01 Customers

Getting the science of business right

02 Research

From sun roofs to light roofs

With nearly a quarter of a car’s fuel consumption determined by how heavy a car is, it’s no wonder manufacturers have long sought ways to lighten their load. But using magnesium – which is 75 per cent lighter than steel and 33 per cent lighter than aluminium – for car bodies poses a range of challenges. Now we’ve unveiled a new technique for molding lightweight magnesium to create stronger, higher quality metal sheets, at even lower costs. Check out how our mag roof looks on the new Porsche 911

Breath of fresh air for malaria testing

Over the next 18 months, our researchers will be arriving in Malawi, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Sudan to trial our ground-breaking malaria testing technology. After discovering last year that early stage malaria could be diagnosed by identifying distinctive chemicals in the breath, we’ve picked up $1.4 million in funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to try the new test in some of the world’s most malaria-ridden countries. See what this round of trials could mean for saving millions of lives

03 Discoveries

04 People

All aboard for swell science

After 33 days at sea, a crew of salty scientists have come ashore, bearing data-stuffed bots from the latest voyage of the Research Vessel Investigator. A bevy of bots is essential when science never sleeps – and there’s always more data to gather from the rich depths of the Southern Ocean. With three projects running concurrently, the ship pulled data from moorings, balloons, radar and satellite, and even sent it out to schools through two scientist-student link-ups. See more from the RV Investigator’s recent voyage

JOBS

A future in carbon

Based in Brisbane, you'll provide scientific and technical input into coke making and contribute to the development of coke making capabilities and expertise within the Carbon Steel Futures program. You'll be helping set up and run a pilot and laboratory scale experimental work, as well as collecting, analysing and processing experimental data and preparing reports for internal and external customers.

Can you dig it?

As a mining engineer, you'll be a key member of the Mine Safety and Environmental Group which works with the Australian mining industry. The work will include research and support to the coal industry on various aspects of mining - geomechanics, ground control, safety, and site environment assessment. To get the gig you'll need extensive industry experience so you can expand and strengthen our existing engagement.

05 Participate

How healthy is your diet – for you and the environment?

It’s well established that eating a diet rich in vegetables, grains, and minimally processed foods is good for you – but how is our diet impacting on the health of the environment? That’s what we’re aiming to study with the release of our new Health Diet Score survey this week. When you complete the survey, complete with vegetarian and gluten-free options, you’ll get a score reflecting your own healthy habits and we’ll use the data to assess the greenhouse effects of our national menu, through impacts like production, processing, packaging and transport of our favourite foods. Take the Healthy Diet Score survey and find out what impact your food is having

Introducing the secret life of Kokoda

The Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea holds a special place in the heart of Australians, a site of pilgrimage to experience the history of World War II. But it’s the role we played in surveying the land around the Kokoda Track and Owen Stanley Ranges in the 1950s and 1960s that underpins our recent digital revelations. Recognised as a global hotspot for biodiversity, last month we handed a fully digitised collection of more than 200,000 specimens of local flora and fauna to the PNG government, based on our collection at the Australian National Herbarium in Canberra, and previously not easily accessible to the people of PNG. Take a walk through PNG by perusing our collection

Watch What is gluten?