A new study sheds light on an important Pacific-to-Atlantic connecting current, including the global changes that led to its flowing that ushered in near-modern ocean circulation.
Australia
Australia’s Unfolding Geoscience Malady
Brutal university cuts are putting at risk an industry crucial to addressing climate change Down Under and around the world. Saving geoscience will require a community reckoning.
Famine Weed Becomes More Toxic, Invasive in Carbon-Rich Atmosphere
A noxious weed’s success in Australia could indicate that some plants are benefitting from our carbon-rich atmosphere, becoming more invasive, competitive, and toxic.
A Reminder of a Desert’s Past, Before Dingo Removal
A fence spans Australia’s Strzelecki Desert, keeping dingoes out of the southern side. Drone and satellite technology have illustrated how removing this top predator changes vegetation growth.
Sea Cucumbers: The Excremental Heroes of Coral Reef Ecosystems
Drone surveillance reveals just how big a contribution sea cucumbers make to reef habitats.
Geological Surveys Unite to Improve Critical Mineral Security
A three-nation consortium is pooling geological expertise and resources to address vulnerabilities in supplies of these crucial natural resources.
Long-Term Drought Harms Mental Health in Rural Communities
In rural and remote communities in Australia, psychological distress worsened during the first few years of a prolonged drought. Other signs of poor mental health persisted beyond that time.
Australia’s Most Extreme Bushfire Season, Statistically Speaking
Researchers identified climatic and geomorphic risk factors that led to record-breaking fires across Australia during the 2019–2020 fire season.
Ideal Temperatures for Carbon Uptake by Subtropical Plants
Air temperatures in coastal ecosystems of Australia routinely exceed the optimum range for photosynthesis, hindering plants’ ability to take up atmospheric carbon.
Mars 2020 Team Using Australian Rocks in Search for Life on Mars
Scientists are investigating evidence of ancient terrestrial microbes preserved in Australia as well as mineral maps derived from Mars orbiter data to shed light on how to search for life on Mars.