The Environment
Bold solutions for global challenges
The Environment
Bold solutions for global challenges
Digging up the dirt: are your home-grown vegies safe to eat?
The level of heavy-metal contamination in Australian gardens is being exposed by a Macquarie University program which is testing thousands of soil samples sent in by concerned citizens.
Would you like fries with your lab-grown burger?
The race is on to develop alternatives to meat, so what will the beef burger of the future be made of? Macquarie University Associate Professor Andrew McGregor's new research explains the possibilities.
Get out now: Why Sydney’s first catastrophic fire warning will save lives
The first “catastrophic” fire danger rating for the Greater Sydney, Greater Hunter and Illawarra Shoalhaven areas comes with warnings that people living in bushfire zones should get out now.
World-first findings pinpoint where and when sharks are more likely to attack
With the number of shark attacks increasing across Australia and the world, the findings of a Macquarie University-led study could help reduce the occurrence of these traumatic events.
Just like humans, sharks learn how to do things from each other
Few people think of sharks as intelligent and socially complex animals but it seems that even solitary sharks can learn by watching their neighbours, a Macquarie University study reveals.
Citizensourcing our way to Utopia
What if the average citizen could not only easily volunteer ideas to governments but have those ideas seriously considered and, on occasion, implemented? Could 'citizensourcing' be the answer to voter disenchantment?
Designer bacteria could fuel the future with cheap hydrogen
Macquarie synthetic biologists have made a breakthrough in renewable energy production by creating genetically-engineered sugar-loving bacteria that can produce on-demand, zero-emission hydrogen fuel faster than has been done anywhere else.
Macquarie changing the world through the power of research
From seeking cures for devastating diseases to developing heat-resistant crops, Macquarie University is making a real-world impact through its research, writes Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Sakkie Pretorius.
Eco-tech investments could get a boost from school strike
School strikes will put politicians on notice on climate change action – with supporters hoping the national campaign will diminish political apathy and lead to finding for technologies that will make a difference.
When will Australia’s volcanoes erupt?
A Macquarie University volcanologist is calling on authorities to implement an emergency response plan, warning an eruption in the Newer Volcanics Province - an area with over 400 volcanoes - could threaten Melbourne, Sydney and the east of Australia.
The story behind the journey of the black bean tree
A three-year project is exploring the ancient history of how Indigenous Australians moved plants around the continent.