Australian

Lake Hillier: Pink Australian lake gets its colour from red and purple microbes

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DNA sequencing has revealed that a bright pink lake on an island off Western Australia gets its colour from a mix of salt-loving bacteria and algae Earth 10 March 2022 By Alice Klein Aerial view of Lake Hillier, Australia Tourism Western Australia The unusual bubblegum pink colour of a remote lake in Western Australia has … Read more

Astronauts, Australian airport mark 60 years since John Glenn first orbited Earth

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The latest U.S. astronauts to follow John Glenn into orbit and the Australian city that lit up for his mission 60 years ago both celebrated the legacy of Glenn’s historic American spaceflight. The four NASA crew members currently on board the International Space Station marked the anniversary in a video while the airport in Perth, … Read more

Chlamydia: Infectious disease found in 1 in 3 birds tested at Australian animal hospital

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A survey of birds entering an Australian animal hospital shows a huge number of them carry chlamydia, including strains never seen before in Australia Life 31 January 2022 By Alice Klein The laughing kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae), native to Australia electra kay-smith / Alamy Nearly one-third of hospitalised Australian birds are carrying chlamydia, including some novel … Read more

Fairywrens: Australian birds can nest out of breeding season to boost numbers

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Purple-crowned fairywrens are more flexible in their breeding behaviour than we thought, which has helped the bird population to grow in one wildlife sanctuary in Western Australia Life 5 January 2022 By Chen Ly Purple-crowned fairywrens in the Northern Territory, Australia Wayne Lawler/Australian Wildlife Conservancy For the second year in a row, researchers have spotted … Read more

Do all Australian critters glow green under UV light, or is it borax?

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Feedback is our weekly column of bizarre stories, implausible advertising claims, confusing instructions and more Humans 29 December 2021 Josie Ford Glowing reports Happy new year, happy new year – may we all have a vision, now and then, of a world where every neighbour is a friend! You catch us having our annual bath, … Read more

Australian wildlife: Reintroductions help threatened mammals recover

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Conservationists are reintroducing threatened mammals to their former ranges with fences to keep out cats and foxes Environment 29 December 2021 By Alice Klein A greater bilby scavenging at night cbstockfoto / Alamy Stock Photo Australia has the worst mammal extinction rate in the world, having lost 34 mammal species in the past 200 years. … Read more

Australian wildlife: Newly discovered millipede has a record-breaking 1306 legs

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A millipede with 1306 legs has smashed the world record after being discovered 60 metres underground in Australia   Life 16 December 2021 By Alice Klein A 10-centimetre-long female Eumillipes persephone millipede with 1306 legs Paul Marek, Virginia Tech A millipede with over 1300 legs has smashed the world record for the most limbs, … Read more

Anti-trolling law: Australian legislation could be used to target political critics

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A law intended to tackle anonymous trolls on social media is unlikely to stop online bullying, but it could allow Australian government ministers to continue a trend of suing their critics Technology | Analysis 7 December 2021 By Alice Klein Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on 2 December 2021 MICK TSIKAS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Australia’s prime minister Scott … Read more