A Geek and Freelancer Writing About the Awesomeness of Science
The Polly Woodside has been a Melbourne icon for many years. The ship has a rich history that dates back to 1885 but it had been left to rot by the mid-1960s. Sold to the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) for one cent in 1968, Polly was painstakingly restored to its former glory by a... Continue Reading →
When researchers head “out into the field” in Antarctica for longer periods of time and need something more robust than a tent, there are Igloo Satellite Cabins and Googie Huts. While unusual in appearance, both fibreglass accommodations are Australian designed and have been serving the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) for decades. The South Pole is... Continue Reading →
Australia’s scientific research flagship, the RV Investigator, celebrates five years of service this month. The vessel is maintained by the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) and studies a wide variety of Earth sciences—including oceanology, meteorology and biology. It’s nearly 100 m long, is designed to spend up to 300 days a year on... Continue Reading →
Scientist Dorothy Hill was hugely influential in Australian geology. She was a crucial part in the first major studies of the Great Barrier Reef and was the first woman to become a professor at an Australian university. A lot of her work took place at the University of Queensland (UQ). The Engineering and Science Library... Continue Reading →
People have been looking up at the night sky for thousands of years but radio astronomy was new in the 1950s. One of the first fully functioning radio telescopes in the Southern Hemisphere was the one at Parkes Observatory. It is located 20 kilometres (12.4 miles) north of the town of the same name and... Continue Reading →
The Australian Space Agency and NASA have just signed a new partnership to work together on America’s plan to return to the moon in 2024. The endeavour will produce new technologies and help build Australia’s growing aerospace industry. On September 21st, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Australian Space Agency head, Dr Megan Clark, met with... Continue Reading →
The Parkes Radio Observatory will be holding a free open day weekend (July 20–21) for the public to celebrate the moon landing fiftieth anniversary. There will be opportunities for rare behind-the-scenes tours of ‘the Dish’. The weekend will feature astronomy talks by leading scientists, space trivia, science fun for kids, face painting, performances, live music... Continue Reading →