Our laser technique can tell apart elephant and mammoth ivory – here’s how it may disrupt the ivory trade

By Rebecca Shepherd, Senior Lecturer in Anatomy, University of Bristol

In recent years, the global trade in elephant ivory has faced significant restrictions in an effort to protect dwindling elephant populations. Many countries have stringent controls on the trade of elephant ivory. The sale of mammoth ivory, sourced primarily from long-extinct species, however, remains unregulated.

But it’s a significant challenge for customs and law enforcement agencies to distinguish between ivory from extinct mammoths and living elephants. This is a process that is…

Read complete article

~	A tax on sugary drinks can make us healthier. It’s time for Australia to introduce one

~	Australian churches collectively raise billions of dollars a year – why aren’t they taxed?

~	What Australia can learn from Latin America when it comes to tackling violence against women

~	Nuclear power makes no sense for Australia – but it’s a useful diversion from real climate action

~	Real comedy, real trauma: how Baby Reindeer and Feel Good are forging a new television genre

~	As New Zealand CBDs evolve post-pandemic, repurposing old or empty spaces should be on the drawing board

~	Houston area’s flood problems offer lessons for cities trying to adapt to a changing climate

~	Fractured futures: Upward mobility for immigrants is a myth as their health declines

~	The scaling back of Saudi Arabia’s proposed urban mega-project sends a clear warning to other would-be utopias

~	Setting the record straight on refugee claims by international students