Mysterious Lithium-Producing Stars Analysed on Nectar
Dr Simon Campbell, ARC Future Fellow at Monash University, is unravelling the origin of the elements in the universe, one ARDC Nectar Research Cloud processor at a time. Here on Earth, Lithium is used in electric cars, giant solar-storage batteries, medicine, mobile phone batteries and heat resistant glass, but little is known about how the […]
How Australia’s national research infrastructure is responding to COVID-19
Australia’s National Research Infrastructure (NRI) swiftly redeployed to support national and international COVID-19 research. Some examples are listed below. Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP), Bioplatforms Australia (BPA), Microscopy Australia and Therapautic Innovation Australia (TIA) were involved in the University of Queensland vaccine program. Australian Plant Phenomics Facility (APPF) is supporting research into plant-based vaccines. Astronomy Australia […]
Improving Environmental Decision Making with Research Platforms
Over 7,000 users based at 400 different institutions in 35 countries have accessed ARDC-supported digital research platforms for ecological modelling to inform environmental research and decision making. Australia’s Environment Is in a State of Decline In a 2020 independent review of Australia’s environmental legislation, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, Prof Graeme Samuel […]
Australian Urban Health Indicators
Creating new health indicators that improve the understanding of the health of Australian urban and regional populations Australian Urban Health Indicators (AusUrb-HI) is a collaboration between NCRIS facilities – the Australian Urban Research Infrastructure Network (AURIN), the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) and the Population Health Research Network (PHRN) – and researchers, that will develop a suite of new indicator data […]
Nano-thin piezoelectrics advance self-powered electronics
A new type of ultra-efficient, nano-thin material could advance self-powered electronics, wearable technologies and even deliver pacemakers powered by heart beats. The flexible and printable piezoelectric material, which can convert mechanical pressure into electrical energy, has been developed by an Australian research team led by RMIT University. It is 100,000 times thinner than a human […]
Engineers devise new method to remove harmful E. coli from water
Engineers at Monash University have developed a new solar filtration method to remove deadly bacteria, such as E. coli, from water using a safe and low-cost material: graphitic carbon nitride with polyethylenimine. This builds on previous solar filtration technologies but has one key benefit, it does not leach metals back into the water to create secondary […]
The risk of ‘Mr Fluffy’ insulation
When Australian National University epidemiologist Associate Professor Rosemary Korda first started holding public forums for Canberra residents affected by ‘Mr Fluffy’ insulation, people were very distressed. “There was quite a bit of anger in the room, and pretty upset people,” she remembers. “There were definitely people who were very concerned about future health effects of the asbestos insulation, particularly […]
From ancient grass to modern materials
A unique partnership between Dugalunji Aboriginal Corporation and a University of Queensland research team has lead to the development of valuable and sustainable nanofibres leading to the creation of regional, Indigenous jobs. CHALLENGE Nanofibres can strengthen many materials for a wide range of applications from thinner more flexible electronics and plastics, to next generation building […]
New Era in X-Ray Imaging
Next generation X-ray technology, developed and manufactured in Adelaide, is solving global health, defence and security challenges by making X-ray machines significantly lighter and more portable. In-depth imaging is now available on the move thanks to Adelaide-based medical device manufacturer, Micro-X, which has commercialised a new way of producing x-rays. The ASX-listed company is harnessing […]
Super-charging next-gen solar panels with phosphorene
Researchers at Flinders University have made significant increases in efficiency in several emerging solar cell technologies using phosphorene – a 2D form of phosphorus only a few atoms thick – along with developing a cheaper, faster way to produce it. In a world in need of cheaper, sustainable and clean energy solutions, solar is an […]