From a bygone era: The T-shirt frustrating our brightest minds – The head of the country’s top science academy will write to Myer over the retailer’s decision to sell a women’s T-shirt emblazoned with the words, “I’m too pretty to do math”. The T-shirt, by Australian label Lioness, has raised the ire of Dr Cathy Foley, president of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering… SMH, 17 June 2026 (link, text below)
The first case of H5N1 bird flu in Australia has been confirmed… What does this mean? On Saturday, a suspected case of deadly H5 bird flu, also known as high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1, was confirmed in a brown skua. This virus has devastated wildlife populations in other continents, and this could be the start of a long push to protect Australian birds and wildlife in Australia… The Conversation, 21 June 2026 (link, text below)
From safety hazard to climate solution – Technology tackling fugitive methane from coal mines – Every underground coal mine has one thing in common: Coal seams leak methane gas into the tunnel network, presenting a serious safety hazard. The control is the same the world over: continuously pump fresh air through the workings, diluting and pushing out the methane. High-volume mechanical ventilation systems are a cornerstone of mine safety, but they create a stubborn environmental problem… TechXplore, 11 June 2026 (link, text below)
Climate change is causing fish to move to cooler water. But what if their escape route is blocked? Around the world, ocean warming is causing fish to move polewards in search of cooler water. But what if you’re a tiny prawn, barramundi or rare sawfish in a northern Australian gulf and your exit southwards is blocked by land? To date, there’s been a global gap in understanding how shallow tropical gulfs and bays are responding to climate change… The Conversation, 12 June 2026 (link, text below)
Three local scientists finalists for Researcher of the Year honour – Three local scientists whose work is shaping the future of Australian cotton have been named finalists for the 2026 Cotton Seed Distributors Researcher of the Year award. The 2026 finalists are Dr Shiming Liu, principal research scientist at CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Dr Katie Broughton, research scientist at CSIRO Agriculture and Food, and Dr Gunasekhar (Guna) Nachimuthu, senior research scientist (sustainable soils), Climate and Natural Resources Division of the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Australian Cotton Research Institute… The Courier, 13 June 2026 (link, text below)
What if every voyage helped map life beneath the surface? A new automated eDNA sampler aboard the private vessel Pangaea Ocean Explorer is helping test how vessels travelling across the sea could close critical gaps in our understanding of marine life… Minderoo Foundation, June 2026 (link, text below)
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SMH, 17 June 2026
The head of the country’s top science academy will write to Myer over the retailer’s decision to sell a women’s T-shirt emblazoned with the words, “I’m too pretty to do math”.
The T-shirt, by Australian label Lioness, has raised the ire of Dr Cathy Foley, president of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering.
Foley, Australia’s former chief scientist, said she would write to Myer chair Olivia Wirth to raise concerns over the T-shirt’s messaging, given the effect the sentiment could have on women’s and girls’ interest and participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
“It’s not helpful, and it’s giving such a wrong message,” Foley said.
“You have to ask: What does it say to the world? What is it encouraging women to think and aspire to?”
A physicist by training and former CSIRO chief scientist, Foley said it was important to call out messages dismissing or degrading girls’ and women’s abilities in the sciences no matter how subtle.
“You can’t let these things go without talking about it because you don’t want this to become this wedge which leads to the undoing of a whole lot of work we’ve been working on for decades.”
Women have been under-represented in STEM for decades, be it at school, university or in the workforce.
According to the federal government’s 2025 STEM Equity Monitor, girls are more likely than boys to end their formal STEM education at school. Just under a third of girls in year 11 and 12 said they would pursue STEM elective subjects in the future, while just under half of boys said they would.
The monitor found the proportion of women enrolled in STEM subjects at university had failed to lift since 2020, sitting at 37 per cent. However, completion rates had improved, rising from 14,500 in 2015 to 18,100 in 2023.
Dr Marguerite Evans-Galea, who co-founded Women in STEMM Australia – which also advocates for women in medicine – said the T-shirt’s slogan was outdated and suggested a girl’s appearance was more important than her intelligence.
“Beauty versus brains is a false choice from a bygone era. With AI increasingly influencing every sector, mathematics is the language of our future,” she said.
Evans-Galea, a deputy director at the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, said more than half the staff and students at the institute were women.
“Promoting outdated stereotypes actively discourages girls from gaining the skills they’ll need in their future careers,” she said. “Girls belong at the forefront of STEMM, and we need their intellect and drive to solve the complex challenges of tomorrow.”
The T-shirt remained on sale on the Lioness, Myer and The Iconic websites on Wednesday evening.
Myer was approached for comment but declined.
Lioness describes itself as a fashion house which “delivers sexy, luxury-inspired product designed for headstrong, fearless women who love to dress the way they feel”. The company’s website says the label is stocked in more than 15 countries.
Lioness and The Iconic were contacted for comment.
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The Conversation, 21 June 2026
On Saturday, a suspected case of deadly H5 bird flu, also known as high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1, was confirmed in a brown skua.
This large seabird was found in Cape Le Grand National Park near Esperance, about 700 kilometres south-east of Perth in Western Australia.
The virus is also suspected to have affected another seabird, a southern giant petrel, found at the same area.
Following the initial testing, samples collected from these birds were sent to the CSIRO to confirm the first Australian cases of H5N1, specifically the clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 lineage. Avian influenza viruses are categorised by subtype (creating the H and N number combination, here H5N1) and specific clades within the H5 subtype.
This virus has devastated wildlife populations in other continents, and this could be the start of a long push to protect Australian birds and wildlife in Australia.
Where did this virus come from?
Avian influenza viruses, of which HPAI H5N1 is just one kind, have been around for millenia. In the vast majority of cases they cause no disease in birds. These strains are referred to as low pathogenicity avian influenza viruses.
However, in 1996 one of these viruses evolved to become disease causing, and since then, this HPAI H5N1 has caused severe disease in poultry, and has become endemic in poultry. With chickens now forming about 70% of all birds worldwide, this is a critical reservoir where the virus continues to evolve.
The devastating effect of HPAI H5N1 is unfortunately not limited to poultry. Since 2021, HPAI H5N1 has caused a global animal pandemic, with enormous consequences for wildlife in all continents. It has killed millions of wild birds and caused significant drops in the global population of some species. It has also spread into wild and domestic mammals, with various species of seals particularly affected.
How it spreads
Part of the challenge in controlling HPAI H5N1 is that it can spread through a wide range of transmission pathways. For example, the virus typically spreads through faeces, especially when in water. Imagine infected ducks in a pond, where the pond water acts as a conduit to infecting other ducks which are feeding or cleaning themselves.
It can also be spread through direct contact and aerosol transmission, particularly in poultry farms. And it is spread through predation and scavenging, where animals like foxes maybe eat the carcasses of infected birds they find.
While it has so far been found in more than 400 different bird species, the spread of HPAI H5N1 in the northern hemisphere is facilitated by freshwater dabbling ducks. Dabbling duck species feed predominantly at the surface of the water, sometimes even grazing on land.
Importantly, ducks have very limited signs of disease when infected with HPAI H5N1, and appear to be able to continue to migrate while infected, allowing them to potentially spread the virus long distances.
Overall, this virus has been devastating for wild birds. For example, 33–47% of all adult northern gannets died in 2022 due to HPAI H5N1. On subantarctic Heard Island, 13,000 baby southern elephant seals died due to HPAI during the 2025–26 summer.
Why has it taken so long to reach Australia?
Despite being in Asia since the 1990s, and in Antarctica since 2024, HPAI H5N1 has not been detected in Australia until now. This is likely because there are no duck species which routinely migrate between Australia and Asia, nor are there ducks that migrate through Antarctica.
Despite the lack of ducks in Antarctica, the virus did arrive there in the summer of 2023–24, and subsequently spread thousands of kilometres through the subantarctic in the summer of 2024–25. Available evidence suggests birds like gulls, skuas and giant petrels may have taken on the role of long distance virus carriers in the Antarctic and subantarctic.
The various species of skuas and giant petrels that breed in Antarctic waters go on to roam the Southern Ocean, also venturing into the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans during the southern hemisphere winter. While rarely seen on our shores, these species are not too far offshore, looking for food and occasionally gathering in large groups.
Now that HPAI H5N1 has been found on mainland Australia, it will not necessarily establish itself and spread across the continent into other birds and mammals, including livestock.
Given that skuas and giant petrels are marine rather than freshwater species, and do not occur on land in large numbers outside the breeding season, there is still a chance that it may not spread further.
The biggest risk is that infected, sick birds are eaten or scavenged by native birds and mammals, which could transmit the virus to ducks.
Try to stop the spread
Once in ducks, the likely spread of the virus increases dramatically, and the outlook would be grim.
But for now, we are a few critical steps away from that happening. Continued surveillance and testing, being led by Western Australia, is critical to reveal the extent of the virus and whether it has spread to local animals.
Vigilance is key – do not touch or take sick animals into your care. Rather, report suspected cases immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
For farmers or people who own chooks, its critical to follow guidelines provided by government departments and report any suspicious mortality.
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TechXplore, 11 June 2026
Every underground coal mine has one thing in common: Coal seams leak methane gas into the tunnel network, presenting a serious safety hazard. The control is the same the world over: continuously pump fresh air through the workings, diluting and pushing out the methane. High-volume mechanical ventilation systems are a cornerstone of mine safety, but they create a stubborn environmental problem.
Exhaust air from coal mining, called ventilation air methane (VAM), carries methane at safe concentrations—typically well below 1%, ensuring a safety margin below the 5% explosive range. Dusty and damp, the VAM is often pumped at hundreds of cubic meters per second.
Methane is roughly 28 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than CO2. VAM accounts for more than 60% of all fugitive emissions from Australian coal mines and around 15% of the nation’s total methane output. That makes methane a material liability, one that regulators, investors and mine operators are increasingly required to address.
Thermal oxidizers—essentially high-temperature burners—have been used since the 1990s to destroy industrial methane.
But they are often bulky and generally operate above 900°C, using the methane they treat to sustain that temperature. A conventional thermal system requires concentrations of 0.3% and above to work well. Once methane in the VAM drops below this threshold, they typically need supplemental fuel to keep running efficiently, adding cost, complexity and their own emissions.
Too dilute to burn, too voluminous to concentrate easily, low and highly variable levels of VAM have presented an engineering paradox that has defeated every straightforward approach to effective abatement—until now.
Why the problem is getting harder
The VAM challenge has sharpened considerably over the past decade, driven by two converging forces.
Australia’s Safeguard Mechanism, established in 2016 and significantly expanded in 2023, now unequivocally requires large emitters, including underground coal mines, to keep net emissions within defined baselines.
Australia is also a signatory to the Global Methane Pledge, which commits more than 120 countries to collectively cut methane emissions by 30% below 2020 levels by 2030. That deadline is fast approaching, and global progress has been disappointing.
At the same time, mine safety practice has tightened risk management. Operators usually pre-drain methane from coal seams, removing the majority of the explosive gas. Further government regulatory pressure has driven even lower methane concentration limits through improved gas management and reporting to better protect workers underground.
This means more dilution, with lower average methane concentrations in the VAM stream and higher volumetric flow rates.
Over the past decade, methane concentrations in Australian mine ventilation air streams have declined significantly and now typically range from 0.2% to 0.4%, with levels below 0.2% occurring for substantial periods.
Older abatement systems that were marginal at these concentrations will inevitably become unfit for purpose.
Two decades of groundwork
CSIRO has been working on the science of VAM abatement for close to two decades. That sustained investment produced a suite of technologies spanning three broad approaches: converting VAM to electricity (VAMCAT), concentrating it for downstream use (VAMCAP), and destroying it via thermal (VAMMIT) or catalytic oxidation (CataVAM).
Yonggang Jin, CSIRO senior principal research scientist and team leader for environment and sustainability, leads CSIRO’s R&D in VAM abatement and is the principal inventor of CataVAM.
“The success of CataVAM is underpinned by strong science and engineering foundations in catalytic materials and reaction engineering, fluid dynamics, heat transfer and system control, built on CSIRO’s two decades of R&D in methane emissions abatement,” said Jin.
“That accumulated expertise is what has made CataVAM possible, underpinning CSIRO’s position as the leading research organization in this space.”
CataVAM: A technology built for where the industry is heading
CataVAM uses high-performance catalysts on a purpose-designed honeycomb regenerative bed to destroy methane.
Like the catalytic converters found in modern cars, it scrubs out methane at concentrations from 0.5% down to as little as 0.1%, without supplemental fuel.
It operates in full autothermal mode at temperatures between 450°C and 650°C depending on VAM concentrations—well below the temperatures required by other thermal systems.
Self-sustaining once running and energy-efficient by design, the system uses heat generated by catalytic methane oxidation to preheat incoming gas.
Central to the technology’s performance is a proprietary honeycomb-shaped catalytic regenerative bed, designed to optimize the coupling of catalytic performance, heat transfer and flow dynamics.
“We have engineered the honeycomb bed to destroy methane efficiently while maintaining efficient cross-bed heat transfer for stable autothermal operation and keeping bed flow resistance very low to reduce energy consumption,” said Jin.
“The lower operating temperature avoids catalyst degradation and prevents issues such as stone dust sintering, supporting long-term bed durability.”
Similarly, moisture in the gas stream—a persistent complication in real mine conditions—has not presented problems in trials.
Critically, the innovative honeycomb bed design delivers more than four times the VAM throughput of comparable conventional thermal systems of the same physical unit size.
That significantly improves the commercial and logistical case. For the same airflow capacity, a CataVAM module is much smaller than older technology units, making it suited to space-constrained mine sites and practical to relocate between ventilation shafts.
Gareth Kennedy, CSIRO’s research director for sustainable mining technologies, said this would make modules genuinely transportable.
“Older thermal-based systems are larger, heavy and generally not relocatable in any practical sense,” said Kennedy.
“A CataVAM set-up will be able to be deployed in one shaft, and when that seam is exhausted, packed up and trucked to the next.”
The economics are shifting, too. Catalytic systems have traditionally cost more, but falling VAM concentrations are making thermal technologies less efficient and harder to scale. At lower methane levels, thermal systems need to be much larger to remain self-sustaining.
At the same time, advances in catalyst performance and durability, combined with much higher throughput, are making catalytic mitigation a more practical and cost-effective option.
A world-first demonstration
A large-scale pilot CataVAM has been field-trialed at GM3 Appin mine in southern New South Wales using real VAM.
The CataVAM technology reached Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7 following its successful demonstration, processing substantially high ventilation airflows up to 1.38 cubic meters per second in extensive trials completed in April 2026.
This represents a world-first demonstration of high-efficiency catalytic VAM abatement at this scale under real mining conditions. The successful field validation marks a significant milestone in de-risking the technology for industry adoption and establishes clear pathways toward further scale-up and commercial deployment.
“We achieved a world first from trials of the new prototype, demonstrating greater than 98% methane destruction efficiency using real VAM at methane concentrations around 0.2% or less,” said Kennedy.
Mining company GM3 has been an industry collaborator in CSIRO’s VAM abatement research and development since 2014.
“GM3 is committed to exploring practical and innovative opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our operations,” said Russell Thomas, GM3 technical services manager.
“Projects such as this provide an opportunity to test emerging technologies under real-world conditions and generate valuable operational data that may help inform future methane abatement solutions for Appin Mine and the mining industry.”
The next step is a trial of a unit designed for 5 cubic meters per second and is underway with a commercialization partner.
“This is the final proof-of-technology phase before moving to full-scale modular development, for which we are actively collaborating with industry partners to achieve,” said Kennedy.
The target commercial module is designed to treat around 20 cubic meters per second, with mine deployments using multiple modules in parallel to match the full ventilation flows at a given shaft.
A future-facing technology
CataVAM is not designed for the VAM concentrations of a decade ago. It is designed for the concentrations coal mines produce today, and the even lower concentrations they will have to move toward as safety standards continue tightening.
“The mines that currently need this technology are already at or approaching the CataVAM design window, and every new mine developed in Australia to modern safety standards will likely operate there from day one,” said Kennedy.
“The science is done. The field performance is documented. The next stage is an engineering scale-up and commercial challenge, and CSIRO is not looking to solve it alone.”
With VAM abatement a priority in Australia’s Net Zero Plan for the Resource Sector, further investment in scale-up could support Safeguard Mechanism baselines and Australia’s Global Methane Pledge commitments.
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The Conversation, 12 June 2026
Around the world, ocean warming is causing fish to move polewards in search of cooler water.
But what if you’re a tiny prawn, barramundi or rare sawfish in a northern Australian gulf and your exit southwards is blocked by land? To date, there’s been a global gap in understanding how shallow tropical gulfs and bays are responding to climate change.
These marine environments are vital for nature, fisheries and coastal communities. However, their conditions are becoming more extreme and variable due to cumulative climate change. Species are riding an environmental roller coaster, with the rapid changes hindering their recovery.
Some of the world’s most populous countries – and unique species – are in the tropics. Lessons from remote northern Australia can prove insightful.
Our new research focuses on these unique Australian ecosystems and highlights their importance and complexity. It takes into account land barriers, the monsoonal climate, influence of cyclones and massive variability in sea levels.
Northern Australian seas are unique
To help unravel the complex dynamics of these systems, our team drew on the CSIRO’s 50-year history of research in northern Australia, focused on the Gulf of Carpentaria, Joseph Bonaparte Gulf and Torres Strait. Northern Australia has many seagrasses and mangroves, and is a stronghold for threatened species such as sawfish, dugongs, turtles and the snubfin dolphin.
We analysed climate influences on popular fishing species, such barramundi, mud crabs and lobsters, as well as Australia’s largest and most valuable prawn fishery, the Northern Prawn Fishery. And we discovered ocean temperature isn’t the only important indicator of climate change.
Our research showed these marine systems are influenced by compounding climate events in complex ways, which can be simplified into four primary factors to explain how, why and when species are affected.
We found combinations of extreme temperatures, exposure to dehydration, cloudiness in the water (turbidity) and hydrologic disconnection – the restriction or changes to the natural movement of water – combined to bolster some populations while devastating others. These patterns of change are largely influenced by El Niño or La Niña weather events.
Species are riding more extreme climate rollercoasters, with steeper and larger changes in the marine environment hindering their recovery. A good example is the brown tiger prawn.
The Goldilocks prawn
The original impetus for our research was to understand why present-day brown tiger prawn populations in northern Australia had not bounced back to levels seen before the turn of the century, despite reduced fishing. This region is the only place they exist.
We called them the “Goldilocks” prawns because they like ocean conditions that are just right – not too hot or too cold. Furthermore, earlier research showed juvenile brown tiger prawns are very fussy about the kinds of seagrass they use for shelter and food.
Our research found strong evidence of a major step-change in physical conditions around 1998 or 1999. Specifically, there were more La Niñas over the past two decades, higher than average freshwater flows, including from the Roper River, and increased cyclone intensity.
Cyclones cause massive seagrass damage, while sediment from flooding rivers limits seagrass growth. This means reduced nursery habitat for the brown tiger prawn already under pressure from rising temperatures. Our modelling found a sustained decrease in brown tiger prawns connected to a shift in climate patterns.
By contrast, the more robust grooved tiger prawns were not similarly affected, and common and redleg banana prawns thrived in response to good river flows. In fact, Redleg banana prawns, sawfish and mangroves are at risk during El Niño periods, when dry weather and lowered sea levels disrupt the river-ocean connections they rely on.
Why this matters
Climate change is playing out differently in northern Australia to the rest of the country. This new research will help us anticipate, prepare for and respond to compound climate events – when multiple weather or climate conditions interact with severe environmental consequences.
For example, fisheries could switch between tiger and banana prawns depending on environmental conditions. Conservation teams could benefit from knowing in advance how extreme climate events threaten species such as the endangered largetooth sawfish.
Globally, better waterway management is needed, because taking too much water out of river systems threatens downstream ecosystems and marine livelihoods.
An extreme El Niño is forecast for later this year. Our work offers insights into its potential impacts across these marine environments and helps ecosystem and fisheries managers prepare.
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The Courier, 13 June 2026
Three local scientists whose work is shaping the future of Australian cotton have been named finalists for the 2026 Cotton Seed Distributors Researcher of the Year award.
The award, to be presented at the 2026 Australian Cotton Conference on the Gold Coast as part of the Australian Cotton Industry Awards, recognises outstanding contribution to the Australian cotton industry through research, development or extension work, with an excellence in innovation, impact and commitment to advancement.
The 2026 finalists are Dr Shiming Liu, principal research scientist at CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Dr Katie Broughton, research scientist at CSIRO Agriculture and Food, and Dr Gunasekhar (Guna) Nachimuthu, senior research scientist (sustainable soils), Climate and Natural Resources Division of the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Australian Cotton Research Institute.
Dr Liu has played a pivotal role in advancing Australia’s cotton breeding program over more than 20 years, contributing to the development of many of the industry’s commercial varieties.
His leadership in developing the new Sicala 320B3XF variety represents a major breakthrough, delivering both high yield and world-leading fibre quality and strengthening Australia’s position in premium global markets.
He has also pioneered innovative trial designs and developed a novel seed vigour assay, improving the accuracy of breeding decisions and helping growers achieve more reliable crop establishment.
Dr Broughton has led groundbreaking research into how cotton systems respond to climate variability and environmental stress, helping growers better manage risk in a changing climate.
Her work over the past 19 years includes leading the world’s first integrated field-based climate change experiments in cotton, combining elevated CO₂, temperature and water stress to better understand real-world production conditions.
Her research has improved understanding of water-use efficiency, seasonal risk and crop management, while her current work on novel plant growth regulators is delivering new tools to improve yield stability in both irrigated and rain-fed systems.
Dr Nachimuthu is an internationally recognised soil and systems scientist whose work has transformed how soil health, carbon and climate resilience are managed in Australian cotton production.
His research over more than 20 years has delivered practical, long-term systems-based insights that improve productivity and sustainability including soil carbon benchmarking, resilient crop rotations and more efficient use of water and nutrients.
These innovations have supported growers to improve profitability and manage climate risk, while strengthening the industry’s environmental credentials and global reputation.
Cotton Australia chief executive officer Adam Kay said the three finalists have delivered significant contributions across different areas of the cotton research landscape, from plant breeding and climate resilience to soils and sustainability.
“Research is the backbone of Australia’s cotton industry. It underpins every advancement we’ve made in productivity, sustainability and fibre quality, ensuring our growers remain globally competitive in an increasingly complex environment,” Kay said
“These finalists represent the very best in cotton research, and each of them has made a significant contribution over the past 20 years, delivering practical innovations that is not only advancing knowledge but making a tangible difference to crop performance, risk management and environmental outcomes.”
Kay said the Cotton Seed Distributor-sponsored award recognises the role that science and research plays in cotton production.
“This award shines a spotlight on the people driving innovation behind the scenes, the people in the background who don’t often receive the glory but without whom our cotton industry wouldn’t be where it is today,” he said.
“Australia’s cotton industry is recognised globally for its innovation, and that reputation is built on the calibre of researchers we have working alongside growers.
“All three finalists exemplify that spirit of collaboration and excellence, and they should be proud of the impact they’ve made.”
Cotton Seed Distributors (CSD) chief executive officer Dr Ian Taylor said researchers in the Australian cotton industry are key to creating future solutions.
“At CSD we are a proud partner with researchers and their organisations both in Australia and across the globe,” Dr Taylor said.
“We are pleased to once again be supporting this award, as part of our focus on addressing key industry challenges and improving the competitiveness of Australian cotton.”
The Cotton Seed Distributors Researcher of the Year Award will be announced at the Australian Cotton Industry Awards Dinner on Thursday 6 August. The Bayer Cotton Grower of the Year Award, the AgriRisk High Achiever of the Year Award, the CRDC Chris Lehmann Young Cotton Achiever of the Year Award, and the John Deere Service to Industry Award will also be announced at the awards dinner, the final event of the 2026 Australian Cotton Conference.
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Minderoo Foundation, June 2026
A new automated eDNA sampler aboard the private vessel Pangaea Ocean Explorer is helping test how vessels travelling across the sea could close critical gaps in our understanding of marine life.
We have an ocean sized blind spot. To protect the ocean, we first need to understand what is there.
The ocean covers more than 70 per cent of the planet, yet vast areas remain poorly understood. Governments and marine managers are making decisions about ecosystems where the evidence is incomplete and important changes can be difficult to detect.
Are we protecting the right areas? Gaps in biodiversity data are not proof that nothing is there. Better decisions begin with a clearer picture.
A few litres of seawater, thousands of clues
Environmental DNA, or eDNA, is transforming what scientists can learn about marine life.
Fish, corals and other organisms leave tiny genetic traces in the water around them. By collecting and analysing seawater, scientists can identify many of the species present without needing to see, catch or disturb them.
Through a partnership with Parks Australia, Minderoo Foundation helped collect more than 6,000 samples from remote and hard-to-survey marine parks, including Christmas Island, Cocos Keeling Islands and Perth Canyon.
That work produced more than 257,000 marine vertebrate observations spanning more than 2,100 species. On average, each two-litre seawater sample returned 62 marine species detections.
That is a remarkable amount of information from a small amount of water.
Fish-stock assessments and traditional surveys remain essential but they can be expensive and don’t provide the broader tree-of-life ecosystem lens that is needed.
The science works, now let’s take it further
The next challenge is collecting enough eDNA samples, from enough places, often enough to track meaningful change.
Dedicated research vessels remain vital, but their time is limited and the ocean is simply too large for specialist expeditions to monitor alone.
Minderoo is supporting a number of community-led eDNA initiatives that are shore-based and sample costal ecosystems across the globe, one example is UNESCO’s eDNA expedition programme. However, the open ocean remains a challenge.
That is why Minderoo and CSIRO are working together through the Globalising Marine Biodiversity Observations partnership, known as GloMBO, to develop automated eDNA sampling that can operate beyond traditional research voyages.
CSIRO brings the scientific and technical expertise behind the autosampler, collection methods and quality standards needed to collect samples at oceanic scales.
The shared goal is to make rigorous ocean monitoring possible aboard vessels already travelling the world’s oceans.
Five minutes. No scientist on board
An automated sampler has now been installed aboard the private vessel Pangaea Ocean Explorer.
As the vessel travels, the sampler actively pumps and filters seawater and captures eDNA in replaceable cartridges. A trained crew member can change a set of cartridges in around five minutes, without requiring a scientist to remain on board.
This is what gives the technology real potential to scale.
Scientists call any vessel used in this way “ships of opportunity”. They are vessels travelling for another purpose that can collect useful scientific information along the way.
They do not need to change course or become floating laboratories. Once the equipment is installed, they can gather samples during journeys that were already going to happen.
If the system consistently produces high-quality samples at sea, the approach could be extended to many more private and commercial vessels.
Making every route count
Thousands of vessels ply the world’s oceans every day, including routes through waters rarely sampled by scientists.
Right now, most of those voyages tell us very little about the biodiversity below them. That is a missed opportunity.
Private and commercial vessels could gather information from coastlines and offshore areas that receive little formal monitoring.
Together, those journeys could create a much wider and more continuous picture of marine life, helping scientists detect changes earlier, identify biodiversity hotspots, monitor fish biomass and give governments stronger evidence on ocean management. This is also true of the high seas – the global commons owned by everyone and nobody.
Collecting the samples is only part of the job. Scientists also need robust analysis and genomic reference libraries to identify the DNA found in the water.
Today, only a small proportion of known marine fish species have had their barcodes or genomes sequenced. Minderoo is working with partners to help build those resources and make them available to researchers, conservationists, government decision-makers and regulators.
When the solution does not exist, build it
There is no ready-made global system capable of collecting marine eDNA at the scale required.
That is where philanthropy, catalytic capital and the private sector can make a practical contribution.
It is where Minderoo is making a difference. Working with CSIRO and partners, Minderoo is helping develop the technology, test it under real-world conditions and build a model that others can adopt.
Environmental DNA data collected by Pangaea is already available through a public dashboard that people can search and explore using AI tools. This roll-out of autosamplers onto ships of opportunity represents a step forward in how we map biodiversity.
Success will not be one sampler completing one voyage. It will be more vessels gathering reliable data, scientists seeing more of what is happening beneath the surface and decision-makers having better evidence before ecosystems are lost. Without action, we risk running down our ocean health and natural capital even further.
The ocean is too vast for scientists to monitor alone. The vessels are already moving. The opportunity is to make every route count. It’s time for better decisions.