Science In Public
Science writers, communicators, media, training, and public relations
The Australian Museum presents Australia’s premier science awards program.
Congratulations to the 100 individuals who were announced as this year’s finalists and are competing for 17 prizes worth $170,000.
Plus 10 stunning images revealed…
An international study led by a Queensland scientist has found a way to better safeguard an important food crop—and the world’s beer supply.
The study, led by University of Queensland geneticist Dr Lee Hickey, successfully identified a gene that protects barley against leaf rust – a disease that hit Queensland farmers in 2010 and could destroy almost a third of the national crop.
Researchers from the Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program at Sydney’s Centenary Institute have confirmed that, far from being “junk”, the 97 per cent of human DNA that does not encode instructions for making proteins can play a significant role in controlling cell development.
And in doing so, the researchers have unravelled a previously unknown mechanism for regulating the activity of genes, increasing our understanding of the way cells develop and opening the way to new possibilities for therapy.
[Read more…] about How ‘junk DNA’ can control cell development
Media release from Senator the Hon Kim Carr and Senator the Hon Jan McLucas.
A new, $37 million experimental sea simulator will enable Australian scientists to recreate ocean conditions and study how both human activities and natural events will affect our marine environment in the future.
Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research Senator Kim Carr and Senator for Queensland Jan McLucas opened the National Sea Simulator (SeaSim), at the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in Townsville today.
[Read more…] about $37 million Sea Simulator opens in Townsville
SeaSim – the National Sea Simulator – opened in Townsville by Innovation Minister Carr
Event: 12noon-2.30pm, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, North Queensland
Visuals: Aquaria with specimens, scientists available for interview, reef footage, crown-of-thorns starfish.
[Read more…] about Solving the ocean’s mysteries with the world’s smartest aquarium
Media background information, 1 August 2013
SeaSim is a research aquarium. It comprises a seawater processing plant, several controlled environment rooms, and open plan spaces for large tanks and long-term experiments.
In short, it brings together a reliable, consistent supply of high quality seawater with the technology to enable precise control over environmental factors, such as temperature, light, acidity, salinity, sedimentation and contaminants. [Read more…] about About SeaSim, the National Sea Simulator
Luke Smith, Environment Manager from Woodside Energy, Russell Reichelt, Chairman of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, and scientists from CSIRO, the Australian Institute of Marine Science in Western Australian and James Cook University in Townsville tell what the new Sea Simulator facility means to them. More comments will be added during the day. [Read more…] about The National Sea Simulator – Reaction comments
Despite the claims of some, commercially viable fuels from algae have not yet been developed. But newly trialled native algae species provide real hope, a Queensland scientist has found.
Dr Evan Stephens and the team at the University of Queensland’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience, in collaboration with Germany’s Bielefeld University and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, have identified fast-growing and hardy microscopic algae that could prove the key to cheaper and more efficient production of the alternative fuel.
With the help of these native species, Australia could potentially become an oil exporter like Middle East by devoting just 1% of its land to algae farms.