Boost for high rainfall zone wheat research
Research into developing more productive wheat varieties in Australia has been given a major boost following an equity investment in HRZ Wheats Pty Ltd by one of the nation's leading agricultural disease and pest control companies, Dow AgroSciences Australia Ltd.
CSIRO welcomes its 2011 Fulbright scholar
In 2008, CSIRO and the Fulbright Commission entered into a partnership to sponsor a scholarship enabling one high-quality US postgraduate student to spend up to 12 months, working with one of the National Research Flagships. In late August, we welcome our third Fulbright scholar, Marvin Alfaro.
'The Dish' finds a 'diamond planet'
Astronomers using 'The Dish' – CSIRO's radio telescope near Parkes, NSW – believe they've found a small planet made of diamond, orbiting an unusual star.
Saving eyesight an award-winning ICT endeavour
Research helping to save the eyesight of people in the rural and remote areas of Australia has won the top prize at the 2011 national iAwards, the information and communications technology (ICT) industry’s peak awards event held in Melbourne last night.
War on willows
Willows are major environmental weeds of riverbank habitats across much of south-eastern Australia. They obstruct water flow, increase water temperature, change water chemistry and can displace native riverine plant species.
Deep-ocean sentinels on northern climate watch
Three deep-ocean moorings have become the foundation for a new drive to measure change in currents linking the Pacific and Indian Oceans through the Indonesia Archipelago – a key factor influencing Australia's climate.
Adapting crops and ‘natives’ to a changing climate
CSIRO scientists are investigating the potentially damaging effects climate change will have on Australia's agricultural crops and native plants as carbon dioxide concentrations, temperatures and rainfall patterns change.
Improving wheat yields for global food security
With the world’s population set to reach 8.9 billion by 2050, CSIRO scientists are hunting down and exploiting a number of wheat’s key genetic traits in a bid to substantially boost its grain yield.
New approach to sustain 'forage' fishing
Reduced catches of small oceanic ‘forage’ fish like sardines and anchovies may be required in some ocean areas in order to protect the larger predators that rely on these species for food.
Understanding what causes droughts and floods
The latest research into how variations in the atmosphere and oceans combine to produce impacts like the major droughts and floods experienced recently in south-eastern Australia will be presented today in Canberra at a science workshop hosted by the South Eastern Australian Climate Initiative (SEACI).
New climate change research team established
One of Australia's leading climate change modelling experts, CSIRO Wealth from Oceans Flagship’s Dr Wenju Cai, has been awarded a five-year CSIRO fellowship to establish a new research team examining climate influences on Australia.
Forests absorb one third our fossil fuel emissions
The world’s established forests remove 2.4 billion tonnes of carbon per year from the atmosphere – equivalent to one third of current annual fossil fuel emissions – according to new research published today in the journal Science.
Indian Ocean pirates impede climate observations
Australian scientists have sought the help of the United States and Australian navies to plug a critical gap in their Argo ocean and climate monitoring program caused by Somali pirates operating in the western Indian Ocean.
First ever coal seam gas scientific research alliance established
Industry and science came together in Brisbane today to launch a groundbreaking new research alliance to support the sustainable development of the coal seam gas (CSG) industry. The alliance was officially launched by CSIRO Chief Executive Megan Clark and Page Maxson, Project Director, Australia Pacific LNG.
+4ºC scenarios for Australia's future climate
The impacts on Australia of a 4ºC increase in average annual temperatures – including major reductions in annual rainfall in southern Australia, marked increases in evaporation nationwide and reduced snow cover in alpine regions – were presented today by CSIRO's Dr Penny Whetton at the Four Degrees climate change conference in Melbourne.
Big step forward for SKA
The discovery potential of the future international SKA radio telescope has been glimpsed following the commissioning of a working optical fibre link between CSIRO’s Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP) telescope in Western Australia, and other radio telescopes across Australia and New Zealand.
Getting smarter about supplying electricity
This month’s final print edition of Ecos – Australia’s longest running magazine on science and sustainability – features expert commentary on the drivers of rising household electricity bills identified in the recently released eighth update to Professor Ross Garnaut’s Climate Change Review for the Australian Government.
