Australia stuck in the STEM slow lane
Nicky Phillips Australia's economy will suffer and job opportunities will be lost if the country doesn't lift its mediocre performance in science and innovation to compete with other developed nations.
Latest science news
Scientists discover malaria's Achilles heel
Natasha Boddy 11:30 PM Scientists have discovered an Achilles heel for malaria.
The father of DNA is selling his Nobel prize because everyone thinks he’s racist
Rachel Feltman 5:57 PM James Watson has a reserve of $2.5 million and will become the first living recipient of the prestigious award to sell a Nobel prize.
Monash's bionic eye closer to human trials
Bridie Smith 5:53 PM The quest to build a bionic eye in Australia has received a $3 million boost, allowing the ambitious project to reach human trials next year.
James Watson, the father of DNA, is selling his Nobel prize because everyone thinks he's racist
Rachel Feltman 5:35 PM James Watson, known to many as one of the "fathers of DNA" for his scientific discoveries, is putting his Nobel prize on the auction block this Thursday with a reserve price of $US2.5 million ($2.94 million). Why part with the prestigious award now, over 50 years after winning it? After all, no living recipient of the award has ever sold it before.
Nobel prize contender cut from CSIRO
Nicky Phillips and Bridie Smith A world-leading CSIRO chemist who was tipped to win a Nobel prize has been made redundant.
Astronomy can be life changing: Dr Lisa Harvey-Smith
Clare Colley Wi-Fi, advanced medical imaging and algorithms to detect skin cancer all have one thing in common - they were all offshoots of astronomy, CSIRO astronomer Dr Lisa Harvey-Smith says.
Science
NICTA CEO resigns amid Abbott government funding cuts
Bridie Smith and Ben Grubb The head of Australia's largest technology research operation NICTA resigned on Friday due to "differences of opinion" with the board over the lab's future, following funding cuts by the Abbott government.
DNA of a dead 11-year-old girl becomes a work of art
Bridie Smith Artist Svenja Kratz is standing in a gallery, hands on hips, looking at her newest installation. She wears a lab coat and latex gloves as ''The Contamination of Alice'' is assembled at RMIT’s gallery on Swanston Street. A pair of protective goggles sit folded on the neck of her black top.
Hang on to your eyeballs
Rod Taylor Sneezes can blast out air at 160 km/h - but can they blast out your eyeballs?
Geminid meteor shower to light up skies
Perry Vlahos The Geminid meteor shower can produce as many as 30 to 40 meteors an hour during peak activity over Australia. This year’s peak is overnight on December 13-14.
Forum to boost women's participation in science
Clare Colley Playing into the competitive nature of academics and researchers could be a game changer in addressing the low numbers and high loss rate of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Art in a whisky glass, neatly explained
KENNETH CHANG Some think they can find poetry in a whisky glass, some the meaning of life. But one man in the US has found art and in turn has found another man who has found the science of the art. Cheers.
The 5:2 diet helps beat cancer and Alzheimer's, study finds
Tom Brooks-Pollock Fasting regimes such as the ‘5:2’ diet could help the body guard against diseases including cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s, according to a new study.
Australian therapy may boost survival of critical injuries
Nicky Phillips A new medical treatment developed by an Australian researcher could increase the chances of patients surviving critical injuries sustained on the battlefield or in rural and remote locations.
Canberra scientists scoop up Academy of Science awards
Emma Kelly An engineering science researcher pioneering cheaper and more efficient solar energy is among nine Canberra scientists to score an Australian Academy of Sciences award.
Serial: murder, mystery and the science of memory
Amanda Barnier Can you recall what you were doing last Wednesday between 2.15pm and 2.36pm? Where were you? What did you see? Who did you talk to? How well do you remember those 21 minutes?
Report: Australia at risk from biosecurity threats
Bridie Smith A CSIRO report says Australia's biosecurity is at risk from "the efficiency era", which could hit the country's ability to protect itself from highly contagious human diseases and agricultural pests.
Features
Scientists find echoes of Big Bang
An experiment at the South Pole leads to what is potentially one of the biggest scientific discoveries of the past two decades.
The secret to running repairs
Scientists think the Mexican walking fish may hold the key to regeneration in humans.
Alive as a dodo
Bringing animals back from extinction is no longer science fiction. But the question is, should we do it?
Videos
Navy reveals Antarctic secrets
Australian Navy hydrographers on their boat the Wyatt Earp map the seafloor off Casey Station in Antarctica.
Cycling out of intensive care
World leading research is under way to rehabilitate ICU patients - some unconscious - with horizontal exercise bikes. Producer - Tom McKendrick
Furry Facts
Why onions make you cry
Ever wonder why chopping onions is such a tear jerking event?
Vaccines
Needles aren't a whole lot of fun, but why is immunisation so important? Cartoonist John Shakespeare and Science Editor Nicky Phillips explain.
El Nino and La Nina
Have you ever found it hard to understand why Australia's swings between drought and floods?
Tornadoes
They're some of the most destructive forces on the planet, but what's the difference between a tornado and a cyclone?
Sinkholes
What is a sinkhole? What causes them? Furry Facts explains.
