Donna Lu
About Donna Lu
Donna Lu is a science writer for Guardian Australia.
Australia’s largest Antarctic research station has a pollution problem
Analyzing marine sediment levels around Casey station between 1997 and 2015, Australian and Canadian scientists found that levels of multiple contaminants exceeded international quality guidelines.
Pesticides from farming exceed safe levels in 13,000km of the world's waterways, research shows
Safe levels are exceeded in 13,000 kilometres of rivers globally, with ingredients potentially degrading into more persistent substances.
Old Norse texts shed new light on mysterious whale feeding strategy
An unusual feeding technique only recently observed by scientists was documented nearly 2,000 years ago, a study suggests.
Antarctica’s emperor penguins could be extinct by 2100 — and other species may follow
Two-thirds of Antarctica’s native species, including emperor penguins, are under threat of extinction or major population declines by 2100 under current trajectories of global heating, according to new research that outlines priorities for protecting the continent’s biodiversity.
Scientists finally get the lowdown on female snakes’ private bits
Researchers say previous studies mistook the clitoris on female snakes as scent glands or underdeveloped versions of penises
Animals bred in captivity develop physical changes that may hinder survival in the wild
Captive-breeding programs lead to shorter wingspans in birds and behavioural changes that leave animals more vulnerable to predators, a global study finds.
New solar-powered invention creates hydrogen fuel out of thin air
Researchers say their prototype produces hydrogen with greater than 99 per cent purity and works in air as dry as four per cent relative humidity.
Black carbon pollution from tourism and research speeding up Antarctic snowmelt
Pollution generated by burning fossil fuels causes snow to darken, absorb more solar energy and melt faster.