OCTOBER 2008

FEATURES

The Lost Giants of Tasmania
By Richard ‘Bert’ Roberts and Zenobia Jacobs
New evidence reveals that megafauna survived in Tasmania until soon after a land bridge across Bass Strait enabled humans to cross from the mainland.

Australia’s Role in the
Large Hadron Collider
By Stephen Pincock
Australian scientists played a key role in the construction of the Large Hadron Collider, which will smash subatomic particles apart to reveal how the Universe was created.

Eye of the Dragonfly
By Joshua van Kleef
The dragonfly’s simple lens eyes are not just light detectors but are sensitive to motion, which may provide an important lesson for designers of autonomous aerial vehicles.

First Breath
By Shannon Simpson
Some marsupials are born so small they don’t use their lungs for their first few days of life. What can this tell us about lung structure and function in the immature lung?

A Tail of Survival
By David Chapple
Tail loss is a cunning strategy that enables lizards to escape from potential predators, but how well does a lizard get by without its tail?

Brains Learn Better At Night
By Martin Sale
The ability of the brain to learn appears to be influenced by the time of day, with research showing that the brain learns better at night.

Saving Species from Climate Change
By Ove Hoegh-Guldberg and colleagues
Gravely worried about the bleak prospects for the survival of many animals and plants in the face of rapid climate change, an Australian-led group of researchers show that moving species outside their historic ranges may mitigate serious loss of biodiversity.

Asexual Revolution
By K. Tracy Reynolds and Ary Hoffmann
Pest insects are adapting to stable agricultural environments by discarding sexual reproduction. Can their asexuality be exploited to control pest numbers?

Roo Diet Placed on Greenhouse Menu
By George Wilson and Melanie Edwards
After installing solar panels, buying a hybrid car and enviro-friendly light globes, Australians could help combat climate change by producing and eating kangaroo rather than cattle and sheep.

Cultural Barriers Block Anti-Whaling Lobby
By Mike Danaher
One of the main tasks facing the anti-Japanese whaling lobby is how to overcome cultural barriers within Japan.

reminiSCIENCE

Immersed in Chemistry
By Peter Pockley
Arguably Australia’s most internationally experienced and prominent chemistry researcher, Professor John White continues to produce original research long after normal retirement age, and he is, unshakeably, a committed Christian.

conSCIENCE

Reward Ideas, Not CVs
By Bryan Gaensler
The way scientific research is funded in Australia’s universities puts an excessive emphasis on guaranteed results at the expense of adventurous ideas and major breakthroughs.

 

BROWSE

Aerosol Influence Becomes Clearer

Marine Parks Misplaced

Native Bacteria Overcome Arsenic Pollution

Weed Alert as Resistance Spreads

Climate Results Sealed

Marine Climate Zones Move South

Waterproof Paper Developed

Hydrogen Production Imitates Photosynthesis

Great White a Top Biter

Seaweeds Use Chemical Weapons

New Animal Research Guidelines

Penicillin Combats Resistance

Victoria Prize for Flu Research

Outdoor Activity Prevents Myopia

Native Seeds in Zero Gravity

Tooth Mousse Repairs Decay

CSIRO Appoints New Chief

Little Pollution Benefit in Ethanol Blends

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