Taking a year off after Honours felt risky, but it became one of the most valuable years of my life. I finished my manuscript, gained hands-on marine biology experience: from whale necropsies in New Zealand to tracking humpbacks in Queensland, and confirmed that a PhD is truly the path I want to follow

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’

Over the last 60,000 years, Sahul witnessed the first wave of global megafauna extinctions. The causes have long been debated: climate change, human impact, or a combination of both.We have mapped extinction and human arrival patterns across south-eastern Australia, revealing that in about 80% of the region, humans and megafauna coexisted for millennia. Extinction patterns were best explained by human presence and water access, with arid regions driving additional losses.

Australia’s modern wildlife is extraordinary, but the continent’s ancient megafauna was even more remarkable, featuring rhino-sized wombat relatives and giant birds. Understanding how and why these animals vanished has long challenged scientists. We launched FosSahul 2.0, an improved, quality-rated fossil database that includes nearly 12,000 dated records. This transparent, open-access resource helps standardise fossil data, offering new insight into Australia’s ecological pa