In Depth

RSS (Latest Science Features web feed)Science Features

Explore more Science Features

Six Christmas presents money can't buy

Believe it or not there are some things that even billionaires can't have. Here's a list of some very hard to find - if not impossible - Christmas presents, according to science.

What's in the sky in December?

The December night sky provides the best view of distant galaxies for professional astronomers, but you can see some of our closest neighbours too, if you know where to look.

What can we bring home from the 'Bionic Olympics'?

A recent competition in Switzerland saw people with paraplegia and other motor disabilities battle it out using hi-tech wheelchairs, exoskeletons, robotic arms and mind control. Amazing stuff - but what will it take for such technologies to be useful in everyday lives?

Counting birds to save the Murray-Darling

Professor Richard Kingsford has spent much of his life counting birds: a critical body of work that shows Australia's rivers are under threat.

How can you spot an aurora in Australia?

Space weather agencies have predicted a weak geomagnetic storm will hit the Earth tonight, so some parts of Australia may get to see an aurora.

Four scientists who became world leaders

One of Australia's top scientists, UNSW pro vice-chancellor Emma Johnston, has been calling for more scientifically minded people to govern us. But such an endeavour can come with complications.

What to see in the sky in November

This month, a cosmic saucepan enters the evening sky, the Leonids meteor shower peaks, and Venus steeps itself in the teapot.

Amazing things animals get up to when we're not looking

What does a penguin get up to out at sea? How high can a condor fly? The Jekyll and Hyde nature and hidden talents of wild animals are revealed when we track their every move.

Three Australian scientists you've never heard of who changed the world

The inventor of television, a pioneering radio astronomer, and the man who discovered lithium - their names are virtually unknown, and yet their works and discoveries changed the face of science forever.

Climate scientists feel the weight of the world on their shoulders

Every day, these scientists face evidence of climate change. They explain how they cope with the emotional burden of what they know.

This Australian scientist drew every ray in the world

Have you ever considered the artists responsible for the incredibly detailed illustrations of plants and animals in scientific textbooks?

Karlie Noon: Reaching for the stars

Indigenous science graduate Karlie Noon fought hard to get a double major in pure maths and physics. She talks about her journey and her hopes for the future.

Apps that help you get to know the world around you

Feel like your head's always buried in a smartphone? We've got some apps to get you into the world outside your phone.

What to see in the sky in October

This month, you can find the Tarantula Nebula in a neighbouring galaxy, spot a meteor, and watch Venus, Saturn and Mars put on a show in the western sky.

Six things we've learnt about comets from the Rosetta mission

When the Rosetta mission began, scientists knew very little about 67P. 12 years later data sent back by the spacecraft and its probe Philae has drastically reshaped the way scientists think about comets.