|
|
||
Free sample!
|
 Cosmos Online The platypus unravelledIt's been an enduring mystery since Western science 'discovered' it 200 years ago, but the publication of the platypus genome is now giving us an unprecedented insight into this perplexing hybrid of mammal and reptile.  The missing link in Australian genomicsGiven top billing on the cover of Nature, the first Australian animal to be sequenced should have been a triumph for Australian science – but the majority was sequenced overseas. Why did we miss the bus?  The undo effectHappiness has a positive influence on longevity and health, but what's behind this effect? Psychologists are uncovering evidence that positive emotions undo the physical damage done by stress, fear and anxiety.  The key to innovationWhether you're digging a ditch or designing an aeroplane, innovation makes the task more efficient and competitive. So how do we drive innovation?  A barcode for lifeSpecies scanners? An ambitious project to catalogue all life on Earth using DNA could revolutionise taxonomy.  The great Moon rushChina, Japan, India, Russia, and the U.S. are all sending satellites to the Moon, with landers, rovers and possibly astronauts hot on their heels. So why is the Moon such a draw?  UAVs find role in marine mammal surveillanceThis month a flying robot has been pressed into service off the coast of Australia to swoop low over the sea and carry out aerial surveys of endangered dugongs and whales.  The sins of scienceScientists have received special attention this week in the Vatican's 21st century update to the seven deadly sins. But could these new pronouncements end up stifling important ethical debates, rather than advancing them?  U.S. election raises hopes for scienceWashington should use the new wave of optimism for science to drive policy-making rather than to boost political agendas.  The biggest challenges of the 21st centuryPredicting the future is a tricky business, but a group of scientists, inventors, and experts have drawn up a blueprint for engineers to build a better tomorrow. What can we look forward to?  Hard-wired for loveAre robots the sex partners of the future? Though it sounds like a bleak nightmare to some, one academic thinks we will overcome the technological and psychological obstacles by 2050.  Talk and chalkSwimming against the cultural tide, physicists – especially theorists – cling to their blackboards.  Why conserve marsupials?Vast amounts of money and resources are ploughed into conserving Australia's native mammals – is it all worth it?  How the El Nino cycle worksClimate change is a major factor in Australia's ongoing drought – but cycles of wet and dry have long been driven by the fickle moods of the El Niño Southern Oscillation. Here we explain the science of that weather system.  Satellites build a picture of the pastGone are the days of a fearless Indiana Jones battling through the jungle in search of ancient treasures. Today's archaeologists are using high-tech tools - from NASA satellites to Google Earth - to do the hard work for them.
|
COSMOS newsletter!Receive regular updates highlighting the latest in science from COSMOS. Latest News |