CSIRO

Been there, sawfly. 🐛 Our researchers have described a new species of (now extinct) sawfly from a fossil discovered in central NSW! This fossilised sawfly, which is between 11 and 16 million years old from the Miocene Period, was the first of its kind discovered in Australia and only the second discovered in the world. Working with a team of researchers from the University of Canberra, the Australian Museum and Queensland Museum, we analysed the specimen and determined its taxonomic placement as a new species. With the approval of the Mudgee Local Aboriginal Land Council, Wiradjuri words were used to name the newly described species of sawfly Baladi warru. ‘Baladi’ means ‘saw’ and ‘warru’ means ‘wasp’. This name honours the Traditional Owners of the lands on which the fossil was located. We also identified pollen grains found on the sawfly's head, showing historical species interactions in the local environment. We're hoping to use this discovery to help track evolution and distribution of sawflies, as well as better understand their ability to feed on toxic plants. What we're buzzing about: https://lnkd.in/g4xScKEq 📷 | Michael Frese, University of Canberra

Celebrating agrifood excellence. 🏆 Congratulations to Dr Vivien (Viv) Rolland who has received the ICM Agrifood Award for Excellence in Agrifood at the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering annual national Awards! Viv is a Senior Research Scientist in our Agriculture and Food Research Unit. Together with his team, he is creating state-of-the-art artificial intelligence and imaging tools to enhance the productivity and sustainability of key food, oil and fibre crops; tools already being used by commercial breeders and researchers. We're proud of his fantastic work and extend our congratulations to all last night's award winners. Learn more about this exciting work: https://lnkd.in/gWksPNtX

The future of farming is powered by STEM. 👨💻 Research scientist Jonathan Richetti is helping Australian farmers work smarter, not harder. With his teammates, he's helping farmers and agriculture producers succeed by developing AI models to better understand production and sustainability. Meet Jonathan: https://lnkd.in/gkUznF2t

Buzzing with excitement at SXSW Sydney. 🙌 We're here all week at the Tech & Innovation Expo as part of the Australian Government collective, sharing insights on how to energise your enterprise. We caught up with some familiar faces and asked for their best advice for startups looking to stand out. 🔬 Vicky Alexandrou, PhD from Woven Optics shared her top tips for researchers who are making the jump to entrepreneurialism. 🌻 As the official live caption partner for SXSW Sydney, Sunflower AI's Chuhao Liu unpacked his secret to understanding customer needs. 🎤 Our Kick-Start Program Manager, Dr Megan Sebben is owning the MC role at this year’s SXSW Sydney Pitch. She shared her golden nugget of wisdom for nailing a startup pitch. Find out more about how we can support your SME or startup's journey: https://lnkd.in/gHBebNzZ #SXSWSydney2024

Marine heatwaves hiding under the surface. 🌊 Marine heatwaves have been studied at the sea surface for more than a decade. But our new research has found that 80 per cent of marine heatwaves below 100 metres occur separately to those on the surface. This means that current monitoring techniques haven't been recording the frequency and impacts of marine heatwaves in the deep ocean. Understanding the drivers of subsurface marine heatwaves, such as eddies, will help better assess these events in a warming climate, and help to predict them in the future. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gfZFv24P

Protein for every plate. 🍽️ To meet growing global demand, we're going to need more protein from more sources. We’re partnering on innovation to add value to traditional proteins like meat, fish and legumes, and deliver new proteins to complement them. The recent Protein Futures 2024 event showcased new protein innovations, such as the Aussie start-up, Grainstone, turning beer waste into bread. Take a peek into the future of protein: https://lnkd.in/gDRBhecn #WorldFoodDay

Driving towards a cleaner grid. 🔌 One of the biggest challenges of decarbonising the electricity industry is storage capacity. Our 2023 Renewable Energy Storage Roadmap found that we need significantly more storage by 2050. That's where Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology comes in. Through a bidirectional charger, V2G technology turns the car into a mobile energy storage system. The car can both capture excess renewable energy and supply it back to the grid or home when needed. We're working with energy distributor Essential Energy to prepare Australia for a future where consumer-owned storage plays a significant role in Australia’s power system. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/gfasZPU5

Europa Clipper is up and away! 🚀 NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration bus-sized spacecraft, the Europa Clipper, has embarked on a six-year journey to one of Jupiter's ocean moons. 🌊 Europa's subsurface ocean is larger than all of Earth's oceans combined and may harbour hydrothermal vents, making it a tantalizing target in the search for extraterrestrial life. 🏠 NASA hopes to better understand the moon's habitability with Clipper. 🧩 The Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex that we manage will play a key role in the mission’s success. Explore the full story: http://spr.ly/6040qKNLG 📷| CSIRO/A Cherney

Hi-D has found mush-room for improvement in the Vitamin D2 market. #NationalMushroomDay Family-run startup Hi-D recognised a gap in the market for a plant-based, eco-friendly form of Vitamin D2. They turned to the mighty mushroom to provide a solution! 💊 Through our Kick-Start program, they collaborated with our researchers to enhance their product, increasing Vitamin D2 levels in their mushroom powders. 🍄 Hi-D then joined our RISE Accelerator program to help take their product global. 🛒 🤝 If you're a startup looking to grow, our programs can support your commercialisation goals. Learn more: http://spr.ly/6044qK93O

#CapeGrimCO2update #KennaookCapeGrimCO2update Monthly averaged baseline CO2 levels measured at Kennaook/Cape Grim, Tasmania: Sep 2024: 421.17 ppm Sep 2023: 417.39 ppm Sep 2014: 396.00 ppm Sep 2004: 375.80 ppm Sep 1984: 342.51 ppm Access the data: https://lnkd.in/gcjB-vhp