Take action now against non-compliant imports – by Neil Clout

Australian markets are being flooded with non-compliant products that threaten both consumers and manufacturers alike. Here Neil Clout argues that weak regulations, rarely enforced are eroding Australia’s industrial and skills base. In the vast landscape of global commerce, the competition is fierce, and the stakes are high. For Australian manufacturers, the challenges are particularly daunting.…

Here’s how wastewater facilities could tackle food waste, generate energy and slash emissions

By Melita Jazbec, University of Technology Sydney; Andrea Turner, University of Technology Sydney, and Ben Madden, University of Technology Sydney Most Australian food waste ends up in landfill. Rotting in the absence of oxygen produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. While some facilities capture this “landfill gas” to produce energy, or burn it off to…

Viral room-temperature superconductor claims spark excitement – and skepticism

By Mahboobeh Shahbazi, Queensland University of Technology Last week, a group of South Korean physicists made a startling claim. In two papers uploaded to the arXiv preprint server, they say they have created a material that “opens a new era for humankind”. LK-99, a lead-based compound, is purportedly a room-temperature, ambient-pressure superconductor. Such a material,…

Plotlogic raises cash for push into minining technology

US and Australian venture capital climate and sustainability heavyweights have led a $US28 million Series B funding round for deep-tech mining company Plotlogic. In the five years since its inception, Queensland-based Plotlogic has fast become a leader in ore characterisation. Their technology helps customers, including BHP, Vale, South32 and leading lithium company Pilbara Minerals, increase…