Environment

Amazing pics of emerald 3I/ATLAS over Egypt as interstellar anomaly rockets toward Earth

Christmas comet coming to town

If you look up at the night sky in the week before Christmas you might see a mysterious green light – but it’s not Santa and his reindeers ahead of schedule. So what is it and why is it there?

KIDS NEWS 2025: AI-produced impression of some of Australia's oldest-known mammals from the Tertiary period 55 million years ago. Picture: AI/UNSW/supplied

‘Drop crocs’ roamed Australia

Ancient crocodiles that may have ambushed prey by dropping from trees have been identified through fossilised eggshells found in Queensland, suggesting a prehistoric predator ready to pounce

Primeval Caveman Wearing Animal Skin Holds Stone Tipped Spear Looks Around, Explores Prehistoric Forest in a Hunt for Animal Prey. Neanderthal Going Hunting in the Jungle

Fire-starters change human history

New evidence of humans deliberately making fire up to 350,000 years earlier than previously thought has lit up a team of British scientists – find out why fire was such a species game-changer

Aussies have been told to stay extra vigilant as an oppressive heatwave strips the nation, sparking further bushfires and sizzling temperatures.The Bureau of Meteorology warned that while dry and sunnny conditions are expected across much of the country on Monday, it will be wetter across the central and northern NSW coast.,

How to coast through heatwave

Aussies are being reminded to keep cool and stay safe as much of the country is struck by extreme heat. Here are some ways you can play it cool during a heatwave

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New plan for Aussie beach safety

The first phase of a plan to make Australian waters safer and reduce shark risk at our beaches is being rolled out in one state. Learn how sharks can be spotted early and how lives can be saved

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A couple of curious wildlife cases have found their way to Healesville Sanctuary wildlife hospital, with not one but two Echidna puggles needing extra TLC., It’s an uncommon sight that has spiked the interest of the veterinary team., The orphaned youngsters were both disturbed in their burrows while people were doing end of year renovations., One was accidentally dug up by an excavator clearing a paddock in Launching Place. The other found under a slab of concrete at a building site near Alexandra., It’s common for female Echidnas to create burrows in random places at this time of year. Often, they will feed the puggles and then go off wandering for a few days at a time, meaning the little ones can be left in the burrow for up to 10 days. Credit Zoos Victoria

Double puggles out of trouble

A couple of curious wildlife cases have found their way to an Australian wildlife hospital, with not one but two echidna puggles now receiving plenty of TLC after their dramatic survival

VIDEOExplainers

EV fire thumb art split

Science behind EV fire big bucket

A big roadside bath could be the future emergency response for burning EVs on our roads as a good soaking could be key to safely suppressing vehicle fires that may otherwise last for days

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Mystery of ancient tomb solved

For almost a century, archaeologists scratched their heads over an unmarked royal sarcophagus in the tomb of Pharaoh Osorkon II until this stunning discovery amid relics revealed the noble’s name

India will host the 2030 Commonwealth Games.

Comm Games centenary saved

In 2030, Australia’s top athletes will compete at this historic Indian city to mark 100 years of the Commonwealth Games with other member nations – let’s meet the host metropolis

Mark Knight cartoon Thu 26 Nov 2025 Our higher power prices Bowen

Power price pledge unplugged

Do your parents stomp around switching off lights? Well, Mark Knight’s toon delivers this power point: energy costs are currently Australia’s biggest inflation driver despite election promises

Figure 1. Megachile lucifer (also known as a lucifer bee) sp. nov. female, a lateral view b head, frontal view c dorsal view d ventral view. Picture: Kit S. Prendergast; Joshua W. Campbell

Devil in the DNA of bee discovery

A new native Australian bee species has been discovered and has a famously sinister new name to back up its gothic appearance – but why does this horned creature need a heap of human love?

In this NASA handout image obtained on June 14, 2023, a combination of high-resolution images taken during a 2005 flyby of NASA's Cassini spacecraft were combined into this mosaic to show Saturn's moon Enceladus, with long fissures at the moon's south pole that allow water from the subsurface ocean to escape into space. The long hunt for extraterrestrials just got a major boost. Scientists have discovered that phosphorus, a key building block of life, lies in the ocean beneath the icy surface of Saturn's moon Enceladus. The finding was based on a review of data collected by NASA's Cassini probe, and was published on June 14, 2023 in the prestigious journal Nature. (Photo by HANDOUT / NASA / AFP) / XGTY / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT

Is Saturn’s condition ripe for life?

Saturn’s moon Enceladus has excited an international team of researchers, as understanding grows of what lies beneath the surface of this ‘key target’ in the search for extraterrestrial life

Andrew Fahey with his pet croc Louis Vuitton

Wait, what? You can keep a croc?!

As one Australian state moves to ban pet crocodiles, another part of the nation is making it easier than ever to keep one of these apex predators in a suburban backyard – can you guess where?

Ginnie Allwood shot this Aurora Australis over Lake Eppalock 9:24pm.

Solar storm lights up Aussie sky

A powerful solar storm delivered Australians a rare treat as the Southern Lights put on a dazzling display visible as far north as Queensland, while those who missed out could get a second chance

VIDEOScience and Technology

Chinese carmaker FAW is experimenting with battery ejection technology. Picture: Supplied

Craziest car ‘safety feature’ fail

A car manufacturer’s eccentric solution to EV battery fires – ejecting the entire power pack out one side at speed – has left motoring experts scratching their heads. Watch the live demo

Plastic bread tags, pizza savers, and other hard-to-recycle items are set to disappear in one state as authorities crack down on pollution. Photo: NSW Government

Everyday items banned for millions

These common household products are set to vanish from at least one Australian state as authorities crack down on “unnecessary” plastics that are hard to recycle and harmful to people and planet

EXPLAINERAnimals

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Why there is a bear crisis in Japan

There’s so many bears about in parts of Japan that soldiers have been sent to help residents of the northern region hit by a record number of attacks – but why are all these bears coming to town?

A man looks at a fallen tree in St. Catherine, Jamaica, on October 28, 2025. Ferocious winds and torrential rain tore into Jamaica Tuesday as Hurricane Melissa made landfall, the worst storm ever to strike the island nation and one of the most powerful hurricanes on record. The extremely violent Category 5 system was still crawling across the Caribbean, promising catastrophic floods and life-threatening conditions as maximum sustained winds reached a staggering 185 miles per hour (295 kilometers per hour). (Photo by Ricardo Makyn / AFP)

How Hurricane Melissa intensified

Hurricane Melissa has become the most powerful hurricane to hit land in the Atlantic, wreaking havoc across four island nations. But just how did it become so strong?

Foundation shows an overwhelming 98 per cent of Australians believe losing the Reef would be a national tragedy, with nearly three-quarters describing that loss as 'significant' or 'irreplaceable'.

Aussies worry for Reef’s future

A new report on the Great Barrier Reef has revealed what most Australians think about losing our largest natural wonder as experts warn not enough is being done. So what needs to change?

Abandoned dogs near nuclear powerplant turn blue. Photo: Clean Futures Fund via Storyful

Dumped dogs of Ukraine turn blue

Wild footage has shown several abandoned dogs living near the infamous Chernobyl nuclear power plant have turned blue, baffling the workers caring of them – what has dyed their fur?