WORLD'S OLDEST FOSSILS, OR NO SUCH THING?
Researchers say they have found "compelling" new evidence of the earliest
known forms of life on Earth in ancient rock in Australia.
5th June.
The world's leggiest animal? 
This newly discovered millipede nearly does have the mythical one thousand legs.
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Week 13, 29nd May.
The land where snakes are kings?
On the flood plains of the Adelaide River near Darwin, there may be 30 Water pythons per square kilometre!
These snakes are the only ectotherms known to be top predator in an ecosystem. Read here about the interplay between snakes and their prey, dusky rats, as the populations of these species boom and bust according to climatic conditions.
Week 12, 22nd May.
Big Breaths!! Dinosaurs such as T. rex may have had respiratory systems more similar to those of birds than those of reptiles. This may have allowed them to have relatively high metabolic rates.
Week 11, 15th May.
Insect hormones
At CSIRO, Australian scientists are researching new pest control agents based on the insect hormone ecdysone . Read more
(and do also check out the very intriguing web link from the same page ")
Week 10, 8th May.
Frogs
It's a wet Sunday afternoon, and outside the Zoology building the frogs are croaking - but are we missing something? Some frogs actually croak in ultrasound.!
Meanwhile. somewhere in the north of Australia, cane toads continue their march into our tropical ecosystems. Find out more about this and other feral animals from the website of the Tropical Savannas Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) .
Week 9, 1st May.
The shift from water to land - Tiktaalik - a missing link found.
- ABC Science Show
talks about Tiktaalik
Week 7, 10th April.
Why should male spiders be tiny compared with the size of their mates? Some Canadian scientists have been studying mate choice in Australian redback spiders - I wonder if they take the spiders home or study them here?
Week 6, 3rd April
Mighty molluscs
- This might put you off ever going out in a boat in New Zealand waters! The Melbourne Aquarium has a frozen Giant Squid which is worth a visit - especially if you also visit their exquisite display of live jellyfish.
- For something a bit closer to home, check out the Abalone Research Group at this university : several Honours and postgraduate students in Zoology have been, or are, involved in this research.
- Tasmanian researchers discover what giant squid really eat..... 173KB
Why was developing bilateral symmetry such a huge advance in animal design? 
