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No storm in a teacup – it’s a cyclone on a silicon chip

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University of Queensland researchers have combined quantum liquids and silicon-chip technology to study turbulence for the first time, opening the door to new navigation technologies and improved understanding of the turbulent dynamics of cyclones and other extreme weather. Professor Warwick Bowen, from UQ’s Precision Sensing Initiative and the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems said … Read more

Carleton researcher discovers earliest fossil evidence of parental behaviour

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A team led by Carleton University’s Hillary Maddin has discovered the earliest fossil evidence of parental care. The fossil predates the previous oldest record of this behavior by 40 million years and is featured in an article in Nature Ecology & Evolution. “This is the earliest evidence of prolonged postnatal care in a vertebrate,” said … Read more

OU researchers make new discoveries set to reveal the geology of planets outside our Solar System

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Three OU astronomers today announce ground-breaking discoveries allowing scientists to understand planets outside our Solar System. Professor Carole Haswell, Dr Daniel Staab and Dr John Barnes discovered three, new, nearby planetary systems. Research led by Professor Haswell found the exoplanets – planets outside the Solar System – as part of the Dispersed Matter Planet Project … Read more

First chip-to-chip quantum teleportation harnessing silicon photonic chip fabrication

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The development of technologies which can process information based on the laws of quantum physics are predicted to have profound impacts on modern society. For example, quantum computers may hold the key to solving problems that are too complex for today’s most powerful supercomputers, and a quantum internet could ultimately protect the worlds information from … Read more

Plants from diverse European habitats associate with the same small group of highly abundant microorganisms

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A continental-scale census and analysis of root-inhabiting microorganisms reveals that plants across Europe consistently harbour a small group of unexpectedly abundant ‘core’ microorganisms, irrespective of soil conditions and climate. This contrasts to strong effects of the local environment on the composition of surrounding soil microbial communities and on the relative fitness of different populations of … Read more

Climate warming affects European pollinator assemblages

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Using the largest database of pollinating insects ever compiled from various sources, including the collections of the National Museum of Natural History (MNHN), a mixed team of French researchers, notably from the Centre d’Écologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (MNHN – CNRS – SU) and European researchers, studied changes in the flight period of … Read more

Fossil research unveils new turtle species and hints at intercontinental migrations

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The Arlington Archosaur Site (AAS) of Texas preserves remnants of an ancient Late Cretaceous river delta that once existed in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Known for discoveries of fossil crocodiles and dinosaurs, a multi-institution research team has described four extinct turtle species, including a new river turtle named after AAS paleontologist Dr. Derek Main and … Read more

Simple steps to avoid food poisoning this Christmas

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Summer is a ‘danger period’ for food poisoning in Australia, but there are simple steps we can take to reduce the risk, say researchers at The Australian National University (ANU). Hot weather promotes the growth of foodborne bacteria, so it’s important to avoid leaving food out in the heat for extended periods, particularly meat. Dr … Read more