All stories
15 January 2020
Bushfire crisis spells trouble for Aussie insects
Australia’s current bushfire crisis could wipe out some of our rarer insect species, according to a group of experts. Associate Professor Michael Braby from The Australian National University (ANU) says the bushfires will have a huge impact on our native insects, as well as the plants and animals that rely on them. “Insects are critical for a healthy environment,” Associate Professor Braby said. “They are food for many other animals, and contribute to processes like pollination, decomposition, nutrient cycling and soil aeration, which is vital because if the flowers of certain plants are not pollinated they can no longer reproduce.…
28 February 2025
Hive mind: collecting intel to help Australia's honeybees
We’ve all heard honeybees are in trouble – but what’s going on and what can we do about it? Beekeepers could have the answers.
12 December 2024
Should we bring back the Tasmanian tiger?
A celebrity-backed company wants to bring extinct animals back. But scientists and philosophers have concerns about this real-life take on Jurassic Park.
23 August 2024
'Masters of shape-shifting': how darkling beetles conquered the world
Darkling beetles underwent multiple "big bang" events throughout their 150-million-year evolutionary history, new ANU research has found.
24 April 2023
Floods and frustration: the fish kill crisis in Menindee
Heavy rainfall and poor management are behind the most recent fish deaths in the Darling-Baaka River. Locals have had enough.
25 November 2022
Big brains bring change: inside the social life of spiders
Spiders including the Australian huntsman have evolved to be more social, according to new research.
13 July 2022
Mistletoe die-off bad news for woodland birds
Mistletoe plants suffered widespread die-off during the recent 2019-20 drought, and it spells bad news for Australia's woodland birds, new research from ANU shows.
4 July 2022
Here’s what you need to know about the Varroa mite
The Varroa mite parasite is threatening bee populations in Australia, however it's not all bad news.
17 December 2021
Sexist 'sexplanation' for men’s brilliance debunked
New ANU research debunks entrenched scientific beliefs that there are more high achieving men than women.
2 September 2021
Deadwood releasing 10.9 gigatons of carbon every year
Decaying wood releases around 10.9 gigatons of carbon worldwide every year, according to a new study by an international team of scientists.
13 May 2020
Plant research could help save species from extinction
New research from The Australian National University (ANU) could help protect our plants and animals from extinction, by allowing scientists to predict which currently thriving species might be at risk in the future. Using a group of Australian plants, Hakea, the researchers developed a model to identify features common to threatened species. Co-author, PhD candidate Alexander Skeels, says the model could be used as an early warning signal. “It allows us to predict those species which may not be threatened with extinction currently, but may have biological features that could lead to them becoming threatened in the future,” Mr Skeels said. “This work could help target preventative conservation efforts, allowing managers to step in before a species declines towards extinction. “We focused on Hakea because it is one of Australia’s…
18 March 2025
Scientists discover 15 million-year-old Australian fish fossil
A new species of ancient Australian fish has been named after the ANU researcher who discovered it.
27 February 2025
A museum heist 70 years ago is still causing a flutter in butterfly science today
Would you steal a butterfly? How one man's bold butterfly heist has had lingering impact on science - and our understanding of biodiversity today.
16 August 2024
Trojan horse method gives malaria parasites a taste of their own medicine
Cholesterol is the key to tricking malaria parasites into ingesting a fatal dose of drugs and ridding patients of the potentially fatal disease, new ANU research has found.