Whales on Australia’s ‘humpback highway’ are at growing risk of injury from boat and propellor strikes

Exclusive: Images show deep cuts and damage to tails and fins, as experts warn the migrating species often aren’t able to avoid a collision Gruesome images of adult and juvenile humpback whales along Australia’s east coast with slash and gouge injuries from boat and propeller strikes highlight what experts say is a growing problem, as the population booms 60 years after the ban on whaling. Missing tail parts, deep red lacerations and shocking injuries to the spine of a whale calf can be clearly seen on the images, gathered by WWF Australia and shared with the Guardian. Continue reading...

theguardian.com

When a bushfire comes, what happens if the phones go dead?

The Black Summer bushfires cut people off from warnings, rescue and each other when mobile phones failed. How can we stay safe when telecommunications goes dark?

abc.net.au

Are Australia’s native bees thriving or declining? We don’t know but can find out

theconversation.com

NASA’s new telescope will transform our view of the universe. This is the story of its namesake

In August 2018, just four months before she died, I had the great fortune to interview Nancy Grace Roman about her extraordinary life studying the stars.

theconversation.com

Smart glasses are only smart if we train them to be good. Then they'll be fantastic

Just add smart humans – and a pinch of dog

theregister.com

Albanese rolls out rule book and red carpet for AI companies

If Australia is truly going to coax major AI companies to choose us rather than the other suitor nations with similar ambitions, some tough decisions need to be made soon.

abc.net.au

Plutarch’s ancient advice for how to be happier online

Plutarch’s practical ethics propose two ways we can live happier, more serene lives.

theconversation.com

AI to power medicines approvals but humans will still call the shots

This week’s budget revealed a number of ways the federal government is expected to use artificial intelligence to cut back on red tape. One expert says the benefits are "mostly good".

abc.net.au

SpaceX rocket set for unintentional Moon landing – well, a piece of it anyway

But unlike most junkers, it'll be traveling faster than the speed of sound, claims astronomy software dev An astronomy software dev claims a Falcon 9 upper stage will hit the Moon in August, traveling at several times the speed of sound.…

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We may be making Australia’s fire problem worse – not better

Research shows that logging, thinning and prescribed burning can increase forest flammability, challenging long-held assumptions about bushfire risk reduction.

johnmenadue.com

Researchers develop biodegradable, plant-based packaging from natural fibers – new research

From beetles to sustainable packaging – one failure in the lab led to a new line of promising research.

theconversation.com

New ban on dangerous rodent poisons is lifeline for our native animals

Rat and mouse baits are an everyday product. But these chemicals can persist in the tissues of rodents that eat them for months and poison native animals.

theconversation.com

Artificial habitat delivers world-first win for endangered palm cockatoo | Cape York Weekly

For a bird species relying on centuries-old trees and well-timed cyclones, nesting habitats are hard to come by, but an…

capeyorkweekly.com.au

How Indigenous ideas about non-linear time can help us navigate ecological crises

Māori, for instance, do not place the present at the centre; as some researchers put it, ‘there is no centre’.

theconversation.com

The economist, the bull and an elite movement that reshaped the world

A constant battle of ideas reshapes the world we live in, and few groups have been more successful in winning the war than the little-known Atlas Network.

abc.net.au

Native forest logging is driving extinction and climate damage

The revelation that the Forestry Corporation of NSW (FCNSW) is proposing to log a cloud forest in southern NSW teeming with threatened species is another reminder of the spiralling decline of the nati...

thepoint.com.au

Rob Hirst, Midnight Oil drummer and founding member, dies aged 70

Musician who drove much of the band’s ferocious sound and co-wrote many of its biggest hits was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2023

theguardian.com

How 4ZZZ kept Brisbane loud and proud with the help of bands, battles and beer

Brisbane community radio station 4ZZZ has withstood political, social and financial pressure for 50 years and it's still thriving as a loud and proud beacon of counterculture.

abc.net.au

Activate climate’s ‘silent majority’ to supercharge action, experts say

Making concerned people aware their views are far from alone could unlock the change so urgently needed

theguardian.com

The Weekly Cybers #95

With just 12 days to go there’s yet more news about Australia’s social media age restrictions, a new AI Safety Institute, and so many other stories it hurts. Happy Friday.

buttondown.com

State Library of Victoria faces job cuts as staff accuse management of pursuing ‘digital vanity projects’

Under the plan, 39 jobs would be lost and the public-facing workforce of reference librarians would be cut from 25 staff to 10

theguardian.com