Science Matters

Life, the Universe and almost everything in between. This is Science at Melbourne.

18 January 2020 – Bushfires, Climate, Disasters, Water
Bushfires and storms threaten water supply and much more
Burned forests in steep mountains can be just as hazardous after the rains come and the flames have been extinguished explain University of Melbourne experts.
15 January 2020 – Astronomy, Astrophysics, Black Holes, Mars, Space
Putting the Universe under the telescope
The 2020s will use increasingly complex technology to ramp up efforts to understand more about the Universe, explains a University of Melbourne expert.
14 January 2020 – Antibiotics, Genetics, Gut Bacteria, Microbiome, Women In Science
Getting to know your microbiome better
Microbiome research produces huge amounts of data, but do we have the right information to answer our bug-related questions ask University of Melbourne experts.
9 January 2020 – Australian Wildlife, Bushfires, Climate Change, Fire Ecology
How Australian wildlife live with bushfires - but the price can be high
Australia's wildlife has adapted in different ways to living with bushfires, but the costs can still be high, explains a University of Melbourne expert
5 January 2020 – Carbon Emissions, Climate Change, Global Warming, Paris Agreement
How fast the planet warms will be crucial for liveability
A rapid rise in temperatures under global warming would lead to more extremes compared to keeping warming more gradual say University of Melbourne researchers
2 January 2020 – Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Light Waves, Relativity, Time
A very, very brief history of time
From tracking the heavens to formulating relativity and entropy, understanding time has been a major human endeavour, says a University of Melbourne expert
27 December 2019 – Australia, Beaches, Environment, Erosion, Oceans
How you can help scientists monitor our beaches
A new project called CoastSnap calls on citizen-scientists to help University of Melbourne researchers monitor our beaches as they change.
18 December 2019 – Melbourne Weather, Meteorology, Weather
Explaining Melbourne’s crazy but predictable weather
Melbourne's highly variable weather is a perennial conversation starter, but Melbourne University experts explain that it is largely about unique geography
11 December 2019 – Geology, New Zealand, Plate tectonics , Tourism, Volcanoes
Seeing the power of White Island firsthand
Getting close to the power of nature is good for tourism but the volcanic eruption on White Island reminds us of the risks says a University of Melbourne expert