University of Tasmania

@utas.edu.au

Stories, research and more from the University of Tasmania. #1 in climate action globally. CRICOS Code 00586B

More than a decade of research into a second contagious cancer affecting Tasmanian devils suggests the disease is spreading more slowly than scientists first feared. Stable populations indicate Tasmanian devils may have a greater capacity to coexist with the disease: utas.au/jF

A Tasmanian devil in a grassy field

The wait for PFAS test results could soon be measured in hours, not days. Our researchers have successfully trialled a mobile laboratory that can detect "forever chemicals" in soil and water on site, providing an early indication of contamination within six hours: utas.au/PFAS_testing

Mobile lab (van)

🌊 New Antarctic research shows the deepest layer of the Southern Ocean – Antarctic Bottom Water, or AABW – is shrinking faster than scientists realised, with the rate of change accelerating over the past decade. This is important because we all depend on it. ▶️ aappartnership.org.au/antarctic-ch...

Antarctic change drives slowdown of global ocean circulation - AAPP

Deepest layer of the Southern Ocean is shrinking faster with accelerated change

aappartnership.org.au

Australia’s reefs are under pressure from the voracious crown-of-thorns starfish and long-spined sea urchins. However, our new study shows that while they present high but differing risks, investing in control programs and innovative research could help tackle these two prickly problems: utas.au/jl

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Extreme heat, heavy rain and storm surges are affecting Australian seals and seabirds during a critical period of their development: as pups and chicks. ⛈️ New research shows that high-resolution weather and population monitoring can help us better protect them. More: utas.au/SealsSeabirds

Australian fur seal pups on an island

Species discovery has always depended on the tools available. Early naturalists relied on what they could collect. Today, whole genomes tell us if animals have different coding. Recognising “hidden biodiversity” in this way helps us ask better questions in the face of climate change: utas.au/JY

A flock of penguins on an Antarctic ice sheet with the ocean in the backgroundThree gentoo penguins on rocky Antarctic terrain

New research from Tasmania's Macquarie Harbour shows that oxygen can be added to low-oxygen waters at depth without adverse impacts. The research comes amid interest in low oxygen levels, which are linked to concerns about potential impacts on the endangered Maugean Skate: utas.au/MacquarieHar...

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“We talk about the kitchen as the heart of the home, but actually we've been designing the heart out of it for a long time.” Caroline had been an interior designer for 30 years before beginning a PhD on the re-use of materials with a focus on kitchens and their social value: utas.au/Kitchens

A person (Caroline) standing at a kitchen bench.

A new study from the University of Tasmania's Fire Centre finds that logged forests burn more severely in a bushfire than old growth. Researchers used a natural experiment to provide the strongest evidence yet on a question with real consequences for how the state manages its forests: utas.au/lf

A sky filling with smoke from a burning forest below