News
all News articles
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Living fossil discovered below Earth’s surface
Microbe may have been in evolutionary stasis for millions of years.
A microbe that feeds on radioactivity has been at an evolutionary standstill for up to 175 million years, researchers...
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You may have missed...
Stray science stories from last week to brighten your Monday.
More than 5,000 tonnes of space dust hit Earth every year If you’ve ever seen a shooting star, you’ve encountered ...
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This week on Mars
Helicopter Ingenuity safely deployed, but flight delayed.
NASA announced yesterday that the first flight of its Ingenuity Mars helicopter will take place no earlier than 14 Ap...
AstraZeneca vaccine: clot or not?
The AstraZeneca vaccine’s rollout has now been limited. Is there a clear answer as to whether it ...
In mid-March, several European countries paused the distribution of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine following report...
AstraZeneca and blood clots: by the numbers
Statistically, how likely are you to get blood clots from AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine?
Reports that the AstraZeneca COVID vaccine causes blood clots has been dominating the news. In mid-March, several ...
Features
all Features articles
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Explainer
Cosmos Q&A: Concussion
What causes concussion, and are we learning more about how to treat it?
Concussion is sometimes still treated as a mystery in sport, but the field of concussion research began in 1928 – onl...
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Conversation
First continents formed with a dash of mantle water
New research cracks the mystery of how the first continents formed.
By Chris Kirkland, Curtin University; Hugh Smithies, Curtin University, and Tim Johnson, Curtin University Earth i...
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Our pi-cks of the Pi-ku competition
A few Pi-kus to get you through.
We’re delighted to say that our celebratory Pi-ku competition has brought some great examples flying in. A refresh...
Cosmos Briefing
all Cosmos Briefing articles
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Video
Chief scientist talks about AI, machine learning
A special Cosmos Briefing panel including Dr Cathy Foley tackles some of the big future-science i...
During a visit to Adelaide last week, chief scientist of Australia Dr Cathy Foley very kindly agreed to join a taped ...
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Event
Cosmos Briefing: Supercomputing and Big Data
Unravelling the analysis machines we turn to for answers.
Join our Cosmos Briefing Supercomputing & Big Data, Thursday 15 April. Think of a computing process underpinned by...
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Video
Cosmos Briefing: The Circular Economy
As Australia stands to make more money off recycling batteries, experts discuss the circular econ...
What is the circular economy, and how can it be achieved? As experts discuss the topic, a new report shows that Austr...
Space
all Space articles
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This week on Mars
Helicopter Ingenuity safely deployed, but flight delayed.
NASA announced yesterday that the first flight of its Ingenuity Mars helicopter will take place no earlier than 14 Ap...
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Martian climate had ups and downs
Curiosity rover spies possible evidence for fluctuating wet and dry periods.
While its sibling Perseverance has just landed on the Red Planet, the Curiosity rover – on Mars since 2012 – continue...
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Exoplanet atmosphere hints it formed far from star
Chemical fingerprint in exoplanet, Osiris, shows unexpectedly high carbon.
An international team of astronomers has uncovered the atmospheric composition of the exoplanet HD 209458b (AKA Osiri...
Nature
all Nature articles
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You may have missed...
Stray science stories from last week to brighten your Monday.
More than 5,000 tonnes of space dust hit Earth every year If you’ve ever seen a shooting star, you’ve encountered ...
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How spinifex grasses got their ring shapes
Scientists studying spinifex unearth the good and bad of soil microbes.
Scientists say they may have solved a longstanding mystery of how Australia’s iconic spinifex got its distinctive rin...
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Earth
all Earth articles
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Living fossil discovered below Earth’s surface
Microbe may have been in evolutionary stasis for millions of years.
A microbe that feeds on radioactivity has been at an evolutionary standstill for up to 175 million years, researchers...
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How clean is the Hunter Valley air?
What’s the truth behind the NSW air-quality stoush between past and serving politicians?
The air quality in New South Wales’ Hunter Valley has made news this week, with serving and former politicians accusi...
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Year of the quiet ocean
An international team aims to monitor the impact of 2020’s ‘quiet’ oceans on marine life
Last year, as pandemic-related lockdowns enveloped the world, our oceans – just like our cities – fell more silent th...
History
all History articles
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Zlatý kůň: The oldest human genome
The skull of Zlatý kůň might be the oldest to date and had large stretches of Neanderthal DNA.
Scientists have identified potentially the oldest human genome from a 45,000-year-old skull. When humans and Neand...
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Bone tools from the Kimberley among oldest in Australia
A new study of bone artefacts found in the Kimberley region reveals the secrets of their deep ant...
The rugged Kimberley region of Western Australia is home to vast tracts of land – a savannah landscape of ranges and ...
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Easter Wrap: Head over for stories about Easter Island
Rapa Nui in the spotlight.
It is time to remember Easter… Island. Here are four stories about archaeology and Rapa Nui. Destruction of Easte...
People
all People articles
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Poorer children “failed by system”
Study reveals the extent of poverty as a barrier to education in low and middle income countries.
Poorer children with academic promise in low- and middle-income countries are struggling to access higher education b...
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Folbigg 2019 inquiry: guilty finding upheld
Compelling recent scientific evidence remains unexamined by law.
The Australian Academy of Science late yesterday released a statement about the NSW Court of Appeal’s decision to dis...
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Health
all Health articles
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Explainer
Cosmos Q&A: Concussion
What causes concussion, and are we learning more about how to treat it?
Concussion is sometimes still treated as a mystery in sport, but the field of concussion research began in 1928 – onl...
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Covid Booster: herd immunity and nature nurture
5 things we learned about COVID this week.
Herd immunity is impossible without vaccination A review led by Australian researchers has found that no country h...
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COVID vaccines: where the bloody hell are we?
New AstraZeneca advice puts a spanner in the works, so what are our alternatives?
Australia’s vaccine rollout program is now being overhauled due to new recommendations regarding the AstraZeneca vacc...
Core Sciences
all Core Sciences articles
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Could muons rewrite the laws of physics?
New experiment hints that subatomic particles are behaving weirdly, challenging the Standard Model.
Muons don’t seem to be obeying the standard laws of physics, which suggests we don’t yet fully understand the standar...
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Glowing, colour-changing polymer
Scientists design a polymer that changes colour depending on its length.
An international team of chemists, including some Australians, have developed a type of polymer that can glow in a br...
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Antibiotic properties of amber
The fossilised resin contains antibiotic compounds.
Chemicals in fossilised Baltic amber resin have antibiotic properties, and may be useful for treating antibiotic resi...
Technology
all Technology articles
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Video
Chief scientist talks about AI, machine learning
A special Cosmos Briefing panel including Dr Cathy Foley tackles some of the big future-science i...
During a visit to Adelaide last week, chief scientist of Australia Dr Cathy Foley very kindly agreed to join a taped ...
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Brain organoids ready for real-time observation
Cheap, multi-well device for brain development research.
A group of researchers has grown small, self-organising blobs of brain tissue in multi-welled dishes to observe in re...
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How to avoid a shark attack
The right deterrent could save hundreds of lives – and sharks.
Good news for ocean enthusiasts – if beachgoers wear personal electronic deterrents that can reduce the probability o...