Robyn Schofield – The Conversation

A 30-second exposure taken from Collm, Saxony, showing a Falcon 9 upper stage re-entering the atmosphere above Berlin, Germany, on 19 February 2025. Gerd Baumgarten

February 19, 2026

SpaceX rocket left behind a plume of chemical pollution as it burnt up in the atmosphere

Robyn Schofield, The University of Melbourne and Robert George Ryan, The University of Melbourne

A new study provides the first evidence that re-entering space debris pollutes Earth’s upper atmosphere.

Dave Hunt/AAP

January 13, 2026

From bolts to blue jets, lightning comes in many strange forms

Andrew Dowdy, The University of Melbourne; Jennifer Catto, University of Exeter, and Robyn Schofield, The University of Melbourne

Lightning also influences our environment in ways scientists are only beginning to understand.

ESA

June 19, 2024

Defunct satellites burning up in the atmosphere could damage the ozone layer. Here’s how

Robyn Schofield, The University of Melbourne

Burnt-up satellites could dump hundreds of tonnes of aluminium in the stratosphere every year. An atmospheric chemist explains what that might mean

Shutterstock

August 16, 2021

We studied how to reduce airborne COVID spread in hospitals. Here’s what we learnt

Kirsty Buising, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity; Caroline Marshall, The University of Melbourne; Forbes McGain, The University of Melbourne; Jason Monty, The University of Melbourne; Louis Irving, The University of Melbourne; Marion Kainer, Vanderbilt University, and Robyn Schofield, The University of Melbourne

We found two small air cleaners in a single hospital room could clear 99% of potentially infectious COVID aerosols within 5.5 minutes.

Coal-fired power stations, metal smelting and vehicle emissions all pump mercury into the atmosphere. REUTERS/Daniel Munoz

August 16, 2017

Australia emits mercury at double the global average

Robyn Schofield, The University of Melbourne

Australia is the 16th-largest emitter of mercury in the world. A huge amount comes from coal power stations – and a new report argues our pollution guidelines are hopelessly lax.

Want cleaner air? Stop leaving your car engine running while you’re stopped at lights or waiting for a passenger, and demand better regulations from the government. AAP Image/Dean Lewins

January 18, 2017

Australia needs stricter rules to curb air pollution, but there’s a lot we could all do now

Robyn Schofield, The University of Melbourne and Mark Stevenson, The University of Melbourne

Australia needs stronger policy aimed at curbing air pollution, but the options currently on the table fall short. For now, we could all aim to drive less and turn off the engine when the car is idle.

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