Neil the Seal can teach us plenty about seal behaviour. A marine biologist explains

by bpckle | Jul 17, 2026 | In the Media

Neil the Seal became a social media sensation almost overnight.

Neil is a five-year-old male southern elephant seal who weighs roughly one tonne. He was born on the Tasman Peninsula in October 2020, and has made an annual trip to Tasmania each year since. This is because many seal species regularly return to the place they were born, as well as the sites where they breed and rest.

Over the past few years, Neil has been seen lounging on streets and climbing onto cars at southern Tasmania’s Seven Mile Beach. But beyond his hilarious antics, Neil offers a unique opportunity to understand the behaviour of the world’s largest seal species.

From him, we can also learn how to better coexist with marine wildlife, as we encounter them more often.

In need of rest

Imagine you’ve had an exhausting day of travel, work or running between meetings. The last thing you’d want when lying down to rest is to be swamped by hundreds of people wanting to take a picture of you.

For southern elephant seals, this isn’t far from reality.

Rest is essential for these marine mammals. Satellite-tracking studies show southern elephant seals spend months foraging at sea, often travelling thousands of kilometres across the Southern Ocean. So when they do come ashore – typically twice a year – they need time to recover.

After going through a catastrophic moult – the process by which seals shed their fur and top layer of skin once a year – these animals must also replenish their energy by resting.

“Haul-out periods” is the term scientists use to describe these times of rest. Disturbing seals during these critical periods – say by trying to touch, move or get too close to an animal – can stress them. It can also endanger the safety of both the seal and any people nearby.

Behind the antics

Viral videos show Neil appearing to push traffic cones, haul himself over parked cars and even chase people.

So what’s driving this behaviour?

The answer is surprisingly simple. Like any young male elephant seal, Neil was trying to attract the attention of other seals. But instead, he directed this behaviour towards people.

Young male seals spend years developing their size, strength and behaviour to compete with other males. Once they’re older, male seals will contend for the best breeding spots and for females with whom they want to mate. Asserting dominance, testing their strength and exploring unfamiliar objects are all part of their development.

In the absence of other elephant seals, Neil often directed these natural behaviours towards whatever was in his path – be it a traffic cone, bollard or parked car.

By understanding Neil’s actions, we realise that what might seem amusing or scary from a human perspective is often just normal animal behaviour.

Read more: Neil the seal is more than a viral animal. He’s become a global folk hero

What Neil really teaches us

Neil’s story is a striking example of what can happen when scientists, wildlife managers, local councils, police and the public work together.

As his popularity grew, authorities developed management plans to protect both Neil and the eager onlookers hoping to catch a glimpse of him. This included setting up temporary barriers to protect Neil from crowds. Public education campaigns helped ensure people behaved safely and responsibly around Neil – for example by staying at least 20 metres away from him.

This collaborative approach is increasingly important, as human-wildlife encounters become more common. We don’t fully understand why this is happening. One reason could be that some populations – such as South American fur seals in Patagonia – are increasing in numbers after previously being hunted. Environmental changes may also be pushing animals further south as climate change alters their habitat.

The public plays a vital role in protecting marine animals. In many cases, citizen scientists are the first to report unusual wildlife sightings. They provide valuable insight into where animals are resting, and how they are coping in changing environments. Without these observations, we wouldn’t know about many wildlife encounters. We also wouldn’t be able to understand how different populations and species are faring.

When humans go too far

Many other charismatic marine mammals have attracted global attention – sometimes with tragic consequences.

One well-known example is Freya the walrus who, by lounging on boats and floating docks, drew fans across Norway. Despite repeated warnings, people failed to keep their distance and kept approaching Freya to take photographs. Eventually, Norwegian authorities made the difficult decision to euthanise Freya, citing ongoing public safety concerns.

Thankfully, such tragedies can be avoided. Neil’s story shows that through good communication and public education, we can keep both wildlife and humans safe.

Will Neil be back?

It’s impossible to know if Neil will return to Tasmania, as he’s done each year since 2020. It’s likely he’s now back in the Southern Ocean, foraging for food. But many Australians are already hoping to see him again.

Either way, Neil’s legacy won’t just be about the viral videos or social media fame. It will also be the lesson he’s taught us, that sharing Australia’s coastline with wildlife comes with responsibility.

Saia Nahir Bartes does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

The data centre boom won’t mean higher power prices – if we unlock stalled renewable projects

by bpckle | Jul 17, 2026 | In the Media

To meet demand from artificial intelligence companies, some of the world’s largest data centres are planned for the outskirts of major Australian cities. Dozens more are planned. OpenAI chief Sam Altman has said Australia could be a global leader.

This week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans to fast-track new data centres. He promised the AI boom would not drive up power prices. The government would require big new data centres to “underwrite new power supply” and to “put at least as much energy into our grid as they take out of it”.

The push for more AI data centres is increasingly controversial. Huge data centres use a lot of power to run their servers and keep them cool. In the United States, the AI rush has led to a boom in gas generation as well as for clean energy.

If done poorly, Australia’s data centre boom could risk the ongoing shift to renewables and storage – and potentially drive up power prices.

But if it’s done well, the boom could be a win-win for energy. Many solar and wind projects have been stuck in limbo waiting for grid connections. Locating data centres in these areas could unlock new renewables – and decentralise the AI boom.

Is surging power demand a problem?

Power use by AI-focused data centres worldwide could potentially triple by 2030, according to International Energy Agency forecasts.

Last year, a study commissioned by the Australian Energy Market Operator suggested data centres could account for around 6% of National Electricity Market electricity demand by 2030.

But it could go higher still. Australia has a growing pipeline of giant data centre developments moving through planning and connection processes. These hyperscale centres can typically require 100–500 megawatts of power. Next-generation AI facilities are approaching 1 gigawatt. The eventual power demand could be considerably higher if all are approved.

It’s understandable consumers, policymakers and network planners are worried about whether electricity systems can keep pace.

But focusing on how much more energy is needed can be an error. It would be better to look at where new demand is emerging and focus on coordinating this demand with generation, storage and network investment.

Most big new data centre projects are planned for the outskirts of Melbourne and Sydney. But they don’t have to be built in cities.

An opportunity for regional Australia?

Australia has some of the world’s best solar and wind resources, along with enormous potential for energy storage.

But many renewable projects have to wait years for access to the grid. The new transmission lines essential for the renewable transition have faced long delays, opposition from some communities and planning uncertainty.

It would make sense to encourage new data centre projects to be built in regions with good renewable resources and tricky grid access.

This would mean renewable projects could launch without waiting for grid access in the knowledge they have a reliable customer. Data centre developers could benefit from cheap power. The power grid would benefit from reduced pressure, potentially avoiding the need for expensive network upgrades. And regional communities could benefit from investment and economic development.

A manufacturing plant often needs to be close to transport corridors, customers or raw materials. But these factors don’t matter to data centres, as long as they have access to high-quality internet connectivity, water and affordable and reliable power. Renewable projects would need to be supported by grid batteries, able to store power and release it steadily to keep the data centre running.

More than big energy consumers?

Data centres are often viewed as large electricity consumers that need power all the time. But this doesn’t have to be the case. They can be active participants in the energy system.

Many modern data centres are now designed with their own battery storage systems, and energy management platforms. Some computing tasks such as AI training can be set to run when power prices are low.

Increasingly, data centres are being paired with separate energy storage facilities such as grid-forming battery systems. These systems do more than simply provide backup power. They can keep electricity voltage and frequency stable, soak up power from renewables during peak output and reduce pressure on the grid during peak demand.

Combining data centres with grid-forming batteries makes energy demand more flexible. The data centres of the future could actively support the grid rather than simply consume power.

Looking ahead

To date, much of the debate over data centres and electricity has focused on how much power they will use.

It’s worth asking a more important question: where can we build them so they interact best with Australia’s energy system as it shifts from fossil fuels to renewables and storage?

Data centres are becoming essential infrastructure. If planned strategically, they could help unlock renewable energy development, strengthen regional economies and support the shift to a cleaner, more resilient electricity system.

It’s worth thinking about how data centres and renewables can work best together as an integrated ecosystem. The question is not whether data centres need too much power. It’s whether we are building the right energy ecosystem around them.

Mehdi Seyedmahmoudian does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

As extreme heat pummels the Tour de France, can cycling keep riders safe?

by bpckle | Jul 17, 2026 | In the Media

Tour de France riders are facing some of the hottest racing conditions in the event’s history.

As a heatwave swept across western Europe last week, temperatures in southern France approached 40°C. Organisers shortened Stage 9 by 30 kilometres to reduce heat exposure.

As climate change accelerates the frequency and intensity of heatwaves, questions are increasingly being asked about whether current approaches are sufficient.

Cycling in the heat

The Tour is held in France, with the start often taking place in neighbouring European countries. Over its 21 stages, riders cover roughly 3,500km and accumulate between 45,000 and 55,000 metres of elevation gain.

Competing in cycling’s premier event under extreme heat places significant strain on the human body. Riders must cope with both the demands of professional racing and the environment.

During professional road cycling races, core temperature can exceed 40ºC and, in exceptional circumstances, reach 41.5ºC. Such temperatures place substantial strain on the cardiovascular system, increase the sense of effort, and contribute to declines in performance.

More importantly, the rise in body temperature increases the risk of heat-related illnesses such as muscle cramps and heat exhaustion. In the most severe cases, riders can suffer exertional heat stroke, a life-threatening condition in which intense exercise causes the body’s core temperature to rise above 40°C.

What changes have been made?

In 2024, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), global cycling’s governing body, launched a new high temperature protocol to protect rider health.

This requires race officials and team representatives to assess heat risk using wet-bulb globe temperature, an index that combines the effects of air temperature, humidity, solar radiation and wind.

Under the protocol’s highest heat-risk category, when wet-bulb globe temperature reaches or exceeds 28°C, countermeasures include the provision of extra shade during warm-up, cooling and hydration during racing, and even shortening, altering or cancelling a stage.

During this year’s Tour de France, the use of feeding bags in zones where only bottles are usually allowed was permitted on specific climbs. This was intended to get riders to drink more water on days with forecasted extreme heat.

Organisers also extended the stage time limit by 2% on Stage 9 in response to requests from the riders’ union, the Association of Professional Cyclists. This reduced the likelihood of riders dropped from the peloton – the tightly packed main group of riders in a road cycling race – in the heat would be eliminated from the race.

How can we protect riders long term?

Riders have called for additional measures to be considered, including changing start times to protect their performance and health.

Earlier start times could substantially reduce heat exposure at the Tour de France and other major races such as the Vuelta a España, where stages typically begin around midday. This would help riders avoid the hottest part of the day.

But questions remain about whether current approaches are sufficient.

While recent measures adopted by the UCI and Tour de France organisers are a positive step, relying on wet-bulb globe temperature has limitations.

One limitation is that the evaporation of sweat – the body’s primary mechanism for dissipating heat during exercise – is restricted at any given wet-bulb globe temperature when humidity is high or air movement is low. Consequently, the same wet-bulb globe temperature can be associated with different levels of heat strain, depending on the specific environmental conditions experienced by riders.

While the wet-bulb globe temperature index provides a measure of environmental heat stress, it does not account for the metabolic heat produced by riders. Nor does it factor in the clothing they wear, which can impede sweat evaporation.

This is particularly important in road cycling, where the demands on the body can change dramatically within a single stage. For example, climbing uphill results in slower speeds and less airflow across the body at a time when metabolic heat production is soaring.

Together, these factors suggest that wet-bulb globe temperature alone may not provide a complete picture of the thermal challenge experienced by riders during competition.

Competitive but safe

As global temperatures continue to rise, heat strain – the stress placed on the body by the combination of intense exercise and hot weather – is likely to become an increasing determinant of performance in professional cycling.

Future policies may need to move beyond broad environmental indices to capture the unique demands professional cyclists put on their bodies if the sport is to remain competitive and safe in a warming world.

Julien Périard does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.