Weed killers of the future could soon be based on failed antibiotics

Researchers discovered there were similarities between bacterial superbugs and weeds at a molecular level

01-Jun-2023 - A molecule which was initially developed to treat tuberculosis but failed to progress out of the lab as an antibiotic is now showing promise as a powerful foe for weeds that invade our gardens and cost farmers billions of dollars each year. While the failed antibiotic wasn’t fit for its original ...

New catalyst paves way for carbon neutral fuel

23-Jun-2017 - Australian scientists have paved the way for carbon neutral fuel with the development of a new efficient catalyst that converts carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air into synthetic natural gas in a 'clean' process using solar energy. Undertaken by University of Adelaide in collaboration with CSIRO, ...

Bacteria with Midas touch for efficient gold processing

03-May-2017 - Special 'nugget-producing' bacteria may hold the key to more efficient processing of gold ore, mine tailings and recycled electronics, as well as aid in exploration for new deposits, University of Adelaide research has shown. For more than 10 years, University of Adelaide researchers have been ...

Stretchable nano-devices towards smart contact lenses

22-Feb-2016 - Researchers at RMIT University and the University of Adelaide have joined forces to create a stretchable nano-scale device to manipulate light. The device manipulates light to such an extent that it can filter specific colours while still being transparent and could be used in the future to make ...

Diagnosis just a breath away with new laser

04-Feb-2014 - University of Adelaide physics researchers have developed a new type of laser that will enable exciting new advances in areas as diverse as breath analysis for disease diagnosis and remote sensing of critical greenhouse gases. Published in the journal Optics Letters, the researchers from the ...

Detecting fake wine vintages: It's an (atomic) blast

24-Mar-2010 - Two decades of atomic bomb testing in the atmosphere are yielding an unexpected bonus for consumers, scientists reported here at the 239th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS). It's a new test to determine whether that Bordeaux or burgundy is from a fine vintage year and ...