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May 2026

Hantavirus: the ‘silent’ virus

As a hantavirus outbreak makes global headlines, CSIRO researchers are investigating why different strains of these rodent-borne viruses target specific human organs, like the lungs or kidneys, with such varying levels of severity. (Liver tissue sample from a hantavirus patient suffering hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Credit: CDC, 1994)

Shaping the energy landscape with smarter large-scale solar

The rapid deployment of large-scale solar is an Australian success story. We take a look at the collaborative research advancing their next-generation, sustainable development.

Copper – the metal connecting Australia’s geology to a net zero world

Every time we turn on a light, charge a phone or drive a car, we rely on copper. What makes this metal central to the global energy transition?

Powering robots to learn in real time

When milliseconds matter, processing data on site rather than in distant cloud systems enables faster, safer learning for robotics and other AI-powered technologies.

Science is rewriting the rules of marine taxonomy, one seaweed at a time

Australia’s scientists are reshaping the seaweed family tree to drive new advances in conservation, restoration and bioprospecting.

Nitrogen fertiliser – feeding the world and why supply chains matter

Geopolitical disruptions remind us how much we rely on fertiliser. What is it, where does it come from and how much do we need to use?

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