One of my interests is documenting their rare drumming behaviour. They are the only species other than humans known to both produce music with a rhythmic beat and to manufacture sound tools – a fact we’ve just reported in Science Advances.
I wonder if other animals with this behaviour have been discovered since this was published.
The building is gorgeous from every angle. The five-story structure on Monash University’s Clayton Campus houses 30 classrooms, including a 360-person capacity lecture hall. Since construction finished in February 2020, it has won at least nine separate awards for its sustainable design that incorporates solar and passive systems to create ultra-low energy demand. The result is a sparkling feat of architecture and sustainable engineering, the pride of one of Australia’s most prestigious universities, which has positioned itself at the cutting edge of research on subjects like climate, ecology and sustainability. ... read full post
Researchers warn reef may reach tipping point where coral cannot recover fast enough between major catastrophic events
New South Wales Mining has come under fire for running an ad on its website which claims that the state’s “high quality” coal is “needed for energy security” – and “needed for many years to come.”
Climate group Climate Integrity filed a complaint with the ACCC on Wednesday claiming these statements were misleading and deceptive conduct under the Australian Consumer Law.
But South Australia’s killer algal bloom is advancing towards this natural wonder. If the algae reach the breeding site in the coming weeks or months, they could wipe the cuttlefish population out.
The Minns government has lost its way on environmental policy, according to the New South Wales opposition, the Greens and a member of the crossbench, after government data revealed a 40% surge in land clearing across the state.
cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/25171185
It also said Australia's climate targets should include a commitment to phase out fossil fuel use, production, exports and subsidies, including a clear plan with timelines.
Seems we voters have decided not to bother.
The New South Wales court of appeal has overturned the approval of the largest coalmine expansion in the state after a community environment group successfully argued the planning commission failed to consider the impact of all of the project’s greenhouse gas emissions. ... read full post
Australia could face international legal action over its fossil fuel production and failure to rapidly cut emissions, Vanuatu’s climate minister says, after a potentially watershed declaration by the world’s top court. ... read full post
The Albanese government was so worried a court case could halt native forest logging in northern New South Wales that it drew up plans to essentially sidestep federal environment laws in the event of a loss, documents released under freedom of information laws (FoI) reveal. ... read full post
Scientists are warning the wildlife impacts of a marine heatwave that has driven a catastrophic algal bloom off South Australia are likely to be equivalent to those from the black summer bushfires, and demand a similar response from governments. ... read full post
Deal struck in 1980s refunds about half of what the US multinational fossil fuel company paid in royalties, documents show
The Western Australian government also faces a hefty bill – estimated to be $129m – to help repair an offshore nature reserve where about 900 wells have been drilled over the past six decades.
The South Australian premier has said the state’s algal bloom catastrophe, which has caused mass deaths among hundreds of marine species, should be described as a natural disaster despite the Albanese government declining to do so a day earlier. ... read full post
The Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young says $14m in federal funding is “nowhere near what will be needed” to support South Australian communities dealing with the state’s algal bloom catastrophe. ... read full post
We’re having a sticky beak into the wild and wonderful world of the magpie’s lesser-known relatives: currawongs and butcherbirds. Don’t let their unassuming looks fool you. These birds have big personalities, even bigger voices, and a knack for being both vicious and sweet, often in the same breath. From haunting melodies to interesting table manners, we’re diving into what makes these Aussie songbirds so amusing and just a little bit f*cked. ... read full post