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The annual meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) wound up in Hobart on Thursday last week without declaring a system of marine protected areas (MPAs…
“Rogue geo-engineering” is an overstatement for what happened off British Columbia.
Kirsty Pang
A British Columbian fishing community has drawn almost universal condemnation after dumping 100 tonnes of iron rich dust into the ocean to stimulate a plankton bloom, in an effort to restore salmon numbers…
Natural does not necessarily equate to harmless. Nor does conventional equate to unnatural.
Flickr/wine me up
One of the most misleading myths of modern medicine is that conventional cancer doctors reject “natural” therapies in favour of artificial or “unnatural” cancer treatments. This myth has contributed to…
A male Spotted Pardalote rests on a twig near Toowoomba, Queensland. New bird species have appeared at a faster rate in America compared to Australia, the study found.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arthur_chapman
Scientists have mapped the first family tree for all known living bird species, showing that new species appeared on Earth much faster than originally thought. The research, which links all 9993 known…
As Australia gears up for another risky bushfire season this summer, some of its most iconic and valuable forests are at risk. Giant eucalpytus trees rely on fire to regenerate, but an increase in major…
Sea levels are rising globally at record-breaking rates and Antarctica is playing an increasing role.
Matt King
A small slice of Antarctica turns up along your coastline each year. We’re all glad it’s just a small slice, given Antarctica could deliver a total sea-level rise of 59 metres. That’s not going to happen…
Competing proposals for the Ross Sea could give CCAMLR an excuse to shelve protected areas.
Jacques Descloitres/NASA
This week delegates from around the globe are gathered in Hobart for the annual meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR, pronounced “camel-ar” to those…
Representing foetuses as “babies” can have a serious impact on women’s access to contraception and abortion.
Trevor Bair
I was both delighted and confused when I saw a discussion of a new “trend” in pregnancy pictures on STFU, Parents, a US blog that pokes fun at people who “overshare” information about parenting through…
Massive open online education could be the answer to addressing community and industry needs.
Head image from www.shutterstock.com
FUTURE OF HIGHER EDUCATION: The rise of online and blended learning and the development of free online courses is set to transform the higher education sector. We’ve asked our authors how to remake the…
Warning signals about global slowing have been there for some time - yesterday’s cash rate cut should not have been a surprise.
Monetary policy must be forward looking. It has limited ability to affect the here and now of the economy, as this has largely already been determined - by employment decisions, investment decisions and…
The role of powerlines in bushfires is raising some pressing issues of climate change adaptation.
Paul Hocksenar
We have unwittingly hardwired a bushfire ignition source throughout our flammable landscapes – powerlines. Powerlines can fail under any conditions but the risk increases on days of high bushfire risk…
Research heads are hoping to avoid another round of government funding cuts.
AAP
The likelihood of research funding freezes or cuts by the Federal Government is worrying, says incoming Australian Research Council executive director Brian Yates, but is more likely to be a cyclical problem…
The banks have pulled the plug on loss-making company Gunns after it announced a $904 million loss.
Image from www.shutterstock.com
Forestry company Gunns has been entered into voluntary administration after posting a $904 million loss today. Tough economic conditions, including a high Australian dollar and falling woodchip prices…
For more than three decades Antarctica has experienced the most severe depletion of stratospheric ozone.
NASA Goddard Photo and Video
SAVING THE OZONE: Part two in our series exploring on the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer – dubbed “the world’s most successful environmental agreement”. Yesterday’s article…
A traditional circumcision set from the Jewish Museum of New York.
istolethetv/Flickr
Circumcision lies at the crossroads of religion, custom, human rights, health, commerce, harm, and ethics. From high-profile court battles overseas to its recent inclusion on Channel Ten’s provocative…
Tasmania’s forest industry is experiencing its worst downturn in a decade, prompting a much-needed restructuring. While analysts focus on factors like exchange rates, the key lesson really has to do with…
Christine Milne, Senator for Tasmania and leader of the Australian Greens, was a crucial part of the Multiparty Climate Change Committee that designed Australia’s Clean Energy Future package. Since taking…
David Bowman What I wanted to ask you is, in two years time, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will be about 400 ppm. According to the Greens’ policy documents, the world should have…
Up to 60% of nursing home residents are on psychiatric drugs and around 30% are on powerful anti-psychotics. Ulrich Joho.
Last night ABC’s Lateline discussed the case of 63-year-old John Burns, who died within 12 days of going into residential aged care. Burns was put into care after he started to display disinhibited sexual…
Some commentators have suggested that the RBA should intervene in currency markets to tame the Australian dollar. But is this a wise move?
betta design
As foreign central banks continue to park their money in our triple-A rated bonds, the Australian dollar continues its inevitable ascent. The dollar traded as high as US106.03¢ after the RBA left the interest…