19 September 2025 / Kiel. An international research team led by the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel has discovered a globally unique system on the seabed off the coast of Papua New Guinea. During their expedition aboard the research vessel SONNE, they came across the “Karambusel” field, where hydrothermal vents and methane seeps occur immediately adjacent to one another. The discovery is significant not only for geology but also provides new insights into the development of deep-sea communities. The study describing the discovery is published today in the journal Scientific Reports.

From unique wildlife to resilient microbes, world-changing climate dynamics to untapped biotechnological potential – four UNSW scientists outline what makes Antarctica a laboratory like no other.

It’s mouldable, biocompatible and glitters like gold. Plastic that can conduct an electric charge is a material that can be used for everything from sensors that can monitor our health to self-cooling clothing or electronic adhesive plasters that can be applied to the skin and send data directly to a mobile phone. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden recently presented a ground-breaking ‘recipe’ that makes it easier to manufacture this kind of sought-after electrically conductive plastic in larger quantities – without the use of harmful chemicals, and in a much more cost-effective way.  

“Once higher production volumes are achieved, it is possible to work with the material in a completely different way. Larger quantities are needed to enable the development of a range of applications, for example in biotechnology, energy storage, and wearable electronics,” says Christian Müller, Professor at the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Chalmers and co-author of a study recently published in Science Advances.