Research Impact

Featured stories

Bringing oyster reefs back from extinction

Oyster reefs carpeted thousands of kilometers of Australian coastline 200 years ago, but were dredged to near extinction within a century of colonial settlement. An ambitious nationwide restoration program now seeks to bring them back. In South Australia, the largest reef restoration in the Southern Hemisphere, Windara Reef, was constructed in 2017 to restore the ecosystem of the native mud oyster, Ostrea angasi, off the Yorke Peninsula.

Gents, it’s time to talk about making babies

Whilst the focus on women’s reproductive health is rightly high, the pre-conception health of potential fathers is still sadly often ignored.

Disjointed sleep can be a health nightmare for women

Most people remember when they wake during the night. But it’s the many briefer moments of stirring from slumber that can dramatically impact health – particularly for women.

The secret to powerful storytelling

Have you ever wondered why some stories draw people into another world or even affect their lives? What are the key elements a story needs to grab a reader’s attention, engage them with the subject, evoke emotions and prompt a change in their behaviour?

Introducing The Discovery Pod

Why has COVID-19 been so devastating? Why does music make us feel things? How do we secure the future of food and water for all? We're seeking answers to these questions (and more) in our newest University podcast series - The Discovery Pod.

Stories

Cleaning up the farm

The Discovery Pod | Season 2, Episode 4
Australia’s farmers are increasingly turning to transient migrant labour to keep their properties running.

What people’s beef is with gene editing?

Gene editing in the beef industry could provide significant new strategies for producing far superior livestock. It could be used to produce cattle that are heathier, more environmentally resilient and allow for higher levels of animal welfare by eliminating the need for painful common procedures.

Close up photo of a wheat field at sunset

Genetically modified foods

The Discovery Pod | Season 1, Episode 10
Unnatural, Harmful and Unsafe? Does genetic modification really have a role to play in our food futures?

Murray river aerial shot. Image credit to iStock.

Food and water security

The Discovery Pod | Season 1, Episode 7
Access to food and water is set to become the next conflict horizon. So how do we secure the future of food and water for all?

Farmer to pharma? Creating new products from agricultural waste

Our researchers are supporting South Australia’s primary producers by turning their waste into high-value products, potentially worth over $100m per annum.

A little water can go a long way when battling heatwaves

It appears that how you use water is more important than how much you use when trying to protect vines from the impact of heatwaves.

Stories

Reading the history of indigenous South American peoples in ancient DNA

Ancient human DNA dating back almost 9,000 years has provided significant genetic insights for an international large-scale study in South America.

The people behind the cars

History will not forget the people and places that made Holden cars an icon of Australia.

City nightlife takes on a new dimension

The growth of small venues has changed the face of Adelaide’s social scene, adding life and livelihood.

Macau shown in three dimensions

An immersive multimedia experience has brought to life the diverse cultural history of a former colonial enclave.

Curious Kids: why do we cry?

Most people cry when they’re feeling sad, or when they are having big feelings.

From Star Wars to Apocalypse Now, director’s cuts are all the rage. But do they make the films any better?

Is this self-indulgence or part of the artistic process?

Stories

Moon boot

The Discovery Pod | Season 2, Episode 8
Powering up human settlement on the Moon is widely considered the ideal first step towards long-term crewed planetary exploration—and it could feasibly happen as soon as this decade.

Youth online safety and cybercrime prevention

Knowing how young people operate in the digital world is the key to keeping them safe.

Many countries join The US, Russia and China in creating space agencies

Civilian and Military use of space has been dramatically increasing in recent years thus leading many States, including Australia, to create National Space Agencies.

Tackling traffic congestion on the final frontier

To prevent damage and loss of valuable space assets it is critical that we develop space situational awareness.

Avoiding technology meltdown

Can we prevent cyber-attacks that result in the leak of secret information?

Protecting people in the front-line

Developing technology to support people in high stress situations boosts their effectiveness and reduces potential harm.

Stories

Renewable energy

The Discovery Pod | Season 1, Episode 6
Cracking the code – finding new ways to power our nation and drive the manufacturing economy.

Harnessing low cost, sustainable, activated carbon from waste

In what is believed to be a world-first, an Adelaide-based start-up has developed a new, low cost, sustainable method of producing activated carbon.

$What's really going on during fracking$

What's really going on during fracking

How do fluids such as water, gas and petroleum move in the earth?

Solar thermal for mineral processing

It is a fact that in a country like Australia, dominated by the primary production of commodities such as iron ore, copper and alumina, the industrial processes that produce these for export account for around half of our energy consumption.

Solar for hydrogen production

Imagine 10 years from today, an underground mine, where waste water is continuously pumped out to keep it dry. University of Adelaide researchers are looking into ways to build a better world, and turn this nuisance into a fuel source through hydrogen fuelled vehicles!

Taking charge

New energy sources and a growing demand for electric vehicles are driving demand for energy storage.

Stories

Bringing oyster reefs back from extinction

Oyster reefs carpeted thousands of kilometers of Australian coastline 200 years ago, but were dredged to near extinction within a century of colonial settlement. An ambitious nationwide restoration program now seeks to bring them back. In South Australia, the largest reef restoration in the Southern Hemisphere, Windara Reef, was constructed in 2017 to restore the ecosystem of the native mud oyster, Ostrea angasi, off the Yorke Peninsula.

Bushfire and the challenge to respond to new levels of environmental risk

There have been terrible bushfires this summer across southern Australia – and they are still going. Part of the reason for this disaster is the unprecedented climatic conditions that the country has been facing, including record hot and dry conditions.

What people’s beef is with gene editing?

Gene editing in the beef industry could provide significant new strategies for producing far superior livestock. It could be used to produce cattle that are heathier, more environmentally resilient and allow for higher levels of animal welfare by eliminating the need for painful common procedures.

Buzz off honey industry, our national parks shouldn’t be milked for money

Among the vast number of native species damaged by the recent bushfire crisis, we must not forget native pollinators. These animals, mainly insects such as native bees, help sustain ecosystems by pollinating native plants.

I made bushfire maps from satellite data, and found a glaring gap in Australia’s preparedness

On the night of January 9 2020, my wife and I secured our Kangaroo Island home and anxiously monitored the South Australian Country Fire Service (CFS) website for bushfire advice.

Australian sea lions (Neophoca cinerea) are one of the rarest pinnipeds in the world and they are declining

Australian sea lions are declining. Using drones to check their health can help us understand why

Australian sea lions are in trouble. Their population has never recovered from the impact of the commercial sealing that occurred mainly in the 19th century.

Stories

Gents, it’s time to talk about making babies

Whilst the focus on women’s reproductive health is rightly high, the pre-conception health of potential fathers is still sadly often ignored.

Disjointed sleep can be a health nightmare for women

Most people remember when they wake during the night. But it’s the many briefer moments of stirring from slumber that can dramatically impact health – particularly for women.

Understanding congenital heart disease

Each year in Australia, it is estimated 2,400 babies are affected with congenital heart disease. People with complex and severe congenital heart disease require specialist treatment throughout their life.

Where people burnout most during COVID-19

Research is identifying the regions where working adults are more likely to burnout during the COVID-19 crisis: The key is the distance to the epicentre – but not how you might imagine.

Let’s ‘declare war on type 2 diabetes’ – Australian of the year James Muecke on why we need to cut back on sugar

Humans are physiologically hardwired to love and seek out sweet things. It’s an ancient survival mechanism that evolved to prepare our bodies for periods of fasting when food supplies were scarce.

Debunking the myths and moving mens health forward

Our research is informing new approaches to preventative health strategies, delivery of health services and management of common health conditions in men.

Stories

What people’s beef is with gene editing?

Gene editing in the beef industry could provide significant new strategies for producing far superior livestock. It could be used to produce cattle that are heathier, more environmentally resilient and allow for higher levels of animal welfare by eliminating the need for painful common procedures.

Disjointed sleep can be a health nightmare for women

Most people remember when they wake during the night. But it’s the many briefer moments of stirring from slumber that can dramatically impact health – particularly for women.

The secret to powerful storytelling

Have you ever wondered why some stories draw people into another world or even affect their lives? What are the key elements a story needs to grab a reader’s attention, engage them with the subject, evoke emotions and prompt a change in their behaviour?