Premier opens UNSW’s Materials Science and Engineering Building
July 20, 2016: UNSW Media
The Hilmer Building. Photo: John Gollings
The new home of Australia’s leading materials science and engineering research and innovation has been officially opened today by the NSW Premier Mike Baird.
“NSW is a world leader in innovation, science and engineering and this new state of the art building will be an important training ground for future leaders in these fields,” the Premier said of the significant addition to the UNSW Kensington campus.
“Facilities such as this will help UNSW collaborate further with industry, business and government to develop innovative ideas that will not only improve society, but also boost our economy.”
(L-R) UNSW Chancellor David Gonski AC, NSW Premier Mike Baird and Emeritus Professor Fred Hilmer. Photo: Arunas Klupsas
President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Jacobs said the $140 million building, which provides staff and students with exceptional research laboratories and flexible collaborative learning spaces, reinforces UNSW’s reputation as a world-leader in the field.
“This amazing building has been designed for Australia’s highest ranked materials science school, which sits in the world’s top 50,” Professor Jacobs said. Earlier this month, the building’s research laboratories were recognised with the Educational Architecture Award from the Australian Institute of Architects (NSW).
“Materials science is applied to virtually every aspect of our lives – the important and world-class research undertaken here is focused on producing clear, practical outcomes that help create a better world for us all.”
The new facility will be known as the Hilmer Building, in honour of former President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Fred Hilmer (2006-2015).
UNSW Chancellor David Gonski said: “Fred Hilmer was instrumental in the transformation of our campus and this naming honour recognises his outstanding service and dedication to UNSW. This world-class facility is a striking addition to UNSW and is already opening up new opportunities for staff and students. It is a fitting tribute to our esteemed former President and Vice-Chancellor.”
Emeritus Professor Hilmer said: “While I am honoured to have my name on such a significant building, this event is really recognition of the efforts of a committed and effective team that restored and enhanced the performance and reputation of UNSW.”
Home of world-leading research and innovation
The Hilmer Building is home to a range of world-class research teams including:
• The Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT Centre) led by ARC Laureate Fellow, Scientia Professor Veena Sahajwalla, works with industry, SMEs, global research partners, NGOs, all levels of government, policy makers and the community to develop innovative environmental solutions for the world’s biggest waste challenges. The Centre brings together researchers from the faculties of Science, Engineering and Built Environment.
• The Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre occupies several custom-built laboratories that allow for UNSW staff and students, as well as external researchers and industry partners, to collaborate on the study of the structure of chemical and physical materials.
• Research by Professor Sean Li and his team into advanced multifunctional materials has the potential to improve the efficiency of power grids, and this has attracted the attention of Chinese firm Hangzhou Cables, who’ve formed one of the first partnerships under the new Torch Innovation Precinct imprint.
• Dr Rakesh Joshi at the School of Materials Science and Engineering and his colleagues at the University of Manchester, Dr Rahul Nair and Sir Andre Geim, are conducting breakthrough research on Graphene Oxide membranes.
• The Michael Crouch Innovation Centre, made possible through the generous gift of Michael Crouch, is a dynamic ‘makers and innovators space’, bringing together students, staff and alumni from all our UNSW faculties, schools and divisions – plus industry partners and the wider community – to collaborate, innovate and create.
Professor Jacobs said: “The Hilmer building is where all this and more is happening. It is truly a dream for our dedicated and ambitious researchers and students.
“It represents what we are trying to achieve at UNSW. It is bold, it encourages innovation and collaboration, and it has a clear focus on excellence, creativity and the pursuit of new ideas.”
Designed by Grimshaw Architects, with input from HDR who worked on the laboratory spaces, the building was constructed by Brookfield Multiplex at a cost of $143 million and is the home of the School of Materials Science and Engineering. Collaboration and adaptability are at the heart of the design, which provides seamless links between the physical and chemical science laboratories. The reconfigurable lab system is framed by write-up spaces, offices and meeting rooms that encourage collaboration among teams. Flexible, adaptable environments like these are the future of research, and will help the University in coming years to achieve two key priorities of its 2025 Strategy – Research Quality and Educational Excellence.
Apollo 11 Week: 47 Years On
When those who put this page together for you each week were 4 years old their mum told them to come and watch the television!!!!!!
Normally it was 'go outside and play!'
But this day was different, and even though the TV, a PYE set that looked a little alike a space helmet was only black and white, we stared and stared as we saw a man land on the moon for the first time in history! That day was July 20th, 1969.
The Astronaut called Neil Armstrong climbed down from the spacecraft, stood on the moon and then said,"That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."
Launched by a Saturn V rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida, on July 16, Apollo 11 was the fifth manned mission of NASA's Apollo program. The Astronauts were Americans Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, piloted the Command Module Columbia alone in lunar orbit while the other two were on the Moon's surface.
Saturn V carrying Apollo 11 rises past the launch tower camera - Courtesy NASA
The Apollo spacecraft had three parts: a Command Module (CM) with a cabin for three astronauts, and the only part that landed back on Earth; a Service Module (SM), which supported the Command Module with propulsion, electrical power, oxygen, and water; and a Lunar Module (LM) that had two stages – a lower stage for landing on the Moon, and an upper stage to place the astronauts back into lunar orbit. After being sent toward the Moon by the Saturn V's upper stage, the astronauts separated the spacecraft from it and traveled for three days until they entered into lunar orbit.
Armstrong and Aldrin then moved into the Lunar Module Eagle and landed in the Sea of Tranquility. They stayed a total of about 21.5 hours on the lunar surface, collecting Lunar materials and doing some experiments.
Landing site of Apollo 11 at Sea of Tranquility
Aldrin poses on the Moon, allowing Armstrong to photograph both of them using the visor's reflection: Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, lunar module pilot, stands on the surface of the moon near the leg of the lunar module, Eagle, during the Apollo 11 moonwalk. Astronaut Neil Armstrong, mission commander, took this photograph with a 70mm lunar surface camera. Photograph courtesy NASA
Aldrin next to the Passive Seismic Experiment Package with Eagle in the background: Neil Armstrong - NASA photo AS11-40-5948
The astronauts then used Eagle's upper stage to lift off from the lunar surface and rejoin Collins in the Command Module. They jettisoned Eagle before they performed the manoeuvers that blasted them out of lunar orbit on a trajectory back to Earth. They returned to Earth and landed in the Pacific Ocean, splashing down in waters of Hawaii on July 24th - today!
The two Astronauts left behind an American flag, a patch honoring the fallen Apollo 1 crew, and a plaque on one of Eagle's legs. It reads, "Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the moon. July 1969 A.D. We came in peace for all mankind."
Broadcast on live TV to a world-wide audience of half a billion people - this is what we saw and heard that day and still remember:
Environment Becomes ‘Environment And Energy’
Have Your Say On Wyong Coal Mine
Container Deposit Scheme For Queensland
Entries Open For 2016 NSW Farmer Of The Year Award
Chemical Pollution Gets To Antarctic Marine Bird Colonies
"Someday, these chemical compounds will get everywhere," warns Jacob González Solís. Credit: UB-IRBio
July 21, 2016
Latitude is the main factor which determines the organic pollutant concentration in Antarctic giant petrels -emblematic species in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions-, according to an article from the journal Environmental Research in which Professor Jacob González Solís, from the Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences and the Biodiversity Research Institute of the University of Barcelona (IRBio) takes part.
The research, directed by experts of the Institute of General Organic Chemistry (IQOG-CSIC), analyses the impact by persistent organic pollutants (COP) -toxic compounds with a high permanency on the environment which bio-accumulate in organisms- on oceanic birds present in areas of different latitudes in the Antarctic Ocean.
Northern giant petrels (Macronectes halli) and southern ones (M. giganteus)are the great scavengers in sub-Antarctic and Antarctic environments, and they have an extreme life strategy based on a long longevity and low fecundity (an only egg per each reproductive period). They are widely distributed in the southern ocean and can cover thousands of kilometres to feed themselves, but their population are highly vulnerable to any threat affecting their adult survival.
High latitudes, less pollutants"In general, the further south you go, the lower the levels of organic pollutants are in marine birds. These pollutants, created by human activity, reach all places on earth via atmospheric transport, mainly. They reach the Antarctic too but in less quantity," said Professor Jacob González Solís, author of several genetic and marine bird population studies in the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Antarctic oceans.
"Unfortunately -he continues- we still don't know the effects these compounds could have on ocean birds. Now the detected levels are low, therefore if there is any negative effect it is light so it would be hard to detect. However, we need to do more research in order to discover the effects of chemical pollution on wild fauna."
A chemical footprint for the entire planetAccording to the experts, the organic pollutant levels are similar in Arctic and Antarctic birds. "These chemical compounds, widely used in the past, have probably reached both poles. The organic compounds with a more recent use, such as flame retardants, are now more common in the Arctic than the Antarctic, probably because emission sources are more abundant and closer to the poles in the northern hemisphere rather than in the south. Someday, however, they will get everywhere," warned González Solís.
When mercury gets to Antarctic latitudesAlbatross and giant petrels are the ocean birds with more exposure to mercury pollution in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic environments, according to another study by González Solís (Environmental Pollution, 2016).
"This fact is probably related to the increase of mercury emission in emerging countries," says González Solís. "In general, diet is the main entrance of pollutants in marine birds -continues the expert-. Lots of pollutants (such as COP and mercury) are biomagnified through the trophic network. This makes the most vulnerable species to be found in higher trophic levels (albatross and petrels), since they feed from fish or squids, or in the case of giant petrels, from penguin and seal carrion." Most of the average sized Antarctic penguins, however, feed from krill and therefore their pollution levels are lower.
This other study analyses mercury concentration on feathers, an efficient methodology to control pollution levels of this metal in birds around the world. "With age -says the researcher- these animals can bio-accumulate some of these pollutants in organs such as the liver; but in general they have excretion ways that prevent pollutants from reaching toxic concentrations."
"In the case of mercury, one of the most important excretion ways is the feather changing. To confront the feather wear, most of the birds change them once a year and this process is a mercury excretion mechanism that reduces the levels of this pollutant on the organism," says González Solís. Another excretion way is the creation of the egg, and thus after the egg laying, females use to show lower pollutant levels compared to males.
Is it possible to lower pollutant emissions?The effects of pollutants (COP, mercury) vary among the different Antarctic ecosystem organisms. Migrating to lower latitudes and northern hemisphere polluted areas and occupying a higher level in the trophic level are facts that increase the effects of pollutants in ocean birds. Although the toxicity of these products is well documented, its real impact on wild fauna population is still unknown for the scientists."These aspects are, in particular, the ones we study with the research in the University of Barcelona, focusing on analysing ecology and preservation of this group of birds" said the author. In this sense, understanding the environment pollution levels is done by studying the ecology of each species, since it is the key factor in final pollution levels. According to the UB-IRBio researcher, "the best way to fight environmental pollution is by reducing its emission sources; but to do so we need international agreements which are hard to get."
Journal References:1. Jose L. Roscales, Jacob González-Solís, Laura Zango, Peter G. Ryan, Begoña Jiménez. Latitudinal exposure to DDTs, HCB, PCBs, PBDEs and DP in giant petrels (Macronectes spp.) across the Southern Ocean. Environmental Research, 2016; 148: 285 DOI:10.1016/j.envres.2016.04.005
2. Peter H. Becker, Vassilis Goutner, Peter G. Ryan, Jacob González-Solís.Feather mercury concentrations in Southern Ocean seabirds: Variation by species, site and time. Environmental Pollution, 2016; 216: 253 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.05.061
"Someday, these chemical compounds will get everywhere," warns Jacob González Solís. Credit: UB-IRBio
July 21, 2016
Latitude is the main factor which determines the organic pollutant concentration in Antarctic giant petrels -emblematic species in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions-, according to an article from the journal Environmental Research in which Professor Jacob González Solís, from the Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences and the Biodiversity Research Institute of the University of Barcelona (IRBio) takes part.
The research, directed by experts of the Institute of General Organic Chemistry (IQOG-CSIC), analyses the impact by persistent organic pollutants (COP) -toxic compounds with a high permanency on the environment which bio-accumulate in organisms- on oceanic birds present in areas of different latitudes in the Antarctic Ocean.
Northern giant petrels (Macronectes halli) and southern ones (M. giganteus)are the great scavengers in sub-Antarctic and Antarctic environments, and they have an extreme life strategy based on a long longevity and low fecundity (an only egg per each reproductive period). They are widely distributed in the southern ocean and can cover thousands of kilometres to feed themselves, but their population are highly vulnerable to any threat affecting their adult survival.
High latitudes, less pollutants
"In general, the further south you go, the lower the levels of organic pollutants are in marine birds. These pollutants, created by human activity, reach all places on earth via atmospheric transport, mainly. They reach the Antarctic too but in less quantity," said Professor Jacob González Solís, author of several genetic and marine bird population studies in the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Antarctic oceans.
"Unfortunately -he continues- we still don't know the effects these compounds could have on ocean birds. Now the detected levels are low, therefore if there is any negative effect it is light so it would be hard to detect. However, we need to do more research in order to discover the effects of chemical pollution on wild fauna."
A chemical footprint for the entire planet
According to the experts, the organic pollutant levels are similar in Arctic and Antarctic birds. "These chemical compounds, widely used in the past, have probably reached both poles. The organic compounds with a more recent use, such as flame retardants, are now more common in the Arctic than the Antarctic, probably because emission sources are more abundant and closer to the poles in the northern hemisphere rather than in the south. Someday, however, they will get everywhere," warned González Solís.
When mercury gets to Antarctic latitudes
Albatross and giant petrels are the ocean birds with more exposure to mercury pollution in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic environments, according to another study by González Solís (Environmental Pollution, 2016).
"This fact is probably related to the increase of mercury emission in emerging countries," says González Solís. "In general, diet is the main entrance of pollutants in marine birds -continues the expert-. Lots of pollutants (such as COP and mercury) are biomagnified through the trophic network. This makes the most vulnerable species to be found in higher trophic levels (albatross and petrels), since they feed from fish or squids, or in the case of giant petrels, from penguin and seal carrion." Most of the average sized Antarctic penguins, however, feed from krill and therefore their pollution levels are lower.
This other study analyses mercury concentration on feathers, an efficient methodology to control pollution levels of this metal in birds around the world. "With age -says the researcher- these animals can bio-accumulate some of these pollutants in organs such as the liver; but in general they have excretion ways that prevent pollutants from reaching toxic concentrations."
"In the case of mercury, one of the most important excretion ways is the feather changing. To confront the feather wear, most of the birds change them once a year and this process is a mercury excretion mechanism that reduces the levels of this pollutant on the organism," says González Solís. Another excretion way is the creation of the egg, and thus after the egg laying, females use to show lower pollutant levels compared to males.
Is it possible to lower pollutant emissions?
The effects of pollutants (COP, mercury) vary among the different Antarctic ecosystem organisms. Migrating to lower latitudes and northern hemisphere polluted areas and occupying a higher level in the trophic level are facts that increase the effects of pollutants in ocean birds. Although the toxicity of these products is well documented, its real impact on wild fauna population is still unknown for the scientists.
"These aspects are, in particular, the ones we study with the research in the University of Barcelona, focusing on analysing ecology and preservation of this group of birds" said the author. In this sense, understanding the environment pollution levels is done by studying the ecology of each species, since it is the key factor in final pollution levels. According to the UB-IRBio researcher, "the best way to fight environmental pollution is by reducing its emission sources; but to do so we need international agreements which are hard to get."
Journal References:
1. Jose L. Roscales, Jacob González-Solís, Laura Zango, Peter G. Ryan, Begoña Jiménez. Latitudinal exposure to DDTs, HCB, PCBs, PBDEs and DP in giant petrels (Macronectes spp.) across the Southern Ocean. Environmental Research, 2016; 148: 285 DOI:10.1016/j.envres.2016.04.005
2. Peter H. Becker, Vassilis Goutner, Peter G. Ryan, Jacob González-Solís.Feather mercury concentrations in Southern Ocean seabirds: Variation by species, site and time. Environmental Pollution, 2016; 216: 253 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.05.061
Huge Mangrove Dieback Confirmed By Surveys
Monday, 11 Jul 2016: JCUA James Cook University scientist says an ‘unprecedented’ event has now been confirmed to have occurred, with surveys showing thousands of hectares of mangroves on the Gulf of Carpentaria suffering a severe dieback.
Mangrove dieback at the Limmen Bight River mouth - JCU Photo
JCU’s Professor Norm Duke, spokesman for the Australian Mangrove and Saltmarsh Network, said scientists first heard anecdotal evidence about the scale of the dieback in early 2016, and this has now been confirmed by aerial and satellite surveys.
Dr Duke said around 7000 hectares of mangroves, or more than nine percent of the mangroves in the area stretching 700km west from Normanton, have been affected.
He said it is the first recorded instance of its kind attributed to drying conditions and high temperatures and is likely associated with global climate change.
“We have seen smaller instances of this kind of moisture stress before, but what is so unusual now is its extent, and that it occurred across the whole southern gulf in a single month. What we are seeing is a natural process, but nature usually does this incrementally. Not with such severity. We have never seen this before.”
He said current evidence favours the proposal that the mangrove dieback is most likely caused by the extended dry season rather than high temperatures alone.
“The normal wet season in the region is four to five months long, with about 100mm falling in a month. But it seems there were 10 or 11 months in a row with rainfall below 50mm.”
“By all accounts, the climate is going to become more erratic, so we can expect these type of events to become more common.”
He said there is a desperate need for proper monitoring with a properly funded study, especially when the importance of mangroves to the wider eco-system was taken into consideration.
“Some of the mangroves will recover, some won’t. But there are already anecdotal reports of marine life dying and piles of dead seagrass washing up on the shore. If that’s true then turtles and dugongs will be starving in a few months.
The scale of this impact, covering the distance from Sydney to Melbourne, necessitates a more thorough assessment to better understand both the cause and the considerable wider impact and repercussions.”
Previously:Tue, 10 May 2016A James Cook University professor has warned that scientists are witnessing a large-scale dieback of mangroves in northern Australia.
Monday, 11 Jul 2016: JCU
A James Cook University scientist says an ‘unprecedented’ event has now been confirmed to have occurred, with surveys showing thousands of hectares of mangroves on the Gulf of Carpentaria suffering a severe dieback.
Mangrove dieback at the Limmen Bight River mouth - JCU Photo
JCU’s Professor Norm Duke, spokesman for the Australian Mangrove and Saltmarsh Network, said scientists first heard anecdotal evidence about the scale of the dieback in early 2016, and this has now been confirmed by aerial and satellite surveys.
Dr Duke said around 7000 hectares of mangroves, or more than nine percent of the mangroves in the area stretching 700km west from Normanton, have been affected.
He said it is the first recorded instance of its kind attributed to drying conditions and high temperatures and is likely associated with global climate change.
“We have seen smaller instances of this kind of moisture stress before, but what is so unusual now is its extent, and that it occurred across the whole southern gulf in a single month. What we are seeing is a natural process, but nature usually does this incrementally. Not with such severity. We have never seen this before.”
He said current evidence favours the proposal that the mangrove dieback is most likely caused by the extended dry season rather than high temperatures alone.
“The normal wet season in the region is four to five months long, with about 100mm falling in a month. But it seems there were 10 or 11 months in a row with rainfall below 50mm.”
“By all accounts, the climate is going to become more erratic, so we can expect these type of events to become more common.”
He said there is a desperate need for proper monitoring with a properly funded study, especially when the importance of mangroves to the wider eco-system was taken into consideration.
“Some of the mangroves will recover, some won’t. But there are already anecdotal reports of marine life dying and piles of dead seagrass washing up on the shore. If that’s true then turtles and dugongs will be starving in a few months.
The scale of this impact, covering the distance from Sydney to Melbourne, necessitates a more thorough assessment to better understand both the cause and the considerable wider impact and repercussions.”
Previously:
Tue, 10 May 2016
A James Cook University professor has warned that scientists are witnessing a large-scale dieback of mangroves in northern Australia.
Orange Roughy Research Off Eastern Tasmania
Developing Highly Drought-Resistant Crops
Dr Peter Mabbitt and Dr Kai Xun Chan. Credit: Stuart Hay, ANU.
July 19, 2016 International research led by The Australian National University (ANU) has found how plants, such as rice and wheat, sense and respond to extreme drought stress, in a breakthrough that could lead to the development of next-generation drought-proof crops.
Lead researcher Dr Kai Xun Chan from the ANU Research School of Biology said the team discovered an enzyme that senses adverse drought and sunlight conditions, and how it works from atomic to overall plant levels.
"The sensor in plant leaves is constantly sensing the state of its environment in terms of water and light levels," Dr Chan said."The sensor is able to sense when conditions become unfavourable, such as during extreme drought stress, by changing itself into a form with altered shape and activity.
"This sets off a 'fire alarm' in the plant, telling it to respond to drought by making beneficial chemical compounds, for instance. But in the field, this can occur too late and the plant would have suffered damage already."If we can get the alarm to go off at the first signs of water deficit, we can help the plant survive severe droughts."
More drought-tolerant crops are crucial to helping ensure global food security and can reduce the impact of drought on the national economy. A 2015 Climate Council report found that the Australian GDP fell one per cent due to drought and lower agricultural production in 2002 and 2003.Drought normally hits wheat at the flowering and seed stage, which is critical in determining the size of a crop's harvest.
By activating the sensor alarm faster during a dry season, the plant can activate counter-measures in its leaves to prevent unnecessary water loss and ensure that the plant survives until the next rainfall.
"We're really excited about the potential applications of this research, which range from genetic modifications and plant breeding to the development of a chemical spray that directly targets this sensor to set off the alarm in plants," Dr Chan said.
"This could save crops and ensure they produce bigger yields. The chemical spray would provide an innovative way to reduce the impact of drought stress."
Work by Dr Peter Mabbitt and Associate Professor Colin Jackson from the ANU Research School of Chemistry, using X-ray facilities at the Australian Synchrotron, enabled the team to create a 3D model of the sensor enzyme.
Dr Chan said they will use this model and a computer program to identify candidate chemical compounds that match well with the enzyme's structure.
"This work will be a matter of fitting in a piece of the puzzle," Dr Chan said."Within two years, we hope to identify potential compounds for a chemical spray which will rescue crop yields. We would then need to perfect a compound in consultation with farmers and other industry players."We have already received funding from ANU Connect Ventures Discovery Translational Fund for this follow-up project."
The study was supported by funding from the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology. It also involved Australian and international collaborations with the University of Western Australia, University of Birmingham and University of Cologne.
Kai Xun Chan, Peter D. Mabbitt, Su Yin Phua, Jonathan W. Mueller, Nazia Nisar, Tamara Gigolashvili, Elke Stroeher, Julia Grassl, Wiebke Arlt, Gonzalo M. Estavillo, Colin J. Jackson, Barry J. Pogson. Sensing and signaling of oxidative stress in chloroplasts by inactivation of the SAL1 phosphoadenosine phosphatase. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2016; 201604936 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1604936113
A Recent Pause In Antarctic Peninsula Warming
July 20, 2016The rapid warming of the Antarctic Peninsula, which occurred from the early-1950s to the late 1990s, has paused. Stabilisation of the ozone hole along with natural climate variability were significant in bringing about the change. Together these influences have now caused the peninsula to enter a temporary cooling phase. Temperatures remain higher than measured during the middle of the 20th Century and glacial retreat is still taking place. However, scientists predict that if greenhouse gas concentrations continue to rise at the current rate, temperatures will increase across the Antarctic Peninsula by several degrees Centigrade by the end of this century.
Reporting this week in the journal Nature researchers from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) describe how the stabilisation of the ozone hole and changing wind patterns has driven a regional cooling phase that is temporarily masking the warming influence of greenhouse gases.Lead author, Professor John Turner of British Antarctic Survey says: "The Antarctic Peninsula is one of the most challenging places on Earth on which to identify the causes of decade-to-decade temperature changes. The Antarctic Peninsula climate system shows large natural variations, which can overwhelm the signals of human-induced global warming. In recent years, there has been an international research effort to explain what's happening in the region and to understand the implications for the Antarctic environment and future sea-level rise.
"Our study highlights the complexity and difficulty of attributing effect to cause. The ozone hole, sea-ice and westerly winds have been significant in influencing regional climate change in recent years. Even in a generally warming world, over the next couple of decades, temperatures in this region may go up or down, but our models predict that in the longer term greenhouse gases will lead to an increase in temperatures by the end of the 21st Century."
A wide range of climate data was analysed for this study, including atmospheric circulation fields, sea-ice records, ocean surface temperatures and meteorological observations from six Antarctic Peninsula research stations with near-continuous records extending back to the 1950s.
During the Twentieth Century, Antarctic Peninsula temperatures increased by up to 0.5? C per decade, helping to trigger the dramatic collapse of ice shelves and causing many glaciers to retreat. Whilst there was a decrease in sea ice extent around the Antarctic Peninsula towards the end of the last century it has been increasing in recent years, particularly in the north-east of the region. The cold easterly winds observed in the 21st Century have had a greater impact on the region because the sea ice has prevented ocean heat from entering the atmosphere.
To set their observations in a longer-term context, the research team looked at a 2,000 year climate reconstruction using the chemical signals in ice cores. As previously reported, analysis suggests that peninsula warming over the whole twentieth century was unusual, but not unprecedented in the context of the past 2,000 years. The reconstruction shows a warming starting in the 1920s, which is consistent with the warming trends recorded by the meteorological stations. The ice core records also reveal periods of warming and cooling over the last several centuries that were comparable to those observed in the post-1950s instrumental record. This highlights the large natural variability of temperatures in this region of Antarctica that has influenced more recent climate changes.
Dr Robert Mulvaney, is a leading ice core researcher at British Antarctic Survey. He says: "Meteorological observations from the Antarctic Peninsula research stations only cover the last 60 years or so. If we are to get a better idea of the long-term trend we need to look back in time. The ice core record helps us see how the climate evolves over the longer term. We can also look at the levels of carbon dioxide and other chemicals that were in the atmosphere and compare them with observations from today."
In the last month, the levels of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere above Antarctica rose past the 400 parts per million milestone, contrasting with the pre-industrial level of 280 parts per million recorded in Antarctic ice cores. Climate model simulations predict that if greenhouse gas concentrations continue to increase at currently projected rates their warming effect will dominate over natural variability (and the cooling effect associated with recovering ozone levels) and there will be a warming of several degrees across the region by the end of this century.
John Turner, Hua Lu, Ian White, John C. King, Tony Phillips, J. Scott Hosking, Thomas J. Bracegirdle, Gareth J. Marshall, Robert Mulvaney, Pranab Deb. Absence of 21st century warming on Antarctic Peninsula consistent with natural variability. Nature, 2016; 535 (7612): 411 DOI: 10.1038/nature18645
prison time for illegal Rock Lobster fishing
Seized Eastern Rock Lobsters19 July 2016: NSW DPICommercial fishers in the central coast region are being reminded to adhere to the fishing regulations for Eastern Rock Lobsters and estuary fish species after a Umina fisherman was apprehended for possession of illegally taken lobsters and Mulloway.
NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSWDPI) Fisheries Acting Compliance Director, Tony Andrews, said the Central Coast team was joined by Statewide Operations and Investigations Group Officers last month in an operation to crack down on compliance within the Estuary General Fishery.
“The 36 year old commercial fisherman was found in possession of 44 live Eastern Rock Lobsters and 12 prohibited size Mulloway,” Mr Andrews said.
“He also admitted to officers to oversetting his meshing nets, which is a separate offence as Estuary General Fishers are prohibited from retaining Eastern Rock Lobster caught in meshing nets.”
“This fisherman has breached five regulations of the Act, including possessing illegally taken fish and unlawful use of a net or trap,” Mr Andrews said.
The fisherman was apprehended and the Eastern Rock Lobsters were returned to the water by officers.
Under the Fisheries Management Act 1994, the fisherman faces maximum penalties of between six months and ten years imprisonment and up to $44,000 in fines.
“Stealing fish and black marketing, as well as damage to fish habitats are serious problems that can impact on the sustainability of our fish stocks across NSW.
“We encourage anyone who sees illegal fishing activity to report it to their nearest Fisheries office, phone our hotline or make an online report,” said Mr Andrews.
Report illegal fishing activity• Fishers Watch Phoneline: 1800 043 536
prison time for illegal Rock Lobster fishing
Seized Eastern Rock Lobsters
19 July 2016: NSW DPI
Commercial fishers in the central coast region are being reminded to adhere to the fishing regulations for Eastern Rock Lobsters and estuary fish species after a Umina fisherman was apprehended for possession of illegally taken lobsters and Mulloway.
NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSWDPI) Fisheries Acting Compliance Director, Tony Andrews, said the Central Coast team was joined by Statewide Operations and Investigations Group Officers last month in an operation to crack down on compliance within the Estuary General Fishery.
“The 36 year old commercial fisherman was found in possession of 44 live Eastern Rock Lobsters and 12 prohibited size Mulloway,” Mr Andrews said.
“He also admitted to officers to oversetting his meshing nets, which is a separate offence as Estuary General Fishers are prohibited from retaining Eastern Rock Lobster caught in meshing nets.”
“This fisherman has breached five regulations of the Act, including possessing illegally taken fish and unlawful use of a net or trap,” Mr Andrews said.
The fisherman was apprehended and the Eastern Rock Lobsters were returned to the water by officers.
Under the Fisheries Management Act 1994, the fisherman faces maximum penalties of between six months and ten years imprisonment and up to $44,000 in fines.
“Stealing fish and black marketing, as well as damage to fish habitats are serious problems that can impact on the sustainability of our fish stocks across NSW.
“We encourage anyone who sees illegal fishing activity to report it to their nearest Fisheries office, phone our hotline or make an online report,” said Mr Andrews.
Report illegal fishing activity
• Fishers Watch Phoneline: 1800 043 536
Australia Post Celebrates 50 Years Of Play School
20th July 2016
Australia Post is celebrating half a century of Australia's longest running children's television program Play School with the release of two stamps.
Australia Post Philatelic Manager Michael Zsolt, said: "This stamp issue celebrates Play School's historic achievement and highlights the significant role the program has played in the lives of generations of Australians."
"We trust this stamp issue will be enjoyed by young collectors and Play School fans, as well as those young at heart", he said.
Robert Patterson, Director of ABC Commercial said "We are thrilled the Play School brand has been celebrated in this way by Australia Post. For 50 years Play School has entertained pre-schoolers across Australia and been welcomed into households with music, books, DVDs, toys and now a beautiful collection of stamps."
Since the Australian version of Play School was first broadcast on the morning of Monday 18 July 1966, generations of Australians have looked through the Windows and sung along to the iconic theme song "There's a Bear in There" by Richard Connolly and Dr Rosemary Milne.
Encouraging children to wonder, think, feel and imagine, each episode features two presenters - and a cast of iconic toys including Big Ted, Little Ted, Jemima and Humpty - who sing songs and explore a variety of play and craft activities based on a daily theme.
Ninety-one presenters have been part of the program, many of them professional actors who have become firm audience favourites. Lorraine Bayly, Dianne Dorgan, Kerry Francis, Anne Haddy, Donald MacDonald and Alister Smart formed the initial cast of presenters in 1966, with Benita Collings featured in a record 401 episodes between 1969 and 1999.
The domestic base-rate ($1) and large letter rate ($2) stamps were designed by Melbourne-based designer Jonathan Chong and feature some favourite characters from the TV show:
Jemima and Humpty are at a party, as a reference to the 50-year celebrations, in front of the Round Window.
Big Ted and Little Ted are ready to play ball, in front of the Arched Window.
The products associated with this stamp issue are a minisheet, first day cover, stamp pack, sheetlet pack with stickers, booklet of 10 x $1 self-adhesive stamps, two stamp and coin covers, medallion cover and a set of two maxicards.
The 50 Years of Play School stamp issue is available from 26 July 2016 at participating Post Offices, via mail order on 1800 331 794 and online at auspost.com.au/stamps while stocks last.
Visit the Australia Post Collectables website australiapostcollectables.com.au for a forthcoming article on Play School. The Australia Post Collectables website is a central resource for stamp collectors and philatelic enthusiasts across the globe.
CSIRO Helps Sleep Disorder Start-up Make ASX Debut
July 19, 2016: from CSIRO
CSIRO partner Oventus Medical Ltd has today listed on the Australian Securities Exchange raising $12m.
Oventus, who manufacture sleep apnoea devices, has invested heavily in R&D with CSIRO over the past two and a half years, helping to hone their production process and grow their business.
The Brisbane-based company first approached CSIRO in 2014 when dentist Chris Hart had the idea for a mouthguard with airways that would assist airflow bypass the sleep apnoea sufferer's airway obstructions including from the tongue, soft palate and nose.
Oventus 3D-printed titanium sleep apnoea deviceRight: CSIRO partner and manufacturer of 3D-printed titanium sleep apnoea devices, Oventus, lists on ASX with fully subscribed IPO.
Dr Hart asked CSIRO if they could 3D-print the device from titanium.
The result was an initial prototype which has since successfully completed clinical trials and been named the
O2Vent™.
In April this year, the device received FDA clearance opening up the US market for the company.
The O2Vent is a customisable mouthpiece which is 3D-printed to the precise dimensions of a patient's mouth, ensuring optimal airflow during sleep, reducing the effects of snoring and sleep apnoea.
Oventus Founder Dr Hart said CSIRO provided the opportunity to access new 3D-printing technologies through their Lab22 facility.
"This allowed us to explore new and innovative manufacturing techniques with a reduced investment risk," Dr Hart said.
"Using 3D-printing to manufacture the O2Vent sleep apnoea devices offered us huge advantages over traditional manufacturing methods including speed and cost.
"This partnership has made us globally competitive," he said.
Oventus is hoping O2Vent will disrupt the multi-billion dollar market for sleep apnoea solutions.
The US Sleep Foundation estimates that 37 million Americans regularly suffer from snoring.
The global sleep disorder market is estimated to be worth $50 billion annually.
An estimated one million Australians suffer from sleep apnoea.
The original prototype was made in CSIRO's Lab 22 Innovation Centre in Victoria using an Arcam 3D-printer.
CSIRO's Mr Stefan Gulizia said the idea of designing and 3D-printing completely customised mouthpieces seemed revolutionary at the time.
"It has been exciting helping Oventus progress this novel idea to a manufactured product and seeing the success of the company as it lists on the ASX today," Mr Gulizia said.
Lab 22 is one of Australia's leading facilities for metal additive manufacturing and has assisted in world-first medical breakthroughs including 3D printed body parts for patients in Australia and in Europe.
Oventus' fully-subscribed IPO has raised $12 million that will be injected into the commercialisation and distribution of their O2Vent sleep apnoea devices.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Barney Glover to lead MAAS Trust
July 21, 2016: WSU
Vice-Chancellor of Western Sydney University, Professor Barney Glover, has been appointed President of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS) Trust and will play a pivotal role in the Powerhouse's relocation to Parramatta.
Professor Glover will be joined on the Trust by robotics and intelligence systems research and development expert Professor Salah Sukkarieh.
Deputy Premier and Minister for the Arts Troy Grant said the new President and new Trust member come as the Museum undergoes a once-in-a-generation renewal and relocation to Western Sydney.
"Professor Glover, a Trust member since January 2015, has his finger on the pulse in Western Sydney through the university and has a long record of success in management and leadership in research and major capital development projects," Mr Grant said.
Professor Glover said he looks forward to deepening his involvement with MAAS.
"I'm particularly excited about working with the Museum team as we plan one of the most significant cultural infrastructure projects of recent times in the heart of Western Sydney," Professor Glover said.
MAAS Director Dolla Merrillees welcomed Professor Sukkarieh to the Trust, and looked forward to building on the Museum's relationship with him, established through working together on the successful Mars Lab project.
Deputy Premier Grant thanked outgoing President Professor John Shine AO and Trustee Dr Judith O'Callaghan for their dedicated service to the Trust.
"Professor Shine has been an exceptional President and since taking the post over four years ago has taken the Museum in an exciting new direction and a period of growth."
Outgoing President Professor John Shine said it was a privilege to serve as the President of the MAAS Board of Trustees throughout a period of immense change and growth for MAAS.
"I congratulate Professor Glover and with the newly appointed Director, Dolla Merrillees at the helm I look forward to following the success of this team as they continue to build audiences ongoing programs and a new museum in Parramatta," Professor Shine said.
The Powerhouse Museum is the major branch of the Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences in Sydney, the other being the historic Sydney Observatory. Although often described as a science museum, the Powerhouse has a diverse collection encompassing all sorts of technology including decorative arts, science, communication, transport, costume, furniture, media, computer technology, space technology and steam engines.
It has existed in various guises for over 125 years, and is home to some 400,000 artifacts, many of which are displayed or housed at the site it has occupied since 1988, and for which it is named — a converted electric tram power station in the Inner West suburb of Ultimo (500 Harris Street), originally constructed in 1902. It is well known, and a popular Sydney tourist destination. The Powerhouse Museum has its origins in a recommendation of the trustees of the Australian Museum in 1878 and the Sydney International Exhibition of 1879 and Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880. Some exhibits from these events were kept to constitute the original collection of the new Technological, Industrial and Sanitary Museum of New South Wales.
The museum was intended to be housed in the exhibition buildings known as the Garden Palace, which were destroyed by a fire in September 1882. A temporary home at the Agricultural Hall in the Domain served until relocated to new, purpose-built premises in Harris Street as the Technological Museum in August 1893. It incorporated the Sydney Observatory in 1982. The museum moved to its present location (the old Ultimo Power Station at 500 Harris Street) in March 1988, and took its present name (The Powerhouse Museum) from this new location. In February 2015, the State Government announced that the museum will be relocated to Parramatta.
Ninety five percent of the Powerhouse Museum's collection is maintained in storage at any one time. Sixty percent of this was moved from late 2004 to a new three hectare site in the northwestern Sydney suburb of Castle Hill. Built at a cost of A$12 million, this facility consists of seven huge sheds, including one the size of an aircraft hangar, within which are housed such recently rediscovered artifacts as a section of the mast of HMS Victory, Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar, and the spare wheel from Bluebird, the car Donald Campbell drove to break the world land speed record on Lake Eyre in the 1960s. The Powerhouse Discovery Centre at Castle Hill opened to the general public on 10 March 2006.
The Powerhouse Museum will be moved to the banks of the Parramatta River and housed in an iconic purpose-built building, much larger than the current site in Ultimo. Construction is expected to begin in 2018 and completed in 2022.
How many people visit the Museum each year?
The average over the last five years, across our three sites, is more than 640,000 visitors each year.
The Powerhouse averaged over 480,000 visitors annually to the Ultimo building.
Visitors to our off site exhibitions and programs, averaged between 2005-2010, were over 390,000 per year.
Since the Powerhouse Museum opened in 1988, over 15.8 million visitors have passed through our doors at Ultimo.
CSIRO Appoints Bupa Executive to Lead Health Research
July 21, 2016: from CSIRO
CSIRO has today announced Dr Rob Grenfell as its new Director of Health and Biosecurity. Dr Grenfell joins CSIRO from healthcare provider Bupa where he held the role of National Medical Director for Australia and New Zealand.
Dr Grenfell will lead CSIRO's Health and Biosecurity group which spans public health, animal health, environmental health, and biosecurity.
Dr Rob Grenfell, the new Director of Health and Biosecurity at CSIRO.
He will also be responsible for CSIRO's broader health strategy which will address the critical health challenges facing Australia drawing on the organisation's deep portfolio of expertise across e-health, biomedical manufacturing, nutrition, and One Health (linking human, animal and environmental health).
Dr Grenfell is tasked with growing CSIRO's health impact through forging strong partnerships with government, industry, and the wider medical R&D community leveraging CSIRO's unique capabilities for the benefit of all Australians.
Dr Larry Marshall, CSIRO Chief Executive, said CSIRO's purpose is to use science to solve the greatest challenges facing our nation.
"Few challenges are more important than keeping our people healthy through an effective health system in the face of changing demographics, growing costs, new disease pressures, digital disruption, and increasing societal expectations," Dr Marshall said.
"Rob joins an impressive leadership team who have already saved lives with data, reduced diabetes and obesity through diet, and developed vaccines for chronic diseases.
"Through deep collaboration with our leading universities, CSIRO's One Health approach will address the biggest health challenges facing Australia, building a powerhouse of health innovation," he said.
Dr Grenfell, a qualified Public Health Physician and GP, brings almost 30 years of public and private sector experience to the role.
At Bupa he was responsible for clinical quality, leading Bupa's Reconciliation Action Plan, clinical contribution in new ways of working as part of Bupa's Digital Innovation Lab, and evaluating and incorporating new technologies into health services.
Prior to Bupa Dr Grenfell was the National Director Cardiovascular Health for the Heart Foundation where he managed their clinical program unit and the National Aboriginal health unit.
"No other organisation can say they have helped to create extended-wear contact lenses, created a vaccine for the Hendra virus, run Australia's largest clinical telehealth trial, and created the first drug successful in treating flu," said Dr Grenfell.
"This makes CSIRO a unique organisation and valuable partner for delivering science with great purpose.
"This is a once in lifetime opportunity to shape the future of health in Australia and to build on CSIRO's enviable track record for delivering technologies that enhance lives, add value to existing industries, and grow new industries," he said.
As a practicing GP, Dr Grenfell maintained an isolated rural general practice in Natimuk (VIC) for 13 years until June 2011.
He is a past member of the health advisory committee of the NHMRC (2002-2005) and is the past Chair of General Practice Victoria.
He is also a Fellow of the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine and holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from Monash University.