A thriving ecosystem lies beneath the surface of northern Australia's arid outback! Microscopic creatures, called stygofauna, were recently discovered by scientists in groundwater aquifers in the NT. These tiny critters are often blind, beautifully translucent and help to purify the water so it is safe to drink. 

Join Professor Jenny Davis, one of the researchers involved in the discovery and the Arid Lands Environment Centre for a short talk to hear about these intriguing new creatures and what they mean for the future of water in the NT. 

Please RSVP so we can send your online link closer to the event date.

The new species were discovered live in a region earmarked for fracking by the NT and federal government. We'll delve into the implications of the findings in relation to underground connectivity of aquifers, gas fracking and risks of water contamination.

Professor Jenny Davis is an environmental scientist specialising in freshwater ecology at CDU. She was one of a team of researches who used fishing rods and handlines to plumb the depths of underground aquifers in the Northern Territory revealing at least 11 new species of a diverse variety of tiny aquatic animals known as stygofauna.