Guest Author • Jul 02, 2019 •
Sui Phang, University of Portsmouth and Peter Bridgewater, University of Canberra Japan recently left the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and has now caught the first whale in its waters since resuming commercial whaling, 33 years after a global ban came into effect. As a non-member, Japan is no longer bound by the International Convention … Read More
Paul Walker • Jan 08, 2018 •
These videos come from Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson at the Hoover Institution. Robinson interviews Victor Davis Hanson about Hanson’s new book, “The Second World Wars“. How were the Axis powers able to instigate the most lethal conflict in human history? Find out in this two part episode of Uncommon Knowledge … Read More
Guest Author • Jan 23, 2017 •
By Indi Hodgson-Johnston, University of Tasmania Photographs allegedly showing Japanese whaling operations in the Southern Ocean emerged this week. Coinciding with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to Australia, critics have called for greater action from the Australian government on the issue. Japan has stated that, despite various resolutions at the International Whaling Commission and criticism … Read More
Guest Author • Nov 23, 2016 •
By James Goff, UNSW Australia Parts of Japan were on tsunami alert yesterday following a magnitude 6.9 earthquake off the east coast of the country. This was the first real test for Japan since the 2011 earthquake which led to a deadly tsunami. The destruction led to a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Paul … Read More
Guest Author • Nov 02, 2016 •
By Indi Hodgson-Johnston, University of Tasmania Australia and New Zealand were claiming a conservation success this week, when their resolution against lethal “scientific” whaling was adopted at the International Whaling Commission’s biennial meeting in Slovenia. But in reality the non-binding decision will do little to stop Japan’s whaling program. This resolution aims to tighten the loophole … Read More
Guest Author • Mar 13, 2016 •
Makoto Takahashi, University of Cambridge As four reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power plant suffered catastrophic cooling failures and exploded in March 2011, the world watched in disbelief. For Japan, this was not just the greatest nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. It was “the most severe crisis … since World War II”. Five years on, … Read More
Guest Author • Mar 12, 2016 •
Suzana Ilic, Lancaster University and Nobuhito Mori, Kyoto University Five years ago, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake occurred 200km off the east coast of Japan, causing a devastating tsunami. The resulting waves affected 2,000km of coastline, killed some 18,000 people, destroyed nearly 110,000 buildings and damaged twice that number. It also triggered the meltdown … Read More
Guest Author • Jan 18, 2016 •
Emma Johnston, UNSW Australia and Jim Carlton, Williams College When the tsunami waters withdrew from the devastated coast of Japan in March 2011 they took with them a vast amount of debris consisting of potentially millions of objects, and sent it rafting across the Pacific Ocean. On this debris came a host of Japanese marine … Read More
Lynley Hargreaves • Mar 18, 2015 •
Holly van der Salm Prize-winning scientists at an international meeting all gave similar advice, says New Zealand attendee Holly van der Salm – don’t just be a specialist, don’t be afraid to take risks, and go where the exciting science is. A University of Otago PhD candidate, Ms van der Salm now has new books on her bedside table … Read More
Victoria Metcalf • Apr 08, 2014 •
Four of the Antarctic or anything else headlines/social media bits that have grabbed my attention this week. A double fracture in my daughter’s wrist followed by two mystery allergic reactions and a stomach bug for all means it’s a little past Friday, but we’ll just have to roll with it and temporarily suspend belief. Don’t do that with the science … Read More