Mapping microplastics on Australian beaches
An interactive map shows where the tiny pollutants are washing up.
It’s hard to tell what the long-term consequences of wide-scale microplastic pollution will be – but it’s important t...
Earth
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Why has Australia’s driest state had such a wet start to the year?
Ex-tropical cyclone Tiffany followed an unusual path to deliver a record-breaking deluge
South Australia is the driest state on the world’s driest inhabited continent. With an arid landscape dominated by sh...
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Conversation
What causes a tsunami?
An ocean scientist explains the physics of these destructive waves.
On 15 January 2022, the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano in Tonga erupted, sending a tsunami racing across the Pacif...
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A deep dive into earthquake forecasting
Earthquakes, and the tsunamis they trigger, are a major threat to coastal communities around the ...
Scientists studying the world’s most dangerous earthquakes are racing against time to get up close and personal to th...
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Conversation
2021 was one of the hottest years on record
And it could also be the coldest we’ll ever see again.
Well, it’s official: 2021 was one of the planet’s seven hottest years since records began, the World Meteorological O...
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Coral reef connectivity is crucial for conservation
New global assessment could better inform the placement of protected areas.
With an ambitious global push underway to protect a third of the world’s ocean environments by 2030, the race to dist...
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The risks and rewards of aluminium in solar panels
Aluminium could become a big PV polluter, but it’s also easy to recycle.
As the price of solar power plummets, the uptake of solar panels and rooftop solar is booming. The more this surge ac...
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Air pollution interferes with pollination
Butterflies and bees may be confused by common air pollutants, study shows.
Pollinators like bees and butterflies are responsible for one in every three bites we eat. These insects already face...
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What happens if the permafrost disappears?
If the Arctic permafrost melts, the results could be catastrophic.
What happens if the Arctic permafrost melts? Carbon levels are rising, and things are starting to look a lot worse. ...
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The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption: what comes next?
The powerful volcanic eruption was captured in amazing detail, yet remains shrouded in mystery.
The eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano on January 15 triggered a towering ash plume that reached the s...
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Ozone pollution responsible for billions in crop losses
A new analysis reveals massive wheat, rice and corn crop damage across East Asia.
A Chinese-led team of researchers has found that ozone pollution is causing an estimated AU$87 billion in crop damage...
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You may have missed…
Goldfish driving, Moon mysteries, stellar fly-bys and other science you may have missed this week.
Teaching a goldfish to driveIsraeli scientists have taught a goldfish how to drive, and it’s probably the best th...