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Issue 285 & 286: February 2022

Summer science smorgasbord

 
Welcome back to ECOS for 2022!

We hope you’re hungry for science news served fresh.

Underwater, we've discovered new coral seed banks, and investigated the worldwide impact of trawling. Back on land, we’ve investigated the threat of both wildfires and mosquitoes, and traced the source of the iconic Mataranka Springs. And in the agricultural space, we're digitising the food supply chain, and looking at the benefits of AI, machine learning and deep learning.

There’s certainly a lot to digest.

Keep an eye on our website, and if you like what you read, get your friends and colleagues to subscribe!

Leader insights

Spreading like wildfires

The world's first United Nations global report about the rising threat of extraordinary landscape fires is out. It has shown that uncontrollable and devastating wildfires are becoming an expected part of our seasonal calendars.

Calculating the costs of net zero emissions

A new CSIRO report ‘Exploring climate risk in Australia’ asks what the financial implications might be if we delay the transition to net zero emissions.

Preventing mosquito-borne diseases

Australian summers and mosquitoes go together. But a La Niña year can increase the risk of mosquito-borne diseases.

Energy futures

Technological innovation and our energy system

Our analysis from 2017 estimated it would cost Australia a trillion dollars to convert to renewables. Our current estimate is $500 billion. A large part of this is because of recent technological innovation.

Driving down Australia’s energy sector emissions

Electricity generation is the biggest contributor to our national greenhouse gas emissions, and it's undergoing a rapid transition.

Science and the environment

New science discovers coral seed banks

CSIRO scientists have found that corals store dormant 'seed banks' like forests do. This unexpected finding shows reefs can recover in surprising ways.

Tracing the source of the Mataranka Springs

The Mataranka Springs Complex is a unique water resource in the Northern Territory. Recent CSIRO research has uncovered important new information about the sources of water for the Springs.

Worldwide trawling impact revealed

Hidden beneath the waves, the impact of bottom trawling is often talked about but rarely properly understood. A recent CSIRO-led study has quantified that impact on a worldwide scale.

Listening to the community

We're helping to support informed decision making when it comes to safeguarding environmental values in the Beetaloo and Cooper geological basins.

What's new in agricultural science?

It’s automatic: digitising food safety compliance

Australia has an enviable reputation as a world-class food producer. Digital transformation of the country’s food supply chain will enable automated compliance. It will also provide deep analytics to enhance food safety and quality.

The eyes don't have it: Machine vision to improve cotton breeding

It might surprise you that the precise scientific field of cotton breeding also involves a high degree of visual estimation. Can artificial intelligence and machine learning take its place?

What’s brewing? Precision food proteins from fermentation

Precision fermentation has emerged as one of the frontrunners for additional sources of protein that could underpin the growth of a sustainable bioeconomy in Australia.

Putting farmers at the centre of research to transform agriculture

New global research shows that when farmers and researchers co-create knowledge through On-Farm Experimentation there can be lasting and meaningful impact to farm profitability and sustainability.

AI, machine learning and deep learning: what can they do for agriculture?

Artificial intelligence and its sub-branches machine learning and deep learning are making their way into agriculture and agribusiness. They're helping make decisions and predictions once never dreamed of.