Greenpeace Japan condemns departure of Japanese whaling fleet
Press Release: Greenpeace Japan
Tokyo, 1 December 2015 - Greenpeace calls on the government of Japan to cancel the whaling fleet heading to the Southern Ocean under the guise of “research whaling”, and condemned the expedition as both unnecessary and in violation of the findings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The Japanese government released a statement announcing the fleet would depart for the Antarctic today.
“It is completely unacceptable for the Japanese government to ignore the International Court of Justice. It’s time to cut the charade. This is not ‘scientific research', this is straight up commercial whaling, ” said Junichi Sato, Executive Director of Greenpeace Japan.
“In 2014 the fleet was able to conduct scientific research that didn’t cause any whales to be killed, and there is no reason that this should not be the case this year. Greenpeace Japan and 15 other Japanese NGOs are demanding that the government of Japan reverse this decision, and abide by international law.”
In 2014, the ICJ ruled that Japan’s research whaling program was not, in fact, designed for scientific research and refused the government a permit to go ahead. Japan, however, proposed a new program called “NEWREP-A” which will target 3,996 minke whales over next 12 years.
In May 2015, the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission stated that the new programme “contained insufficient information” and demanded that the Japanese government provide more information to prove the new programme is serving scientific purposes.
However, in October the Japanese government announced to the United Nations that they will not accept the jurisdiction of the ICJ, and said that that they will not accept any finding or lawsuit pertaining to any dispute over use of ocean resources. This is a significant reversal of the Japanese government’s previous position, which had accepted and endorsed the need to abide by international law and legal findings.
The link to the NGO join statement can be found found here (PDF - 88KB)
Climate change is killing Australian trees: New Report
November 30, 2015: Murdoch University
Climate change and extreme climatic events appear to be killing trees around the world.
In a report released by the Ecological Society of Australia, Dr Niels Brouwers from Murdoch University’s Centre of Excellence for Climate Change, Woodland and Forest Health (CECCWFH), and colleagues, suggest these changes in climate are also reducing tree growth and health.
“In Western Australia we found that more than 25% of mature trees across 7000 hectares of forest died in response to extreme drought and multiple heatwaves in 2010-11,” said Dr Brouwers.
“We saw similar numbers of trees dying in arid areas of Queensland in response to the 2003-07 drought, and there are similar reports from around the world.
“It is of enormous concern that more frequent extreme climate events such as droughts and heatwaves are projected for Australia and other parts of the world in the near future. We can expect to see further deterioration of our woodlands and forests.
“Tree declines also affect the animals dependent upon them,” added Dr Brouwers. “For instance, already vulnerable Australian Glossy Black-cockatoos have fewer offspring during droughts because food, such as she-oak cones, are harder to find.”
Climate change may also reduce the ability of trees to sequester carbon.
“The role of forests in sucking carbon out of the atmosphere is well known," added Dr Brouwers. "But if trees die more rapidly and are not replaced due to climate change, this critical ecosystem service is threatened.
“There is an urgent need for more monitoring of climate change impacts on the world’s forests.”
Dr Brouwers’ report was prepared in conjunction with Professor Giles Hardy and Dr Katinka Ruthrof from Murdoch University and the CECCWFH, Dr George Matusick from the CECCWFH and The Nature Conservancy (USA) and Dr Melanie Zeppel from Macquarie University.
Top: Forest dieback caused by an extreme drought and multiple heatwaves in 2010 and early 2011 in the Northern Jarrah Forest region in south west Western Australia. Photo: George Matusick, May 2011
ROCK PLATFORM TOUR
North Narrabeen Aquatic Reserve
Saturday 12 December, 2:30 - 4:30pm
Come and join us on a low tide rock platform tour. Once the ocean retreats an amazing world becomes uncovered for us to enjoy. Investigate the amazing diversity of life that lives between the land and the sea and how creatures survive in such a unique and challenging environment. Sea stars, sea hares, limpets and crabs are some of the amazing creatures that call these rock platforms home.
The tour is a great opportunity to learn about the amazingly abundant life that exists in these special places. Guided by local experts it’s a great way to learn more about a world that is rarely seen. An amazing adventure for all the family!
When: Saturday 12 December, 2:30 - 4:30pm
Where: Meet point provided on booking.
What to bring: Sturdy covered shoes that can get wet, hat, sunscreen, water, camera (optional).
Bookings Essential! Online - In person: Coastal Environment Centre, Lake Park Road, North Narrabeen Phone: 1300 000 232
Saving our Species 2016 wall calendar
New South Wales is home to some of the world's most beautiful plants and animals, but we are at risk of losing some of our species from the wild forever. Don't miss this opportunity to help support NSW threatened species recovery by purchasing your 2016 calendar.
The calendar includes interesting stories about how community groups, individuals and expert scientists efforts' are contributing to saving species in NSW.
In New South Wales:
• critically endangered species are at extremely high risk of extinction in the immediate future
• endangered species are facing a very high risk of extinction in the near future
• vulnerable species are facing a high risk of extinction in the medium-term future.
Saving our Species is a conservation program that aims to maximise the number of threatened species that are being secured in the wild in New South Wales for 100 years. To find out how you can support our threatened wildlife and help preserve it for future generations, visitSaving our Species.
All profits from the sale of the calendar will be invested in Saving our Species through the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife.
If you wish to make a donation directly to the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife to support the efforts of Saving Our Species, you can make a donation at The Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife .
You can purchase your calendar online at Shop NSW
Launch of Pacific Humanitarian Challenge
Australian Start-up Turns Superfood Into Superbug Fighter
December 1, 2015
Australian start-up Kayban has developed the world's first anti-microbial healthcare range made from organic flaxseed oil following a collaboration with CSIRO.
The company hopes the range of topical lotions and washes, called Bio3 Guardian, will provide the main revenue stream to take the innovation to the global healthcare market.
According to independent tests, the products are fast-acting and effective at killing golden staph (Staphylococcus aureus), a prevalent superbug that led to 1621 hospital-acquired infection cases in 2013-14.
Flaxseed oil contains alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid with known anti-microbial properties.
With the support of a Victorian Government Innovation and Technology Voucher, Kayban and CSIRO developed the method for extracting the crucial alpha-linolenic acid from organic flaxseed.
"The challenge was to come up with a cost-effective manufacturing technology that consistently produced excellent quality, highly enriched alpha-linolenic acid," CSIRO organic chemist, Dr Peter Duggan said.
"What we've achieved is a smarter, more efficient process that's been pivotal in Kayban's journey to commercialising a unique saleable product."
The technology has been transferred to Melbourne-based CSIRO spin out, Boron Molecular, to extract the flaxseed component for Kayban on a multi-kilogram scale.
Kayban will then work with another local manufacturer to formulate the end product.
"It's hugely rewarding that this research collaboration has led to new business and growth opportunities for three Australian SMEs.
"Here at CSIRO, we take pride in our role as a key player assisting local SMEs and manufacturers to bring their high technology products to the market," Dr Duggan said.
Kayban Director, Frank Palermo, said Bio3 Guardian was a better way for preventing the spread of infection.
"Our products contain a unique antimicrobial formula that uses natural flaxseed oil properties, instead of ethanol, to kill bad bacteria while leaving essential good bacteria intact," Mr Palermo said.
"It's a moisturising, all-natural alternative to ethanol-based products that can cause skin to dry and crack upon repeated use and increase chances of developing conditions like dermatitis.
"That's going to benefit nurses, doctors and patients in hospitals and aged care homes who regularly need to use sanitisers and disinfectants to maintain hygiene or care for wounds."
Read more about Bio3 Guardian and other health products CSIRO's helped develop.
Top: Frank Palermo, Director, Kayban with the Bio3 Guardian range.
Immune cells make appendix 'silent hero' of digestive health
November 30, 2015
Professor Gabrielle Belz has shown that a network of immune cells helps the appendix play a pivotal role in maintaining digestive health. Credit: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
New research shows a network of immune cells helps the appendix to play a pivotal role in maintaining the health of the digestive system, supporting the theory that the appendix isn't a vestigial -- or redundant -- organ.
The research team, a collaborative partnership between the groups of Professor Gabrielle Belz of Melbourne's Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, and Professor Eric Vivier at the Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, France, found that innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are crucial for protecting against bacterial infection in people with compromised immune systems.
By preventing significant damage and inflammation of the appendix during a bacterial attack, ILCs safeguard the organ and help it to perform an important function in the body, as a natural reservoir for 'good' bacteria. The research is published in today's issue of Nature Immunology.
Professor Gabrielle Belz, a laboratory head in the institute's Molecular Immunology division, said the study's findings show that the appendix deserves more credit than it has historically been given.
"Popular belief tells us the appendix is a liability," she said. "Its removal is one of the most common surgical procedures in Australia, with more than 70,000 operations each year. However, we may wish to rethink whether the appendix is so irrelevant for our health.
"We've found that ILCs may help the appendix to potentially reseed 'good' bacteria within the microbiome -- or community of bacteria -- in the body. A balanced microbiome is essential for recovery from bacterial threats to gut health, such as food poisoning."
Professor Belz said having a healthy appendix might even save people from having to stomach more extreme options for repopulating -- or 'balancing out' -- their microbiomes.
"In certain cases, people require reseeding of their intestines with healthy bacteria by faecal transplant -- a process where intestinal bacteria is transplanted to a sick person from a healthy individual," Professor Belz said. "Our research suggests ILCs may be able to play this important part in maintaining the integrity of the appendix.
"We found ILCs are part of a multi-layered protective armoury of immune cells that exist in healthy individuals. So even when one layer is depleted, the body has 'back ups' that can fight the infection.
"In people who have compromised immune systems -- such as people undergoing cancer treatment -- these cells are vital for fighting bacterial infections in the gastrointestinal system. This is particularly important because ILCs are able to survive in the gut even during these treatments, which typically wipe out other immune cells."
Professor Belz has previously shown that diet, such as the proteins in leafy green vegetables, could help produce ILCs. "ILCs are also known to play a role in allergic diseases, such as asthma; inflammatory bowel disease; and psoriasis," she said. "So it is vital that we better understand their role in the intestine and how we might manipulate this population to treat disease, or promote better health."
Lucille C Rankin, Mathilde J H Girard-Madoux, Cyril Seillet, Lisa A Mielke, Yann Kerdiles, Aurore Fenis, Elisabeth Wieduwild, Tracy Putoczki, Stanislas Mondot, Olivier Lantz, Dieter Demon, Anthony T Papenfuss, Gordon K Smyth, Mohamed Lamkanfi, Sebastian Carotta, Jean-Christophe Renauld, Wei Shi, Sabrina Carpentier, Tim Soos, Christopher Arendt, Sophie Ugolini, Nicholas D Huntington, Gabrielle T Belz, Eric Vivier. Complementarity and redundancy of IL-22-producing innate lymphoid cells. Nature Immunology, 2015; DOI: 10.1038/ni.3332
New report predicts connected devices in the Australian home set to triple by 2020
November 23, 2015: nbnco
Aussie homes are set to enter a new ‘app age’ of super connectivity spurred by our insatiable appetite for devices and universal access to fast broadband, according to new research released today.
Developed by Telsyte and commissioned by nbn, the ‘Internet Uninterrupted: Australian Households of the Connected Future’ report forecasts that the average household will go from using nine connected devices in the home to 29. At peak times, households are predicted to have 12 simultaneous applications connecting to the Internet over multiple devices in 2020, up from the current eight.
With everything from smoke detectors to hot water systems converting to the smart age, Australian households will increasingly rely on faster, more reliable broadband delivered by the nbn™ network to operate multiple devices and apps.
Managing Director of Telsyte, Foad Fadaghi said:
“As Australian households embrace high-definition streaming video, online games and working from home with the help of cloud-based applications, the need for fast and reliable broadband will increase, especially during peak times when multiple applications are accessing the Internet at once."
"Telsyte research predicts the average household will see a 50 per cent increase in the number of peak simultaneous applications connecting to the Internet by 2020 as more personal devices, white goods, health monitoring equipment and many more ordinary devices in the home get connected."
The report reveals five typical Aussie households of today and predicts their status in 2020:
The Hectic Household: Aussie parents who are career focused and have children living at home. They own many of the lounge room entertainment devices that inevitably bringing the household together. They consume and own technology that contributes to their home and work life alike, with dedicated spaces and devices for their work and heavy usage of cloud storage and related services. In 2020, Hectic Households will have an average of 19 applications running simultaneously at peak times, up from 12 today.
The City Living Household: Highly social Aussie couples who do not have children, and have embraced technology to support their active and untethered lifestyles. With potentially two incomes and no children, they are in a good position to invest in new devices and are very reliant on mobile technology, which they access not only when they are out and about but also when they are at home. In 2020, City Living Households will have an average of 15 applications running simultaneously at peak times, up from 11 today.
The Shared Household: Aussies who co-habit with friends, family and other people who are heavy users of the Internet, but on a budget. They tend to own fewer devices than other Australians. However, what they lack in number of devices, they make up for in terms of Internet usage — especially their consumption of catch-up TV and streaming video. In 2020, Shared Households will have an average of 12 applications running simultaneously at peak times, up from eight today.
Suburban Dreamer Household: Parents with children living at home and who tend to leave work at the workplace. The few short hours between the time everyone gets and the time the children go to bed are the busiest for internet usage, with everyone often online for learning and play at the same time. In 2020, Suburban Dreamer Households will have an average of 13 applications running simultaneously, up from seven in 2015.
Empty Nester Household: Older Aussie couples or families without children in the home. They have embraced technology to get things done – although not always with the latest devices. While they may be the last to take up technology, this doesn’t mean they avoid it, and in fact they embrace it. The range of technologies they use is narrower than other households; however their use of the technology they do have is high. In 2020, Empty Nester Households will have an average of nine applications running simultaneously, up from six in 2015.
nbn recently announced a plan to start or complete construction to build the nbn™ network for more than 7.5 million homes and business in the next three years. The company aims to connect 8 million homes and businesses to the network by 2020.
Read the ‘Internet Uninterrupted: Australian Households of the Connected Future’ report HERE (PDF: 2.9 MB)
Super-absorbent material soaks up oil spills
November 30, 2015
This is a boron nitride nanosheet next to spike of a plant. Credit: Deakin University
In hopes of limiting the disastrous environmental effects of massive oil spills, materials scientists from Drexel University and Deakin University, in Australia, have teamed up to manufacture and test a new material, called a boron nitride nanosheet, that can absorb up to 33 times its weight in oils and organic solvents--a trait that could make it an important technology for quickly mitigating these costly accidents.
The material, which literally absorbs the oil like a sponge, is the result of support from the Australian Research Council and is now ready to be tested by industry after two years of refinement in the laboratory at Deakin's Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM).
Alfred Deakin Professor Ying (Ian) Chen, PhD, the lead author of a paper, recently published in Nature Communications, said the material is the most exciting advancement in oil spill remediation technology in decades.
"Oil spills are a global problem and wreak havoc on our aquatic ecosystems, not to mention cost billions of dollars in damage," Chen said. "Everyone remembers the Gulf Coast disaster, but here in Australia they are a regular problem, and not just in our waters. Oil spills from trucks and other vehicles can close freeways for an entire day, again amounting to large economic losses," Chen said.
The Australian Research Council supported the development of the boron nitride nanosheets, because, according to Chen, current methods of cleaning up oil spills are inefficient and unsophisticated--taking too long and causing ongoing and expensive damage.
The nanosheet is made up of flakes, which are just several nanometers (one billionth of a meter) in thickness with tiny holes. This form enables the nanosheet to, in effect, increase its surface area per gram to the size of five and a half tennis courts.
According to lead author, Weiwei Lei, PhD, an IFM scientist and an Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Research Awardee, turning the powder into a sponge was a big challenge--but an essential step in the process.
"In 2013 we developed the first stage of the material, but it was simply a powder. This powder had absorption capabilities, but you cannot simply throw powder onto oil -- you need to be able to bind that powder into a sponge so that we can soak the oil up, and also separate it from water," Wei said. "The pores in the nanosheets provide the surface area to absorb oils and organic solvents up to 33 times its own weight."
Researchers from Drexel's College of Engineering helped to study and functionalize the material, which started as boron nitride powder, commonly called "white graphite." By forming the powder in to atomically thin sheets, the material could be made into a sponge.
"The mechanochemical technique developed meant it was possible to produce high-concentration stable aqueous colloidal solutions of boron nitride sheets, which could then be transformed into the ultralight porous aerogels and membranes for oil clean-up," said Vadym Mochalin, PhD, a co-author of the paper, who was a research associate professor at Drexel while working on the project, and is now an associate professor at Missouri University of Science and Technology.
The Drexel team used computational modeling to help understand the intimate details of how the material was formed. In the process, the team learned that the boron nitride nanosheets are flame resistant--which means they could also find applications in electrical and heat insulation.
"We are delighted that support from the Australian Research Council allowed us to participate in this interesting study and we could help our IFM colleagues to model and better understand this wonderful material, " said Yury Gogotsi, PhD, Distinguished University and Trustee Chair professor in Drexel's College of Engineering, and director of the A.J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute.
The nanotechnology team at Deakin's Institute for Frontier Materials has been working on boron nitride nanomaterials for two decades and has been internationally recognized for its work in the development of boron nitride nanotubes and nanosheets. This project is the next step in the IFM's continued research to discover new uses for the material.
"We are so excited to have finally got to this stage after two years of trying to work out how to turn what we knew was a good material into something that could be practically used," Chen said.
Weiwei Lei, Vadym N. Mochalin, Dan Liu, Si Qin, Yury Gogotsi, Ying Chen. Boron nitride colloidal solutions, ultralight aerogels and freestanding membranes through one-step exfoliation and functionalization. Nature Communications, 2015; 6: 8849 DOI:10.1038/NCOMMS9849
New Colombo Plan scholarship awards announced
November 30, 2015- UWS
Second year Bachelor of Natural Science (Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security) student, Justin Whittle, has been named the New Colombo Plan 2016 Thailand Fellow at the NCP scholarship presentation dinner held in Canberra last night.
Justin was awarded the prestigious fellowship by the Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honorable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK, MC (ret'd), and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Julie Bishop MP.
The New Colombo Plan Scholarship provides opportunities for Australian undergraduates to undertake semester-based study and internships or mentorships in participating Indo-Pacific locations.
Justin is one of 100 New Colombo Plan scholars who received their awards for study commencing in 2016.
Justin notes that finding innovative solutions to feed a hungry world will be one of our biggest challenges in the future. He has an overriding interest in the potential for edible insects as a food source – one of the reasons he was so keen to study in Thailand.
He notes that over two billion people around the world eat insects as part of their diet yet it's something no one really talks about.
"In Thailand, they are the largest consumers of edible insects in the world so that's why I'd like to do my research there," he says.
The NCP program is open to Australian undergraduates aged 18-28 currently studying at Australian universities.
NCP Scholars study in an approved program destination in the Indo-Pacific for up to a full academic year. In addition to this, the experience can include internships or mentorships for up to six months, and language study.
Researcher honoured by Geographical Society
December 1, 2015: UWS
The Director of the Centre for Western Sydney Professor Phillip O'Neill has been awarded the 2015 McDonald Holmes Medal for Geographical Education at a special ceremony in Sydney.
The Geographical Society of NSW awards the MacDonald Holmes medal biennially to a person deemed to have made a distinguished contribution in the field of geographical education in Australia.
Professor O'Neill was recognised for his role as a geographical educator in both the tertiary and secondary sectors.
During his career, Professor O'Neill has been a Chairperson of several Syllabus Committees, a Chief Examiner at HSC level, and a member of NSW Board of Secondary Education.
At Western Sydney University, Professor O'Neill was the Foundation Director of the Urban Research Centre, a Fellow of the Institute of Australian Geographers and Editor-in-Chief of Geographical Research.
He is currently the Director of the Centre for Western Sydney, a new initiative to forge partnerships with government and the local community to address the region's growing research and policy needs.