https://phys.org/ en-us Latest news from CSIRO It is tempting to view the Artemis II splashdown as the exclamation point on a successful lunar mission. And from launch to completion, it was indeed a textbook voyage of discovery for four astronauts, shared with enthralled millions watching across the globe. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-boots-moon-artemis-ii-mission.html Space Exploration Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:40:13 EDT news695557262 When lightning strikes a paddock, it does more than scorch grass and scare the cows. The electrical discharge breaks apart nitrogen molecules in the atmosphere, converting them into a form that falls to Earth in rain and becomes available to plants. It is a natural process, primordial and efficient, which has been fixing nitrogen into soils long before humans began to farm them. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-air-field-nitrogen-fertilizer-world.html Agriculture Wed, 15 Apr 2026 22:40:04 EDT news695464903 Australia's animal sectors now have a comprehensive framework to help strengthen the industry's response to antimicrobial resistance. The Animal Antimicrobial Stewardship Framework helps animal sectors improve and verify day-to-day stewardship practices. The work was co-designed by veterinarians and animal managers based on the study led by CSIRO, Australia's national science agency. The corresponding paper is published in the journal Cambridge Prisms: Antimicrobial Resistance. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-national-framework-australia-antimicrobial-stewardship.html Plants & Animals Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:40:04 EDT news695402642 Along the southern coastline, researchers dive deep to collect seaweed from kelp forests and rocky platforms, taking small samples and the location of each sample. Back in the lab, the specimens are preserved—some dried, others kept alive—so they can be studied, cultured and sequenced. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-science-rewriting-marine-taxonomy-seaweed.html Plants & Animals Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:00:05 EDT news695028565 Research behind the skin cancer prevention campaign "If You Could See UV" has found that evoking fear of ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure—through a visually striking metaphor—helped motivate young adults to protect their skin. By visualizing UV as something immediate and ever-present, the campaign aimed to prompt young adults to think and feel differently about everyday sun exposure, and to take practical steps to protect themselves. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-sun-safety-ad-visuals-messaging.html Mon, 06 Apr 2026 21:10:01 EDT news694707651 Eyes are on the sky this week as four astronauts get the closest humans have been to the moon for more than 50 years on NASA's Artemis II mission. Join the millions of people looking up while it's on its way and we'll show you how to get the best photo of the moon using your phone. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-moon.html Astronomy Mon, 06 Apr 2026 08:50:01 EDT news694683902 Australia marks 50 years of monitoring the world's cleanest air in remote northwest Tasmania at Kennaook / Cape Grim Baseline Air Pollution Station, supporting global efforts to track human-driven changes to the atmosphere. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-fifty-years-world-cleanest-air.html Environment Wed, 01 Apr 2026 22:00:01 EDT news694258460 AI-powered robots are set to track across thousands of kilometers of baked, uneven ground, reducing the danger for maintenance workers on Australia's large-scale solar farms. A successful trial by CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, repurposed autonomous robots originally designed for the mining industry. Without robots, the work is done on foot, bringing significant cost and safety risks. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-robots-humans-biggest-solar-farms.html Robotics Wed, 25 Mar 2026 18:10:07 EDT news693652993 Australian scientists have made a significant leap forward in energy storage technology with the world's first proof-of-concept quantum battery. Similar to conventional batteries, this quantum version charges, stores and discharges energy—and is the first to do so. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-proof-concept-quantum-battery-faster.html Optics & Photonics Tue, 17 Mar 2026 17:50:01 EDT news692986621 Navigating monolithic icebergs, massive ocean waves and sub-zero snowstorms, CSIRO research vessel (RV) Investigator is a workhorse for Antarctic science. In just over 11 years and spread across seven voyages, the vessel has now spent the equivalent of one full year, or more than 10% of its time, at sea delivering crucial research in Antarctic waters. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-milestone-voyage-antarctic-science.html Earth Sciences Mon, 16 Mar 2026 22:00:01 EDT news692874130 While the world sprints toward ever faster mobile speeds, another connectivity story is quietly unfolding at the opposite end of the dial. Low-frequency spectrum—the radio bands below one gigahertz (GHz)—is emerging as a practical workhorse for long-range, low-power connectivity. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-frequency-spectrum-emerging-quiet-contender.html Telecom Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:20:04 EDT news692529603 The coastline of South Australia has been affected for nearly a year by an unprecedented harmful algal bloom which has led to the deaths of millions of fish and sharks, impacted marine mammals and birds and affected the health of some people. The origins of this event remain the topic of intense discussion and investigation among both the public and scientific community. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-algae-species-wasnt-south-australian.html Ecology Thu, 05 Mar 2026 10:00:06 EST news691926122 In 2013, farmers in the highlands of Ethiopia began to notice something unsettling: a familiar variety of wheat was failing in an unfamiliar way. Stems weakened, plants collapsed, and fields that had once held firm against disease were suddenly vulnerable. Three years later, the same unease surfaced thousands of kilometers away, when wheat crops in Sicily—including prized durum varieties destined for pasta—succumbed to a fast-moving stem rust outbreak that baffled local farmers. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-enemy-genome-science-reshaping-wheat.html Biotechnology Mon, 23 Feb 2026 11:20:01 EST news691065601 Every living organism has its own genetic "blueprint": the source code for how it grows, functions and reproduces. This blueprint is known as a genome. When scientists sequence a genome, they identify and put in order the chemical building blocks—adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C) and guanine (G) nucleotides—that make up an organism's DNA. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-genomics-decoding-blueprints-australia-biodiversity.html Ecology Tue, 17 Feb 2026 06:18:04 EST news690531421 Demand for lithium is surging, as the world transitions to renewable energy and adopts new technologies. Lithium-ion batteries play a central role in this shift, powering everything from cars to portable electronics. To meet the increasing demand, companies are recycling lithium from old batteries and also looking for new sources and better ways to extract it. While recycling supports a circular economy, experts agree that recycled lithium alone will not meet projected future needs. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-02-diversifying-lithium-rich-mineral-sources.html Energy & Green Tech Mon, 09 Feb 2026 09:20:04 EST news689849734 Scientists have unveiled a new approach to powering quantum computers using quantum batteries—a breakthrough that could make future computers faster, more reliable, and more energy efficient. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-quantum-batteries-quadruple-qubit-capacity.html Quantum Physics Wed, 28 Jan 2026 14:26:45 EST news688832761 Getting rid of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) is one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time. This group of 15,000 human-made chemicals doesn't break down naturally, leaching into soils and waterways and accumulating in the environment. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-destroy-pfas-tiniest-airborne-particles.html Materials Science Tue, 27 Jan 2026 10:24:47 EST news688731781 A fast-moving influenza strain nicknamed the "Super-K" flu is catching the attention of scientists and health authorities. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-super-flu.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 22 Jan 2026 10:15:57 EST news688299301 Researchers from CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, have unlocked the most detailed genetic blueprint yet of a major soil-borne crop pathogen—an advance that paves the way for better crop disease management in Australian agriculture. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-genetic-code-crop-fungus-paves.html Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 21 Jan 2026 16:03:19 EST news688233781 Summer is the season for flies, which belong to an insect group that scientists call Diptera. Many fly species are more active when the weather is warmer, and populations can boom thanks to the interplay of winter rains, warmer weather and abundant food sources. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-qa-flies-vital-role-ecosystems.html Plants & Animals Thu, 15 Jan 2026 07:50:23 EST news687685801 A new study from CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, has revealed that people who use meal plans lose more weight, highlighting the power of planning and potential for personalization. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-links-meal-greater-weight-loss.html Overweight & Obesity Tue, 06 Jan 2026 18:30:05 EST news686924984 Australia has the third largest ocean territory on the planet, measuring 13.8 million square kilometers, including the Australian Antarctic Territory. Australia's diverse oceans, seas and waterways form an integral part of our lifestyle, economy and national well-being. These waters have helped sustain communities and cultures for tens of thousands of years. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-seabed-boosting-knowledge-australia-incredible.html Ecology Mon, 15 Dec 2025 11:01:33 EST news685018862 Mammalian meat allergy (MMA) is one of the few known food allergies caused by an environmental trigger—a tick bite. In simple terms, MMA results in an allergic reaction to red meat, making it difficult or sometimes even impossible for affected individuals to enjoy meat without experiencing adverse symptoms. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-exploring-meat-allergy-cardiovascular-disease.html Cardiology Thu, 11 Dec 2025 07:34:19 EST news684660842 Ever wondered how energy efficient your home is? https://techxplore.com/news/2025-12-star-power-energy-efficient-home.html Energy & Green Tech Wed, 10 Dec 2025 17:50:01 EST news684582380 Australia is home to more than 1,800 orchid species—many found nowhere else. But these unique plants face growing threats. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-orchids-earth.html Plants & Animals Tue, 09 Dec 2025 09:29:14 EST news684494941 A robotic float has measured the temperature and salinity from parts of the ocean never sampled before—underneath massive floating ice shelves in East Antarctica. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-adrift-shackleton-robot-survives-antarctic.html Earth Sciences Mon, 08 Dec 2025 08:51:13 EST news684406206 Australia's national science agency, CSIRO, together with its Australian National Soil Information System (ANSIS) partners, has launched a new online tool that makes soil data and information easier to access and interpret—helping farmers, land managers and policy makers better manage soil health and sustainability. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-tool-complex-soil-visual-insights.html Biotechnology Thu, 04 Dec 2025 09:58:22 EST news684064682 We create and consume data continuously. This data is specific to us, but when consolidated, this shared data can be of immense value. The value is not only for population level insights. https://techxplore.com/news/2025-11-identity-anonymous-vulnerable-identification-basic.html Security Fri, 28 Nov 2025 11:28:42 EST news683551690 As we move further into the Computer Age, fake news, digital deceit and widespread use of social media are having a profound impact on every element of society, from swaying elections and manipulating science-proven facts, to encouraging racial bias and exploiting women. https://techxplore.com/news/2025-11-common-action-deepfaked.html Security Fri, 28 Nov 2025 10:47:27 EST news683549201 A high-tech mapping team from CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, has produced an incredible new view of one of Tasmania's most iconic natural features and Australia's deepest lake, Lake St Clair in Tasmania's central highlands. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-deep-world-reveals-true-depth.html Environment Fri, 14 Nov 2025 20:10:01 EST news682337035