Cosmos Briefing: Lithium
As the demand for renewable-energy technologies skyrockets, we need to think about how to source their constituent materials without further damaging the world we’re trying to save, according to yesterday’s Cosmos Briefing.
Rick Valenta, from the Sustainable Minerals Institute at the University of Queensland, and Mahdokht Shaibani, a research fellow at Melbourne’s Monash University, discussed the future of lithium – a key component of batteries. With 55% of the world’s lithium supply currently coming from Australia, they highlight our nation’s responsibility to mine it in a sustainable way.
The session was hosted by the Royal Institution of Australia’s lead scientist, Alan Duffy.
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Biology by the numbers
Before 2020, the phrase “mathematical modelling” may have made your eyes glaze over. But as COVID-19 escalated across the globe, we’ve watched mathematics combine with epidemiology to make predictions, guide government decisions, and inform the public about the state of the pandemic.
In vitro tumour spheroid. (a) shows the red and green fluorescing cells relatively evenly distributed throughout the spheroid. (b) shows a mixture of red and green fluorescing cells at the surface of the spheroid, whereas in the centre of the spheroid we see predominantly red fluorescing cells. (c) shows the inner-most region is largely free of fluorescing cells; the intermediate region contains mostly red fluorescing cells; and the outermost region contains a mixture of red and green fluorescing cells. Credit: bioRxiv; Nikolas Haass (University of Queensland)
Ten things to see and do in Melbourne this summer
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After months of lockdown, Australia s cultural capital is beginning to bounce back.
What could be more Melbourne than spending long afternoons wandering the halls of the National Gallery of Victoria, or catching up with friends at a late-night show? From possum-fur paintings to Shakespeare under the stars, there s plenty to see and do this summer.
Here are some suggestions for what to put at the top of your holiday to-do list.
1. Walk through the massive, free exhibition at the NGV
Artist Jeff Koons with his sculpture at the National Gallery of Victoria.
8 Incredible Scientific Discoveries in 2020
On 12/26/20 at 12:01 AM EST
Dealing with the COVID pandemic, including developing vaccines to fight it, has been one of the biggest challenges ever faced by scientists. But researchers in all fields, including astronomy and physics, have also made great strides.
As 2020 draws to a close, let s look at some of the most incredible scientific discoveries of the past 12 months.
Sign of Alien Life in the Clouds of Venus?
In September, astronomers announced they had found a gas called phosphine, which can be a sign of life, in the atmosphere of Venus. The team later revised their findings and said they found a fainter phosphine signal than initially reported.