Science & Environment Archives

Fossils

Fossil teeth show extinct giant kangaroos were homebodies

Fossil teeth show extinct giant kangaroos spent their lives close to home – and perished when the climate changed.

Scientists capture first confirmed footage of a colossal squid

An international voyage has captured the first confirmed video of a colossal squid – a 30cm juvenile – in its natural habitat at a depth of 600m near the South Sandwich Islands.

Biodiversity

OPINION: Time to plug holes in species conservation

To prevent extinctions, we need to start addressing the big gaps in our national threatened species list, argues Hugh Possingham, the Biodiversity Council’s Co-chief Councillor.

Science & Environment

Celebrating Tidbinbilla

I’m often asked about the space probes that are leaving the solar system, never to return. There are five of them: Pioneer 10 and 11 and Voyager 1 and 2 – all launched in the 1970s – and New Horizons, which began its journey to Pluto and beyond in 2006.

Photography

Red sprites: Photographing a rare phenomenon

Red sprites have been captured on camera in Western Australia’s Kimberley.

Flora & Fauna

Planktivores surprise scientists with diversity of shapes

For decades, experts believed that plankton-feeding fishes – or planktivores – share a specialised, uniform design. However, new research shows not only is this false, but they also display the widest range of body forms of any feeding group among reef fishes.