Read the latest opinion articles inspired by science.

Rainforest

Our tall, wet forests were not open and park-like when colonists arrived – and we shouldn’t be burning them

What does the evidence say about what tall, wet forests actually looked like 250 years ago? The answer matters because it influences how these forests are managed.

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Kale leaves
Tue, 03 Jan 2023

Pure mathematics often yields unanticipated applications, but without a time machine to look into the future, how do mathematicians like me choose what to study?

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Sunrise behind bushfire haze
Thu, 22 Dec 2022

The government must urgently develop a comprehensive, well-informed and fair plan to reduce the risks, by adapting to climate change.

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A person taking a pill
Tue, 13 Dec 2022

New research shows that the basic assumption in biomedicine that females are “smaller versions” of males is not supported for most pre-clinical traits.

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Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak (MAST) in Oxfordshier, UK
Wed, 07 Dec 2022

Our society faces the grand challenge of providing sustainable, secure and affordable means of generating energy, while trying to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to net zero around 2050. Fusion power is one part of the solution that is getting more attention.

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Houses on a flooded street
Thu, 24 Nov 2022

Climate change is driving a worldwide increase in extreme events. The latest State of the Climate report confirms the risks of disasters are rising in Australia.

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Kambri university precinct at night with lights.
Wed, 23 Nov 2022

On November 21 2022 an earthquake near the Indonesian city of Cianjur in West Java caused at least 268 deaths and damaged 22,000 buildings. This event should serve as a wake-up call to improve building practices in Indonesia, because we know it’s not a question of if but when.

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Burnt landscape
Tue, 01 Nov 2022

Our new research demonstrates how the scale of the 2019/2020 bushfire disaster blew out due to legislation introduced in the 1970s, which was based on idea that nature should be left to grow freely without human intervention.

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River landscape
Fri, 28 Oct 2022

In our land of drought and flooding rains, better water management should feature in every federal budget. Thankfully, the budget handed down by Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Tuesday delivers it.

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Person barbecuing
Mon, 24 Oct 2022

The atmospheric concentrations of methane are now almost triple pre-industrial levels, and rising swiftly. Cutting it back would significantly help limit climate change.

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