Cyclone Idai showed how some countries battle to handle disasters

Apr 05, 2019 10:17 am UTC| Insights & Views Nature

Cyclone Idai has caused enormous damage in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe. Hundreds of people have died, about 400,000 people lost their homes and an estimated 2.9 million people have been affected by the...

Invasive ants: federal budget takes aim but will it be a lethal shot?

Apr 05, 2019 10:16 am UTC| Insights & Views Nature

Amid all the usual items we expect to see in the federal budget was one that raised eyebrows: A$28.8 million for three ant eradication programs. Yet amid the inevitable media puns about the government upping the ant-e,...

Wastewater is an asset – it contains nutrients, energy and precious metals, and scientists are learning how to recover them

Mar 21, 2019 13:39 pm UTC| Insights & Views Nature

Most people think as little as possible about the wastewater that is produced daily from their showers, bathtubs, sinks, dishwashers and toilets. But with the right techniques, it can become a valuable resource. On...

Tick, tock: The countdown to peak tick season is here

Mar 21, 2019 13:19 pm UTC| Insights & Views Nature Health

With spring comes glorious sunshine, warmer weather and ticks. Ticks and some insect pests can carry bacteria, viruses and parasites that may cause disease in humans. One in particular, the blacklegged deer tick Ixodes...

Droughts, extreme weather and empowered consumers mean tough choices for farmers

Mar 06, 2019 14:13 pm UTC| Insights & Views Nature

This is an edited version of Steve Hatfield-Dodds opening address to the Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics National Outlook Conference to be delivered on 5 March 2019. The National Farmers Federation wants...

Suffering in the heat: the rise in marine heatwaves is harming ocean species

Mar 06, 2019 14:13 pm UTC| Insights & Views Nature

In the midst of a raging heatwave, most people think of the ocean as a nice place to cool down. But heatwaves can strike in the ocean as well as on land. And when they do, marine organisms of all kinds plankton, seaweed,...

An end to endings: how to stop more Australian species going extinct

Mar 06, 2019 14:12 pm UTC| Insights & Views Nature

This is part of a major series called Advancing Australia, in which leading academics examine the key issues facing Australia in the lead-up to the 2019 federal election and beyond. Read the other pieces in the series...