For the second year in a row, the ABC is holding it's Australian Insect of the Year competition, with six bugs competing for the crown of Australia's favourite.

We catch up with UNE's very own Dr Anna Probert to discuss insects, bugs, and why people should care about them.

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Dr Hao Chen and Iser Pena from the Stevens Institute of Technology ran a simulation assessing how different groups performed, depending on the different types of personality traits represented in those groups.

We caught up with Dr Chen to discuss this research, and its implications.

For anyone interested in the study, it's available to read through the open access journal, PLOS: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0332496

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The Australian Conservation Foundation is challenging a decision by Minister for the Environment, the Hon. Murray Watt, to approve an extension of the North West Shelf Project until 2070.

We spoke with ACF General Counsel, Adam Beeson, about the proceedings.

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Now in it's 4th year, the Platy Project is recording sightings of platypus across east Australia to help collect population data.

We catch up with National Nature Campaigner Jess Abrahams from the Australian Conservation Foundation to talk about the Platy Project and how people can get involved.

The Platy Project Interactive Map can be found here: https://platy-project.acf.org.au/

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New research from Curtin University and published in Physical Review Research, has found that the chemistry of zircons found in Earth’s crust contained a geological archive of Earth’s interaction with the Milky Way.

To learn more about these findings and how this new line of research connects geology and astrophysics, we caught up with lead study author Professor Chris Kirkland.

For anyone interested in the study, it can be found here: https://doi.org/10.1103/98c3-d9j2

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Thanks to Murawin, the Young Tiddas on Country program will see First Nations girls in Armidale, Uralla, and Guyra, supported culturally through years 4 to 9, starting in 2026.

We sat down with Cassie Strong, a consultant for Murawin and Armidale local, to talk about the project and what opportunities it will give these girls.

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What is Climate Change Criminology, and how does it impact the way we engage with crime and harm?

We caught up with Professor Rob White to discuss these topics and more.

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What's the difference between being literate and having literacy? That's just one of many questions we explore with UNE Senior Lecturer in English, Literacies and Language in the School of Education, Dr Nathan Lowien.

September 8th is World Literacy day, so to celebrate we're discussing the different ways we approach literacy.

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