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400ppm

[ By James Byrne on May 22, 2013 ]
Last week the world’s atmosphere took a giant leap backward. For the first time in more than 3 million years, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) reached 400 parts per million. This was recorded at the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration’s Earth System Research Laboratory located on Mauna ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 17 May 2013

[ By James Byrne on May 17, 2013 ]
http://vimeo.com/66302490 Media coverage of this week’s stories Skin cells cloned into embryonic cells - Article from ABC Science Apes and monkeys go way back - Article from news.com.au Pollution may increase kids’ risk for diabetes - Article from Fox News Common plants, animals threatened by climate change, ... Continue Reading »

Nope, I’m not a gardener! – Interview with Dr Daniel J. Murphy

[ By James Byrne on May 16, 2013 ]
“The difference between a botanic garden and any other garden is the science.” - Dr. Daniel J. Murphy. Dan Murphy is not a liquor supermarket proprietor; he is a molecular systematist, or a systematic botanist. In plain English: his job is to classify flowering plants, by naming varying plant species, explaining how ... Continue Reading »

In full bloom – Science in Botanic Gardens

[ By James Byrne on May 13, 2013 ]
Behind the floral façade of these much loved social institutions, botanic gardens have an often forgotten scientific basis. It’s not hard to understand why the science is lost on visitors of these gardens. Botanic gardens are beautiful. Not to mention that they have played host to memorable family cricket matches, throw-together ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 10 May 2013

[ By James Byrne on May 10, 2013 ]
https://vimeo.com/65801294 Media coverage of this week’s stories Brain Scans can identify psychopaths even in childhood Article from Daily Mail UK Climate change killed off megafauna Article from The Australian No, really- Don’t shop when you’re hungry Article from Reuters Health DNA reveals that most Europeans are closely ... Continue Reading »

A brush without peer-review

[ By James Byrne on May 8, 2013 ]
You've probably heard about peer-review and the peer-review process. This is a cornerstone of the scientific process and an extremely important concept to both understand and adhere to. But it’s coming under threat and needs the protection of vigilance and understanding. If you don’t know what your peers think of ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 3 May 2013

[ By James Byrne on May 3, 2013 ]
http://vimeo.com/65281819 H7N9 flu confirmed as being transmitted from birds to humans Article from The Australian Early detection of Alzheimer’s using a blood test Article from ABC News 2 doses of HPV vaccine as effective as 3 doses Article from Science Daily EU bans use of 3 ... Continue Reading »

Compost chemistry and microbe management

[ By James Byrne on April 30, 2013 ]
If you have a compost bin, you are the proud parent of trillions of pets. They are called ‘microbes’, and while they won’t fetch your newspaper and slippers or purr contentedly on your lap, they can do your garden a world of good. Investing a bit of time in the ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 26 April 2013

[ By James Byrne on April 26, 2013 ]
http://vimeo.com/64703358 Australia’s Aboriginal population descended from just 1000-2000 original inhabitants Article from ABC Science Asthma worsened by low fibre and high fat diets Article from DailyRx Genital Warts diagnoses drop by 59% Article from Eureka Science News Marijuana pills more effective for pain ... Continue Reading »

Andrew Dickson

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on April 17, 2013 ]
Andrew Dickson is New Business Manager with Wind Prospect Pty Ltd. For eight years he has worked as a developer of large scale renewable energy projects, including the Snowtown Wind Farm north of Adelaide, which was commissioned in 2008. He has also developed a large scale solar thermal power station ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 12 April 2013

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on April 12, 2013 ]
http://vimeo.com/63801262 Fossilized dinosaur embryos give scientists a unique opportunity Article from National Geographic Fruit juice used to replace fat in chocolate Article from Huffington Post Well-preserved remains of 2 million year old human relatives found in South Africa Article from ABC Science L-carnitine contained ... Continue Reading »

The International Year of Water Cooperation: Bottled Water

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on April 8, 2013 ]
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), are organising this year’s International Year of Water Cooperation and aim to remind the world of its commitment to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals (UN MDG). In particular, they want to focus the world’s efforts on achieving target seven, ensuring ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 5 April 2013

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on April 5, 2013 ]
http://vimeo.com/63305602 Black hole wakes up and has a light snack Article from the European Space Agency Australian scientists capture the end of giant star Supernova 1987A : Article on Adelaide Now Evidence of Dark Matter found Article from News.com.au Call-packed micro fibres restore ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 29 March 2013

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on March 28, 2013 ]
https://vimeo.com/62841779 TV ups antisocial risk in kids Article from Irish Health Humans wiped out Pacific island birds Article from ABC Science online Genetic link for the development of smoking habits? Article from Science Daily Traffic pollution linked to childhood Asthma Article ... Continue Reading »

A Bone to Share with You

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on March 27, 2013 ]
This week something a bit different; a photo essay on a fossilised bone I found in Richmond, Queensland last year. On the picture on the right I am with the bone as I found it in the field just minutes after the original find. I was on tour through western Queensland ... Continue Reading »

The International Year of Water Cooperation: Countries in Need

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on March 22, 2013 ]
International World Water Day is on the 22 March 2013. Each year, the United Nations (UN) Water declares a theme for the day to a profile a particular issue concerning freshwater and this year’s theme is ‘water co-operation’. The theme supports the International Year of Water Cooperation, which is about ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 22 March 2013

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova ]
http://vimeo.com/62321007 Earthquakes may cause gold deposits Article from Scientific American Life found at the deepest reaches of the ocean Article from the Smithsonian Higgs is a Higgs Article from ABC Science Online How a rooster knows when to crow Article from ... Continue Reading »

A Week in Science – 15 March 2013

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on March 15, 2013 ]
http://vimeo.com/61779998 GOCE satellite ‘hears’ 2011 Japanese earthquake Article from news.com.au Russian scientists claim discovery of new bacterial species Article from news.com.au Article published at RiAus Blog: Everyday Science Doubts arise over accuracy of Russian claim Article from AFP Neanderthal brains were ... Continue Reading »

Life in the Sub-glacial Lakes of Antarctica

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on March 14, 2013 ]
A media storm rose up in the early hours of Friday morning (8 March 2013) as a Russian news station, RIA Novosti, reported that an ‘unclassified’ form of bacterial life had been identified in water samples from sub-glacial Lake Vostok in Antarctica. Despite there being no published or ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 8 March 2013

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on March 8, 2013 ]
http://vimeo.com/61243220 Fluoride provides dental benefits Article from AdelaideNow Further evidence of link between CO2 and global temperatures Article from New York Times Global temperatures at the highest levels for 11,300 years Article from LA Times BPA from plastic food containers may increase the risk of childhood asthma ... Continue Reading »

Launching International Year of Water Cooperation

[ By franceneconnor on February 28, 2013 ]
On 11 February this year, UNESCO launched the International Year of Water Cooperation at their headquarters in Paris, France. UNESCO has been delegated to organise the activities that feature in the International Year of Water Cooperation, due to the multidisciplinary nature of the organisation. The event was marked with speeches from Irina ... Continue Reading »

I Am a Fish

[ By franceneconnor on February 27, 2013 ]
Recently I was taken to task by some of my Twitter followers for the seemingly outrageous claim that, because birds descended from dinosaurs, we ought to think of birds as still being dinosaurs. While this might be hard to take from a lay taxonomy where groups of animals and plants ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 22 February 2013

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on February 22, 2013 ]
http://vimeo.com/60145306 Russian city witnesses a meteorite strike, Article from Space.com, More from the European Space Agency Arctic sea ice is thinning at an accelerated rate, Article from Forbes Climate change may lead to more extreme rain events Researchers witness the development of a foetal human brain, Article from New Scientist Mosquitoes ... Continue Reading »

The Life Beneath the Ground

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on February 21, 2013 ]
Have you ever wondered what might be living underneath your feet? I’d like to welcome you to the world of a subterranean biologist, tasked to investigate and understand the mysteries of life beneath the ground. Gather your sunscreen and hat, as I’d like to take you to the Pilbara region of ... Continue Reading »

Celebrating the International Year of Water Cooperation

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on February 20, 2013 ]
In December 2010, it was announced by the United Nations (UN) general assembly that 2013 would be the UN’s International Year of Water Cooperation. Mr Hans d’Orville, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Assistant Director for Strategic Planning says that The International Year of Water Cooperation is about helping ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 15 February 2013

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on February 15, 2013 ]
http://vimeo.com/59635485   Asteroid DA14 gives Earth a close shave Article from Space.com Rehabilitated mining sites may not be attracting the return of wildlife Article from Phys.org Antibiotics used in farming may be promoting growth of drug-resistant superbugs More information on ABC Online Manuka honey has an antibiotic effect without ... Continue Reading »

The 2013 Climate Wake-up Call

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on January 16, 2013 ]
The hot weather that has besieged the nation since the beginning of the year and the associated bushfire threat has, I hope, been something of a cathartic experience for Australia. Finally an event that can be linked to climate change has been of such magnitude and impact that many people ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – The RiAus Top 5 Science News Stories of 2012

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on December 14, 2012 ]
http://vimeo.com/55507525 Number 5: Climate change is matching IPCC predictions from 1990 Article from ABC News Number 4: Death of Neil Armstrong, aged 82 Article from The Australian Number 3: Transit of Venus Article from ABC News Solar Eclipse Article from News.com.au Number 2: Mars Curiosity Rover lands Article from ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 30 November 2012

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on November 30, 2012 ]
http://vimeo.com/54507543 Systems developed to predict influenza outbreaks Article from ABC Science Super-massive black hole found Article from The Conversation Future climate treaties should focus on consumption, not emissions argues UK expert Article from Nature Traffic pollution may increase autism risk Article from BBC Female birds feed their young less ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 23 November 2012

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on November 23, 2012 ]
http://vimeo.com/54069100 The activity which makes us happiest – sex, according to New Zealand survey Article from Daily Mail The yawn of babies can be detected in an ultrasound and is a marker of brain development Article from The Guardian There may be one million species in the oceans, but ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 16 November 2012

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on November 16, 2012 ]
http://vimeo.com/53574479 Contagious itching - nervous people are more likely to 'catch' it from others Article from The Telegraph Super strong muscles made from a yarn of carbon nanotubes Article from The Conversation Teenage girls report dancing improves their mental and physical health Article from MedPage Today Motivational mobile ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 9 November 2012

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova ]
http://vimeo.com/53059854 Great Barrier Reef suffered a collapse in coral coverage between 1920 and 1955 Article from NBC News Intestinal worms may help fight autoimmune diseases Article from ABC Regular exercise increases life span Article from Herald Sun Drought may have led to Mayan downfall Article from Nature Pacemaker ... Continue Reading »

Where is All the Bad Marine Park Science?

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on November 1, 2012 ]
The announcement earlier this year that Australia will be expanding its Marine Park and ‘no-take’ zone networks to make them the largest in the world was met by cheers from the vast majority of Australian marine science institutions. Why wouldn’t it be? The term ‘Marine Park’ conjures images of safe ... Continue Reading »

Out and About Hunting Dinosaurs

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on October 31, 2012 ]
Last month I ventured into regional Victoria with our Free Range Science crew: Deb Shaw and Kiran Shettigara, to explore and explain the dinosaur delights around Inverloch. So this week I thought I’d compile a photo blog post of what we got ... Continue Reading »

Peter Fairweather

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on October 30, 2012 ]
Peter Fairweather, Professor of Marine Biology at Flinders University, studies ecological processes in aquatic ecosystems, and the proper design, analysis and interpretation of environmental research.  He was President of the Ecological Society of Australia, 2005-2007, and seconded for 4½ years as advisor on marine parks to the South Australian environmental department. ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 26 October 2012

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on October 26, 2012 ]
http://vimeo.com/52137294 Italian scientists jailed over 2009 L’Aquila Earthquake Article from Cosmos Feathered dinosaurs found in Canada Article from BBC Grandmothers may have extended lifespans for all humans Article from The Telegraph Pesticides may affect bees Article from Herald Sun Eating beans may protect against heart attacks ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 19 October 2012

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on October 19, 2012 ]
http://vimeo.com/51662107 Water found on the moon that may have come from the Sun Article from ABC Science Ancient fish show origins of teeth Article from the London Natural History Museum Cranberries may not prevent UTI’s Article from BBC Milk developed which may prevent HIV infection Article ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science: Nobel Prize Special – 12 October 2012

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on October 12, 2012 ]
http://vimeo.com/51195441 Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology: Shinya Yamanaka and Sir John Gurdon Press release from NobelPrize.org Nobel Prize for Physics: David Whineland and Serge Haroche Article from The Conversation Nobel Prize for Chemistry: Robert Lefkowitz and Brian Kobilka Article from The Conversation Carbon emissions rise more during ... Continue Reading »

Imitation of Life

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on October 10, 2012 ]
When we look a little closer, nature can be breathtaking. Some spectacular examples of the microscopic world are on view as part of the Incredible Inner Space exhibition at RiAus, which runs until 22 November 2012. These images are more than just pretty pictures of the microscopic world. Amongst ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 5 October 2012

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on October 5, 2012 ]
http://vimeo.com/50740422 The Great Barrier Reef has lost nearly 50% of its coral cover in last 27 years. Article from the New York Times Roman and Chinese empires 2000 years ago caused significant increases in greenhouse gas emissions Article from the Sydney Morning Herald Compound found in Black Mamba snake ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 28 September 2012

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on September 28, 2012 ]
http://vimeo.com/50280511 Sumatran Earthquakes in April may have caused formation of new plate boundary and triggered other quakes around world Article from Scientific American Bisphenol A may damage reproductive system Article from the Herald Sun Castration could lead to longer life by as much as 19 years Article ... Continue Reading »

Art-Science Lab with Scale Free Network

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on September 25, 2012 | Filed under: Uncategorized ]
The world is absolutely full of fascinating creatures, patterns and objects – some too small for the human eye to see. In collaboration with the Scale Free Network, we brought you the amazing world of the micro-scale. The Scale Free Network Art-Science Lab is designed to provide a different perspective of ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 21 September 2012

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on September 21, 2012 ]
http://vimeo.com/49817866 Some species are already moving polewards as global temperatures increase, more species are predicted to Article from Nature Australian researchers make first working qubit - reading and writing data by controlling electron spin Article from The Register GM corn developed to produce an enzyme which may help fight ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 7 September 2012

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on September 7, 2012 ]
http://vimeo.com/48935907 Cigarette packaging affects customer attraction Article from Otago Daily Times Little nutritional difference between organic and conventional foods Article from ABC Science Vision is different between sexes Article from Daily Mail Deep seafloor trawling changes marine landscape Article from ABC Science Benign malaria species drives evolution ... Continue Reading »

Science Behind the Headlines: Marine Parks and ‘No-Take’ Zones

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on September 3, 2012 ]
November edition of Science Behind the Headlines looked at the issues of marine parks and 'no-take' zones as proposed earlier in 2012 by the federal government. Both sides of politics claim the science is on their side but under the politics the science appears one-sided and in favour of marine parks. Just ... Continue Reading »

Vanessa Findlay

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on August 31, 2012 ]
Dr Vanessa Findlay, as the Australian Chief Plant Protection Officer, is the primary representative of, and an advisor to, the Australian Government on all matters relating to the management, maintenance and improvement of Australia’s plant health system. After completing an Honours degree in science at the University of Queensland and ... Continue Reading »
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