As NASA’s Perseverance rover lands on Mars, UNSW is playing a key role in the search for life on the red planet. In July 2019, Professor Martin Van Kranendonk took a team of NASA and European Space Agency scientists to the Pilbara, in the Western Australian outback. The Pilbara is home to rocks that contain the oldest evidence of life on Earth, in layered reefs calls stromatolites, created by tiny microbes. At 3.5 billion years old, these rocks are a similar age to those that can be found on Mars, so these rocks will help the NASA team identify where to dig for samples on Mars, and what to look for in the samples.
Darren's diagnosis took two years, but a new Parkinson's disease detection method developed by UNSW researchers could enable an early and accurate diagnosis. In its current form, the new detection method takes five hours.

Phosphine detected in the atmosphere of Venus has scientists divided about whether or not it signifies primitive life on the planet. Image: Shutterstock
To confirm life on other planets, we need to detect far more molecules in their atmospheres than we currently do to rule out non-biological chemical processes.

Photo: Shutterstock
Our well-meaning efforts to use images to help demystify the vaccination process or share our pride in getting a COVID vaccine can backfire.

Photo: Shutterstock
UNSW researchers have used mathematical simulations of waiting in line, known as stochastic queue network models, to model the process of running a vaccination clinic.

A mass vaccination hub in Genoa, Italy. Photo: Luca Zennaro/EPA/AAP
We need to stop relying on small GP clinics and urgently move towards using mass vaccination hubs like stadiums, schools and parks.

Researchers draw on complementary skills across all housing and urban research areas. Photo: Shutterstock.
Projects for 2021 funded by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute are timely, practical and policy relevant.

The UNSW study is the first to use big data to predict domestic violence from misogynistic tweets across a two-year period. Image: Dave Akshar on Unsplash
Places where there is a lot of misogynistic tweeting going on are likely to have a lot of domestic violence as well, a study by UNSW has found.
Researchers have long been curious about the striking growth form of spinifex and now UNSW Sydney scientists say soil microbes are the answer.

Dr Matthew Baker is the only Australian research lead to be awarded a 2021 Human Frontier Science Program Research Grant – Early Career. Photo: UNSW Sydney
A UNSW Sydney researcher has received a prestigious international grant to study the origins of movement in bacteria and its application to present-day biology.

Photo: Shutterstock
The grisly discovery of a disembodied foot on a NSW beach was a tragic twist in the mystery of missing woman Melissa Caddick. Such tragedies can also reveal hidden currents connecting the planet.

“My team and I are excited to be able to contribute Australian expertise, insights and data to this important work. We would not be able to do that without this NHMRC funding,” said Scientia Associate Professor Helga Zoega.
UNSW Sydney researchers hope to improve the clinical outcomes, as well as quality of life in adult ADHD patients with co-occurring cardiometabolic disease as a result of the grant.

Picture: Paulus van Dorsten/Shutterstock
The dark side of 'financialisation' is well-known. But it's not all bad news.

FinTech is connecting underemployed Indonesian farmers with under-utilised land to produce high-quality organic food and sustainable incomes. Photo: Shutterstock
Fintech is playing an important role in helping digital entrepreneurs tap into growth opportunities in Indonesia's developing communities, shows UNSW Business School research.

UNSW Dr Anna Bruce, Associate Professor Iain MacGill and Naomi Stringer's collaborative project will provide insights into how rooftop solar can support the broader electricity network. Photo credit: Rob Largent.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has provided funding for a collaboration aiming to securely integrate rooftop solar into the power grid.

Merlin Crossley has been recognised for his contribution to our understanding of blood disorders. Photo: UNSW.
The UNSW Sydney Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic has been honoured with the Lemberg Medal for his excellence in biochemistry and molecular biology, and contributions to the scientific community.
Road transport has one of the worst safety records in Australia and a range of steps that must be taken to address this, says UNSW Business School's Michael Quinlan.

The future of cellular agriculture is not confined just to cultured meat, but to sustainably produce materials for other industries such as seafood or even dairy. Image: Shutterstock
The idea of ordering slaughter-free authentic meat is becoming a reality, a UNSW food and health expert says.

Fiona Hall ‘EXODUST’, 2021, burnt tree, rope, iron bell, LED lighting, eucalyptus sapling, birds’ nests, water-based oil. on burnt book, water-based oil on burnt fabric, installation dimensions variable. Courtesy the artist and Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney © the artist Photo: AGNSW, Felicity Jenkins
This third, and possibly final, biennial shows artists are deeply embedded in the politics of today.

New research shows that Queensland's coastline would be in danger of significantly larger potential tsunami waves if coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef was removed. Photo: Shutterstock
Healthy coral proven to reduce the impact of tsunami waves in Great Barrier Reef region.

Professor Martin Holt took carriage of the Gay Community Periodic Surveys 10 years ago.
UNSW Sydney’s longstanding partnership with state health departments and community HIV organisations will be extended to engage a broader range of people affected by HIV.

Andrew Laming (centre) with colleagues in the Coalition party room. Photo: Andrew Taylor/AAP
Scott Morrison and Michael McCormack have both called for empathy training for MPs. But it has all the hallmarks of a human resources fad.

Photo: Shutterstock
Research from a unique natural experiment shows how strict ideas about masculinity can emerge when men vastly outnumber women.
Warming waters are leading to the ‘tropicalisation’ of temperate reefs: gone are the kelp forests, and local fish populations are responding unexpectedly.

Hail is expected to be more severe when it does occur, because there will be more instability in the atmosphere which can lead to the formation of much larger hailstones. Image: Shutterstock.
Expected effects of climate change on hailstorms vary markedly by region, says a new international review involving UNSW.

Photo: SherSS/Shutterstock
Even healthy, well-adjusted veterans struggle with the transition from military to civilian life.

Extraordinary water temperatures of up to 24 degrees were recorded off the coast of Narooma in January. Image: Shutterstock.
A UNSW analysis has found waters off Sydney, southern NSW and eastern Tasmania are demonstrating an accelerated warming trend.

Professor Jill Bennett will join leading mental health researchers in the new NHMRC-funded centre. Photo: Dan White.
Jill Bennett’s research plays a unique role in a new NHMRC-funded centre and the mental health care ecosystem.

CoastSnap can help UNSW Engineers understand the impact of extreme storms on our coastline. Image: Shutterstock
UNSW engineers are leveraging the popularity of Insta-famous sites to study severe weather events and improve coastal planning practices.

The teams were awarded funds for projects which include a tool to improve bikeways in Australian cities, a non-toxic herbicide and pesticide for plants and fruit and research into how migrants integrated into post-war Australia.
UNSW Sydney researchers in Engineering, Science, and Arts, Design & Architecture have been awarded five grants in a new round for industry collaborations.
In any given year, there's a 1% chance of a 'once in a century' flood. But that doesn't mean they can't happen more than once in quick succession.
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Longstanding myths prevail within journalism and the community about trauma, memory and mental illness. Photo: Shutterstock
The media often reflects personal and professional biases and community misunderstandings about trauma.