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Written by Sarah Kellett Atop a blade of grass waits a baby worm. Sheep graze all around in the South Australian pasture, ripping up mouthfuls of juicy greenery. The worm quivers as a mouth nibbles nearby. Then finally, the moment arrives.

It’s hard not to be impressed by the power of the ocean. The thunderous crash of waves during a storm and more gentle movements of the tides have captured many people’s imaginations. But the power of the ocean is not just poetic – it could literally be used to provide electricity.

Strike a match. It lights thanks to phosphorus. This element doesn’t just have fiery applications – it’s important for life itself.

Robots have been a popular part of science fiction for years. While robots that can think and feel like humans are still just a fantasy, robotic systems are already having an impact on our lives. CSIRO runs one of the largest robotics research centres in the world, the Autonomous Systems Laboratory. Instead of trying to…

What do the thylacine, woolly mammoth and gastric-brooding frog all have in common? For one, they’re all extinct – however, there are some scientists who think that the extinction of these animals (and others) might not have to be permanent.

Wherever you are in the world, you may have noticed a change in the weather. Over the course of a year, there are periodic changes in things like temperature, rainfall and the amount of daylight. These changes allow us to divide the year into seasons.

Birds are an important part of many ecosystems. New Australian research shows that bird feathers could be used to measure just how healthy some ecosystems are.

Africa’s rhinoceros populations are under threat – only 5000 black rhinos and 20 000 white rhinos are left in the wild. A major cause in their decline is illegal hunting for their famous horns, used in ornamental weapons and traditional Chinese medicine.

Last week in Science by Email we looked at the heatwave that has affected much of Australia. In this country, where heatwaves go, bushfires often follow.

Do you have left over fruit and vegetable scraps? One day you might be able to use them to clean up the environment!