News, research and teaching relating to the National Marine Science Centre
/prod01/scueduau/media/scueduau/news/2020/Horticulture-in-Coffs-w-White-and-Wadnekar-03-720x475.jpg "Horticulture in Coffs coast catchment with Shane White and Praktan Wadnekar")
Marine scientists fingerprint sources of nitrogen on the Coffs coast
Coffs coast waterways are bearing the brunt of a nitrogen double-whammy from fertilisers and recycled sewage. Remarkably in dry periods, though, the waterways can protect downstream habitats by removing much of the nitrogen naturally.
15 September 2020
/prod01/scueduau/media/scueduau/news/2020/Newly-settled-COTS-credit-Benjamin-Mos-720x475.jpg "Crown of thorns starfish newly settled juvenile credit Benjamin Mos")
Baby predator starfish prove to be unfussy, adaptable eaters - and scientists are worried
Discovery of the diet flexibility of juvenile crown of thorns starfish has complicated scientists’ ability to predict the timing of devastating outbreaks of adults on coral reefs.
21 July 2020
/prod01/scueduau/media/scueduau/news/2020/Anna-Scott-Elbow-Cave_Ginclear-film_720x475.jpg "Anna Scott in ABC documentary Australia's Ocean Odyssey")
How Nemo’s ocean highway supports life along Australia’s east coast
The famous ocean highway that transported Nemo the clownfish along Australia’s east coast is the subject of a new documentary featuring Southern Cross University sea anemone expert Dr Anna Scott.
8 June 2020
/prod01/scueduau/media/scueduau/news/2020/Marine-science-720x475.jpg "Marine science fish at Solitary Islands Aquarium Coffs Harbour")
Students see futures in Southern Cross sciences
Southern Cross University is seeing an unprecedented increase in demand for science degrees into the second half of 2020.
7 June 2020
/prod01/scueduau/media/scueduau/news/2020/Aerial-shot-2-credit-Brendan-Kelaher-Southern-Cross-University---for-T4.jpg "Cloud brightening equipment")
Scientists trial world-first ‘cloud brightening’ technique to protect corals
As the world grapples with COVID-19, the Great Barrier Reef is facing a crisis of its own – its third mass bleaching in five years.
20 April 2020
/prod01/scueduau/media/scueduau/news/2020/RRAP-program-for-T4.jpg "RRAP program photo")
Southern Cross University joins world-leading RRAP program to boost reef resilience
Southern Cross University has joined the world-leading Reef Restoration and Adaptation (RRAP) Program to help preserve and restore the Great Barrier Reef in the face of rising ocean temperatures and coral bleaching.
16 April 2020
/prod01/scueduau/media/scueduau/news/2020/Adult-crown-of-thorns-starfish---for-T4.jpg "Adult crown of thorns starfish")
Hidden army: How starfish could build up numbers to attack coral reefs
Crown of thorns starfish lie in wait as algae-eating young before attacking coral. Research published today (8 April 2020) in Biology Letters has shown that juvenile starfish can delay their diet shift to coral for at least 6.5 years.
8 April 2020
/prod01/scueduau/media/scueduau/news/desalination-fish-life-940x627.jpg "large numbers of fish near ocean floor")
Sydney desalination plant discharge boosts fish numbers by almost 300 per cent
Sydney's desalination plant has delivered an unexpected effect on the marine life surrounding its discharge outlet — a massive increase in fish life.
This article published on the ABC News website.
19 December 2019
/prod01/scueduau/media/scueduau/news/2019/New-Australatya-shrimp-species---for-T4.jpg "New Australatya shrimp species")
New Australian shrimp species scales waterfalls, changes gender
Researchers have described an unusual species of shrimp found in north Queensland, which scales 100-metre high waterfalls, changes gender, and uses nets on its front legs to eat.
16 December 2019
/prod01/scueduau/media/scueduau/news/2019/Ben-Mos-3-for-T4.jpg "Dr Ben Mos")
Southern Cross University awarded almost $1.3 million for prestigious ARC Discovery Program grants
The Australian Research Council recently announced the prestigious 2020 Discovery Program awards. The grants awarded included $577,000 for a Discovery Indigenous project.
11 December 2019
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Tomoki Mishina is changing the world, one beautiful fish at a time
One of Tomoki Mishina’s big life dreams is to create a world in which tuna live in home aquariums. Actually, that’s sort of a joke as, Tomoki (Tom) says, “a tuna is huge; who would have that in their room?” His ambition is, however to “make something that’s impossible, possible.”
23 September 2019
/prod01/scueduau/media/scueduau/news/2019/One-Tree-Coral-slope-for-T4.jpg "One Tree Island coral slope")
Southern Great Barrier Reef island shows vital signs of life
Large portions of the Great Barrier Reef have experienced devastating coral decline, but there is one island bucking the trend. New research from Southern Cross University doctoral researcher Kay Davis shows One Tree Island, near Gladstone in the southernmost neighbourhood of the Great Barrier Reef, has experienced remarkable coral growth.
25 June 2019
/prod01/scueduau/media/scueduau/news/2019/Debra-Stokes-and-Andrew-Colefax_20180523_DSC_2701-720x475.jpg "Drones Debra Stokes and Andrew Colefax")
Keeping an eye on sharks from the sky – are drones a good idea?
Drones were deployed at NSW beaches more than three years to monitor sharks and develop surveillance procedures in an effort to keep beach-goers safe following a spate of attacks in 2015.
29 May 2019
/prod01/scueduau/media/scueduau/news/2019/Professor-Isaac-Santos-2016-04-29-1-720x475.jpg "Isaac Santos")
Australian Academy of Science honours marine science Professor
The Australian Academy of Science, the nation’s peak science body, has awarded its prestigious 2019 Anton Hales Medal for distinguished research in the Earth Sciences to Professor Isaac Santos from Southern Cross University.
28 February 2019