Australasian Science: Australia's authority on science since 1938

Home

Australasian Science Magazine Issue March 2011

Marine plankton
Cover Story: Tiny Climate Changers
Justin Seymour
Marine microorganisms have profound impacts on the chemical cycling processes that influence global climate. Now their behaviours and preferences have been captured on video.
African clawed frog
Feature: Resurrecting a Wonder Drug
Tegan Dolstra
As the malaria parasite pits its all against the only treatment still standing, award-winning research has revealed the secret to reviving the most successful antimalarial drug in history.
Christopher Wurster digging a guano pile in Gomantong Caves, Sabah, Malaysia.
Feature: In Deep Guano
Christopher Wurster
Deep deposits of guano are revealing why South-East Asia is a biodiversity hotspot.
The Amphimedon sponge
Feature: Ancient Genes Reveal Our Precambrian Ancestor
Claire Larroux
The genome of a sponge found on the Great Barrier Reef is helping scientists to reconstruct the 600 million-year-old ancestor of the entire animal kingdom.
Tree ferns were producing new fronds within months of the fire.
Feature: Forest Phoenix
David Lindenmayer, David Blair, Lachlan McBurney and Sam Banks
How well have animals and plants recovered after Victoria’s Black Saturday bushfires 2 years ago?
Radio image of Fornax A
Feature: A Bonsai Black Hole in Our Own Backyard
Robert Soria
The discovery of powerful jets from a nearby black hole reveals new clues about the behaviour of massive quasars in the early universe.
The fruit industry used 2.6% of water extracted from the Murray-Darling Basin.
Feature: An Apple a Day Keeps the Drought Away
Geoff Russell
Think twice the next time you see fruit trees portrayed in media reports about diminishing water allocations in the Murray–Darling Basin.
Nuclear power station
Feature: Nuclear Spring?
Deanne K. Bird, Katharine Haynes, Rob van den Honert and John McAneney
New research shows that the Australian public may accept nuclear energy if it will help tackle climate change.
Feature: What’s Missing from the Murray-Darling Basin Plan?
Robert White
How can up to 30% of the Murray-Darling Basin's water allocations be recovered?
 Feature: How much free will do we have?
Tim Wetherell
Quantum mechanics may be even spookier than we thought.
Australasian Sky: Sweet and Sour for Spaceflight
Morris Jones
Tthe 50th anniversary of human spaceflight is a somewhat embarrassing time for the space community.
 conSCIENCE: The Case for Gene Patents
Michael Gilbert
Patents are an essential incentive for investment in research.
Cool Careers: The Truth About Lying
Stephen Luntz
Reality TV shows and YouTube videos are providing insights into lying and arguing.
 Eco Logic: Do Our Reserves Protect Endangered Species?
David Salt
A new analysis has found that our National Reserve System is not much better than a completely random placement of reserves when it comes to protecting our endangered species.
Expert Opinion: The Mouse with Two Fathers
AusSMC
US scientists have produced mice from two fathers using stem cell technology.
 Lowe Tech: Climate Action Cools
Ian Lowe
United Nations talks in Mexico lacked the “hot air” required for meaningful government action on climate change.
Naked Skeptic: Final Jab for the Anti-Vaccination Lobby
Peter Bowditch
The truth comes out about research linking vaccination with autism.
 Out of this World: NASA’s Kepler Mission Discovers Its First Rocky Planet
David Reneke
Dave Reneke brings news from the space and astronomy communities around the world.
Quandary: Bioethics 007
Michael Cook
WikiLeaks has exposed US government directives for the collection of biometric information on foreign diplomats, raising important bioethical issues.
 Simon Says: Aspiring to Inspire
Simon Grose
Can the government’s Inspire Australia strategy raise public appreciation of science?