From all of us at the Australian Institute of Marine Science,

we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a bright, prosperous and safe 2021!

The world’s most advanced research aquarium facility receives a boost

The Australian Government is funding the expansion of the National Sea Simulator at the Australian Institute of Marine Science as part of the 2020 Research Infrastructure Investment Plan.

The future is now: long-term research shows ocean acidification ramping up on the Reef

Ocean acidification is no longer a sombre forecast for the Great Barrier Reef but a present-day reality, a study led by Dr Katharina Fabricius reveals.

Biggest fish in the sea are girls

Female whale sharks grow more slowly than males but end up being larger, research from Dr Mark Meekan suggests.

The ten year study of the iconic fish has found male whale sharks grow quickly, before plateauing at an average adult length of about eight or nine metres.

Gene editing study finds gene for heat tolerance in corals

An international science team, including Dr Line Bay, have used CRISPR-Cas technology to identify a gene responsible for heat tolerance in a coral on the Great Barrier Reef

New marine science leader appointed to AIMS in WA

Dr Karen Miller has been appointed as Research Program Director in Western Australia.

Dr Miller also leads AIMS’ Perth facility at the Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre in Crawley.

AIMS' coral spawning science in our National Sea Simulator took center stage during ABCTV's 'Reef Live', a two-part  TV broadcasting event which swept up Australia audiences into the majesty and wonder of the Great Barrier Reef and coral spawning.

This live TV event, a Northern Pictures production for the ABC with support from Screen Australia and produced by Karina Holden, brought audiences across the Great Barrier Reef from the comfort of their loungerooms, where they dove into the Great Barrier Reef, its creatures, the challenges it faces, and the hope that coral spawning brings to the Reef's future.

Presenter Dr Ann Jones, from ABC Radio National's Off Track, was on location at SeaSim during the broadcasts to showcase behind-the-scenes of coral spawning research in the world-class facility.

Other locations included Moore Reef off Cairns, and Heron Island - including live underwater chats!

Dr Kate Quigley and PhD candidate Annika Lamb's coral research research was featured amongst other Reef science during the broadcast, highlighting the excellent AIMS science being carried out in SeaSim to help the Great Barrier Reef adapt to and recover from the impacts of climate change.

If you missed the shows, you can catch up on the Friday and Sunday night episodes on iView.

New test can detect crown-of-thorns starfish as quickly as a home pregnancy kit

AIMS researchers have developed a dipstick test that can detect crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS) on coral reefs by using the same technology as home pregnancy tests.

The dipstick, which is designed to be used in the field, measures specific DNA that CoTS release into the seawater. The rapid test can detect very low numbers of the coral-eating pest, which can be difficult to spot with current survey methods.

Octogenarian snapper found in WA becomes oldest tropical reef fish by two decades

An 81-year-old midnight snapper caught off the coast of Western Australia has taken the title of the oldest tropical reef fish recorded anywhere in the world.

The octogenarian fish was found at the Rowley Shoals—about 300km west of Broome—and was part of a study that has revised what we know about the longevity of tropical fish.

FOLLOW

• Follow AIMS on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube
• Sign up for regular updates from the AIMS Great Barrier Reef Long-Term Monitoring team

AIMS science in the news

• Australian researchers find 81-year-old snapper, oldest known tropical reef fish | The Guardian
• Crown-of-thorns starfish test developed from pregnancy test tech | The Courier Mail