Islam & democracy

Western leaders have been advocating free elections in Islamic countries for decades, but is this desire for democracy misguided?

The Goldilocks genome

Sequencing the platypus genome provided some striking insights into human genetics, and the kangaroo genome promises more revelations. Professor Jenny Graves says Australia’s animals are proving ‘just right’ for genomic science.

Paper tiger

Bangladesh stands to benefits from digital information systems – but first there are some barriers to overcome.

Heart help

Preserving cells when they’re starved of blood could be the difference between life and death for heart attack victims.

Drug plant DNA

Creating a national genetic database for cannabis is a first for Australian policing, but it’s also a scientific first.

Folio: Reptiles in the red centre

PhD researcher Mitzy Pepper from the School of Botany and Zoology has been tracking geckos in the Pilbara to build up our genetic picture of these lizards.

Success (strings attached)

Australia’s Olympic gold medallists get tickertape parades. But some other international champions prefer picking and plucking to fanfares.

Eureka! Carbon modellers win top prize

The National Carbon Accounting System team are still on a high after winning a Eureka prize.

Black holes, white holes & worm holes

Using preventative detention to combat terrorism is legally suspect and likely to lead more people to commit terrorist acts, argues Penelope Mathew from the ANU College of Law.

R&D 101

ANU is stepping up to the research skills shortage in Australia with a specialised undergraduate degree in research and development.
The link between engineers and infrastructure is like that between chicken and eggs. No-one is all that clear on which comes first, but most people agree that more of both would be useful.
The Association of […]

Something rotten in the Pacific

Corruption is seen as a defining issue in the Pacific. But Peter Larmour argues this is far from fair, nor very helpful for development in the region.

Last word: Boffins blogging; unlimited review

Andrew Walker and Nicholas Farrelly explain how blogging is opening academia up to larger and more varied audiences.

Breaking through

One of the most profound changes in Australian society in the postwar period has been the change of the status of women.

In brief: News from ANU Summer 2008

Word watch

The Australian National Dictionary Centre is a joint venture between Oxford University Press and ANU. Director Bruce Moore takes a lexicographical look at our lingua franca.
One of the most common forms of change in the meaning of words is called pejoration (from Late Latin pejorare meaning ‘to make worse’). Certain kinds of […]

A snapshot of life at ANU

Vice-Chancellor’s message Summer 2008

The Australian National University is a core part of the Canberra community. Some 20,000 people come to the campus each day to work or study. Thousands attend concerts, plays, exhibitions and public lectures on the campus, and a great many Canberrans are ANU alumni.

RSC takes out the 2008 Purple Shin

The Research School of Chemistry (RSC) played the Research School of Biological Sciences (RSBS) for the Purple Shin Grand Final on Thursday, 30 October at Willows Oval.

ANUpoll reveals nation worried about climate change

Australians view global warming as the most serious threat to the future well-being of the world and see drought as the most immediate environmental problem for the nation, according to the findings of the third ANUpoll, released today.

Investing wisely for Australia’s future: Professor Ian Chubb

The following speech was given by Professor Ian Chubb AC, Vice-Chancellor of The Australian National University on Wednesday 29 October 2008 at the National Press Club to mark the launch of the third ANUpoll and the ANU Climate Change Institute.

New ANU institute to tackle climate change challenge

A new ANU institute will tackle the complex problem of climate change head on, harnessing the expertise of the University’s researchers across traditional disciplinary lines.

Halloween’s origins show relevance for Aussies

In the lead up to Halloween a historian says we shouldn’t dismiss the holiday as an import from the USA, but instead celebrate its origins in medieval England and relevance to the development of Anglo-Australian culture.

Bug vision, drugs vision net research prizes

Learning about how insects navigate complex landscapes, and learning lessons from nature to develop better medical drugs, have led two ANU researchers to win 2008 Young Tall Poppy Science Awards.

Scientists solve mystery as tracks are cracked

A mystery that scientists have argued about for more than 50 years has been solved – and the findings could have wide potential impact for equipment sent into space, geological dating and futuristic nano-wires.

Cooling Earth revealed in ancient magma

Scientists have discovered new evidence that the interior of the Earth has cooled considerably over the last three billion years, leading to fresh questions about whether plate tectonic movement is only a relatively recent phenomenon.

Greenhouse gas emissions down 10% by 2010

Staff and students are being asked to pledge their commitment to environmental initiatives on campus with the launch of the ANUgreen 10% by 2010 program.