Weber, Alexandra

A catch of eels from the RV Investigator voyage to the abyss. The deep-sea is dominated by the basketwork or cut-throat eels (Synaphobranchidae) that can flourish in frigid waters to more than 5000 metres. At least two new deep-sea eel species may emerge from the voyage. Image: Asher Flatt/Marine National Facility CSIRO ichthyologist John Pogonoski with an unnamed eel caught on the voyage to the eastern abyss. For John, uncovering the secrets of eels is an ongoing challenge. Image: Asher...

Scientists board the RV Investigator at Bell Bay, Tasmania for the voyage to sample deep-sea life at seven Commonwealth marine reserves across Australia's eastern abyss. Image: Asher Flatt

An international team of 40 scientists is set to embark on a pioneering voyage to study Australia’s eastern abyss, four kilometres beneath the ocean surface.

The month-long voyage on the Marine National Facility research vessel...

Wednesday 10 December 2014

The Australian Government has announced the successful organisations to lead research hubs under the $142.5 million National Environmental Science Programme (NESP). The programme will assist decision-makers to understand, manage and conserve Australia's environment by funding world-class biodiversity and climate science. This research will ensure decisions about managing Australia's biodiversity and environmental resources are made on the best available...

The Conversation, 25 September 2014

A complete tree of life – showing how and when organisms are related to each other – has long been desired by biologists, but obscured by the vagaries of the fossil record. Now, next-generation gene sequencing, capable of sequencing hundreds of millions of pieces of DNA, is not only revolutionising human medicine and agriculture, but also transforming our understanding about the origins and distribution of life on Earth.  Read Museum Victoria and...