Curtin University

An international study reveals that certain organic compounds (PAHs) found in the Ryugu asteroid and Murchison meteorite likely originated in the cold areas of space. This finding, derived from controlled burns of plants and comparative analysis, challenges previous beliefs and offers new insights into the chemistry of celestial bodies and the potential for extraterrestrial life.The examination of organic compounds known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), obtained from the Ryugu asteroid and Murchison meteorite,…

Researchers have precisely dated ancient multicellular fossils to 565 million years ago, using volcanic ash layers as time markers. These findings, based on fossils from Wales and similar sites worldwide, shed light on a significant period in Earth’s history, when complex life began flourishing after a global ice age. (Artist’s concept.) Credit: SciTechDaily.comA new study precisely dates ancient multicellular fossils, uncovering key moments in Earth’s history and the evolution of complex life after a global ice…

Some specimens of mulgaras used in this investigation from the Western Australian Museum Mammology collection. Credit: Photo by Jake Newman-Martin. Courtesy WA Museum Researchers from Curtin University have made a bittersweet discovery, identifying three new species of mulgaras, small Australian marsupials. While this finding expands our understanding of marsupials related to Tasmanian Devils and quolls, it is marred by the likelihood that these newly discovered species are already extinct. These mulgaras, known for…

When you think of an electric vehicle, chances are you’ll picture a car. But there’s a quiet revolution going on in transport. It turns out electrification can work wonders for almost all of our transport options, from electric bikes to motorbikes to buses to freight trains and even to tractors and heavy trucks. There will soon be no need to burn petrol and diesel in an internal combustion engine. This matters, because electric transport will be vital in our efforts to stem climate change. If all cars on the road became…