AustroPalaeo
Prehistoric platypuses with bite
The discovery of a prehistoric, supersized, carnivorous platypus helps to fill in the family history of this unusual and iconic Aussie species.
AustroPalaeo
Why Jurassic Park had it all wrong
What would a feathered Velociraptor look like – and will one feature in the fourth Jurassic Park film, to hit cinemas in 2015?
Creatura with Bec Crew
Elaborate fins of the ribbonfish
Up to 2m long the ribbonfish is an elegant deep-sea creature
Creatura with Bec Crew
Lord Howe Island stick insect
The Lord Howe Island phasmid is the world’s rarest insect and lives only on a remote sea stack
Creatura with Bec Crew
Lutungs shine with their coloured coats
These South-east Asian monkeys sport striking shiny coats
On This Day
On this day: first crossing of Australia by hot air balloon
On a cold night on 18 June 1993 entrepreneur Dick Smith floated into the history books – making the first non-stop flight across Australia in a hot air balloon.
Creatura with Bec Crew
Hooded pitohui, one of the world’s only toxic birds
This is one of the only known birds to be toxic. Its feathers contain one of the most potent toxins known to science – but why?
Creatura with Bec Crew
Corolla ovate a rare sea butterfly
This tiny sea butterfly spends its days floating in the ocean, feeding on plankton
Creatura with Bec Crew
Flying dragon lizard a true gliding reptile
Like something out of a fiction novel, the flying dragon lizard is one of the only true gliding reptiles
AustroPalaeo
Kiwi bird of NZ not an Aussie immigrant
New Zealanders can rejoice. Study of ancient DNA from the University of Adelaide shows the kiwi didn’t come from across the Tasman.