By James Mitchell Crow US researchers are beginning to understand how copper oxides can transmit electricity with no power loss at temperatures not far below -100˚C. Research which gives clues as to just how these superconductors work was presented at the Australian Institute of Physics Congress in Melbourne by Michael Norman from Argonne National Laboratory…
Discoveries in diagnosing diseases, finding new clues to detect climate change and the structural soundness of materials have all emerged from Australia’s nuclear research reactor. Adi Paterson, the director of ANSTO (the body that manages the reactor) spoke about the role that nuclear science will play in Australia’s future.
Solar flares could have temporarily worsened the hole in the ozone layer, particularly in the southern hemisphere, says Marc Duldig of the Australian Antarctic Division. Bursts of energetic particles erupting from the sun during some solar flares can boost levels of ozone-destroying chemicals in our atmosphere. Researchers from the Division are using ground-based sensors to…
In March 1989, six million people in the Canadian province of Quebec suffered a nine-hour blackout due to currents induced in their electricity grid by a geomagnetic storm. The currents themselves were caused by charged particles from a solar coronal mass ejection which struck Earth. There are reports of a storm 150 years ago with…
By James Mitchell Crow Australian-based researchers have recreated inside their laboratory the atmospheric conditions that cause auroras. One day the results of their experiments could power a mission to Venus or Mars. Christine Charles from the Australian National University told delegates at the Australian Institute of Physics conference in Melbourne that their work will help…
In 2011 Australia will hold one of the world’s largest meetings of earth scientists. They will explore all the physical aspects of our planet, from deep in the Earth’s core to our place in space. Given recent natural disasters—such as the Pakistan floods, Black Saturday bushfires, Hurricane Katrina, the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, 2010 Chile…
Over the past few years we have developed and managed media strategies for various conferences. Some of the highlights include: In July 2011 we ran the media program for the XVIII International Botanical Congress In December 2010 we ran the media program for the 19th Australian Institute of Physics Congress incorporating the 35th Australian Conference…
From 30 August to 1 September the UN was in town for their 63rd annual meeting with NGOs. Two thousand delegates from 70 countries and over 300 NGOs participated.
From 30 August Australia will play host to a major UN conference focusing on global health and the Millennium Development Goals. The conference, entitled Advance Global Health – Achieve the Millennium Development Goals, brings together more than 300 non-governmental organisations from over 70 countries. Some 1,500 delegates will explore the challenges of meeting the Millennium Development…
What does food do – time to move beyond the glycaemic index It’s time to get smarter about food labelling according to Dr John Monro, speaking at the international chemistry conference in Melbourne this week. “We need to know not just what is in the food, but what the food is going to do in…