Academic Research

Scientists find eastern Australian humpback whales benefited from a reduction in human activity on the ocean during the first year of the pandemic, recording lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. 

Researchers used radiocarbon dating to determine some termite mounds in an arid region were about 34,000 years old.

A national research effort aimed at saving Australia's iconic sea lions will look at cat faeces, heavy metals, microplastics, and climate change as possible culprits for the species' continued decline.  

Scientists were taught that they would never find fossils in volcanic rock but a recent discovery shows the complete opposite.

A PhD candidate urges citizen scientists to log sightings of the "mysterious", semi-aquatic animals — also known as water rats — so researchers can gather more information about its population. 

Fourth-generation graziers Michael and Michelle Lyons are the driving force behind a trial that succeeds in striking a balance between managing the land properly and also making a profit from their cattle.

Scientists used to think birds were split into two groups: those that learn or imitate sounds, and those that can't. But a tiny wren from Aotearoa New Zealand bridges the two.

A new study suggests ancient humans provided altruistic care for community members, after finding evidence of Down syndrome in a Neanderthal child.

A team of researchers led by Australian biologist Meagan Dewar confirm a deadly strain of avian influenza is spreading in Antarctica.

In the wake of tensions between the federal and Tasmanian governments over the redevelopment of the RSV Nuyina's base in Hobart, WA says it's open to discussions about the future of the Australian Antarctic Program.

The finding bucks the belief that lamprey fish live in cold climates and gives researchers hope the species could be resistant to climate change.

The number of high-profile swimmers developing cancer is prompting a dermatologist to call for all major pools to be shaded by the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

Career dissatisfaction has reached a three-year high for women in media. But why? And how? 

A group of intrepid UNSW students are hard at work on a project that could solve the world's energy problems, but, as a joke among scientists goes, the technology always seems to be 30 years away.

A world-first Australian study finds personalised cancer treatments using genome sequencing are achieving remission in cases considered unlikely to be cured.

The prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease in Australia is rising, particularly in children. Some families are struggling to get a diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Only about 3 per cent of spices found in your pantry are grown in Australia despite the nation's large agricultural industry, and a research team and a bunch of farmers want to change that.

The fossils of prehistoric megafauna, which have been perfectly preserved for hundreds of thousands of years, give scientists an insight into how climate change affects species. 

A newly released report shows Australia's icebreaker, the RSV Nuyina, is facing a $100 million cost blowout by 2030 due to rising crew, fuel and maintenance costs.

Marine scientists are buoyed to find two reefs off the Kimberley coast have escaped the brunt of excessive sea temperatures over summer, but are worried about what's around the corner.

Australian researchers are working on developing drugs that target bugs in the guts of Parkinson's disease patients in a radical new treatment approach they hope will slow or even stop the progression of the debilitating illness.

From ancient Greece to Australian universities — body donations have unlocked the gates of modern anatomy, but what really happens when you gift your body to science. 

Wiley's Hindawi scandal offers a window into a thriving black market of fake science, corrupted research and bogus authorship. It also illuminates a much broader crisis of trust confronting universities and scientific institutions worldwide.

Richard Scolyer, who has treated his stage four brain cancer using his own research, has announced his latest scans show no new cancer growth one year after his initial diagnosis. 

A University of the Sunshine Coast researcher working with the world's "largest arachnid venom collection" is aiming to invent a honey-bee-friendly bio-insecticide for farmers battling swarms of hungry locusts.