Completing my Honours year taught me far more than research skills. It shaped how I work, think, ask for help, build community, and stay curious. I’ve summarised 13 key lessons, along with the insights I wish I’d had at the start, to help anyone considering taking the leap.

In our new global study, we combine archaeological, genetic, and climate data to reveal how early humans migrated out of Africa over 70,000 years ago. Using advanced modelling, we mapped likely migration routes across Eurasia and the Americas, showing our ancestors followed warm, humid areas near rivers and forests. The findings highlight how climate and environment shaped human expansion, an insight that resonates today as biodiversity loss threatens our ability to adapt and

Australia is home to a remarkable share of the world’s biodiversity, but this unique natural heritage is under threat. Habitat destruction, climate change, and invasive species are driving more species toward extinction. In 2023 alone, 144 new species and ecosystems were added to the threatened list. Many more, especially marine and lesser-known species, face similar risks. As climate change reshapes ecosystems, urgent action is needed to halt the decline and secure species’

Rextinct is a new R package that estimates extinction dates using radiocarbon-dated fossils. It implements CRIWM, a method that accounts for gaps in the fossil record and dating uncertainty. Unlike older tools, it doesn’t assume fossil ages are evenly spread or errors are normally distributed, making it more accurate and flexible. Rextinct helps scientists track when species disappeared—and understand why.