Protect-us

04/09/2026

Who would have thought....?
Roaches to the rescue: Cyborg insects could soon deliver aid in disaster zones thanks to Australian scientists.
Swarms of cyborg cockroaches could deliver critical care to people trapped in a tight spot, with researchers turning tiny insects into search and rescue titans.
https://ow.ly/x1rX50ZI2oj

Swarms of cyborg cockroaches could deliver critical care to people trapped in a tight spot, with researchers turning tiny insects into search and rescue titans.

27/08/2026

How do termites build without an architect?
There is no termite standing back looking at the mound and saying, “The ventilation needs improving.”

Individual termites follow relatively simple behavioural rules. They respond to local conditions & signals from other termites & from the structure itself. Collectively, these interactions can produce remarkably complex architecture.

This is often described in science as self-organisation or stigmergy - essentially, one termite's work changes the environment, and that change influences what another termite does next.

19/08/2026

Male redback spiders somersault onto the female's fangs while mating to be sacrificially eaten. Researchers crossbred the Aussie spiders with their NZ cousins to find out why. 🕷️
Did you know that male redback spiders did not have red backs?
📰 Read the full story:

Male redback spiders somersault onto the female's fangs while mating and are killed. Researchers crossbred the Aussie spiders with their NZ cousins to find out why.

12/08/2026

Want to know what the experts know about termites? Dr Theo Evans's review of the nesting habits of Australian termites is a great start!

Dr Theodore Evans, Associate Professor at the University of Western Australia in Perth, explores termite nest structure, location, development, mobility and foraging behaviour and how this impacts the choice of termite treatment. Termites are social and build nests in which they live – sometimes f...

06/08/2026

BIRD FLU UPDATE
Australia is bracing for severe reductions to some bird and mammal populations, and there are fears some will not survive if they contract bird flu.

Federal government analysis has ranked the threat level of more than 2,000 native birds and animals. Learn more:

A list of thousands of Australian species have been ranked by threat level as the deadly H5 bird flu spreads.

29/07/2026

Something Is Happening to Australia's Cane Toads...
In 1935, Australia had a beetle problem. Someone's solution was to import a giant poisonous toad from South America.

Over the following decades, cane toads spread across huge parts of Australia, and scientists kept studying them. The more they learned, the more they realized the toads released back in 1935 weren't quite the same anymore. Generation after generation, they were changing.

So that leaves one question. Are Australia's cane toads evolving into something worse?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NygIyEr5pZs

22/07/2026

Did you know you can buy both HopStop Cane Toad Killer and Aquacell Insect Gun at Bunnings? Go and check it out!

15/07/2026

Native Predators Fighting Back: Exciting observations have shown native Australian animals learning how to consume cane toads without being poisoned. Predators like some goannas have learned to make a chest incision to eat the heart and liver while safely discarding the toxic skin and gallbladder.

"Something had figured out how to eat a poisonous toad without dying."

08/07/2026

Newly discovered Australian spider is the ultimate hunter!
Dubbed the "ballista spider" after the ancient Roman weapon, this Australian spider really knows how to send its enemies (prey) flying.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1744916759832821

02/07/2026

An Australian jungle huntsman spider is the world’s fastest arachnid, reaching a top speed of almost 3.6 metres per second, according to a new lab study.

Researchers find running speed of spider is related to body weight and leg length