Megadrought likelihood and its water resource impacts in Australia. This interdisciplinary project plans to assemble a world-class team of hydrologists, climate scientists and water managers to investigate the history and future risk of decadal to multidecadal droughts (megadroughts). Despite Australia’s vulnerability to water scarcity, the likelihood of persistent megadroughts has not been assessed in Australia. This has resulted in inadequate capacity to prepare for and adapt to megadrought un ....Megadrought likelihood and its water resource impacts in Australia. This interdisciplinary project plans to assemble a world-class team of hydrologists, climate scientists and water managers to investigate the history and future risk of decadal to multidecadal droughts (megadroughts). Despite Australia’s vulnerability to water scarcity, the likelihood of persistent megadroughts has not been assessed in Australia. This has resulted in inadequate capacity to prepare for and adapt to megadrought under future climate change. For the first time, palaeoclimate reconstructions and climate change projections will be used to constrain future hydroclimatic variability, advancing the decision-making capacity of Australian water resource managers.Read moreRead less
Fate of engineered nanoparticles: Challenges in informing human and ecological health risk assessments. Engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) have generated significant public and scientific excitement due to their unique properties. This has led to their application in a wide variety of industries (for example, in composite materials and drug delivery). However, there is concern that some ENPs can have detrimental environmental impacts. This project aims to quantify, for the first time, the fate of E ....Fate of engineered nanoparticles: Challenges in informing human and ecological health risk assessments. Engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) have generated significant public and scientific excitement due to their unique properties. This has led to their application in a wide variety of industries (for example, in composite materials and drug delivery). However, there is concern that some ENPs can have detrimental environmental impacts. This project aims to quantify, for the first time, the fate of ENPs that have leached out of commercial products in groundwater systems. This information is expected to assist regulators in developing appropriate legislation to balance the tremendous benefits and potential risks of nanotechnology.Read moreRead less