Space can solve our resource shortages

Australia’s space industry could help replenish the dwindling stocks of precious resources on Earth, but space companies also need to learn some key lessons about sustainability.

Australia’s moonshot

In another sign that the government is serious about supporting new Australian endeavours in space, the Australian Space Agency and NASA will cooperate on the ‘Artemis’ project to return astronauts to the moon in 2024.

Uncovering the first life on Earth

UNSW scientists have found that Western Australia’s famous 3.5-billion-year-old stromatolites contain microbial remains of some of the earliest life on Earth.

The disturbing rise of the ‘deepfake’

Anyone with a high-powered computer, a graphics processing unit and time on their hands can create realistic fake videos – referred to as “deepfakes” – using AI.

Aussie satellite tech set to cover the seas

UNSW Sydney engineers are developing new satellite technology that can be used to determine the state of the planet’s seas as well as a number of other useful applications.

How reliable are roadside drug tests?

Thousands of people are prosecuted every year in Australia for cannabis use while driving, however research at the University of Sydney suggests the test isn’t as accurate as thought.

The human language of AI

Artificial intelligence can be convincingly human-like when it writes news or even poetry, raising ethical issues for the future.

Preparing for Mars – in the outback

UNSW scientists have shown a group of Mars specialists the secrets of the remote Pilbara’s ancient rocks to prepare for NASA’s and ESA’s future missions to the red planet.

The perils of facial recognition technology

Activists, politicians, academics and even police forces are expressing serious concerns over the impact facial recognition could have on a political culture based on rights and democracy.

Taking back our online privacy

An entire industry exists to profile your life from your online data – everything from your shopping habits to your political views and medical conditions – and the results can cause genuine harm.

Unraveling the stories in our stars

Throughout time, humankind has looked to the stars and recounted the meaning they see. We know this is true of many cultures, in many places. But time and place have influenced those narratives and how they were passed on.

Becoming a STEM-inist

When PhD candidate Amy Shepherd began her career in science, she didn’t dream that within a few years she’d be rubbing shoulders with Nobel Prize winners but still wondering where all the women are.