We calculated how many MCGs it would take to hold all the plastic in our oceans. Spoiler alert: a lot. Plastic is filling our oceans, killing animals and costing us billions. We need your help to solve this massive problem so here's what you can do about it.
Life in plastic, not fantastic
Josie, Jessie, and Jesse discuss the need for naming marine heatwaves like you might hurricanes, the plight of the waylaid northern bald ibis (Geronticus eremita), using non-invasive, surface-level cues for detecting gold deposits, the plants of Antarctica—as part of the Antarctic Festival in Hobart—AND we speak with one of our wearable tech experts, Samy Movassaghi on her research and career path.
Tune in to more[Animation image appears of a wallaby sniffing at a leaf and text appears: Our Environment]
Narrator: Australia’s biodiversity is a national strength.
[Animation image changes to show sharks swimming at the top of the screen and the wallaby sniffing the leaf at the bottom of the screen and text appears between: Is important and valuable]
Three quarters of our species are found nowhere else on Earth.
[Animation images move through in thin strips of two kangaroos, a river flowing past green fields, fruit on a tree and fish swimming across the screen and text appears: It sustains our lives]
Our biodiversity gives us clean water, crops, pharmaceuticals, tourism and more.
[Animation image shows the strips being removed and then many blue strips underneath the picture strips joining to morph into an Australian map]
These are benefits we need to understand, monitor and conserve.
[Text appears either side of the Australian map: But, is a big place]
But Australia is a big place.
[Animation image changes to show a female seated at a table looking at the ocean and text appears: Our customers want better ways to monitor the environment]
Environmental monitoring tools are often too slow and too expensive to give us information for good decisions.
[Animation image changes to show falling leaves and swimming fish moving across the screen and then the animation image changes the background to purple and red spots appear and text appears: Environmental genomics is the answer]
Thanks to new scientific techniques we can now read genomic information from the environment.
[Camera zooms in on the red spots and then images move through of pink and green dots next to an animation image of a koala, bees on a flowers and bacteria floating around and text appears: Genomes are a source of innovation and information]
Over thousands of years evolution has solved problems for animals, plants and microbes, from harnessing the sun’s energy to preventing diseases and dealing with toxins.
[Animation image changes to show DNA represented by coloured shapes]
This information is stored inside their genomes, written in DNA.
[Animation image changes to show flashing coloured strips moving down the screen to show a wave type diagram above it and then eventually to show a horizon]
We’re using genomics to make use of that innovation and to deliver environmental information fast, accurately and on a very large scale.
[Animation images move through of a bucket, a person scooping the water from the side of a boat, a bucket with an arrow pointing upwards to a fish, and then a fish swimming past a boat and text appears: We’re using genomics, To monitor environmental health]
By reading fragments of DNA shed by animals, we can sample a bucket of seawater and identify the fish species present on a reef, without entering the water.
[Animation images move through of a drone moving over a flower crop and text appears: We’re providing instant access to information in the field]
Imagine a gadget that lets you instantly check your crops for ripening or water stress.
[Animation image changes to show bacteria moving around a plant root system]
We’re searching for bacteria that help us to remove toxins from sediments.
[Animation images move through of whales swimming and text appears above and below: 39 years, happy birthday]
And we’re measuring the age of whales, turtles and tuna by looking at their genes.
[Animation image reduces and moves to the left and then a new image appear to the right of bees on flowers, and a wallaby, and text appears: Environomics is helping protect Australia’s environment]
Environomics is helping protect Australia’s environment and finding new natural resources in it.
[Animation images reduce and new images appear below of a whale, bacteria floating around, a bucket, a crop and text appears in the centre: Environomics + Environmental Genomics]
This means better decisions and a healthy and productive environment for us all.
[Car sounds can be heard, and text appears on a green background: A CSIRO future science platform]
[CSIRO logo and text appears: https://www.csiro.au/environomics]
Hidden within Australia’s biodiversity are genetic resources to enhance crops, new materials for manufacturing and insights into biological processes that can give industries an edge and environmental managers vital insights into how ecosystems work.
Watch more[Animation image appears of a wallaby sniffing at a leaf and text appears: Our Environment]
Narrator: Australia’s biodiversity is a national strength.
[Animation image changes to show sharks swimming at the top of the screen and the wallaby sniffing the leaf at the bottom of the screen and text appears between: Is important and valuable]
Three quarters of our species are found nowhere else on Earth.
[Animation images move through in thin strips of two kangaroos, a river flowing past green fields, fruit on a tree and fish swimming across the screen and text appears: It sustains our lives]
Our biodiversity gives us clean water, crops, pharmaceuticals, tourism and more.
[Animation image shows the strips being removed and then many blue strips underneath the picture strips joining to morph into an Australian map]
These are benefits we need to understand, monitor and conserve.
[Text appears either side of the Australian map: But, is a big place]
But Australia is a big place.
[Animation image changes to show a female seated at a table looking at the ocean and text appears: Our customers want better ways to monitor the environment]
Environmental monitoring tools are often too slow and too expensive to give us information for good decisions.
[Animation image changes to show falling leaves and swimming fish moving across the screen and then the animation image changes the background to purple and red spots appear and text appears: Environmental genomics is the answer]
Thanks to new scientific techniques we can now read genomic information from the environment.
[Camera zooms in on the red spots and then images move through of pink and green dots next to an animation image of a koala, bees on a flowers and bacteria floating around and text appears: Genomes are a source of innovation and information]
Over thousands of years evolution has solved problems for animals, plants and microbes, from harnessing the sun’s energy to preventing diseases and dealing with toxins.
[Animation image changes to show DNA represented by coloured shapes]
This information is stored inside their genomes, written in DNA.
[Animation image changes to show flashing coloured strips moving down the screen to show a wave type diagram above it and then eventually to show a horizon]
We’re using genomics to make use of that innovation and to deliver environmental information fast, accurately and on a very large scale.
[Animation images move through of a bucket, a person scooping the water from the side of a boat, a bucket with an arrow pointing upwards to a fish, and then a fish swimming past a boat and text appears: We’re using genomics, To monitor environmental health]
By reading fragments of DNA shed by animals, we can sample a bucket of seawater and identify the fish species present on a reef, without entering the water.
[Animation images move through of a drone moving over a flower crop and text appears: We’re providing instant access to information in the field]
Imagine a gadget that lets you instantly check your crops for ripening or water stress.
[Animation image changes to show bacteria moving around a plant root system]
We’re searching for bacteria that help us to remove toxins from sediments.
[Animation images move through of whales swimming and text appears above and below: 39 years, happy birthday]
And we’re measuring the age of whales, turtles and tuna by looking at their genes.
[Animation image reduces and moves to the left and then a new image appear to the right of bees on flowers, and a wallaby, and text appears: Environomics is helping protect Australia’s environment]
Environomics is helping protect Australia’s environment and finding new natural resources in it.
[Animation images reduce and new images appear below of a whale, bacteria floating around, a bucket, a crop and text appears in the centre: Environomics + Environmental Genomics]
This means better decisions and a healthy and productive environment for us all.
[Car sounds can be heard, and text appears on a green background: A CSIRO future science platform]
[CSIRO logo and text appears: https://www.csiro.au/environomics]
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