This week on radio, Tim Thwaites is talking about obese pets; reversing ageing; how your mother is to blame for your sense of taste; the peril of heat stress; and more… [continue reading…]

Welcome to our November bulletin celebrating the International Year of Biodiversity (IYOB).

October saw the launch of the crocheted coral reef, the discovery of science, policy, leadership and action in Wellington, New Zealand, and discussion of the politics of biodiversity in Canberra.

Here’s a taster of what’s on in November:

• The Melbourne performance collective ‘The Masters of Space and Time’ are performing at the Australian Museum: Swamped is a razor-sharp black comedy demonstrating how the universe twists good intentions into disastrous consequences.
• There are more than 25 events taking place around the country over the month including asparagus fern eradication in NSW; biodiversity photography in the Murray Darling; the Dunstan dialogues in SA, discovering Victoria’s marine sanctuaries; and butterfly study in WA.
• And have you visited the biodiversity website lately? You can find out what would you look like as a snail, fish or bat with Monkey Me! www.biodiversity2010.org.au/?monkeyme.
• Next month The Ecological Society of Australia will be holding their annual conference ‘Sustaining biodiversity: the next 50 years’. [continue reading…]

This week on radio, Tim Thwaites is talking about slowing wind; love and pain; cane toad caviar; shining light inside your body; and more… [continue reading…]

This week on radio, Tim Thwaites is talking about slowing wind; love and pain; cane toad caviar; shining light inside your body; and more… [continue reading…]

Welcome to our October bulletin celebrating the International Year of Biodiversity (IYOB).

This month Biodiversity Year gets serious, and fun.

• Two weeks ago the UN General Assembly debated the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Secretary General announced that the world isn’t meeting the 2010 targets.
• Later this month all 193 parties to the Convention are scheduled to meet in Nagoya, Japan, to adopt a strategic plan on biodiversity and a 2050 biodiversity vision.
• And the Sydney Moring Herald reports that the Australian government’s biodiversity plan will be released later this month – more on this below in ‘News’.
• Meanwhile, back at the grass roots…there are more than 45 events taking place around the country over the month.
• And what would you look like as a snail, fish or bat? Try Monkey Me and find discover your inner animal. [continue reading…]

This week on radio, Tim Thwaites is talking about using your beach towel to charge your MP3 player; carrying brains overseas; flu vaccinations; healthy fruit extracts; and more… [continue reading…]

In two weeks Australia will play host to a major UN conference focusing on global health and the Millennium Development Goals. More than 70 countries and over 300 organisations will be represented. There will be many compelling stories that matter to Australia and our region. More details and downloads below.

Also, in Canberra today the Australian Academy of Science Think Tank is tackling questions regarding Australia’s mineral deposits. Will we run out of minerals? How much more mineral wealth is still to be found? Do we have the technologies to find it and extract it safely? The media releases are online at www.scienceinpublic.com.au/blog

These issues are being discussed in Canberra at a forum on 19 and 20 August. The media are invited to day one and the speakers are available for interview. The findings will be published later in the year. [continue reading…]

We’ve identified 135 Science Week events around Australia with a biodiversity connection. So we thought we’d share them with you in this special Science Week edition of our Biodiversity Year bulletin.

You can learn how to keep bugs alive, immerse yourself in flora and fauna on a walk through the forest, hear about the unique environment of Barrow Island in Western Australia and discover how a genetic disease in the Royal Family relates to biodiversity.

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Biodiversity events happening during National Science Week in South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory

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