University of Western Australia

The study indicated that bowhead whales can live up to 268 years

Biology

DNA analysis reveals species' maximum lifespan

Gauging the maximum lifespan of wild animals can be difficult, as scientists are limited to examining whichever creatures they capture. Now, however, researchers have developed a method of determining a species' natural lifespan, based on its DNA.

The WaveFlyer electric hydrofoil jetski is currently in the prototype stage of development

Marine

WaveFlyer electric hydrofoil jetski rises above the water

Jetskis are a bit like motorbikes for the water. Hydrofoil boards and boats allow users to cut through and rise above the waves. The WaveFlyer merges the two, and throws in electric propulsion for a cleaner and quieter ride.

Fashionable fungi: A colored image shows the particles of gold collected by the fungus species fusarium oxsporium

Science

Gold-mining fungi could guide human prospectors

Scientists from Australia’s CSIRO have now found a fungus species that mines for gold and even decorates itself with the precious particles. Following the fungus could be a new, environmentally-friendly way to find large underground gold deposits.

Irritable bowel syndrome is the most common functional gastrointestinal disorder

Medical

Belt uses termite-listening tech to detect IBS

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common condition that causes bloating, diarrhea and constipation. It's also difficult to diagnose – often a colonoscopy is required in order to do so. Soon, however, it may be possible for doctors to simply use a belt that listens to patients' guts.

New simulations suggest life could be more common throughout the multiverse – or perhaps show that the multiverse doesn't exist after all

Physics

Simulations suggest multiverse is either teeming with life – or doesn't exist

Our universe seems to contain a suspiciously perfect amount of "dark energy" to sustain life. But new research suggests that life is still possible even with far more dark energy than we have, and the results have some big implications for the multiverse theory.

Biology

Pavlov's plants? Research suggests animal learning in veggies

Research from the University of Western Australia has shown that plants can learn by association, like Pavlov's dogs. The scientists conditioned seedlings to associate light with the wind from a fan, and found that the plants learned to use the fan to predict where light would next appear.

The setup stopped great white sharks from taking the bait 10 out of 10 times on their first approach, but this figure dropped to nine out of 10 on subsequent approaches

Good Thinking

Shark Shield electrical forcefield fends off 90% of attacks

A new study is throwing further weight behind an old idea of using electrical pulses to scare off sharks by overstimulating their senses, with a comprehensive study finding the Shark Shield can deter attacks 90 percent of the time.

Bristol PhD student Xiaogang Qiang and the primitive photonic quantum processor he designed with UWA researchers to simulate quantum walks

Quantum Computing

Primitive quantum computers may already outperform standard machines for very specific tasks

Current quantum processors were once thought of as only precursors to creating future quantum computers, and too simple to do anything useful on their own. Now researchers have discovered a way to use them to solve very specific tasks much faster than normal computers can today