Welcome to the autumn of the future

Peter Hannam   Tired of the seemingly endless bushfire haze over the city? Better get used to it.

The bizarre self-harm that suggests CSIRO has lost its way

Adam Morton   The treatment of John Church should prompt questions for the Turnbull government.

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When should we worry about climate change?

Peter Hannam   The answer is about 30 years ago, says one scientist. But we shouldn't give up.

Greens pledge to double R&D; share by 2030

Peter Hannam   CSIRO to be major beneficiary, reversing Abbott Government cuts and saving hundreds of jobs.

'It just rocketed up there'

Peter Hannam   A significant marker of rising global greenhouse gas emissions has been passed, with a key monitoring site on Tasmania's north-west tip recording atmospheric carbon-dioxide exceeding 400 parts per million for the first time.

Canberra turns it on with a brilliant autumn weekend

Was this Canberra's final hurrah before winter sets in?

Fate of primeval forest in balance as Poland plans logging

Vanessa Gera   It is the last remaining relic of an ancient forest that stretched for millennia across the lowlands of Europe and Russia,but logging is to begin within days.

Hazard reduction burns make Sydney's air quality worse than Beijing's

Julie Power   Air pollution was higher in Sydney's north-western suburb of Prospect on Friday morning than it was in Beijing at the same time. 

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Glencore shareholders' climate change push

Agnieszka de Sousa   The largest exporter of coal burned for power told to reveal risks to its business from greenhouse gas regulation.

Anger as King's School's rugby teams filmed tackling sheep at farm

Jonathan Pearlman   One of Australia's oldest and most prestigious private schools has been accused of encouraging animal cruelty after "distressing" video footage showed the school's top rugby teams tackling and flipping sheep at a farm during a training exercise.

Composing the weather

Andrew Taylor   Artist will create a six-metre high sculpture shaped like a pinwheel, which will act as a wind turbine, for the Museum of Contemporary Art's sculpture terrace.

'Poacher now turned to gamekeeper'

Peter Hannam   The daughter of retired MP Philip Ruddock has won a prized role in NSW Planning.

Unusual bear a victim of global warming: expert

Julie Power   Dave Garshelis, a research scientist from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and one of the world's foremost bear experts, told the Canadian Broadcating Corporation (CBC)  that the bear is very likely a grizzly-polar bear hybrid, and not an albino grizzly bear.

Haze from controlled burns hides Sydney behind a ghostly curtain

Julie Power   Air quality deteriorated to poor and hazardous levels in some parts of Sydney on Thursday morning as controlled burns gave the city the distinctive smell of burning Australian bush. 

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Fuel spill in Sydney Harbour

Peter Hannam   A contractor's error is believed to have been responsible for a fuel spill that dumped thousands of litres of diesel at the D'Albora Marinas at Rushcutters Bay.

Sri Lanka's torrential rains drive more than 130,000 from homes

Ranga Sirilal   Flash floods and landslides in Sri Lanka, triggered by more than three days of heavy rain, have forced more than 130,000 people from their homes and killed at least 11.

One of Thailand's most beautiful islands is closing because tourists are destroying it

Max Bearak   The swelling tide of tourists to a Thai island has brought it to the brink of irreversible damage, say Thai officials.

Lake in Venezuela named new lightning capital of the world

Georgina Mitchell   After 16 years of observations, the world's new lightning capital has been named.

'It's just strange - we're not used to it'

Peter Hannam   Record-keepers are sharpening their quills to update their Sydney temperature data.

Fairy penguins put on rare harbour show

Julie Power   Three endangered fairy penguins were spotted swimming in Sydney's Darling Harbour, in a rare show farther west than their usual fishing grounds.

Baby bison dies after Yellowstone tourists put it in their car because it looked cold

Karin Brulliard   The weather was fairly temperate. But still, when two tourists saw a baby bison, they decided it looked cold, so they loaded it into their car.

Animal activists prepare for government's kangaroo cull

Alexandra Back   Animal activists are preparing for possible skirmishes in Canberra's nature reserves.

Mexican navy says 24 beached whales die

Two dozen pilot whales have died after beaching themselves on the Baja California Peninsula despite efforts to move them into deeper waters, Mexico's navy says.

Woman taken to Florida hospital with shark attached to arm

A woman was taken to hospital with a small nurse shark attached to her arm in Florida in an incident one witness described as like nothing he had ever seen before.

Queensland ecosystem dying in secret

Drew Creighton   The proverbial canary in the coal mine of the Queensland ecosystems went off months ago and we missed the calls.

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Plans unveiled to protect ACT's waterways from climate change

Stephen Jeffery   Hotter days, warmer nights and a seasonal shift in rainfall could have devastating impacts on the ACT and surrounding region, according to a draft catchment report.

Thirsty cats probably sick cats, vets warn

Matthew Raggatt   Extra thirsty cats are likely to be sick cats, Canberra vets have warned.