Securing Australia's future in food, energy, water and carbon
07 December, 2010The Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council has released two expert scientific reports on serious issues facing the nation: Australia and Food Security in a Changing World and Challenges at Energy-Water-Carbon Intersections.
Organic solvent system improves catalyst recycling
03 November, 2010A combination of organic solvents in different proportions has been found to differentially dissolve a range of noble metals, making recycling of the metal catalysts easier.
SpaceShip Australis to study sun’s effect on solar system
06 October, 2010The SpaceShip Australis project proposed by Australian space scientists would study the effects of the sun’s variability from the surface of the Earth to the boundaries of the solar system.
Discovery identifies plants that perform better in difficult conditions
29 September, 2010Drought, salinity, flooding and extreme temperatures threaten many plants essential to humankind - and scientists at The University of Western Australia have discovered how they respond to these challenges.
Organic carbon analysis and the environment
06 September, 2010Monitoring and controlling the amount of organic matter in our streams and waterways is critical for environmental protection. Total organic carbon (TOC) is the amount of carbon present in an organic compound and measuring it provides a fast and convenient way to determine water quality. This article looks at the different methods now available for analysing TOC.
Food security and anthrax protection
01 September, 2010Food security and protection from anthrax contamination could be achieved using an antibacterial enzyme.
Unidentified microbes devouring oil plume in the Gulf of Mexico
01 September, 2010Unidentified microbes devouring anything is usually a cause for concern but in the Gulf of Mexico they are consuming the spilt oil from BP's Deepwater Horizon wellhead, apparently without consuming all the oxygen and creating dead zones.
Researchers help gold industry face impurity challenge
24 August, 2010As the more traditional gold deposits of the world become depleted, mining companies are facing the challenge of processing ores that contain higher concentrations of other metals.
UWA pursues safer, clean energy
03 August, 2010The University of Western Australia’s Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems is involved in a research project aimed at securing long-term, safer and cleaner forms of energy.
Using ultrasound to control toxic algal blooms
13 July, 2010Ultrasound is being investigated by University of Adelaide researchers as an environmentally friendly way of controlling blue-green algal blooms in fresh water supplies.
Monash builds on a green chemistry future
21 June, 2010The Green Chemical Futures facility will be developed at the Clayton campus of Monash University. The $72.8 million project will be co-funded by the university and the federal government.
Radical monitoring for healthy biofuels
24 May, 2010A profluorescent nitroxide probe has been used to establish that biofuels may pose a health risk despite being more environmentally friendly.
Why water does not freeze in the clouds
22 April, 2010Scientists have found an experimental explanation of the phenomenon of supercooling.
New biofuel process
22 April, 2010A new method of converting biomass feedstock into sustainable fuel not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but doubles the amount of fuel that can be made from an acre of biomass feedstock.
New invention set to unlock environmental secrets
19 February, 2010IRMS++, invented by Dr Mike Hotchkis and Dr Chris Waring at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, uses a newly developed, patented microwave-driven plasma source to generate large signals directly from very small volumes of liquid or gas for measurement of their isotopic composition.
