Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Government

Acknowledgement of Country

CSIRO acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands, seas and waters, of the area that we live and work on across Australia and pays its respect to Elders past and present. We recognise that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have made, and will continue to make, extraordinary contributions to Australian life including in cultural, economic and scientific domains.

Indigenous science projects

Solving the greatest challenges

Challenges and missions

Our purpose as Australia's national science agency is to solve Australia's greatest challenges through innovative science and technology – it's what we've been doing for the past 100 years.

Hydrogen Industry Mission

We are working with collaborators from across industry, research and government to co-design this mission. This summary reflects the mission in development and will continue to evolve.

Critical Energy Minerals Roadmap

Australia’s future economic prosperity will depend on how well we can use our vast energy and mineral resources and adapt to follow the global market shift towards zero emissions.

Our greatest inventions

Aerogard

Insect repellent Aerogard has been keeping flying pests at bay since the 1960s. Flies, mosquitoes and other winged insects are not just irritating, they can carry diseases and infect both animals and humans. In 1938, our scientist Doug Waterhouse was working on a repellent to tackle the sheep blowfly, but with the arrival of World War II, he turned his attention to protecting allied troops from mosquitoes.

Itching to learn more

World's first Hendra vaccine

In 1994, a deadly new virus threatened to stop Australia's premier horse race – the Melbourne Cup. Over the next 16 years, 18 outbreaks of the now infamous Hendra virus were recorded through Queensland and NSW. In May 2011 CSIRO announced the development of a prototype vaccine for horses. By March 2013 our scientists confirmed that horses were immune to a lethal exposure of the Hendra virus six months post vaccination.

How it happened

Plastic banknotes

Australia's introduction of plastic bank notes with optically variable devices (OVDs), developed by CSIRO, was a world's first and represented a paradigm shift towards a currency secure against forgery. This was one of our longest and most successful research initiatives.

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Solving the greatest challenges

Challenges and missions

Hydrogen Industry Mission

Critical Energy Minerals Roadmap

Our greatest inventions

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Scholarships and student opportunities

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