The wildfires that led to mass extinction: a warning from California's Ice Age history – podcast
Nov 05, 2023 20:35 pm UTC| Nature
In recent years, Californians have had to deal with some deadly and destructive wildfires. But in fact, this part of the western United States has been shaped by fire for millennia. In this episode of The Conversation...
Storm Ciarán is breaking records and research suggests more severe weather in future
Nov 05, 2023 20:32 pm UTC| Nature
Storm Ciarán made landfall in south-west England and northern France overnight on November 1, with heavy rain and winds blowing up to 180 kilometers per hour (108 mph). The UK Met Office names storms each winter...
El Niño may be drying out the southern hemisphere – here's how that affects the whole planet
Nov 05, 2023 20:32 pm UTC| Nature
It is a well-known fact that water is the key to life on Earth. But it is less well known that only about 1% of all water on the planet is fresh water available to humans, plants or land-based animals. The rest is in...
Taming wild northern rivers could harm marine fisheries and threaten endangered sawfish
Nov 05, 2023 19:42 pm UTC| Nature
Australias tropical northern rivers still run wild and free. These relatively pristine areas have so far avoided extensive development. But this might not last. There are ongoing scoping studies exploring irrigating...
Giraffes could go extinct – the 5 biggest threats they face
Nov 02, 2023 12:00 pm UTC| Nature
Giraffes are the worlds tallest mammals and an African icon, but they are also vulnerable to extinction. Giraffe populations have declined by 40% in the last 30 years, and there are now fewer than 70,000 mature...
Extreme weather is landing more Australians in hospital – and heat is the biggest culprit
Nov 02, 2023 11:59 am UTC| Nature
Hospital admissions for injuries directly attributable to extreme weather events such as heatwaves, bushfires and storms have increased in Australia over the past decade. A new report from the Australian Institute of...
Storms or sea-level rise – what really causes beach erosion?
Nov 01, 2023 07:02 am UTC| Nature
Beaches are dynamic. They change from week to week and month to month. Have you ever wondered what causes these changes? Or how beaches might fare as sea levels rise and if storms increase in frequency and severity? To...
Labour can afford to be far more ambitious with its economic policies – voters are on board
Elon Musk vs Australia: global content take-down orders can harm the internet if adopted widely