trees in cities through smarter planning strategies is important for local wildlife.
-
Combined stresses push nation’s ecosystems to ‘tipping point’
Open Forum | July 7, 2018New research argues suggests that Australia’s ecosystems are at a ‘tipping point’ due to the combined stresses of climate change and extreme weather events.
-
Irrigation and development threaten the birds of Narran Lakes
Open Forum | July 6, 2018A long-term UNSW Sydney study shows the impact of irrigation and development on the breeding of colonial waterbirds in Narran Lakes.
-
Saving the northern white rhino from ‘extinction’
Daryl Holland | July 5, 2018There are only two female northern white rhinos left in the world, but the species could soon make a comeback thanks to assisted reproductive technologies and a little help from their southern cousins.
-
Australian scientists crack the koala’s genetic code
Open Forum | July 4, 2018A team of Australian and international scientists have made a significant breakthrough by successfully sequencing the full koala genome.