Next Wednesday evening the Prime Minister will present her Prizes for Science. The embargo is 5 pm on Wednesday 17 November 2010.

Other science news coming up includes: a black comedy on biodiversity staged in the skeleton gallery of the Australian Museum; Chinese science leaders in Australia marking 30 years of collaboration; CERN director here soon for physics congress; the end of the world; the future of transport and more.

Here’s the details: [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…]

From Brian James, President of the Australian Institute of Physics Welcome to my monthly email to people around the country with an interest in physics. It has with news and events for November 2010 and beyond. The AIP National Congress is almost upon …

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 why pierced ears became inflamed; how the physics of skipping stones can improve flying; boosting your brain; using your home computer to find heavenly bodies; and more…

[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.

[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. I’m holding briefings for ABC staff at Ultimo today at 3.30 pm and at Southbank on Monday at 12.30 pm. I’m happy to do the same for other major media.

[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. I’m holding briefings for ABC staff at Ultimo today at 3.30 pm and at Southbank on Monday at 12.30 pm. I’m happy to do the same for other major media.

[continue reading…]

Welcome to July’s biodiversity bulletin with news and events throughout Australia—and also to Mr Blobby (see right, more details below). 

In the next few weeks you can contribute to a sculpture serpent in Sydney, meet Adelaide’s river dolphins; follow Burke and Wills to Castlemaine; build a bat box in Perth; come face to face with a supercrocodilian in Darwin; and build environmental resilience at the Caloundra Gallery—all as part of the International Year of Biodiversity.

[continue reading…]