Twin girls jumping in a stream

For the first time, researchers have revealed how a person’s genes can play a part in their enjoyment of nature, potentially changing the way we look at our affinity with the natural world.

4 February 2022
Woman sitting against tree with facemask on.

Public use of parks and reserves increased only slightly during last year’s COVID-19 national lockdown despite gyms and sports facilities shutting down, a University of Queensland study found.

28 May 2021
bird with white body and grey feathers standing in sand

As the world looks to tighten up the illegal capture of wildlife, migratory birds are being threatened by widespread and unsustainable hunting across the Asia-Pacific region.

21 May 2020
Sampling invertebrates within deep mudflats in Gladstone, Australia. (Credit: Chi-Yeung Choi)

Artificial intelligence and extensive satellite imagery have allowed researchers to map the world’s intertidal zones for the first time, revealing a significant loss of the crucial ecosystem.

20 December 2018

The University of Queensland has a range of experts available to talk to media in relation to World Environment Day on 5 June and World Oceans Day on 8 June.

1 June 2018
"Tarkine in motion", threatened forest region in Tasmania

Crowdfunding is helping to protect endangered species such as the African elephant, the black rhinoceros and the Bornean orangutan.

29 May 2018

Ice-free areas of Antarctica – home to more than 99 per cent of the continent’s terrestrial plants and animals – could expand by more than 17,000km2 by the end of this century, a study published today in Nature reveals.

28 June 2017
Habitats are turned into dry land - Image: Nick Murray

An international team of citizen scientists and researchers has identified a major contributor to the dramatic decline of migratory shorebird populations in Australia.

11 April 2017
Overharvesting and habitat conversion is imperilling species

University of Queensland-led research published in Nature has found that nearly three-quarters of the world’s threatened species are in peril because people are converting their habitat into agricultural lands and overharvesting species.

11 August 2016
A Turnstone at a snow patch edge.

Climate change could make much of the Arctic unsuitable for millions of migratory birds that travel north to breed each year, according to a new international study published today in Global Change Biology.

20 July 2016
30 minutes in the outdoors has significant health benefits

People who visit parks for 30 minutes or more each week are much less likely to have high blood pressure or poor mental health than those who don’t, according to new research by Australian and UK environmental scientists.

24 June 2016
Far Eastern Curlew in flight. Photo: D.S. Hovorka.

How do you reconcile the recreational needs of a city of two million people with the protection of migratory birds recovering after journeys half way around the planet?

22 April 2016
Industrial emissions.

Global climate change resembles a room of second-hand smoke, new research has found, with countries emitting the least amount of gasses suffering the most.

8 February 2016
The Far Eastern Curlew are suffering rapid declines from loss of habitat along their flight path between Siberia and Australia. Photo: Dirk Hovorka.

University of Queensland scientists are calling for greater international collaboration to save the world’s migratory birds, with research finding more than 90 per cent of species are inadequately protected due to poorly coordinated conservation...

4 December 2015
L to R: Joseph Powell, Penelope Sanderson, Ian Hesketh, Linda Worrall, Elizabeth Worrall on behalf of Alice Hayward, Danielle Shanahan on behalf of Richard Fuller, Zhongfan Jia, Bing-Jie Ni, Eve McDonald-Madden

Research into areas as diverse as avocados, batteries and climate change has shared in a $515,182 total pool in The University of Queensland’s Research Week awards.

16 September 2015

Artworks by prominent Australian Federation-era painters will be exhibited at the UQ Art Museum from 25 July.

20 July 2015

Environmental scientists have developed a new, low-cost way to save rare animals and plants from poachers and plunderers – using maths.

26 February 2014
Red knots are one of the species already under pressure. Photo: ROB CLEMENS

Millions of shorebirds and some species could be lost as sea levels rise in coming decades, say UQ scientists who are working as part of an international environmental team.

6 May 2013

Australians will be happier, safer and healthier if they look after the nature spots in their cities, according to new research led by The University of Queensland.

16 April 2013

A group of talented researchers and supervisors has been recognised at a special ceremony tonight for 2012 Research Week at The University of Queensland.

18 September 2012