Project Penguin 2016
$30.7 Million For Taronga Conservation Centre
Friday, 5 August 2016
Construction of Taronga Zoo’s new global centre for conservation science and learning for researchers, students and visitors will proceed after the Department of Planning and Environment signed off on the development, Environment Minister Mark Speakman announced today.
The $30.7 million Taronga Institute of Science and Learning will allow Taronga to build on its current world-leading education and research programs. Mr Speakman said the Institute would work with more than 10 universities across a range of scientific disciplines.
“The Institute will enable Taronga to expand on its strengths in science and education, increase the zoo’s ability to undertake leading research and inspire individuals and communities to secure a future for wildlife,” he said.
The zoo’s existing education facility will be demolished and a new three-storey centre built within the zoo.
The facility will support a range of learning programs for students from kindergarten to PhD level as well as the public, and provide facilities including:
• Tech labs for the study of animal welfare and conservation science• Facilities to support in-house and partner organisations working on the ground• Themed immersive classrooms for school children
The Taronga Institute of Science and Learning will be built to an environmentally sensitive design that allows the building to step down the site, retaining a similar height to the zoo’s existing Education Centre. The plans were publicly exhibited in January and February 2016 and construction work is scheduled to start in October this year.
Opening in 2018, the Institute of Science and Learning is part of the zoo’s Centenary Revitalisation Plan and is jointly funded by the NSW Government and the Taronga Conservation Society through donations to the Taronga Foundation.
An artist's impression of the entrance to the Taronga Institute of Science and Learning
Friday, 5 August 2016
Construction of Taronga Zoo’s new global centre for conservation science and learning for researchers, students and visitors will proceed after the Department of Planning and Environment signed off on the development, Environment Minister Mark Speakman announced today.
The $30.7 million Taronga Institute of Science and Learning will allow Taronga to build on its current world-leading education and research programs. Mr Speakman said the Institute would work with more than 10 universities across a range of scientific disciplines.
“The Institute will enable Taronga to expand on its strengths in science and education, increase the zoo’s ability to undertake leading research and inspire individuals and communities to secure a future for wildlife,” he said.
The zoo’s existing education facility will be demolished and a new three-storey centre built within the zoo.
The facility will support a range of learning programs for students from kindergarten to PhD level as well as the public, and provide facilities including:
• Tech labs for the study of animal welfare and conservation science
• Facilities to support in-house and partner organisations working on the ground
• Themed immersive classrooms for school children
The Taronga Institute of Science and Learning will be built to an environmentally sensitive design that allows the building to step down the site, retaining a similar height to the zoo’s existing Education Centre. The plans were publicly exhibited in January and February 2016 and construction work is scheduled to start in October this year.
Opening in 2018, the Institute of Science and Learning is part of the zoo’s Centenary Revitalisation Plan and is jointly funded by the NSW Government and the Taronga Conservation Society through donations to the Taronga Foundation.
An artist's impression of the entrance to the Taronga Institute of Science and Learning
Taronga Zoo: The Taronga Institute Of Science And Learning
From Targona Zoo webpage: taronga.org.au/about-us/building-better-zoo/taronga-zoo/taronga-institute-science-and-learningToday, over 150,000 students participate in Taronga education programs including more than 100,000 students whose experience includes a visit to Taronga Zoo. Taronga also has the largest zoo-based conservation science team in Australia and works in close partnership with Government agencies and the international zoo and conservation community to protect our natural environment.
Located on the site of the current Education Centre, the Taronga Institute of Science and Learning will have:
Classrooms and lecture rooms for teaching students on the ground level with localized exhibits for animalsLaboratories and research facilities on the lower ground floor level, andOpen offices for life science, HR and education on the first floor level as currently located at the Education Centre.The existing lecture theatre and wildlife encounter experience area for students will be retained and upgraded. The existing courtyard will also be revitalised for improved recreational use for students and staff.
In line with the current ZooSnooz overnight ‘sleepover’ program for school children, there will be provisions in the ground floor level classrooms to provide a unique opportunity for school students to sleep over at the Zoo. There will be the additional opportunity to experience the wildlife of the Zoo with a behind-the-scene tour and observe and learn about animal behaviour during the evening hours.
Unique in the Southern Hemisphere, the Taronga Institute will build on Taronga’s existing strengths in research and education and increase its capacity to help secure a shared future for wildlife and people.
Living Ocean/Wander Lightly Beach Clean up: Palm Beach August 21
Our next clean-up is at Palm Beach on the 21st of August For this cleanup Wanderlightly & Living Ocean are proudly supported by the Boathouse at Palm Beach and will be following a slightly different format.
At 9am the Boathouse has ever so generously offered to put on Bacon & egg rolls & coffee when you bring your own reusable cup in - but you must bring your own cup for the free coffee!(Don’t fear if you don’t have one yet as they do sell them onsite)
You will need to register with the Facebook event as numbers are limited for the coffee/breakfast combo. Helpers however are not!!Register here: www.facebook.com/events/1647612212222410/
Over breakfast and coffee we will be giving a talk on ways you can make living with less plastic easier so come armed with those tricky questions!At 10am we will continue with our regular cleanup & at 11am the tally counting will begin.
Plan:9am - Bacon & egg rolls & coffee put on by the boathouse & living Plastic free talk10am - Beach Clean11am – Tally counting for Tangaroa blue
What to Bring:A bucket or bag to collect trash in and a pair of gloves to keep your mitts safe – we have a very limited amount of these so its handy when you bring them.
Where to meet:The Boathouse Kiosk
For more info email Sarah at info@wanderlightly.com
Read the report on the recent Mona Vale Beach Cleanup
09/08/2016 - Blog post: www.wanderlightly.com/?p=1085
From Targona Zoo webpage: taronga.org.au/about-us/building-better-zoo/taronga-zoo/taronga-institute-science-and-learning
Today, over 150,000 students participate in Taronga education programs including more than 100,000 students whose experience includes a visit to Taronga Zoo. Taronga also has the largest zoo-based conservation science team in Australia and works in close partnership with Government agencies and the international zoo and conservation community to protect our natural environment.
Located on the site of the current Education Centre, the Taronga Institute of Science and Learning will have:
Classrooms and lecture rooms for teaching students on the ground level with localized exhibits for animals
Laboratories and research facilities on the lower ground floor level, and
Open offices for life science, HR and education on the first floor level as currently located at the Education Centre.
The existing lecture theatre and wildlife encounter experience area for students will be retained and upgraded. The existing courtyard will also be revitalised for improved recreational use for students and staff.
In line with the current ZooSnooz overnight ‘sleepover’ program for school children, there will be provisions in the ground floor level classrooms to provide a unique opportunity for school students to sleep over at the Zoo. There will be the additional opportunity to experience the wildlife of the Zoo with a behind-the-scene tour and observe and learn about animal behaviour during the evening hours.
Unique in the Southern Hemisphere, the Taronga Institute will build on Taronga’s existing strengths in research and education and increase its capacity to help secure a shared future for wildlife and people.
Living Ocean/Wander Lightly Beach Clean up: Palm Beach August 21
Our next clean-up is at Palm Beach on the 21st of August
For this cleanup Wanderlightly & Living Ocean are proudly supported by the Boathouse at Palm Beach and will be following a slightly different format.
At 9am the Boathouse has ever so generously offered to put on Bacon & egg rolls & coffee when you bring your own reusable cup in - but you must bring your own cup for the free coffee!
(Don’t fear if you don’t have one yet as they do sell them onsite)
You will need to register with the Facebook event as numbers are limited for the coffee/breakfast combo. Helpers however are not!!
Register here: www.facebook.com/events/1647612212222410/
Over breakfast and coffee we will be giving a talk on ways you can make living with less plastic easier so come armed with those tricky questions!
At 10am we will continue with our regular cleanup & at 11am the tally counting will begin.
Plan:
9am - Bacon & egg rolls & coffee put on by the boathouse & living Plastic free talk
10am - Beach Clean
11am – Tally counting for Tangaroa blue
What to Bring:
A bucket or bag to collect trash in and a pair of gloves to keep your mitts safe – we have a very limited amount of these so its handy when you bring them.
Where to meet:
The Boathouse Kiosk
For more info email Sarah at info@wanderlightly.com
Read the report on the recent Mona Vale Beach Cleanup
09/08/2016 - Blog post: www.wanderlightly.com/?p=1085
Community Landcare Grants
Highest Ever Number Of Humpbacks Recorded At Cape Solander
New Format As Pigs Fly In For Warrumbungles Concert
New wind energy framework to give certainty
01.08.2016: Ministerial Media Release- The Hon. Rob Stokes MP, Minister for PlanningA new wind energy planning framework will ensure that NSW has the right settings to attract investment in wind energy, while balancing the interests of the community. The new framework will address delays in the assessment process that in one case required more than 2500 days for a project to be determined. The average determination times for wind projects in the past five years has been more than 1000 days. Planning Minister Rob Stokes said the new framework is focused on driving better outcomes by encouraging proponents to engage early with the community. The policy framework has been developed in response to issues raised by community and industry around uncertainty in the application of the draft 2011 wind farm guidelines. Mr Stokes is inviting the community to have its say on the new planning framework. “We’ve consulted widely, including with key environmental groups, industry, other states and the Australian National Wind Farms Commissioner, to better understand the key issues in developing this framework,” Mr Stokes said. Overwhelmingly, the most contentious issues in dealing with wind projects are noise and visual impacts. The framework will provide guidance to the industry on how to better design their projects with these impacts in mind, in the context of environmental, social and economic impacts. It will provide greater certainty and consistency for the renewable energy industry and the community. Importantly, there will be no arbitrary buffer zones based on the height of turbines. For all other assessment requirements, wind energy developments will be subject to the same assessment framework as other State Significant Developments. “This new framework puts in place processes to identify potential impacts at an early stage to minimise conflict and delays,” Mr Stokes said. “The framework strikes the appropriate balance between giving clear guidance to industry whilst ensuring that the impacts of the project are assessed on their merit. “NSW has valuable wind and solar resources by international standards with many of the best areas located near existing electricity transmission infrastructure. The new framework will help NSW capture benefits from this industry and encourage investment in the State.” “We look forward to further engagement with community and stakeholders through the consultation period.” Submissions for the proposed wind energy framework can be made until 16 September 2016. The proposed new framework can be viewed at the link below or at the Department of Planning and Environment, 23-33 Bridge St, Sydney. Submissions can be made:• by post to Department of Planning and Environment, Attention: Director, Industry and Infrastructure Policy, GPO Box 39, Sydney NSW 2001• Submissions close on 16 September 2016.
Av Green Team's Sustainability DaySaturday, September 3 at 12 PMFREE RSVP Bilgola Surf Life Saving ClubBilgola Beach
The new youth-run environment initiative the Av Green Team is hosting a free sustainability day for everyone to enjoy!
The day will kick off with a beach clean of Bilgola Beach at 10.30am followed by a workshop and speaking-based event held at Bilgola Surf Club.
The sustainability event from 12-4pm will feature speakers and workshops from individuals and groups who are choosing to work or live sustainably. The aim of the event is to bring people together who would like to learn more about sustainability and becoming environmentally conscious. There will be nibbles and Chai tea prepared by members of the Av Green Team and live music too.
We hope to see you there!Please RSVP to this event through the ticket link above!
New wind energy framework to give certainty
01.08.2016: Ministerial Media Release- The Hon. Rob Stokes MP, Minister for Planning
A new wind energy planning framework will ensure that NSW has the right settings to attract investment in wind energy, while balancing the interests of the community.
The new framework will address delays in the assessment process that in one case required more than 2500 days for a project to be determined. The average determination times for wind projects in the past five years has been more than 1000 days.
Planning Minister Rob Stokes said the new framework is focused on driving better outcomes by encouraging proponents to engage early with the community.
The policy framework has been developed in response to issues raised by community and industry around uncertainty in the application of the draft 2011 wind farm guidelines.
Mr Stokes is inviting the community to have its say on the new planning framework.
“We’ve consulted widely, including with key environmental groups, industry, other states and the Australian National Wind Farms Commissioner, to better understand the key issues in developing this framework,” Mr Stokes said.
Overwhelmingly, the most contentious issues in dealing with wind projects are noise and visual impacts. The framework will provide guidance to the industry on how to better design their projects with these impacts in mind, in the context of environmental, social and economic impacts. It will provide greater certainty and consistency for the renewable energy industry and the community.
Importantly, there will be no arbitrary buffer zones based on the height of turbines.
For all other assessment requirements, wind energy developments will be subject to the same assessment framework as other State Significant Developments.
“This new framework puts in place processes to identify potential impacts at an early stage to minimise conflict and delays,” Mr Stokes said.
“The framework strikes the appropriate balance between giving clear guidance to industry whilst ensuring that the impacts of the project are assessed on their merit.
“NSW has valuable wind and solar resources by international standards with many of the best areas located near existing electricity transmission infrastructure. The new framework will help NSW capture benefits from this industry and encourage investment in the State.”
“We look forward to further engagement with community and stakeholders through the consultation period.”
Submissions for the proposed wind energy framework can be made until 16 September 2016.
The proposed new framework can be viewed at the link below or at the Department of Planning and Environment, 23-33 Bridge St, Sydney.
Submissions can be made:
• by post to Department of Planning and Environment, Attention: Director, Industry and Infrastructure Policy, GPO Box 39, Sydney NSW 2001
• Submissions close on 16 September 2016.
Av Green Team's Sustainability DaySaturday, September 3 at 12 PM
FREE RSVP
Bilgola Surf Life Saving Club
Bilgola Beach
The new youth-run environment initiative the Av Green Team is hosting a free sustainability day for everyone to enjoy!
The day will kick off with a beach clean of Bilgola Beach at 10.30am followed by a workshop and speaking-based event held at Bilgola Surf Club.
The sustainability event from 12-4pm will feature speakers and workshops from individuals and groups who are choosing to work or live sustainably. The aim of the event is to bring people together who would like to learn more about sustainability and becoming environmentally conscious. There will be nibbles and Chai tea prepared by members of the Av Green Team and live music too.
We hope to see you there!
Please RSVP to this event through the ticket link above!
Fire Trail Network Improves Community Safety
United Wambo Open Cut Coal Mine Project
Street 134 Jerrys Plains RoadCity WarkworthExhibition Start 11/08/2016Exhibition End 22/09/2016
See all available documents and have your say here
A Joint Venture project between United Collieries and Wambo Coal which combines the existing open cut operations at Wambo with a proposed new open cut at United.
The Project will utilise the existing Wambo Mining Infrastructure Area (MIA), Coal Handling and Preparation Plant (CHPP) and train loading facility. The Project anticipates delivering up to 6Mtpa of product coal, providing jobs for around 500 employees with a life of mine of approximately 23 years. The Project proposes to relocate a 2km section of the Golden Highway and a section of 330kV powerlines to optimise coal recovery in the United Open Cut.
Extent of Mining Areas: Refer to Figure 1.3 - The project proposes realignment of the Wambo Open Cut boundary to maximise resource recovery. The realignment would result in approximately 5 hectares of additional disturbance for the Wambo Open Cut mine.
The Proposed United Open Cut mine is situated to the weast of the existing Wambo operations (refer to Figure 1.3)
The conceptual staged mine plans are shown on Figure 3.2 to Figure 3.6
Operating Hours 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Figure 1.3
Figure 3.2
Street 134 Jerrys Plains Road
City Warkworth
Exhibition Start 11/08/2016
Exhibition End 22/09/2016
See all available documents and have your say here
A Joint Venture project between United Collieries and Wambo Coal which combines the existing open cut operations at Wambo with a proposed new open cut at United.
The Project will utilise the existing Wambo Mining Infrastructure Area (MIA), Coal Handling and Preparation Plant (CHPP) and train loading facility. The Project anticipates delivering up to 6Mtpa of product coal, providing jobs for around 500 employees with a life of mine of approximately 23 years. The Project proposes to relocate a 2km section of the Golden Highway and a section of 330kV powerlines to optimise coal recovery in the United Open Cut.
Extent of Mining Areas: Refer to Figure 1.3 - The project proposes realignment of the Wambo Open Cut boundary to maximise resource recovery. The realignment would result in approximately 5 hectares of additional disturbance for the Wambo Open Cut mine.
The Proposed United Open Cut mine is situated to the weast of the existing Wambo operations (refer to Figure 1.3)
The conceptual staged mine plans are shown on Figure 3.2 to Figure 3.6
Operating Hours 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Figure 1.3
Figure 3.2
Have Your Say On Wyong Coal Mine
Bush Regeneration And Envirofun Weekend
Community Activist Nancy Hillier Honoured In New UNSW Lecture
August 5, 2016: by Clare Morgan - UNSWThe Nancy Hillier Memorial Lecture, organised by UNSW and the City of Botany Bay, will recall the feisty campaigner's fight for justice.Intimidation and even death threats failed to deter community activist Nancy Hillier and she was still campaigning in her late 80s.
Nancy Photo: suppliedNancy Hillier OAM was a community activist and environmental warrior who fought passionately for justice for local residents, the community and the environment.
From the 1970s, Mrs Hillier led opposition to the expansion of Port Botany and Sydney Airport, fought residential and industrial overdevelopment and campaigned for an end to groundwater contamination by heavy industry. She also made significant contributions to legislation, such as the way environment impacts are assessed.
“We have a right to complain about improper planning. A country’s wealth must be assessed by the living conditions of its people and not be judged by how many millionaires it can boast,” Mrs Hillier once said.
Intimidation and even death threats failed to deter Mrs Hillier and she was still campaigning in her late 80s. She died in 2013 aged 89 but her legacy will live on thanks to an annual public lecture organised by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and Botany Bay Council.
The annual Nancy Hillier Memorial Lecture, conceived by UNSW’s Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, will recall Mrs Hillier’s work and passion while providing an avenue for others to debate issues and focus on community participation to achieve social objectives.
The inaugural lecture at State Parliament on 10 August will feature Johanna Garvin, Tanya Balakumar from UNSW, Ron Hoenig MP, Member for Heffron, and Mehreen Faruqi MLC, Greens NSW, discussing the future of citizen participation. The moderator will be Associate Professor Paul Brown from UNSW.
“Nancy was and still is inspirational in Botany, and beyond. She was greatly concerned about how the baton would pass to a younger generation of activists,” Associate Professor Brown said. “Over the years, the lecture series will feature young and emerging activists reflecting on their work and the importance of local action.”
The panel discussion will be preceded by a short film on Mrs Hillier’s life and community work by filmmaker Jane Castle. Ms Castle made the 2002 documentary Sixty Thousand Barrels, about the campaign Mrs Hillier led to compel Orica to move a stockpile of the toxic waste hexachlorobenzene (HCB) from the Botany Industrial Park.
In late July the multinational chemical company applied to the Federal Government to transport 135 tonnes of the carcinogenic pollutant, which has been banned in Europe since 1981, to a facility in Finland. In 2014 France rejected an application to send the waste there.
What: Nancy Hillier LectureWhen: 10 AugustWhere: Parliament of NSW Theatrette, 6 Macquarie St, SydneyBookings: Phone Botany Bay Council on 9366 3600 or emails.healy@unsw.edu.au
Nancy VideoPublished on 3 Aug 2016 By Jane Castle
August 5, 2016: by Clare Morgan - UNSW
The Nancy Hillier Memorial Lecture, organised by UNSW and the City of Botany Bay, will recall the feisty campaigner's fight for justice.
Intimidation and even death threats failed to deter community activist Nancy Hillier and she was still campaigning in her late 80s.
Nancy Photo: supplied
Nancy Hillier OAM was a community activist and environmental warrior who fought passionately for justice for local residents, the community and the environment.
From the 1970s, Mrs Hillier led opposition to the expansion of Port Botany and Sydney Airport, fought residential and industrial overdevelopment and campaigned for an end to groundwater contamination by heavy industry. She also made significant contributions to legislation, such as the way environment impacts are assessed.
“We have a right to complain about improper planning. A country’s wealth must be assessed by the living conditions of its people and not be judged by how many millionaires it can boast,” Mrs Hillier once said.
Intimidation and even death threats failed to deter Mrs Hillier and she was still campaigning in her late 80s. She died in 2013 aged 89 but her legacy will live on thanks to an annual public lecture organised by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and Botany Bay Council.
The annual Nancy Hillier Memorial Lecture, conceived by UNSW’s Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, will recall Mrs Hillier’s work and passion while providing an avenue for others to debate issues and focus on community participation to achieve social objectives.
The inaugural lecture at State Parliament on 10 August will feature Johanna Garvin, Tanya Balakumar from UNSW, Ron Hoenig MP, Member for Heffron, and Mehreen Faruqi MLC, Greens NSW, discussing the future of citizen participation. The moderator will be Associate Professor Paul Brown from UNSW.
“Nancy was and still is inspirational in Botany, and beyond. She was greatly concerned about how the baton would pass to a younger generation of activists,” Associate Professor Brown said. “Over the years, the lecture series will feature young and emerging activists reflecting on their work and the importance of local action.”
The panel discussion will be preceded by a short film on Mrs Hillier’s life and community work by filmmaker Jane Castle. Ms Castle made the 2002 documentary Sixty Thousand Barrels, about the campaign Mrs Hillier led to compel Orica to move a stockpile of the toxic waste hexachlorobenzene (HCB) from the Botany Industrial Park.
In late July the multinational chemical company applied to the Federal Government to transport 135 tonnes of the carcinogenic pollutant, which has been banned in Europe since 1981, to a facility in Finland. In 2014 France rejected an application to send the waste there.
What: Nancy Hillier Lecture
When: 10 August
Where: Parliament of NSW Theatrette, 6 Macquarie St, Sydney
Bookings: Phone Botany Bay Council on 9366 3600 or emails.healy@unsw.edu.au
Nancy Video
Published on 3 Aug 2016 By Jane Castle
Hi-Tech Test To Find Elusive Sawfish
Sawfish. Credit: Colin SimpfendorferAugust 9, 2016
Researchers from James Cook University and Charles Darwin University are using the cutting-edge eDNA (environmental DNA) technique to look for the critically endangered largetooth sawfish in remote northern Australia.
eDNA sampling involves collecting a small sample of the water and analysing it for traces of the DNA of a target species. It has been made possible by huge advances in the field of DNA collection and analysis and is considered a revolutionary technology in the natural sciences.
JCU's Professor Colin Simpfendorfer said researchers first sampled water from different aquaria and were able to correctly tell which contained largetooth sawfish, before trying the technique in the wild.
Researchers say largetooth sawfish may now be extinct in 50 countries, with northern Australia one of the last places where they can be reliably found.
Traditional methods to search for sawfish, such as fishing surveys, can be expensive and time-consuming. To test the approach in the wild, the research team sampled known largetooth sawfish habitats in the Daly River, Northern Territory.
The team partnered with Malak Malak Traditional Owners and Indigenous rangers. "With plenty of sawfish habitat, Malak Malak country was the perfect place to test the new tool in the field," says Dr Peter Kyne of CDU.Professor Simpfendorfer said the technique was mostly accurate in waterholes but to date disappointing in flowing rivers. "It's not a big problem, this is very much a trial phase and it will be solved quite easily given some more time."
He said the eDNA techniques were rapidly evolving and were a huge advance for species conservation. "Sawfish are globally distributed and we don't even know if they still exist in many countries. Applying the eDNA approach globally will enable us to rapidly find threatened populations and prioritise their protection."
Professor Simpfendorfer said the eDNA technique was not limited to fresh water or conservation applications. "There is a big push to roll it out globally. It has many other potential uses, such as detecting invasive pest species at ports."
He said within five to ten years it's hoped that all eDNA analysis will be able to be completed in the field, with no need to take samples back to the lab.
The research project was funded in part by the Australian Government's National Environmental Research Program.
CA Simpfendorfer, PM Kyne, TH Noble, J Goldsbury, RK Basiita, R Lindsay, A Shields, C Perry, DR Jerry. Environmental DNA detects Critically Endangered largetooth sawfish in the wild. Endangered Species Research, 2016; 30: 109 DOI: 10.3354/esr00731
Sawfish. Credit: Colin Simpfendorfer
August 9, 2016
Researchers from James Cook University and Charles Darwin University are using the cutting-edge eDNA (environmental DNA) technique to look for the critically endangered largetooth sawfish in remote northern Australia.
eDNA sampling involves collecting a small sample of the water and analysing it for traces of the DNA of a target species. It has been made possible by huge advances in the field of DNA collection and analysis and is considered a revolutionary technology in the natural sciences.
JCU's Professor Colin Simpfendorfer said researchers first sampled water from different aquaria and were able to correctly tell which contained largetooth sawfish, before trying the technique in the wild.
Researchers say largetooth sawfish may now be extinct in 50 countries, with northern Australia one of the last places where they can be reliably found.
Traditional methods to search for sawfish, such as fishing surveys, can be expensive and time-consuming. To test the approach in the wild, the research team sampled known largetooth sawfish habitats in the Daly River, Northern Territory.
The team partnered with Malak Malak Traditional Owners and Indigenous rangers. "With plenty of sawfish habitat, Malak Malak country was the perfect place to test the new tool in the field," says Dr Peter Kyne of CDU.
Professor Simpfendorfer said the technique was mostly accurate in waterholes but to date disappointing in flowing rivers. "It's not a big problem, this is very much a trial phase and it will be solved quite easily given some more time."
He said the eDNA techniques were rapidly evolving and were a huge advance for species conservation. "Sawfish are globally distributed and we don't even know if they still exist in many countries. Applying the eDNA approach globally will enable us to rapidly find threatened populations and prioritise their protection."
Professor Simpfendorfer said the eDNA technique was not limited to fresh water or conservation applications. "There is a big push to roll it out globally. It has many other potential uses, such as detecting invasive pest species at ports."
He said within five to ten years it's hoped that all eDNA analysis will be able to be completed in the field, with no need to take samples back to the lab.
The research project was funded in part by the Australian Government's National Environmental Research Program.
CA Simpfendorfer, PM Kyne, TH Noble, J Goldsbury, RK Basiita, R Lindsay, A Shields, C Perry, DR Jerry. Environmental DNA detects Critically Endangered largetooth sawfish in the wild. Endangered Species Research, 2016; 30: 109 DOI: 10.3354/esr00731
Katandra Sanctuary
Katandra is a sanctuary for flora and fauna where the wildflowers are their most colourful during spring but all year round there are opportunities for bird watching. The sanctuary covers 12 hectares and is situated on the Ingleside/Warriewood escarpment. Choose to follow a short walk of about 1km or the longer 2km track through rainforest remnants with creeks and fern-fringed pools. Visit: www.katandra.orgMuogamarra in bloom
With spring just around the corner, it’s a great time of year to get outdoors in a national park and enjoy the crisp sunny days and beautiful blossoming flowers.
Muogamarra Nature Reserve, located in the northern outskirts of Sydney, transforms into a brilliant display of colour each August and September, when spring wildflowers come into bloom.
The reserve is only open for six weekends a year to preserve the fragile ecosystems and Aboriginal heritage, and this year, will be open each Saturday and Sunday from 13 August to 18 September.
The best way to explore the extraordinary nature reserve is on a special guided tour. There are three guided walks on offer, where you’ll see and learn about the reserve’s spectacular plants and enjoy stunning scenery.Or for the more adventurous, join the full-day 18km kayaking tour along the Hawkesbury River to see the reserve from the shoreline, take in the sheer cliffs and learn about the area’s fascinating history.
Challenge yourself on The Coast trackLooking for a walking adventure close to Sydney? The Coast track in Royal National Park, just one hour south of the CBD, is definitely one for your to-do-list.
You’ll walk along cliffs, beaches and escarpments, taking in magnificent ocean views and the rugged beauty of the coastline as you go.The 26km track can be walked over two days, combined with an overnight camping experience, or broken up into a series of day walks.
There’s also been no better time to lace up the boots and set out, as the track has recently undergone a $1.8 million upgrade over nine months. Works included construction of sandstone stairways and installation of 2.2km of new boardwalk at several sites.
This work has enhanced the walking experience for visitors, but has also prevented soil erosion and protected coastal vegetation.
The Coast track will also benefit from the recent funding announcement from the NSW Government, with $3.6 million allocated for the next 12 months and $9 million over four years.
Katandra is a sanctuary for flora and fauna where the wildflowers are their most colourful during spring but all year round there are opportunities for bird watching. The sanctuary covers 12 hectares and is situated on the Ingleside/Warriewood escarpment. Choose to follow a short walk of about 1km or the longer 2km track through rainforest remnants with creeks and fern-fringed pools. Visit: www.katandra.org
Muogamarra in bloom
With spring just around the corner, it’s a great time of year to get outdoors in a national park and enjoy the crisp sunny days and beautiful blossoming flowers.Muogamarra Nature Reserve, located in the northern outskirts of Sydney, transforms into a brilliant display of colour each August and September, when spring wildflowers come into bloom.
The reserve is only open for six weekends a year to preserve the fragile ecosystems and Aboriginal heritage, and this year, will be open each Saturday and Sunday from 13 August to 18 September.
The best way to explore the extraordinary nature reserve is on a special guided tour. There are three guided walks on offer, where you’ll see and learn about the reserve’s spectacular plants and enjoy stunning scenery.
Or for the more adventurous, join the full-day 18km kayaking tour along the Hawkesbury River to see the reserve from the shoreline, take in the sheer cliffs and learn about the area’s fascinating history.
Challenge yourself on The Coast track
Looking for a walking adventure close to Sydney? The Coast track in Royal National Park, just one hour south of the CBD, is definitely one for your to-do-list.
You’ll walk along cliffs, beaches and escarpments, taking in magnificent ocean views and the rugged beauty of the coastline as you go.
The 26km track can be walked over two days, combined with an overnight camping experience, or broken up into a series of day walks.
There’s also been no better time to lace up the boots and set out, as the track has recently undergone a $1.8 million upgrade over nine months. Works included construction of sandstone stairways and installation of 2.2km of new boardwalk at several sites.
This work has enhanced the walking experience for visitors, but has also prevented soil erosion and protected coastal vegetation.
The Coast track will also benefit from the recent funding announcement from the NSW Government, with $3.6 million allocated for the next 12 months and $9 million over four years.
Science Ship Becomes Floating Classroom
August 9, 2016: from CSIRO
Investigator's capabilities mean science has no boundaries.© MNFAustralia’s future marine scientists are getting a boost from a new training program set to transform CSIRO’s science research vessel the RV Investigator into a floating classroom.
The unique program will give students and trainers dedicated time on board the Marine National Facility research vessel Investigator and expose them to a range of world class scientific equipment and technology.
The postgraduate training initiative is called CAPSTAN - Collaborative Australian Postgraduate Sea Training Alliance Network .
The program is an Australian first and will provide a collaborative national approach to teaching future generations of marine scientists and mariners.Director of CSIRO Marine National Facility, Ron Plaschke, said the new CAPSTAN program provides a fantastic opportunity for Australian marine scientists.
“This program provides practical training for students on board a multi-disciplinary ocean class research vessel,” Mr Plaschke said.“It gives students, and trainers, learning opportunities that are not available anywhere else in Australia.”
The centrepiece of the program is Investigator, which can operate anywhere from the ice edge to the equator and study the deepest parts of our region’s oceans, as well as the atmosphere above.
Research voyages in 2016 have already discovered undersea volcanoes, investigated climate change, mapped tectonic plate boundaries, foundrare deep-sea creatures and provided important information to monitor changes in our ocean environment.
Macquarie University’s Dr Leanne Armand, program coordinator for CAPSTAN, said this was one of the most exciting programs she has been involved with.
“We’re extremely pleased with this collaboration with CSIRO Marine National Facility, and this program will change the landscape of marine science education in Australia,” Dr Armand said.
“We can’t wait until the first students are on board and get underway on their voyage – it’s an exceptional project and groundbreaking partnership between Australian research institutions, industry and our nation’s leading science agency.”
Dr Leanne Armand (left), coordinator of CAPSTAN.© MNF
The CAPSTAN program will complement other marine science education activities that CSIRO provides including ship tours for students and a training program that will put secondary school teachers on board Investigator alongside scientists conducting marine research.
Using Investigator’s high-tech capabilities, teachers and trainers on board are even able to share their experiences with students across Australia through live ship-to-shore video broadcasts.
The education and training programs enabled by Investigator aim to help train future generations of Australia’s marine scientists and mariners, and inspire studies in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
“Enabling marine education and training is an important role not just for Investigator and CSIRO, but also for Australia,” Mr Plaschke said.“The students involved in CAPSTAN will be well positioned to become Australia’s future generation of marine scientists and mariners.“They will be the people supporting marine research and making discoveries that will help Australia meet future challenges in managing our vast marine estate."
The first participants in the CAPSTAN program are expected to join a transit voyage on Investigator later next year.The CAPSTAN application process is expected to open in early 2017 and further details are available on the program website
August 9, 2016: from CSIRO
Investigator's capabilities mean science has no boundaries.© MNF
Australia’s future marine scientists are getting a boost from a new training program set to transform CSIRO’s science research vessel the RV Investigator into a floating classroom.
The unique program will give students and trainers dedicated time on board the Marine National Facility research vessel Investigator and expose them to a range of world class scientific equipment and technology.
The postgraduate training initiative is called CAPSTAN - Collaborative Australian Postgraduate Sea Training Alliance Network .
The program is an Australian first and will provide a collaborative national approach to teaching future generations of marine scientists and mariners.
Director of CSIRO Marine National Facility, Ron Plaschke, said the new CAPSTAN program provides a fantastic opportunity for Australian marine scientists.
“This program provides practical training for students on board a multi-disciplinary ocean class research vessel,” Mr Plaschke said.
“It gives students, and trainers, learning opportunities that are not available anywhere else in Australia.”
The centrepiece of the program is Investigator, which can operate anywhere from the ice edge to the equator and study the deepest parts of our region’s oceans, as well as the atmosphere above.
Research voyages in 2016 have already discovered undersea volcanoes, investigated climate change, mapped tectonic plate boundaries, foundrare deep-sea creatures and provided important information to monitor changes in our ocean environment.
Macquarie University’s Dr Leanne Armand, program coordinator for CAPSTAN, said this was one of the most exciting programs she has been involved with.
“We’re extremely pleased with this collaboration with CSIRO Marine National Facility, and this program will change the landscape of marine science education in Australia,” Dr Armand said.
“We can’t wait until the first students are on board and get underway on their voyage – it’s an exceptional project and groundbreaking partnership between Australian research institutions, industry and our nation’s leading science agency.”
Dr Leanne Armand (left), coordinator of CAPSTAN.© MNF
The CAPSTAN program will complement other marine science education activities that CSIRO provides including ship tours for students and a training program that will put secondary school teachers on board Investigator alongside scientists conducting marine research.
Using Investigator’s high-tech capabilities, teachers and trainers on board are even able to share their experiences with students across Australia through live ship-to-shore video broadcasts.
The education and training programs enabled by Investigator aim to help train future generations of Australia’s marine scientists and mariners, and inspire studies in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
“Enabling marine education and training is an important role not just for Investigator and CSIRO, but also for Australia,” Mr Plaschke said.
“The students involved in CAPSTAN will be well positioned to become Australia’s future generation of marine scientists and mariners.
“They will be the people supporting marine research and making discoveries that will help Australia meet future challenges in managing our vast marine estate."
The first participants in the CAPSTAN program are expected to join a transit voyage on Investigator later next year.
The CAPSTAN application process is expected to open in early 2017 and further details are available on the program website
Minister For Industry, Innovation And Science Reaffirms The Importance Of Science To Australia’s Future
Leucism
The terms leucistic and leucism are derived from medical terminology (leuc- + -ism). The stem leuc- is the Latin variant of leuk- from the Greek leukos meaning "white".
Leucism is a condition in which there is partial loss of pigmentation in an animal resulting in white, pale, or patchy coloration of the skin, hair, feathers, scales or cuticle, but not the eyes. Unlike albinism, it is caused by a reduction in multiple types of pigment, not just melanin.
Leucism (occasionally spelled leukism) is a general term for the phenotype resulting from defects in pigment cell differentiation and/or migration from the neural crest to skin, hair, or feathers during development. This results in either the entire surface (if all pigment cells fail to develop) or patches of body surface (if only a subset are defective) having a lack of cells capable of making pigment.
Since all pigment cell-types differentiate from the same multipotent precursor cell-type, leucism can cause the reduction in all types of pigment. This is in contrast to albinism, for which leucism is often mistaken. Albinism results in the reduction of melanin production only, though the melanocyte (or melanophore) is still present. Thus in species that have other pigment cell-types, for example xanthophores, albinos are not entirely white, but instead display a pale yellow colour.
Right: Leucistic long-finned oscar (Astronotus ocellatus) photo by Kurt Auerbach
More common than a complete absence of pigment cells is localized or incomplete hypopigmentation, resulting in irregular patches of white on an animal that otherwise has normal colouring and patterning. This partial leucism is known as a "pied" or "piebald" effect; and the ratio of white to normal-coloured skin can vary considerably not only between generations, but between different offspring from the same parents, and even between members of the same litter. This is notable in horses,cows, cats, dogs, the urban crow and the ball python but is also found in many other species.A further difference between albinism and leucism is in eye colour. Due to the lack of melanin production in both the retinalpigmented epithelium (RPE) and iris, albinos typically have red eyes due to the underlying blood vessels showing through. In contrast, most leucistic animals have normally coloured eyes. This is because the melanocytes of the RPE are not derived from the neural crest, instead an outpouching of the neural tube generates the optic cup which, in turn, forms the retina. As these cells are from an independent developmental origin, they are typically unaffected by the genetic cause of leucism.
Leucism. (2016, June 15). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leucism&oldid=725457311
Leucistic Indian peacock (Pavo cristatus) photo by Félix Potuit - Paon blanc faisant la roue (Jardin Botanique, Funchal, Madère, 2008)
Leucistic red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) - photo by Greg Hume - Leucistic hawk cared for at Cincinnati Raptor Inc.
Leucistic white lions owe their colouring to a recessive allele. Note the eyes and lips remain the normal colour - photo by Stano Novak - ZOO Bratislava - African Lion (Panthera leo krugeri)
The terms leucistic and leucism are derived from medical terminology (leuc- + -ism). The stem leuc- is the Latin variant of leuk- from the Greek leukos meaning "white".
Leucism is a condition in which there is partial loss of pigmentation in an animal resulting in white, pale, or patchy coloration of the skin, hair, feathers, scales or cuticle, but not the eyes. Unlike albinism, it is caused by a reduction in multiple types of pigment, not just melanin.
Leucism (occasionally spelled leukism) is a general term for the phenotype resulting from defects in pigment cell differentiation and/or migration from the neural crest to skin, hair, or feathers during development. This results in either the entire surface (if all pigment cells fail to develop) or patches of body surface (if only a subset are defective) having a lack of cells capable of making pigment.Since all pigment cell-types differentiate from the same multipotent precursor cell-type, leucism can cause the reduction in all types of pigment. This is in contrast to albinism, for which leucism is often mistaken. Albinism results in the reduction of melanin production only, though the melanocyte (or melanophore) is still present. Thus in species that have other pigment cell-types, for example xanthophores, albinos are not entirely white, but instead display a pale yellow colour.
Right: Leucistic long-finned oscar (Astronotus ocellatus) photo by Kurt Auerbach
More common than a complete absence of pigment cells is localized or incomplete hypopigmentation, resulting in irregular patches of white on an animal that otherwise has normal colouring and patterning. This partial leucism is known as a "pied" or "piebald" effect; and the ratio of white to normal-coloured skin can vary considerably not only between generations, but between different offspring from the same parents, and even between members of the same litter. This is notable in horses,cows, cats, dogs, the urban crow and the ball python but is also found in many other species.
A further difference between albinism and leucism is in eye colour. Due to the lack of melanin production in both the retinalpigmented epithelium (RPE) and iris, albinos typically have red eyes due to the underlying blood vessels showing through. In contrast, most leucistic animals have normally coloured eyes. This is because the melanocytes of the RPE are not derived from the neural crest, instead an outpouching of the neural tube generates the optic cup which, in turn, forms the retina. As these cells are from an independent developmental origin, they are typically unaffected by the genetic cause of leucism.
Leucism. (2016, June 15). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leucism&oldid=725457311
Leucistic Indian peacock (Pavo cristatus) photo by Félix Potuit - Paon blanc faisant la roue (Jardin Botanique, Funchal, Madère, 2008)
Leucistic red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) - photo by Greg Hume - Leucistic hawk cared for at Cincinnati Raptor Inc.
Leucistic white lions owe their colouring to a recessive allele. Note the eyes and lips remain the normal colour - photo by Stano Novak - ZOO Bratislava - African Lion (Panthera leo krugeri)
Moore Park light rail design revealed
August 9, 2016: NSW Government
Take a look at the new designs for the Anzac Parade Light Rail project.
The newly revealed line, which includes a brand new station close to the Sydney Football Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground, begins at Central Station and will travel through Surry Hills.
The light rail will travel in a tunnel under Moore Park and Anzac Parade.
Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance said this station will be a key stop along the 12 kilometre route, giving fans access to all our iconic sporting events.
“This is home to rugby league, rugby union, AFL, cricket, major events, concerts and an array of spectacles that will make this a major destination for light rail customers,” Mr Constance said.
Construction of the Sydney Light Rail project is underway on more than half of the route and all major construction of the 12-kilometre light rail route from Circular Quay to Randwick and Kingsford will be completed and operating in 2019.
Visit the interactive map on the Sydney Light Rail project website.
Top: Moore Station - Artists illustration.
Pancreatic cancer researcher honoured with NSW Premier’s Award
8 AUG 2016: by UNSW Media and Sophie Cooley- UNSW
UNSW Professor Minoti Apte is internationally renowned for her research into pancreatic pathophysiology and cancer.
UNSW's Professor Minoti Apte has been honoured at the NSW Premier’s Awards for Outstanding Cancer Research for her work on pancreatic cancer.
Professor Apte received the Professor Rob Sutherland AO Make a Difference Award, which recognises highly successful research that is actively changing cancer treatment and improving patient survival. Professor Apte also received a $20,000 cash prize to support her research endeavours.
Professor Apte, from UNSW Medicine’s South Western Sydney Clinical School, is internationally renowned for her research into pancreatic pathophysiology and cancer.
As the Director of the Pancreatic Research Group at the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Professor Apte and her team were the first to show that cells surrounding pancreatic cancer cells, called pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), actively help cancer cells to grow and spread.
They are now working towards developing novel treatments for pancreatic cancer using pre-clinical models.
“I am truly honoured and humbled to receive the NSW Premier’s Award for Outstanding Cancer Research,” Professor Apte said.
“This award belongs to my entire research group. I wish to pay particular tribute to my mentors Professor Jeremy Wilson and Professor Ron Pirola and also to my current PhD students Zhihong Xu and Sri Pothula for their tireless work.
“Recognition such as this award inspires us to work harder to continue to develop new approaches for the treatment of pancreatic inflammation and pancreatic cancer,” Professor Apte said.
Professor Apte has received numerous awards and recognition for her research, including the Order of Australia Medal in 2014 and the 2015 NSW Woman of the Year award.
World leader visits future site of world's nuclear medicine production in Australia
August 9, 2016
In Sydney today, the head of the world’s nuclear agency visited one of its emerging nuclear facilities – the new ANSTO Nuclear Medicine plant that will soon produce international-scale supplies of nuclear medicine.
Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Yukiya Amano (pictured above left), was at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) to be briefed on the status of construction.
The combination of the nearly complete $168.8 million ANSTO Nuclear Medicine Project (ANM) and the OPAL research reactor are two parts of an equation that will take Australian nuclear medicine all around the world.
Nuclear medicine is a vital element of modern medical systems and in Australia it is sourced from OPAL, enabling diagnosis and treatment of a variety of cancers, and heart, lung and skeletal conditions.
This Friday, on the eve of Science Week, OPAL will celebrate ten years since it first went critical, marking a decade of landmark research infrastructure and one of Australia’s most significant science investments.
CEO Dr Adi Paterson (pictured above right) said it was a privilege to host the Director General, and to tell him about the milestones achieved over the OPAL reactor’s first decade, and pending in the very near future from Australia’s nuclear agency.
“Since OPAL achieved its first sustained nuclear chain reaction, it has produced millions of doses of nuclear medicine used by one in two Australians at some point in their lifetime,” said Dr Paterson.
“Reactors such as OPAL are the only reliable way of producing the nuclear medicine molybdenum 99 (Mo-99) at the quality and scale needed by hospitals and nuclear medicine centres around the world.
“Global demand for potentially lifesaving molybdenum 99 (Mo-99) is increasing, while the reactors capable of supplying it are shutting down, and from next year ANSTO will step up to help fill that gap.”
Paterson said that while the nuclear medicine role is critical for ANSTO, it has been an overall decade of achievement for Australia’s OPAL reactor, and has a bright future ahead.
“Every week, OPAL assists industries in finding solutions, improving agricultural yields, conducting environmental studies and producing the major components of green energy,” he said.
“At ANSTO our significant achievements of the past sit alongside our vision for the future, as Mr Amano saw today, visiting the construction site of Australia’s $168.8 million investment in nuclear medicine for the world.
“The ANSTO Nuclear Medicine project is about the future – focused towards producing at a capacity to supply 25 per cent of the global demand for nuclear medicine by the end of 2017.
“The $168.8 million project is in the final phases of construction, having received its engine room of ten hot cells, and by the end of next year aim to reach full scale production of 10 million doses a year.”
Dr Paterson said ANSTO’s history and experience in nuclear science and technology, and particularly the production of nuclear medicine has seen the development of a hub of expertise at Lucas Heights.
“The nuclear science expertise developed in the last decade can be attributed to the international attraction and world class research possible thanks to OPAL, and soon ANM will be greatly adding to this,” he said.
New chili pathogens discovered in Australia
Black lesions were caused by anthracnose. Credit: University of Melbourne
August 8, 2016: University of Melbourne
Scientists have identified four new pathogens previously not found in Australian chillies, raising the stakes for the country's quarantine and disease resistance efforts.
The pathogens, all part of the Colletotrichum species, cause a fungal disease called anthracnose, which lowers yield and produces large, sunken black spots on a variety of fruits and vegetables.
While anthracnose already exists in Australia, the discovery of four new pathogens in chillies raises important new questions about how to better protect Australia's horticultural industry.
The pathogens have a broad host range, meaning they are able to infect other fruits and vegetables, but particularly tropical fruits such as papayas and mangoes.
Professor Paul Taylor, from the Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, said the discovery highlights the need for an effective and efficient diagnostic quarantine system in Australia.
"Before this study, there were only two species of Colletotrichum thought to exist In chilli here," he said.
"The identification of four new ones suggests we need to keep a closer eye on the status of existing pathogens, otherwise our billion-dollar agriculture export industry is at risk."
Professor Taylor and his PhD student Ms Dilani de Silva, analysed infected chilli fruits from southeast Asia and Queensland, which is the hub of production in Australia.
The state produces about 40,000 tonnes of chilli and capsicum over 1,722 hectares a year.
Using molecular techniques and classical taxonomy, the research team identified three Colletotrichum species not found before in Australian chillies (but previously in avocados and papayas) and another never before identified.
The new species is C. cairnsense, while the three new to chilli fruit are: C. siamense, C. simmondsii and C. queenslandicum.
At the moment, growers in Australia manage anthracnose with fungicides, but the identification of the new pathogens will contribute to efforts to build disease resistance in chilli plants.
"This disease is particularly hard to control because of the number of pathogens that make it up," Professor Taylor said.
"On the positive side, our analysis did not detect C. scovillei, which has caused major problems in southeast Asia and has spread heavily throughout Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan.
"With further research we can hopefully prevent the incursion of new exoticColletotrichum species into Australia."
Professor Taylor would like to see more expansive surveying of chillies to allow for the identification of pathogens, as well as the development of tests that will make diagnoses even easier.
"Identification and monitoring of pathogens is the only way to mitigate chilli disease in Australia," he said.
"There is a real lack of tools available right now to industry and quarantine personal that we need to address."
The study has recently been published in the journal, Plant Pathology.
D. D. De Silva, P. K. Ades, P. W. Crous, P. W. J. Taylor. Colletotrichumspecies associated with chili anthracnose in Australia. Plant Pathology, 2016; DOI: 10.1111/ppa.12572
Research to improve treatment for millions of lung disease patients
August 5, 2016: Monash University
New lung scanning technology developed at Monash University has the potential to transform treatment for millions of people with lung disease in Australia and around the world.
A four-dimensional lung scanning platform developed at Monash University by Professor Andreas Fouras has been commercialised by his medical technology company 4Dx. The scanning platform is now giving a Monash-led research team new insights into improved treatment.
Dr Rajeev Samarage, joint lead author from Monash's Laboratory for Dynamic Imaging said the technology would potentially help millions of people.
"Monash has a long record of working with industry to apply deep research into practical commercial applications. With this technology, not only will clinicians have a clearer image of what is happening in the patient's lungs, but it is our aim to detect changes in lung function much earlier than in the past, which will allow clinicians to quantify the effects of treatment by simply comparing measurements from one scan to the next," said Dr Samarage.
Published in the international journal Scientific Reports, the research involved 4Dx, Monash University, the Women's and Children's Hospital South Australia, University of Heidelberg and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Chairman and CEO of 4Dx Professor Fouras said the 4Dx pre-clinical scanner generates high-resolution images of lung-tissue motion and airflow throughout the lungs, which allows investigators to view and measure abnormal function in specific areas of the lung, before a disease progresses and spreads.
"Current tools are out of date and require two or three pieces of diagnostic information to piece together what is happening in someone's lungs. Our game-changing diagnostic tool offers images of the breathing lungs, making it possible to see what is really important -- not what they look like -- but how they work," Professor Fouras said.
Professor Greg Snell, Head of Lung Transplant Service at the Alfred hospital said it was a significant step.
"This technology has great potential as a new tool for both early diagnosis and management of many very common lung conditions. I think this will be the start of a new way of thinking about diagnostic imaging."
Cystic Fibrosis Victoria CEO Karin Knoester said it was an important tool to help people treat and manage their condition.
"Any tool that can identify damage at an early stage will be able to inform intervention, with the hope of reducing further damage."
Charlene S. Stahr, Chaminda R. Samarage, Martin Donnelley, Nigel Farrow, Kaye S. Morgan, Graeme Zosky, Richard C. Boucher, Karen K. W. Siu, Marcus A. Mall, David W. Parsons, Stephen Dubsky, Andreas Fouras. Quantification of heterogeneity in lung disease with image-based pulmonary function testing. Scientific Reports, 2016; 6: 29438 DOI: 10.1038/srep29438
Archaeology team makes world-first tool discovery
One of the stone tools (a blade that tested positive for rhino residue).
Credit: Courtesy of April Nowell
August 8, 2016: University of Victoria
How smart were human-like species of the Stone Age? New research published in the Journal of Archaeological Science by a team led by paleoanthropologist April Nowell of the University of Victoria reveals surprisingly sophisticated adaptations by early humans living 250,000 years ago in a former oasis near Azraq, Jordan.
The research team from UVic and partner universities in the US and Jordan has found the oldest evidence of protein residue -- the residual remains of butchered animals including horse, rhinoceros, wild cattle and duck -- on stone tools. The discovery draws startling conclusions about how these early humans subsisted in a very demanding habitat, thousands of years beforeHomo sapiens first evolved in Africa.
The team excavated 10,000 stone tools over three years from what is now a desert in the northwest of Jordan, but was once a wetland that became increasingly arid habitat 250,000 years ago. The team closely examined 7,000 of these tools, including scrapers, flakes, projectile points and hand axes (commonly known as the "Swiss army knife" of the Paleolithic period), with 44 subsequently selected as candidates for testing. Of this sample, 17 tools tested positive for protein residue, i.e. blood and other animal products.
"Researchers have known for decades about carnivorous behaviours by tool-making hominins dating back 2.5 million years, but now, for the first time, we have direct evidence of exploitation by our Stone Age ancestors of specific animals for subsistence," says Nowell. "The hominins in this region were clearly adaptable and capable of taking advantage of a wide range of available prey, from rhinoceros to ducks, in an extremely challenging environment."
"What this tells us about their lives and complex strategies for survival, such as the highly variable techniques for prey exploitation, as well as predator avoidance and protection of carcasses for food, significantly diverges from what we might expect from this extinct species," continues Nowell. "It opens up our ability to ask questions about how Middle Pleistocene hominins lived in this region and it might be a key to understanding the nature of interbreeding and population dispersals across Eurasia with modern humans and archaic populations such as Neanderthals."
Another result of this study is the potential to revolutionize what researchers know about early hominin diets. "Other researchers with tools as old or older than these tools from sites in a variety of different environmental settings may also have success when applying the same technique to their tools, especially in the absence of animal remains at those sites," adds Nowell.
A. Nowell, C. Walker, C.E. Cordova, C.J.H. Ames, J.T. Pokines, D. Stueber, R. DeWitt, A.S.A. al-Souliman. Middle Pleistocene subsistence in the Azraq Oasis, Jordan: Protein residue and other proxies. Journal of Archaeological Science, 2016; 73: 36 DOI:10.1016/j.jas.2016.07.013
Bedford truck acquisition
8 August 2016: NMA
The National Museum of Australia is acquiring the historic Bedford truck which was used to deliver supplies and correspondence to the Aboriginal stockmen, domestic workers and families who walked off ‘Wave Hill’ station in August 1966 in the Northern Territory, as a protest against unfair wages.
Bedford truck. Photo: Brenda L Croft.
Their seven-year strike eventually culminated in the handover of a portion of the land. This moment was made symbolic in 1975 when the then Prime Minster Gough Whitlam poured a handful of red earth into the hands of Vincent Lingiari, a leader of the Gurindji people. The now famous photograph of this moment symbolised the Gurindji people’s historic struggle.
The late Aboriginal rights campaigner, Mr Brian Manning, was one of the first to assist the strikers, and used his 1960s TJ Series Bedford truck to regularly deliver supplies and correspondence to the striking Gurindji people.
The truck was listed in the Northern Territory Government Heritage Register in 2010. It was offered as a donation to the National Museum of Australia in 2015.
The Museum has worked with the present owner Kerry Gibbs and local Indigenous community representative Brenda Croft, and the Northern Territory Government (Department of Lands, Planning and the Environment) to gain approval to transfer the heritage vehicle to the National Museum where it can be conserved and made accessible to all Australians.
The Museum will continue to consult with Indigenous people about the most appropriate ways to conserve and display this important vehicle.
The truck will be stabilised for travel and is expected to arrive in Canberra before the year’s end.
‘We are honoured and proud to be asked to care for this important historic vehicle,’ said National Museum Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Program head, Patricia Williamson.
‘From 1966 the truck played a key role in supporting the Gurindji people in their nine year struggle to gain land rights and Brian Manning’s support helped the Gurindji face their hardships and strengthen the resolve of those involved, said Ms Williamson.
‘Even today members of the Gurindji, Malgnin, Warlpiri, Mudburra, Ngarinman and Bilinari Aboriginal groups living at Kalkarindji and Daguragu in the Northern Territory, see the truck as a significant symbol of their struggle to obtain autonomy and rights over their land,’ said Ms Williamson.
In March 1966, the Australian Arbitration Commission determined that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers should be paid equal wages. However, this was not due to come into effect for three years.
The decision sparked several small strikes around Australia.
On the Vestey property ‘Wave Hill’ – one of the largest pastoral stations in the Northern Territory – Aboriginal people were dismayed and angry. When their spokesperson, Vincent Lingiari (a Gurindji man) asked the station master in August for full wages and was refused, he led Gurindji, as well as Ngarinman, Bilinara, Warlpiri and Mudbara stockmen, domestic workers and their families in a strike and walked off the station. The strike was to last 7 years.
Although prompted by a call for fair wages, the primary demand of the Gurindji was to have their land returned to them. The strike became one of the first events to attract wide public support for Indigenous land rights in Australia. Prime Minister Gough Whitlam gained agreement from the Vesteys to give the Gurindji back a part of their land and a new lease was developed. The formal handback took place on 16 August 1975 and is recognised as a landmark achievement in the Indigenous land rights movement in Australia.
Aboriginal rights campaigner, Mr Brian Manning, was one of the first to assist the strikers, and used his 1960s TJ Series Bedford truck to regularly deliver supplies and correspondence to the striking Gurindji people from 1966 through their nine year struggle to gain land rights.
Aussie satellites to launch from International Space Station
08 AUG 2016: by Wilson Da Silva - UNSW
Artist’s impression of UNSW-Ec0 in space. (Credit: Jamie Tufrey/UNSW)
Three Australian research satellites – two of them built at the University of New South Wales – will be launched to the International Space Station this year and deployed into orbit to explore the little-understood region above Earth known as the thermosphere.
The trio is part of an international project known as QB50, which will see a total of 50 small satellites – known as cubesats and weighing just a kilo each – carry out the most extensive measurements ever undertaken of the region between 200 and 380 km above Earth.
“This region is poorly understood and hard to measure,” said Andrew Dempster, Director of Australian Centre for Space Engineering Research (ACSER) at UNSW. “And yet, it’s the interface between our planet and space. It’s where much of the ultraviolet and X-ray radiation from the Sun collides with the Earth, and generates auroras and potential hazards that can affect power grids and communications.”
The three satellites are ACSER’s UNSW-Ec0, which will study the atomic composition of the thermosphere; INSPIRE-2, a joint project between the University of Sydney, UNSW and the Australian National University which will measure the electron temperature and density of plasma in the region; and SUSat, a joint project between by the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia.
All three satellites, along with 40 other QB50 cubesats, will be launched to the International Space Station in December by an Orbital ATK Antares rocket from Wallops Island, Virginia, inside a Cygnus cargo freighter. The cubesats will be deployed from the ISS between a month or so after arrival, and drift down from the ISS’s orbit of 380 km toward the target region.
“This is the most extensive exploration of the lower thermosphere ever, collecting measurements in the kind of detail never before tried,” said Elias Aboutanios, project leader of UNSW-Ec0 and a senior lecturer at UNSW. “The satellites will operate for 3-9 months – and may last up to a year – orbiting this little-studied region of space, before their orbits decay and they re-enter the atmosphere and burn up.”
Each cubesat also carries other instruments with its own engineering and scientific goals. UNSW-Ec0, for example, has three other experiments: a robust computer chip designed to avoid crashing in the harsh radiation of space, as some satellites and space probes are forced to do when hit by cosmic rays; a space-borne GPS to allow satellites to cluster together in swarms; and test a super-reliable computer microkernel in the harsh radiation of space.
UNSW-Ec0’s chassis is made entirely from 3D-printed thermoplastic, itself an experiment to test the reliability of using 3D-printing to manufacture satellites, making them cheaper.
It’s the first time an Australian-made satellite has gone into space since FedSat, a 58kg experimental microsatellite, was launched from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Centre in 2002. The Hon. Greg Hunt MP, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, announced today that he had signed the Overseas Launch Certificates permitting the satellites to go into space.
