NASA and European Space Agency scientists are in remote Australia learning about the origins of life on Earth, and it's all to prepare for "the greatest treasure hunt ever" the next mission to Mars.

A tiny male marsupial dies in the wild after "intense" mating and not from the harsh, arid environment in which it lives, research confirms.

Police investigating the alleged murder of Kim Chau whose body was found in a luxury Adelaide home say they found a "number of items" of interest during a search for evidence at a rubbish dump.

Police and State Emergency Service volunteers are scouring the park where Shaun Thomas Russell, 36 was killed in Adelaide's southern suburbs.

SA Police believe an Adelaide woman missing near Sedan in South Australia's eastern Mount Lofty Ranges has "suffered a misadventure" and might have been injured or bitten by a snake.

A cat is filmed in the Simpson Desert eating a kangaroo carcass over several days, as part of a study into the environmental impact of dead animals.

Almost a decade ago, Charles Brice was thrown from a motorbike in a trail-riding accident, and spent more than a year in rehab. This week, he completed a 300-kilometre road trip from the crash site.

Authorities continue to search for a 2-year-old boy missing in remote western Queensland, near Kowanyama.

The vehicle has a maroon body and silver tray, with a distinctive bar across the back of the tray.

Officials are searching for a man in his 20s believed to have fallen from rocks into the ocean at Western Australia's Warrenup Beach.

Police divers join the search for missing 25-year-old Thomas Rae who disappeared while rock fishing in a remote corner of WA.

Researchers in Victoria are experimenting with biosolids in a bid to improve farm productivity, and the results are very promising so far.

For the first time in its 24-year history, Koroit Irish Festival's search for the region's 'best flaming folk' is to take on a new life online.

Summer's bushfires have cast doubt on the sustainability of the critically endangered mountain pygmy-possum population in Victoria's High Country, with scientists unable to access research grounds after.

South Australian police say they have discovered the bones of murdered man Martin Meffert during a dig at a property in the state's Mid North today.

The bodies of two climbing partners who fell to their deaths from a remote cliff face in South Australia's Flinders Ranges were discovered with the help of an aerial drone, one of the men's friends has revealed.

Birdwatchers are spotting crimson and rare orange chats in southern Australia, refugees of the drought in the inland.

A group of textile artists in Newcastle has thrown down a challenge to artists around Australia to create hand-made flowers to raise funds for ovarian cancer research.

Police found the baby's body in Newcastle early on Tuesday morning. Police hold "serious and grave concerns" for the safety of the baby's mother, who they say may need to seek urgent medical treatment.

While the search continues for five missing people who are feared dead off the NSW coast, one male has been confirmed by the Australian Defence Force as Warrant Officer Gregory Miller.

What would you do if you were told you had 16 months to live? That was the harsh reality for Jill Emberson when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. With the survival rate of the disease half that of the breast cancer survival rate, she's using her last moments to make a change.

The reliability of roadside drug testing for cannabis is in question after new research reveals a "concerning" proportion of the tests are inaccurate, while a driver argues the 'passive smoking' defence and has charges dismissed.

Corellas were once an inland bird but are now living in coastal areas in huge numbers which is causing human-wildlife conflict. What has driven their sea change and what are the solutions?

A research project is underway to determine the impact of the controversial Lord Howe Island rodent eradication program on a threatened currawong species and wider ecosystem.

A wooden cross marked "2014" the same year that William Tyrrell went missing was among several false leads found during a large police search for the toddler around Kendall on the NSW mid-north coast, an inquest hears.

At least 80 people were killed in a Japanese attack on Broome in 1942, and now the search is on for the wrecks of the flying boats where they died.

The Browns Range pilot plant in remote Western Australia has been touted as a project that could have global significance, particularly if the US-China trade war escalates.

Researchers are scouring the planet for drought and heat resistant crops as many Australian grain farmers face another failed winter season.

As whales cruise past Australia's coastlines on their annual migration, here are some tips on identifying which species is which.

DAILY BRIEFING: The Royal Hobart Show reopens after damaging winds, and police are using the rescue helicopter to search for a man at Roaring Beach.

DAILY BRIEFING: An 85-year-old retired GP has been missing in the state's north since Monday, and the Opposition calls on the Government to fix issues within TasWater after a boil water alert is issued for parts of Hobart.

During times of plenty dingoes consume a smaller variety of prey, but when the water dries up they become less picky and will eat anything nearby, new research finds.

A decades-old message in a bottle is found by a young boy during a fishing trip with his dad on a remote South Australian beach. Now, the search is on for its author.

The vulnerable species breeds year-round in captivity and arid zones but a study of re-introduced populations on the Eyre Peninsula suggests that may not be the case in southern parts of Australia.

A Victorian man is expected to be charged with the manslaughter of his 35-year-old partner Shae Francis, who was last seen when she visited her mother at the Hervey Bay Hospital in October.

As more children are diagnosed with both anorexia and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), experts call for more research to come up with better treatment and support.

A pelican banded as part of a research project in Victoria last year, and last seen in March, is spotted more than 700 kilometres away in northern New South Wales.

More than 60 people search for missing Melbourne man Jeremy Boyden and his dog, Rocky, who were last seen on a road in Victoria's high country three days ago.

The search for missing hiker Jeremy Boyden and his dog Rocky enters its fourth day, as rescue teams focus on searching the large network of alpine huts scattered across Victoria's high country amid worsening weather.

Police, SES, and a number of friends and family are searching for a young woman and man who have not returned from a camping trip to Walhalla last Friday.

Emergency services are continuing to search for a young man and woman who went missing in eastern Victoria almost a week ago.