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Mike Sandiford

Mike Sandiford is Professor of Geology at the University of Melbourne. His research interests include tectonics, earthquake geology, geomorphology and geothermics. His work on the thermal structure of the Australian crust provides a framework for understanding the extraordinary abundance of Uranium in Australia, and helped promote interest in geothermal energy exploration in South Australia. He has published over 170 peer-reviewed scientific papers and supervised more than 80 young researchers at Honours, Masters, PhD and junior postdoc level. He was recipient of consecutive ARC professorial fellowships (2000-2009), the Mawson Medal from the Australian Academy of Sciences in 2004 (for outstanding contributions to Australian Earth Science), the Hobbs Medal, the Carey Medal and Stilwell Medal (three times) from the Geological Society of Australia. He is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and the Geological Society of Australia. He chaired the Science Advisory Framework for NCRIS geoscience capability AuScope. He directed the Melbourne Energy Institute at the University of Melbourne from 2009-2016.

Oil in Global Economy Series

We really must talk about gas

Sep 07, 2016 10:46 am UTC| Insights & Views

The European Commissions latest Quarterly report on electricity markets makes sobering reading down under. Over the last year wholesale electricity prices have been falling just about everywhere across the developed...

Italy's deadly earthquake is the latest in a history of destruction

Aug 27, 2016 13:24 pm UTC| Insights & Views Nature

The Appenines region of central Italy has been struck by a deadly earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.2. The quake, which had an epicentre roughly 10km southeast of Norcia, Italy, occurred just over seven years after the...

Climate Change Series

Our planet is heating - the empirical evidence

Aug 16, 2016 14:07 pm UTC| Nature

In an entertaining and somewhat chaotic episode of QA (Monday 15th August) pitching science superstar Brian Cox against climate contrarian and global conspiracy theorist and now senator Malcolm Roberts, the question of...

The will of government is key to energy access...

Jun 02, 2016 09:51 am UTC| Insights & Views Nature

The Bropkas meet the grid In what must surely be a first for the Conversation, I am writing this post from the village of Sakteng in remote eastern Bhutan. That I can do so is a remarkable testimony to the will of the...

Raising Tibet

Apr 29, 2016 10:01 am UTC| Insights & Views Life Nature

Its more than a little disconcerting to wake every hour or so, gasping for air, suffocating. It happened to me during a field season in southern Tibet camped at about 5400 metres above sea level. With my normal sleep...

A precarious geological bargain

Apr 18, 2016 14:21 pm UTC| Insights & Views Nature

The landscapes of the Xinjiang province of western China are very special. It is here the ancient trade routes of the Silk Roads skirt the great mountains and deserts of central Asia, weaving a magic thread through a...

Economy

U.S. Stock Futures Steady as Iran Reviews U.S. Ceasefire Proposal

U.S. stock index futures held relatively steady on Wednesday evening after Iran signaled it was reviewing a ceasefire proposal put forward by Washington aimed at ending the ongoing Middle East conflict. The cautious market...

Oil Prices Climb as Iran Reviews U.S. Peace Proposal Amid Middle East Tensions

Oil prices edged higher during Asian trading on Thursday as conflicting signals over potential Middle East de-escalation kept energy markets on alert. Brent crude futures for May delivery rose 0.8% to $103.02 per barrel,...

Gold Prices Climb as Middle East Ceasefire Talks Stir Market Optimism

Gold prices edged higher on Wednesday as cautious optimism surrounding potential U.S.-Iran ceasefire negotiations lifted sentiment across global markets. Spot gold climbed 0.7% to $4,504.58 per ounce, while U.S. gold...

Middle East War Rattles Global Markets as Oil Tops $100 and Dollar Surges

Asian equity markets struggled to find clear direction on Thursday as investors navigated a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape in the Middle East. Iran signaled conditional willingness to consider a U.S.-backed...

Federal Reserve Balance Sheet Reduction: Brookings Research Outlines Possible Path Forward

New research from the Brookings Institution suggests the Federal Reserve could shrink its balance sheet through a combination of regulatory adjustments, payment system reforms, and more active market interventions without...

Politics

Trump's Overhaul of American History: Museums, Monuments, and Cultural Institutions

Since returning to the White House, President Donald Trump has launched a sweeping campaign to reshape how American history is presented across cultural institutions, national parks, and public monuments. Framing his...

Pakistan's Diplomatic Rise: Mediating U.S.-Iran Peace Talks

Pakistan is emerging as a key global mediator in efforts to end the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, leveraging its unique position as a trusted contact for both Washington and Tehran. This diplomatic role could elevate...

US Accelerates Taiwan Arms Deliveries Amid Rising China Threat

Taiwans Defense Minister Wellington Koo confirmed Wednesday that the United States has expressed a strong sense of urgency in bolstering Taiwans military capabilities, with active efforts underway to resolve long-standing...

Trump Administration Settles Lawsuit Barring Federal Agencies from Pressuring Social Media Censorship

The Trump administration has reached a landmark settlement that prohibits three major federal agencies from coercing social media platforms into removing or suppressing constitutionally protected speech. The agreement,...

Cuba Receives Humanitarian Aid Convoy Amid U.S. Sanctions

Cuba welcomed a long-awaited shipment of international humanitarian aid on Tuesday, as activists from the global Nuestra America Convoy successfully delivered essential supplies to the island nation despite ongoing U.S....

Science

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Technology

Nanya Technology Shares Surge 10% After $2.5 Billion Private Placement from Sandisk and Cisco

Shares of Taiwan-based memory chip manufacturer Nanya Technology soared to their daily limit of 10% on Thursday morning following the companys announcement of a major $2.5 billion private placement deal backed by prominent...

SK Hynix Eyes Up to $14 Billion U.S. IPO to Fund AI Chip Expansion

South Korean memory chip giant SK Hynix has submitted a confidential filing for a U.S. stock market listing in 2026, with sources indicating the move could raise as much as $14 billion. The company intends to offer...

Meta Ties Executive Pay to Aggressive Stock Price Targets in Major Retention Push

Meta Platforms made a significant move this week by granting restricted stock units and stock options to several of its most senior leaders, including Chief Financial Officer Susan Li and Chief Technology Officer Andrew...

SpaceX IPO Filing Expected This Week as Valuation Could Surpass $75 Billion

Elon Musks SpaceX is reportedly moving closer to going public, with plans to submit its initial public offering prospectus to regulators as early as this week or next, according to a report by The Information citing a...

OpenAI Pulls the Plug on Sora, Ending $1 Billion Disney Partnership

OpenAI has officially shut down Sora, its AI-powered video generation tool, in a move that blindsided partners and staff alike and effectively ended a landmark deal with Walt Disney Co. The decision marks a major...