Flinders University

A slab of limestone excavated in 1984 from the ancient Coriovallum settlement presented a puzzle for researchers of Roman history. Because of its grooves, the stone piece looked like a board game. More than 40 years on, we may have the rulebook.

Researchers in South Australia have found a way to funnel a byproduct of the highly destructive process of lithium mining into making stronger and more durable concrete.

Cuneiform, the world's oldest form of writing, involved making indentations in clay tablets. Scientists have now developed a data storage system that's like cuneiform on steroids – and it's capable of storing more data than a typical hard disc drive.

Science continues to make advances in smart fabrics. Now, a team of international researchers has created a wearable textile that can self-repair, is antibacterial, and could even be used to monitor a person’s heart rhythm.

Construction is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Flinders University researchers have now developed a polymer made out of industrial waste that can be formed into building bricks that bond together without needing any mortar.

Industrial piping has a hard life, as it's constantly exposed to liquids that can damage its inner surface over time. A new polymer coating could help protect such pipes, while removing toxic metals from the liquids as it does so.

The hoverfly has an extraordinary ability to see and track moving objects in very low light, and Australian researchers have replicated its signal-to-noise-boosting vision systems to process sound data, detecting and tracking drones up to 4 km away.

Back in 2019, we heard how scientists at Australia's Flinders University were developing a lightweight material that might someday be used in shark-bite-resistant wetsuits. Well, that day has arrived, and such a suit is now on Kickstarter.

A versatile new kind of polymer can be used on its own like regular rubber, or mixed with filler materials including used PVC and carbon fiber to create brand new composites, which can in turn be recycled in an almost endless loop.

Imagine getting a flat tire, and just smearing on a chemical that makes the rubber meld seamlessly back together. That’s the kind of breakthrough researchers are now reporting, with a new material made of waste products and easily recyclable itself.

In certain parts of the world, people such as surfers stand a real risk of being bitten by sharks. According to a recent study, however, a lightweight wetsuit fabric could greatly reduce the seriousness of injuries when such attacks occur.

Much of the Australian Outback has no mobile signal, but it does have more than a few Toyota LandCruisers. A plan has now been hatched to take advantage of this fact, which would see vehicles kitted out with Wi-Fi, UHF and other technologies to form a roving network for emergency communications.​