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Big Ideas

Reshaping what's possible

Big Ideas

Prize-winning AuREUS material turns food waste into renewable energy

Carvey Ehren Maigue has won the James Dyson Sustainability Award 2020 for developing AuREUS, a crop-based material turning UV into energy.

Prize-winning AuREUS material turns food waste into renewable energy
Big Ideas

Rosetta comet probe completes "ingredients for life" bingo card

Scientists have discovered the final chemical building block of life on a comet, furthering the idea that our life all came from space.

Rosetta comet probe completes "ingredients for life" bingo card
Big Ideas

DeepMind AI claims massive breakthrough in protein folding

New advances in AI are smashing the competition and determining the structure of proteins which has huge implications for scientific research.

DeepMind AI claims massive breakthrough in protein folding
Big Ideas

Tasmania boldly claims state is 100% powered by renewable energy

Tasmania's recent wind farm projects tips it over into generating enough renewable energy to power the state.

Tasmania boldly claims state is 100% powered by renewable energy
Big Ideas

AI bias isn't going away anytime soon

Another day, another example of artificial intelligence judging people unfairly based on their appearance.

AI bias isn't going away anytime soon
Big Ideas

'Study' reveals Mario Kart, FIFA and Dark Souls are the most stressful games

Which games will get your heart racing most? And which spike it hard? These games lead the stress surge charts with others close behind.

'Study' reveals Mario Kart, FIFA and Dark Souls are the most stressful games
Big Ideas

Platypus cooler than ever as we discover they're also biofluorescent

Not only are they a bunch of weird little rat-ducks who lay eggs with a dash of venom, now they can glow too.

Platypus cooler than ever as we discover they're also biofluorescent
Culture

The Dish gets official Wiradjuri name

The Parkes radio telescope, along with two other CSIRO space instruments, have been given Wiradjuri names to better connect them to country.

The Dish gets official Wiradjuri name
Big Ideas

First Nations languages available to all through the online 50 Words Project

Begin learning your nearest First Nations language thanks to the online-based 50 Words Project, which went live in time for NAIDOC week.

First Nations languages available to all through the online 50 Words Project
Security

Australia implements postal X-ray to sniff out seeds no one ordered

Mysterious seeds are showing up in Australian mailboxes as part of a "brushing scam", so X-rays are being tested to sniff them out.

Australia implements postal X-ray to sniff out seeds no one ordered
Big Ideas

Victoria set to build the new biggest battery in the Southern Hemisphere

Victoria blasts past South Australia with the Victorian Big Battery, projected to reduce energy prices while also reducing blackouts.

Victoria set to build the new biggest battery in the Southern Hemisphere
Big Ideas

Researchers have a plan to give the GPT-3 AI some "common sense"

Scientists are giving the best language AI the power of vision, allowing it to become even more indistinguishable from human speech.

Researchers have a plan to give the GPT-3 AI some "common sense"
Big Ideas

I may not meet my own expectations, but I’ll always have Mario

Why is nostalgia so damn helpful in times of distress like in 2020? Psychology, as usual, has the answers you seek.

I may not meet my own expectations, but I’ll always have Mario
Big Ideas

FRB signal discovered from rare star in Milky Way: is it dropping sick beats?

The first Fast Radio Burst has been detected within our galaxy, giving scientists the a new answer to what can cause these mysterious signals.

FRB signal discovered from rare star in Milky Way: is it dropping sick beats?
Technology

Vindolanda: a dead obsession

It's time to get your would-be child detective on the case. There's a historical mystery to solve and it starts with human bones!

Vindolanda: a dead obsession
Games

Pokemon GO officially good for your brain – but is it still true in 2020?

Research shows how good Pokemon GO can be for mood and memory, but have pandemic lockdowns – and recent game changes – hurt the experience?

Pokemon GO officially good for your brain – but is it still true in 2020?
Big Ideas

Facebook helps boost NYU research project monitoring its ads – by suing it

Facebook goes after an NYU research plugin designed to give greater transparency to political adverts.

Facebook helps boost NYU research project monitoring its ads – by suing it
Big Ideas

NASA confirms the Moon has more water than than we thought

From supporting human habitation to being converted into rocket fuel, here's why that Moon water is such an exciting discovery.

NASA confirms the Moon has more water than than we thought
Big Ideas

Australian-made hydrogen energy storage tech ready to launch

A UNSW research sping-off is ready to sell you hydrogen-based battery with larger and longer lasting energy storage than ever before.

Australian-made hydrogen energy storage tech ready to launch
Big Ideas

Potato-powered DOOM, anyone?

How many spuds does it take to power a game of DOOM? One YouTuber decided to go to extreme lengths to find out.

Potato-powered DOOM, anyone?