First evidence of cosmic inflation found
21 March, 2014Researchers from the BICEP2 collaboration have announced the first direct evidence of cosmic inflation - the rapid expansion of the universe which immediately followed the Big Bang. Until now, the idea of this exponential expansion was just a theory.
Strings of galaxies found in empty space
11 March, 2014Australian astronomers have discovered short, delicate strings of faint galaxies in what were previously thought to be extremely empty parts of space.
Giant Magellan Telescope passes design and construction reviews
24 February, 2014The Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) project has passed two major expert reviews over its design and construction. This clears the way for the project to proceed towards construction approval.
Australia expands its role in the hunt for gravitational waves
21 January, 2014Physicists from around Australia today met at the Australian International Gravitational Research Centre (AIGCRC), in Gingin, WA, to launch a nationwide project that expands our participation in the hunt for elusive gravitational waves.
Gravitational waves provide new way of studying the universe
29 November, 2013The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced that it will create an observatory in space to detect ripples in the fabric of space-time, known as gravitational waves, which are created by celestial objects with very strong gravity, such as the merging of black holes. Researchers say this will expand the way in which they can observe the universe.
Preparing for the world's largest radio telescope
07 November, 2013The international Square Kilometre Array (SKA) office has awarded contracts to prepare for the world's largest radio telescope, marking the start of the return on Australia and WA's investment in the SKA.
Delboeuf illusion causes dentists to drill bigger holes
04 November, 2013The Delboeuf illusion is an optical illusion whereby a large context makes a small, enclosed area appear smaller than it really is. Researchers have found that this illusion is having an impact in the field of dentistry, with some dentists making larger holes in teeth than they really need to.
Heisenberg's error-disturbance relation proved correct
22 October, 2013One of the basic concepts in quantum mechanics is that it is impossible to observe physical objects without affecting them in a significant way; there can be no measurement without disturbance. In 1927, theoretical physicist Werner Heisenberg claimed that this fact could be expressed as an uncertainty relation, describing a reciprocal relation between the accuracy in position and the disturbance in momentum.
Beaming up information with quantum teleportation
10 September, 2013University of Queensland (UQ) physicists have successfully 'teleported' an atom, transmitting it from one location to another inside an electronic chip. This marks the first time quantum teleportation has been achieved in a solid-state system.
WA govt funds five more years of radioastronomy
19 August, 2013WA Premier Colin Barnett has announced a $26m investment in the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), based in Perth. The commitment is part of the state’s wider $96m investment in radio astronomy.
New method for coating microscopic materials
19 July, 2013Researchers at the University of Melbourne have developed a one-step method for coating microscopic materials, such as bacterial cells, with thin films that assemble themselves.
Fossilised amber proves that glass isn’t a liquid
31 May, 2013A common myth which has persisted around medieval cathedrals is that the stained glass inside them becomes thicker at the bottom because it moves over time. But a team at Texas Tech University has shown that the glass is not going anywhere.
A temperature below absolute zero
09 January, 2013Atoms at negative absolute temperature are the hottest systems in the world.
Four is the ‘magic’ number
29 November, 2012According to psychological lore, when it comes to items of information the mind can cope with before confusion sets in, the ‘magic’ number is seven. But a new analysis by a leading Australian psychiatrist challenges this long-held view, suggesting the number might actually be four.
Ions are cooled during collisions with cold atoms
28 November, 2012Scientists have demonstrated in an experiment that captured ions can be cooled through contact with cold atoms and may thus be stored in so-called ion traps in a stable condition for longer periods of time.
