Stories, research and more from the University of Tasmania. #1 in climate action globally. CRICOS Code 00586Bhttps://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.auhttps://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3mre3hewb222zMore than a decade of research into a second contagious cancer affecting Tasmanian devils suggests the disease is spreading more slowly than scientists first feared. Stable populations indicate Tasmanian devils may have a greater capacity to coexist with the disease: utas.au/jF24 Jul 2026 00:21 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mre3hewb222zhttps://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3mr7da4ur3227The wait for PFAS test results could soon be measured in hours, not days. Our researchers have successfully trialled a mobile laboratory that can detect "forever chemicals" in soil and water on site, providing an early indication of contamination within six hours: utas.au/PFAS_testing22 Jul 2026 02:57 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr7da4ur3227https://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3mppffefb7s2sAustralia’s reefs are under pressure from the voracious crown-of-thorns starfish and long-spined sea urchins. However, our new study shows that while they present high but differing risks, investing in control programs and innovative research could help tackle these two prickly problems: utas.au/jl03 Jul 2026 01:28 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mppffefb7s2shttps://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3mow327k6jc2bExtreme heat, heavy rain and storm surges are affecting Australian seals and seabirds during a critical period of their development: as pups and chicks. ⛈️ New research shows that high-resolution weather and population monitoring can help us better protect them. More: utas.au/SealsSeabirds22 Jun 2026 23:46 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mow327k6jc2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3motz36zxw22xA new @imas-utas.bsky.social monitoring report shows that Maugean skate juveniles in Macquarie Harbour have now reached adulthood and offering hope for the future of this unique, endangered Tasmanian species. Read more: utas.au/j922 Jun 2026 04:05 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3motz36zxw22xhttps://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3moh6xcdqb222Species discovery has always depended on the tools available. Early naturalists relied on what they could collect. Today, whole genomes tell us if animals have different coding. Recognising “hidden biodiversity” in this way helps us ask better questions in the face of climate change: utas.au/JY17 Jun 2026 01:46 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3moh6xcdqb222https://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3moelb2mzms2yEndangered Antarctic fur seals may all look alike, but a new study reveals that individual seals adopt dramatically different foraging strategies to survive in a changing ocean. The research, led by @imas-utas.bsky.social, draws on a study of 80 female seals at Marion Island 🦭 More: utas.au/seals16 Jun 2026 00:48 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3moelb2mzms2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3mocis2g2tk25Why should fishers trust science, when it's never certain? Professor Gretta Pecl from @imas-utas.bsky.social says uncertainty is a normal part of science – reflecting how confident we are in the evidence – and shouldn't stand in the way of making informed decisions for the future. More: utas.au/SCA15 Jun 2026 04:59 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mocis2g2tk25https://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3mn7azl2lcs2hUsing old satellite radar techniques, scientists have developed a new way of measuring the true extent of Antarctica’s dynamic Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ). Dr Alec Fraser from @antarctic.bsky.social says their findings provide a more realistic picture of how the system works. 🌊 More: utas.au/MIZ01 Jun 2026 04:37 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mn7azl2lcs2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3mmnqsvzdfk2kNew research from Tasmania's Macquarie Harbour shows that oxygen can be added to low-oxygen waters at depth without adverse impacts. The research comes amid interest in low oxygen levels, which are linked to concerns about potential impacts on the endangered Maugean Skate: https://utas.au/MacquarieHarbour25 May 2026 05:31 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mmnqsvzdfk2khttps://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3mmdghps6z225With Southern calamari numbers falling in parts of Tasmania, @imas-utas.bsky.social scientists are diving into how environment and fishing pressure shape spawning over the next three years, helping keep calamari thriving in Tasmanian waters: utas.au/iX21 May 2026 02:59 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mmdghps6z225https://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3mm3zzg7vqs2hGlobal wheat production is under threat of heat stress due to climate change. Abu, PhD candidate at @tia.utas.edu.au, has received a prestigious Grains Research and Development Corporation Research Scholarship to support his research into improving heat tolerance of the important grain: utas.au/Abu18 May 2026 04:28 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mm3zzg7vqs2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3mlu52mmzbc2iAntarctica’s icy surface may look hostile and devoid of life, but the sea floor below is extremely biodiverse. A new digital mapping platform from @imas-utas.bsky.social is making data about the remote continent more accessible for scientists, policy makers, educators and the community: utas.au/Sea15 May 2026 01:01 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlu52mmzbc2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3mla3a5rb2s2l“We talk about the kitchen as the heart of the home, but actually we've been designing the heart out of it for a long time.” Caroline had been an interior designer for 30 years before beginning a PhD on the re-use of materials with a focus on kitchens and their social value: utas.au/Kitchens07 May 2026 01:35 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mla3a5rb2s2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3mkh6opduns23Marine scientist Lara Denis-Roy snapped this big-belly seahorse while diving in Bicheno, Tasmania as part of her PhD research at IMAS @imas-utas.bsky.social. "I appreciate that I am able to directly observe the reefs that I study," she said. Read about Lara’s eDNA work here: utas.au/LD27 Apr 2026 04:00 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkh6opduns23https://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3mk5ffrhqdk2sThe emperor penguin and Antarctic fur seal are now officially endangered. Researchers at IMAS @imas-utas.bsky.social say a fast reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and sustained conservation action are needed to give these beloved species a future. Read more: utas.au/emperorpenguin23 Apr 2026 06:34 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk5ffrhqdk2shttps://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3mjimhmirjc26A new study from the University of Tasmania's Fire Centre finds that logged forests burn more severely in a bushfire than old growth. Researchers used a natural experiment to provide the strongest evidence yet on a question with real consequences for how the state manages its forests: utas.au/lf15 Apr 2026 00:14 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjimhmirjc26https://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3mjgdvhgwvs2wHimanshu's PhD at @menzies-research.bsky.social explores what rare genetic differences can tell us about multiple sclerosis. His studies combine family-based research with large-scale ANZgene data, helping to build a clearer picture of how MS develops and strengthen foundations for future research 👏14 Apr 2026 02:36 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjgdvhgwvs2whttps://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3mizzw67i2c2dWe’re proud to recognise PhD student Mohammed Obsa, who is helping us better understand pain in people living with MS. Originally from Ethiopia, Mohammed has adapted to a new research environment at @menzies-research.bsky.social and bases his work on national data and real-life experiences.09 Apr 2026 05:05 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mizzw67i2c2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3miifh7izec2xAs the planet warms, how can fisheries tackle invasive species? A new study by international researchers, including Dr John Keane from IMAS @imas-utas.bsky.social, provides a practical guide for fishery managers worldwide. Read more: https://utas.au/InvasiveSpecies02 Apr 2026 04:44 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3miifh7izec2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3mheqvpr24k2kA new study by Dr David Green draws on more than 20 years of data from over 600 elephant seals. It offers insights into how seals make decisions underwater and how scientists can interpret seals' behaviour to detect ocean ecosystem change. More: utas.au/ElephantSeal antarcticsciaus.bsky.social19 Mar 2026 00:33 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mheqvpr24k2khttps://bsky.app/profile/utas.edu.au/post/3mg2iyl7jms2bA rogue Longspined sea urchin has been discovered in Tasmania’s remote southwest waters, marking the most westerly sighting of the species in the state. Read more: utas.au/LonelyUrchin02 Mar 2026 05:20 +0000at://did:plc:s6eehdnrotlp4hf6lrq2oppy/app.bsky.feed.post/3mg2iyl7jms2b