Microscopic animals held algae captive and stole their genes for energy production, thereby evolving into a new and more powerful species many millions of years ago reveals a new study published today in the journal Nature. The results reveal a ‘missing link’ in evolution because the tiny animal thieves (protozoa) couldn’t completely hide all evidence… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Agricultre & Vet Science
Males stick to their individual style for luring the ladies, regardless of success rate
Males have their own distinct repertoire for attracting females and stick with it regardless of how successful they are; at least that’s what Deakin University researchers have found with the great bowerbird. The researchers with Deakin’s Centre for Integrative Ecology, Alfred Deakin Professor John Endler and Dr Laura Kelley, have been studying the mating habits… Continue Reading
Newsroom Code of practice on kangaroo killing “inadequately enforced”
Weaknesses in the enforcement of standards for the humane killing of kangaroos have been identified in a new report by THINKK, the UTS-based think tank for kangaroos. Kangaroo Court: Enforcement of the law governing kangaroo killing examines the role of government agencies in policing the National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos… Continue Reading
Why are so many fairy-wrens blue?
Researchers have long tried to explain the enormous diversity in colour of birds, and a new study is giving insights into why the humble fairy-wren, a colourful Australian bird, is radiantly blue. Birds have more sophisticated visual systems than humans, and they can see certain wavelengths of light – the ultraviolet (UV) – which are… Continue Reading
Hello, goodbye to new lizard
A team of scientists from The Australian National University has discovered a new species of lizard hidden among the sand dunes of Western Australia’s coastline. However, mankind’s encounter with this new species may be short-lived. Urban sprawl and habitat destruction are already pushing the tiny creature towards extinction. The 6cm long Ctenotus ora, or the Coastal… Continue Reading
Why the world’s biggest fish needs to swim near the surface
Whale sharks, the world’s biggest fish, can dive to chilly waters hundreds of metres deep but they need to return to the surface to warm up, according to a new study led by researchers from The University of Western Australia’s Oceans Institute. Lead researcher Dr Michele Thums said the findings delivered new insights into the… Continue Reading
Sea urchin’s spiny strength revealed
For the first time, a team of Australian engineers has modelled the microscopic mechanics of a sea urchin’s spine, gaining insight into how these unusual creatures withstand impacts in their aquatic environment. The skeleton of the purple-spined sea urchin (Centrostephanus rodgersii), found in tidal waters along the coast of New South Wales, has many long… Continue Reading
Sea of the living dead
The world’s coral reefs have become a zombie ecosystem, neither dead nor truly alive, and are on a trajectory to collapse within a human generation according to an academic from The Australian National University. Professor Roger Bradbury, an ecologist from the Crawford School of Public Policy in the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific,… Continue Reading
Government’s Murray plan risky: Academic
New research challenges the water saving measures that form a key platform of the Australian Government’s proposed Murray-Darling Basin Plan, says an academic from The Australian National University. Dr Jamie Pittock from the Crawford School of Public Policy in the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific led a team that examined the output from… Continue Reading
Researchers confirm shark solution is black and white
New research which could help to deter and conserve sharks has confirmed that many of the ocean predators are probably completely colour blind. The joint study between researchers at The University of Western Australia and The University of Queensland looked at the visual adaptations of two species of wobbegong sharksOrectolobus maculatus and Orectolobus ornatus, which are also… Continue Reading
Evolutionary straitjacket stifles adaptation
Many species of fruit fly lack the ability to adapt effectively to predicted increases in global temperatures and may face extinction in the near future, according to new research. In a study published today inProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers from Monash University, The University of Melbourne and Danish collaborators showed that many species… Continue Reading
Paralysis ticks appear in city
Pet owners are being warned of the dangers of tick paralysis as the tick responsible for the disease has recently beenfound on domestic animals and wildlife in the city. Dr Margaret Reilly, Director of Veterinary Practices at the Townsville Veterinary Emergency Centre and Hospital at James Cook University, said the University’s parasitology department had identified… Continue Reading
