https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-10/night-parrot-chase/10612496?pfmredir=sm
Post of the Day
Rating riverside corridors — the ‘escape routes’ for animals under climate change
While riverside habitats are known to be important for species migrating under climate change, this is the first study to rank riparian areas as targets for restoration and conservation efforts.
Today’s Celebration
Oruro Local Festival Bolivia
St. Paul’s Shipwreck (Feast of ) Malta
Kurdish Authors Union Day – Iraq
National Memorial Day of the Exiles and Foibe – Italy
Fenkil Day – Eritrea
Mother’s Day – Norway
Climate Change
Climate change poses greater risk of mental health challenges for children born to depressed mothers
The findings suggest a need for prenatal interventions in an era of growing environmental disasters
Forecast suggests Earth’s warmest period on record
The forecast for the global average surface temperature for the five-year period to 2023 is predicted to be near or above 1.0 degree C above pre-industrial levels, says the United Kingdom’s Met Office.
National
X
Eavesdropping in the spinifex, scientists and rangers zero in on Australia’s most elusive bird
The search for the night parrot is as old as the Dreaming and punctuated by larrikins, obsessives and bush-telegraph legends. Can a partnership between scientists and traditional custodians finally flush this creature from the spinifex?
Victoria
Great Ocean Road set to crawl [$]
A go-slow is being enforced on Victoria’s iconic Great Ocean Rd with the speed limit cut to just 20kmh in a popular section. See where the limits kick in.
Black Saturday: What have we learnt?
John Iser
In the ten years since the Black Saturday bushfires of 2009, many improvements have happened in fire prevention and management.
New South Wales
7,700 still without power in NSW
After Sydney and NSW were hammered by wild weather — blacking out about 40,000 homes last night — emergency crews are still working to restore power.
Labor announces plan for 500,000 households to get rooftop solar
NSW Labor has announced it will support a program to help 500,000 households to install rooftop solar, reducing electricity bills in the next 10 years.
Warning over public safety in national parks as popularity soars
Record numbers of people are visiting NSW national parks but there are fewer permanent rangers and managers to meet conservation goals and ensure public safety.
In the battle for the bush, the Liberals are scared
Alexandra Smith
After eight years in government, the Liberals are suddenly warning of the dangers of voting for the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers.
ACT
2000 apartments on the cards for West Basin
West Basin is likely to be home to at least 2000 apartments, the ACT government has revealed, while the entire precinct is currently under review.
Queensland
‘Smacks of judicial activism’: Nationals MP accused of contempt of court after Rocky Hill decision
A Nationals MP’s claim that the Land and Environment Court’s decision to block a coal mine in his electorate reflected an “ideological position” could land him in trouble.
Bob Brown
I am 74 and acutely aware that our planet is hotter than when I was a boy, due to the burning of fossil fuels.
South Australia
Meet the tiny bats that could be a natural solution to battle bugs damaging wine grapes
They cannot be seen or heard at night and fit in the palm of a hand, but these tiny mammals could become a new weapon to guard Australian grape crops against hungry insects.
Tasmania
‘We’re always going to be working in a novel environment’: Fighting fire with a global science
The fire crisis still unfolding across Tasmania, with seven homes destroyed and over 205,000 hectares of world heritage wilderness and forest burnt, is not the first Dr Crystal Kolden has experienced in recent months.
There are fears this summer’s series of fires started by lightning — and the destruction they’ve caused — may be the “new normal”.
Barnett speaks in defence of mines [$]
Guy Barnett says the state’s mining sector has “delivered big-time” on jobs and opportunity, as research shows issues with metal pollution in our wild lakes.
New rules will limit free camping [$]
Councils around Tasmania will have to reconsider their free camping offerings following new rules handed down by the State Government.
Blackmans Bay south will not be able to reopen this summer — and tests have revealed likely contributors to the problem.
Our clean, green image put to test [$]
Rex Gardner
Tasmania’s deep and dirty environmental secrets could haunt the state for years to come.
Western Australia
Rottnest is rapidly hitting capacity, but can it cope with the influx of tourists?
In 2014, the WA Government forecast 800,000 visitors to Rottnest by 2034. Just five years later, we are about to hit that target, writes Elicia Kennedy.
Forrestdale blaze downgraded: Fire crews bring fire under control
The bushfire in Forrestdale has been downgraded to an advice level and there is currently no threat to lives or homes.
As toads march west, traditional owners want to help stop their spread
The head of a federal inquiry looking into controlling the spread of cane toads defends having no WA representatives on the committee and only holding hearings in Canberra.
Sustainability
Coal bites dust in Germany, Europe’s greenest nation
Angela Merkel’s decision to phase out coal has been welcomed with cries of “why not sooner?”.
Think big — at least when it comes to global conservation
According to a group of international researchers, the potential for large countries to contribute to environmental protection is being overlooked.
A better way to make plastics out of sulfur
Scientists have discovered a new process to make polymers out of sulfur which could provide a way of making plastic that is less harmful to the environment.
Green water-purification system works without heavy metals or corrosive chemicals
Scientists have developed an effective and energy-efficient technique for purifying water by using graphitic carbon nitride sheets. Their prototype purified pathogen-rich water in 30 minutes, killing over 99.9999 percent of bacteria, such as E. coli, meeting China’s requirements for clean drinking water.
Thirdhand smoke residue exposes children to chemicals
Researchers find that indoor smoking bans may not fully protect children.
Planning ahead: A new robust approach for minimizing costs in power-distribution networks
Scientists at Tokyo Tech have developed a new method for scheduling the turning on and off of power generators that minimizes costs and ensures reliability while addressing the issues prevalent in multiple previous methods.
Unleashing perovskites’ potential for solar cells
Researchers have been able to decipher a key aspect of the behavior of perovskites made with different formulations: With certain additives there is a kind of ‘sweet spot’ where greater amounts will enhance performance and beyond which further amounts begin to degrade it.
Researchers chart path to cheaper flexible solar cells
Researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology, University of California San Diego and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have reported new findings about perovskite solar cells that could lead the way to devices that perform better.
Could theatre be way forward in communicating conservation messages?
Theatre performances in zoos can be effective in increasing knowledge of important conservation messages, a study at the University of York has revealed.
Addressing cooling needs and energy poverty targets in the Global South
With most of the northern hemisphere currently in the icy grip of one of the coldest winters ever recorded, in the south, it is record-breaking heat that is the problem. The results of a new IIASA study show that between 1.8 and 4.1 billion people require access to indoor cooling to avoid heat-related stresses.
Nature Conservation
Rating riverside corridors — the ‘escape routes’ for animals under climate change
While riverside habitats are known to be important for species migrating under climate change, this is the first study to rank riparian areas as targets for restoration and conservation efforts.
New way to help increase conservation impact
A study reveals huge variations in the similarity and breadth of animal roles in nature across different parts of the world.
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