Australia | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/australia-1/RSS feed for AustraliaenWed, 15 Jul 2026 20:34:22 +0000Once the World’s Biggest Passenger Ship, This Metal Marvel That Crossed the Atlantic and Took Immigrants to Australia Has a New Museum Homehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/once-the-worlds-biggest-passenger-ship-this-metal-marvel-the-ss-great-britain-that-crossed-the-atlantic-and-took-immigrants-to-australia-has-a-new-museum-home-180989130/A new museum dedicated to stories surrounding the S.S. "Great Britain" is about to open in Bristol, where the ship is permanently dry-dockedWed, 15 Jul 2026 20:34:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/once-the-worlds-biggest-passenger-ship-this-metal-marvel-the-ss-great-britain-that-crossed-the-atlantic-and-took-immigrants-to-australia-has-a-new-museum-home-180989130/The Culprit Behind South Australia's Deadly Algal Bloom Might Be the Most Toxic Species Ever Tested, Scientists Sayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-culprit-behind-south-australias-deadly-algal-bloom-might-be-the-most-toxic-species-ever-tested-scientists-say-180989100/Karenia cristata, a rare type of microscopic algae that produces toxins that harm nerve cells, can be lethal at very low concentrationsFri, 10 Jul 2026 12:46:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-culprit-behind-south-australias-deadly-algal-bloom-might-be-the-most-toxic-species-ever-tested-scientists-say-180989100/Smallpox Scabs That British Doctors Used to Inoculate Patients May Have Introduced the Deadly Disease to Australia, New Research Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/smallpox-scabs-that-british-doctors-used-to-inoculate-patients-may-have-introduced-the-deadly-disease-to-australia-new-research-suggests-180989093/Two new studies find that British colonists arriving via ship in the late 18th century likely introduced smallpox, which devastated Aboriginal communities far more than previously knownThu, 09 Jul 2026 14:14:36 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/smallpox-scabs-that-british-doctors-used-to-inoculate-patients-may-have-introduced-the-deadly-disease-to-australia-new-research-suggests-180989093/Strange Spheres Washed Ashore on an Australian Beach. Authorities Say They're Probably 'Space Balls'—Empty Fuel Vessels From a Rockethttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/strange-spheres-washed-ashore-on-an-australian-beach-authorities-say-theyre-probably-space-balls-empty-fuel-vessels-from-a-rocket-180989082/The shiny objects—each roughly twice the size of a basketball—began to appear on July 3. Authorities initially worried that they were hazardous but have since determined that they're likely safe bits of space junkTue, 07 Jul 2026 21:15:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/strange-spheres-washed-ashore-on-an-australian-beach-authorities-say-theyre-probably-space-balls-empty-fuel-vessels-from-a-rocket-180989082/Scientists Double Down on Age of What Might Be Earth's Oldest Impact Crater, Dating It, Again, at More Than Three Billion Years Oldhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-double-down-on-age-of-earths-oldest-meteorite-impact-crater-dating-it-again-at-more-than-three-billion-years-old-180989023/Last year, geologists dated the crater in Western Australia at 3.47 billion years old, which was disputed by other experts. Now, they've revised the estimate to 3.02 billion years old—but some still aren't convincedMon, 29 Jun 2026 17:16:50 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-double-down-on-age-of-earths-oldest-meteorite-impact-crater-dating-it-again-at-more-than-three-billion-years-old-180989023/This Infamous ‘Death Railway’ Station, Built by Forced Labor From Prisoners of War and Civilians in World War II, Was Just Revealed in Thailandhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-flock-to-nithe-station-this-infamous-wwii-death-railway-station-built-by-allied-prisoners-of-war-that-was-just-revealed-in-thailand-180988992/The Nithe Station, usually submerged under a reservoir, will be accessible this summer as officials drain the site to perform dam maintenanceMon, 22 Jun 2026 19:14:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-flock-to-nithe-station-this-infamous-wwii-death-railway-station-built-by-allied-prisoners-of-war-that-was-just-revealed-in-thailand-180988992/Male Bowerbirds in Australian Cities Are Turning Human Trash Into Treasure to Impress Potential Mateshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/male-bowerbirds-in-australian-cities-are-turning-human-trash-into-treasure-to-impress-potential-mates-180988969/Even rural birds prefer human-made objects, such as colored glass and wire, when given the choice between them and natural decorations, like leaves and shells, according to a new studyWed, 17 Jun 2026 15:35:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/male-bowerbirds-in-australian-cities-are-turning-human-trash-into-treasure-to-impress-potential-mates-180988969/More Than 100,000 Illegal Exotic Cockroaches Were Seized by Australian Authorities in a Record-Setting Bug Busthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/more-than-100000-illegal-exotic-cockroaches-were-seized-by-australian-authorities-in-a-record-setting-bug-bust-180988913/The insects are estimated to be worth up to $141,000, according to Australia's Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water. Exotic cockroaches could harm the country’s wildlife and agricultureTue, 09 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/more-than-100000-illegal-exotic-cockroaches-were-seized-by-australian-authorities-in-a-record-setting-bug-bust-180988913/Scientists Detect an Elusive Giant Squid and Many Other Surprising Marine Animals Near Western Australia Thanks to DNA in the Waterhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-detect-an-elusive-giant-squid-and-many-other-surprising-marine-animals-off-western-australia-thanks-to-dna-in-the-water-180988812/Mucus, feces, skin and other shed tissue allowed researchers to investigate which creatures have been swimming in two deep-sea canyons without having to observe or catch themTue, 26 May 2026 20:31:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-detect-an-elusive-giant-squid-and-many-other-surprising-marine-animals-off-western-australia-thanks-to-dna-in-the-water-180988812/