Monkey business for the geek in you!
The formation and evolution of Earth and other planets in the solar system have long been a topic of interest for planetary scientists. One way to gain insight into this process is by studying rocks from space. However, obtaining these rocks is a challenging task. Sending spacecraft to asteroids or other planets to collect samples…
A groundbreaking study on bird genomes has provided a clear understanding of the bird family tree. Published in the journal Nature, the study reveals that most modern bird groups emerged within 5 million years after the extinction of dinosaurs. While birds are widely studied and beloved by the public, classifying them into a family tree…
Take a look at these images. On the left, there is a cube, and on the right, there is a face. But what do you see? For one of the authors, Loren Bouyer, these images are not as clear. She sees a jumble of two-dimensional shapes on the left and can only see a mop…
Meta’s Instagram and Threads apps are making a change to no longer recommend political content by default. This means that users will not see any political content in their feeds, stories, or other recommended places unless they choose to opt back in. Users who follow accounts that post political content will still see such content…
The pursuit of quantum computing has long been hindered by the need for extremely low temperatures. However, new research published in Nature has shown that a certain type of qubit, the spins of individual electrons, can operate at temperatures around 1K, which is significantly warmer than previously thought possible. This breakthrough could condense the refrigeration…
A recent study published in Nature has revealed that neutron stars can drive powerful jets into space at speeds of about one-third the speed of light. Jets are energetic cosmic beams that are launched when material falls towards dense central objects such as neutron stars or black holes. These jets carry away gravitational energy and…
The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, following a collision with the container ship MV Dali, has raised concerns about bridge safety. As a bridge engineer, I understand the importance of ensuring the safety of these structures, and incidents like this serve as a reminder that we cannot take safety for granted….
The federal minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Madeleine King, recently signed a A$207 million commitment with the United States to support the development of the next generation of Earth observation satellites called “Landsat Next”. Australia has been benefiting from the current Landsat program for over 40 years. This commitment means that Australia will play…
Stars are formed from large clouds of hydrogen gas in space. Astronomers study this gas to gain insights into the formation and growth of stars and galaxies. Hydrogen gas emits a faint glow that is not visible to the human eye but can be detected using radio telescopes. Recently, a group of astronomers used the…
The way you are treated by the criminal justice system can be influenced by factors such as your money, postcode, friends, and family. While a program in New South Wales that used algorithmic risk scores to target individuals for police surveillance has been scrapped, similar programs still exist. For example, Corrective Services NSW uses a…
The farming industry has experienced several technological advancements throughout history that have had a profound impact on entire industries and countries. Mechanization, synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and the development of substitute commodities have transformed agricultural systems and threatened the existence of certain farming sectors. The next major disruption in farming is expected to be alternative…
New research published in Quaternary Science Reviews reveals that Aboriginal people lived on Barrow Island, located off the coast of Western Australia, for thousands of years before rising sea levels cut off the island from the mainland. The study, conducted in collaboration with Thalanyji Traditional Owners, highlights the significance of the northwestern shelf and submerged…
During eclipse season, the Sun, Earth, and Moon align, allowing for the Earth and Moon to cast each other into shadow. A faint lunar eclipse is set to occur on March 25, visible from various parts of the world, followed by a total solar eclipse on April 8 that will sweep across North America. These…
During the COVID-19 pandemic, social media platforms faced an influx of far-right and anti-vaccination communities spreading dangerous conspiracy theories. These included false claims about vaccines being a form of population control and the virus being a “deep state” plot. Governments and organizations like the World Health Organization had to divert resources from vaccination campaigns to…
The dominance of the English language in global scientific communication presents challenges for scholars from non-English speaking regions. They must decide whether to publish in English for global visibility or in their native language to make their work accessible locally. However, publishing in English requires more time and effort for non-native English speakers compared to…
The digital world we live in today is larger and more interconnected than ever before. Social media has become an integral part of our lives, with over 5 billion users worldwide. These platforms offer various benefits such as entertainment, connection, information, and support. However, they also serve as battlegrounds for misinformation and online harassment. Platforms…
The stability of planetary systems has long been a subject of interest for physicists. While the rules governing the orbits of two celestial bodies are well understood, the dynamics become much more complex when a third or more bodies are involved. Unpredictable instabilities can arise, leading to objects being ejected into space or falling into…
Australia’s eSafety commissioner has issued legal notices to several major tech companies, including Google, Meta, Telegram, WhatsApp, Reddit, and X (formerly Twitter), demanding information on their efforts to protect Australians from online extremism. The companies have 49 days to respond. Governments around the world are increasingly pressuring tech companies to address online harms such as…
A significant portion of Australians are currently excluded from digital connectivity, which deprives them of the social, educational, and economic benefits it provides. This digital divide has prompted discussions about creating an inclusive future for artificial intelligence (AI). However, if we fail to learn from the current problems of digital exclusion, it is likely that…
The explosion at the Moura No 2 underground coal mine in Queensland on August 7, 1994, resulted in the tragic deaths of 11 miners. This incident served as a catalyst for significant changes in safety practices across all types of mines in Australia during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Since then, there have been…