Researchers develop biodegradable, plant-based packaging from natural fibers – new research From beetles to sustainable packaging – one failure in the lab led to a new line of promising research.

Researchers develop biodegradable, plant-based packaging from natural fibers – new research
theconversation.com/researchers-...

New ban on dangerous rodent poisons is lifeline for our native animals Rat and mouse baits are an everyday product. But these chemicals can persist in the tissues of rodents that eat them for months and poison native animals.

New ban on dangerous rodent poisons is lifeline for our native animals
theconversation.com/new-ban-on-d...

Artificial habitat delivers world-first win for endangered palm cockatoo | Cape York Weekly For a bird species relying on centuries-old trees and well-timed cyclones, nesting habitats are hard to come by, but an…

The biggest conservation win ever for the endangered Palm Cockatoo! On the back of 18 years of my research on this difficult species, People for Wildlife and Indigenous rangers and I were able to make an install an artificial hollow that was immediately used! 💥

capeyorkweekly.com.au/artificial-h...

How Indigenous ideas about non-linear time can help us navigate ecological crises Māori, for instance, do not place the present at the centre; as some researchers put it, ‘there is no centre’.

How Indigenous ideas about non-linear time can help us navigate ecological crises
theconversation.com/how-indigeno...

One of my favorite tidbits from this development is that not only did grass start growing in the desert for the first time, but that it grew so tall to the point it started covering the solar panels and becoming a massive issue, and the best solution was to just let sheep eat the grass.

The economist, the bull and an elite movement that reshaped the world A constant battle of ideas reshapes the world we live in, and few groups have been more successful in winning the war than the little-known Atlas Network.

On the Atlas Network, and links between Advance, CPAC, Cormack Foundation, Liberal Party, IPA, CIS, and many others.

Excellent from Gareth Hutchens. To his credit, credits @lucyham.bsky.social and @anthonyklan.bsky.social for their work.

Give me some hope for ABC.
www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01...

Native forest logging is driving extinction and climate damage The revelation that the Forestry Corporation of NSW (FCNSW) is proposing to log a cloud forest in southern NSW teeming with threatened species is another reminder of the spiralling decline of the nati...

The revelation that the Forestry Corporation of NSW is proposing to log a cloud forest in southern NSW, teeming with threatened species, is another reminder of the spiralling decline of the native forest logging industry
- Bob Debus, former NSW enviro minister
thepoint.com.au/opinions/260...

Rob Hirst, Midnight Oil drummer and founding member, dies aged 70 Musician who drove much of the band’s ferocious sound and co-wrote many of its biggest hits was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2023

Vale to a most amazing person and musician. I hope you're beating the crap out of a drumkit, somewhere, Rob. Thank you for the immense joy and inspiration you've provided. www.theguardian.com/music/2026/j...

Please join us at the rally to save the #StateLibraryofVictoria from mismanagement & insane staff cuts. Library steps, Saturday 13 December at 12.30. Every citizen of this city owns this place & now we have to defend it. I'm sorry we're all so busy & distracted by bad things: but this we can do.

How 4ZZZ kept Brisbane loud and proud with the help of bands, battles and beer Brisbane community radio station 4ZZZ has withstood political, social and financial pressure for 50 years and it's still thriving as a loud and proud beacon of counterculture.

Brisbane community radio station 4ZZZ celebrates 50 years against all odds
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12... #ausmedia #qldpol #ozhist

Activate climate’s ‘silent majority’ to supercharge action, experts say Making concerned people aware their views are far from alone could unlock the change so urgently needed

A huge 89% majority of global people [56% even in the United States] want stronger action to fight the #ClimateCrisis, but mistakenly believe they’re in a minority.

People want action. Smart cities are taking action. Nations should support city action.

#ActionStartsHere @mayors4climate.bsky.social

The Weekly Cybers #95 With just 12 days to go there’s yet more news about Australia’s social media age restrictions, a new AI Safety Institute, and so many other stories it hurts. Happy Friday.

NEW NEWSLETTER: “ The Weekly Cybers #95” buttondown.com/stilgherrian...

With just 12 days to go there’s yet more news about Australia’s social media age restrictions, a new AI Safety Institute, and so many other stories it hurts. Happy Friday.

State Library of Victoria faces job cuts as staff accuse management of pursuing ‘digital vanity projects’ Under the plan, 39 jobs would be lost and the public-facing workforce of reference librarians would be cut from 25 staff to 10

Late contender for best news quote of 2025: "At the end of the day, most people do not give a shit about Ned Kelly’s rotating three-dimensional helmet."

11th November 1975, a pivotal moment for Australian politics and me The point.com.au

This is probably the only story you will read about Gough’s left nut today…beautiful piece by Mike Bowers

thepoint.com.au/opinions/251...

This is Doom, running headless, on Ubuntu Arm… on a satellite Ólafur Waage has an unusual take on "will it run Doom?" Ubuntu Summit  Doom takes place on Mars, but up until recently, it has only been played on Earth. However, at the Ubuntu Summit, one enterprising developer explained how he extended the well-established "will it run Doom?" meme all the way into space.…

This is Doom, running headless, on Ubuntu Arm… on a satellite

Researchers claim a technology breakthrough that could help solve some of the barriers to the development of potentially low cost and longer lasting sodium-ion batteries.

Writing from in between... Welcome to In Between Days, my new space for writing, for trying out thoughts and ideas, as I find my way from here to there, or there to here, or then to now... floundering about in this between spac...

I think it’s time to get this out into the world…

Here’s my new blogletter. I’ll be writing here about life and changemaking in this discombobulating space between the no longer and the not yet.

Do please have a read of this first post, sign up, and spread the word!

Yesterday I got so old... On noticing that the ground has slid away It's like it was yesterday. 16 year old me bopping along to In Between Days at the back of the school bus, the jangly joy of the music jarring perfectly aga...

On noticing that the ground has slid away

My 2nd post at In Between Days is about how you can paper over cracks, but you can't paper over an abyss

We're over the cliff

We're in freefall

We have to live in this reality together

Because that's the only way to get from the no longer to the not yet

I HATE COLLINGWOOD Wolfenstein 3D mod on floppy disk. This version doesn't work. :(

Australians, please raid your Uncle's old PC in his shed, and help me find a copy of this to archive.

#Australia #AFL #DOSGaming #Wolfenstein #RetroGaming #MSDOS #RetroComputing

Why investment in clean indoor air is vital preparation for the pandemics and climate emergencies to come Unchecked airborne infections cost billions in lost health and productivity each year – likely more than the cost of better ventilation to clean up indoor air.

Why investment in clean indoor air is vital preparation for the pandemics and climate emergencies to come
theconversation.com/why-investme...

From frog saunas to butterfly puddles: 8 ways to turn your homes into a wildlife refuge

Urban sprawl has forced native animals and humans to live close together. Here are eight ways to make your home a refuge for wildlife.

What is the value of Meanjin? We’ve done some calcuations – and it’s not about money

New research considers the true value of Meanjin, using publicly available data. The journal has trained generations of Australian writers and editors.

Politicians are pushing AI as a quick fix to Australia’s housing crisis. They’re risking another Robodebt If governments now see AI as a tool to reform housing planning and assessments, they shouldn’t rush headlong.

Politicians are pushing AI as a quick fix to Australia’s housing crisis. They’re risking another Robodebt
theconversation.com/politicians-...

Meanjin's 'financial' shutdown doesn't add up

Opinion | Melbourne University Press says it shut down Meanjin for "purely financial reasons". Perhaps the university could have used some of its $273 million surplus to safeguard the seminal journal, @catrionamp.bsky.social‬ writes.

Australian writers shocked and ‘disgusted’ by closure of 85-year-old literary journal Meanjin Meanjin published the cream of Australia’s writers. With its sudden closure, a vital, 85-year thread of our cultural conversation will fall silent.

Australian writers shocked and ‘disgusted’ by closure of 85-year-old literary journal Meanjin
theconversation.com/australian-w...

The little Meanjin collection that I helped bring into the world as editor. Just a fragment of its 85-year catalogue. What an act of bone-stupid arrogance to kill it.

BREAKING: The Senate has just voted YES to our inquiry into the social media age ban & search engine age verification codes! This isn't just about kids - it's a national age verification and identification system masquerading as being about online safety for children. 🧵

Ongoing productivity damage from Covid-19: mitigating impacts Another submission to the "Productivity Roundtable"

Improving ventilation one of the few measures still available to reduce death and disability from Covid johnquigginblog.subs...

The lights have stayed on in Australia, even as more wind and solar is added to the grid Australia’s uniquely isolated and massive power grid has seen massive renewable energy growth while maintaining world-leading levels of reliability.

I don't think it's widely realised (partic post-Spain-Blackout) just how remarkably stable the world's leading variable renewables (wind/solar) grids are, and for the issues that do exist, how much batteries can directly help

So.....I wrote about it for @reneweconomy.com.au!!