Latest News

1. Melbourne scientists quantify biggest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease

   

   Publicly released: Wed 23 Aug 2017 at 1404 AEST / 1604 NZST

   Neurology

   2017-08-23 14:04. Scientists from the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health in Melbourne and Stanford University in California have identified a genetic variant, carried by 20 per cent of the population, that confers a five-fold higher Read more about Melbourne scientists quantify biggest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease - Scimex

   Australia; VICFlorey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health|Stanford University, USA

   • Health / Medical

   SMC Pick

   Note for journalists:

   Dr Lim is available for interview Thursday 24th through to Saturday 26th August

   Name:

   Tom Keeble

   Position:

   Neuroscience Communications

   Email:

   thomas.keeble@florey.edu.au

2. Breastfeeding boost for rural mums with healthcare help

   

   Publicly released: Wed 23 Aug 2017 at 1200 AEST / 1400 NZST

   Australian Journal of Rural Health

   2017-08-23 12:00. Australian researchers have found that mums in rural areas of Western Australia who had access to professional advice and support were more likely to breastfeed for longer. Four hundred new mums in rural WA were surveyed eight Read more about Breastfeeding boost for rural mums with healthcare help - Scimex

   Australia; WACurtin University|Telethon Kids Institute|WA Country Health Service

   • Health / Medical
   • Society / Lifestyle
   • Rural / Agricultural

   SMC Pick

   Note for journalists:

   No media release. Embargo: 12 noon AEST, Aug 23

   Name:

   Kylee Cox

   Phone:

   +61 8 6145 4166

   Position:

   Author

   Email:

   kylee.cox@health.wa.gov.au

3. The sneaky supermarket diet: food stores could make us healthier... by stealth

   

   Publicly released: Wed 23 Aug 2017 at 1000 AEST / 1200 NZST

   International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity

   2017-08-23 10:00. A Danish study has found that if supermarkets alter the recipes they use for own-brand products, consumers will make healthier purchases without even realising. The researchers worked with a Danish retail chain to alter the Read more about The sneaky supermarket diet: food stores could make us healthier... by stealth - Scimex

   InternationalUniversity of Copenhagen, Denmark

   • Health / Medical
   • Society / Lifestyle

   SMC Pick

   Note for journalists:

   Name:

   Jørgen Dejgård Jensen

   Position:

   Author

   Email:

   jorgen@ifro.ku.dk

4. How horses came to run around on tip-toes

   

   Publicly released: Wed 23 Aug 2017 at 0901 AEST / 1101 NZST

   Proceedings of the Royal Society B

   2017-08-23 09:01. Horses' hooves are essentially single, giant inflexible toes, and US researchers have now demonstrated how horses evolved to be permanently 'en pointe'. Early horse ancestors were dog-sized creatures with three toes, but as horses Read more about How horses came to run around on tip-toes - Scimex

   InternationalHarvard University

   • Environment / Climate / Energy

   SMC Pick

   Note for journalists:

   Australian morning newspapers must wait until the next day to run this story in print.

   Name:

   Ms Brianna McHorse

   Position:

   Study author

   Email:

   bmchorse@fas.harvard.edu

5. Why toxic sea slugs can change their spots, but not their stripes

   

   Publicly released: Wed 23 Aug 2017 at 0901 AEST / 1101 NZST

   Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B

   2017-08-23 09:01. Brightly coloured sea slugs, also known as nudibranches, come in a variety of patterns to advertise their toxicity to predators. But scientists have been stumped why the patterns of stripes and spots vary, since predators would be Read more about Why toxic sea slugs can change their spots, but not their stripes - Scimex

   Australia; QLD; WAThe University of Queensland|Western Australian Museum|The University of Western Australia|University of Bristol, UK

   • Environment / Climate / Energy

   SMC Pick

   Note for journalists:

   Images available

   Name:

   Dr Karen Cheney

   Phone:

   +61 7 336 57386

   Position:

   Study author

   Email:

   k.cheney@uq.edu.au

6. Listen 'ear: snakes adapted early on to wet and dry

   

   Publicly released: Wed 23 Aug 2017 at 0901 AEST / 1101 NZST

   Royal Society Open Science

   2017-08-23 09:01. The evolution of snakes has some fascinated twists and turns, and new research has found evidence even primitive snakes were adept at living underground and moving through water. Scientists in South Australia and Canada used CT Read more about Listen 'ear: snakes adapted early on to wet and dry - Scimex

   Australia; International; SAFlinders University

   • Environment / Climate / Energy

   SMC Pick

   Note for journalists:

   Australian morning newspapers must wait until the next day to run this story in print.

   Name:

   Professor Mike Lee

   Phone:

   +61 8 8207 7568

   Position:

   Study co-author

   Email:

   Mike.Lee@samuseum.sa.gov.au

7. Not just the GBR - cooler corals are sensitive to climate change too

   

   Publicly released: Wed 23 Aug 2017 at 0901 AEST / 1101 NZST

   Proceedings of the Royal Society B

   2017-08-23 09:01. Rising sea temperatures are expected to have major impacts on tropical corals, but less is known about the effects climate change might have on cooler, subtropical reefs. Now, Australian scientists have analysed specialised corals Read more about Not just the GBR - cooler corals are sensitive to climate change too - Scimex

   Australia; NSW; QLDThe University of Queensland|ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies|ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions (CEED)|Southern Cross University|CSIRO

   • Environment / Climate / Energy

   SMC Pick

   Note for journalists:

   Images available

   Name:

   Dr Brigitte Sommer

   Phone:

   +61 414 594159

   Position:

   Study author

   Email:

   b.sommer@uq.edu.au

8. Calls for stronger guidelines on TV suicide

   

   Publicly released: Wed 23 Aug 2017 at 0830 AEST / 1030 NZST

   The BMJ

   2017-08-23 08:30. Following widespread concern that Netflix's 13 Reasons Why could trigger self-harm among vulnerable viewers, experts have called for stronger international guidelines on portraying suicide on TV. A recent study found that Google Read more about Calls for stronger guidelines on TV suicide - Scimex

   InternationalUniversity of Munich, Germany

   • Health / Medical
   • Society / Lifestyle
   • Business / Politics

   SMC Pick

   Note for journalists:

   Australian morning newspapers must wait until the next day to run this story in print.

   Name:

   Thomas Niederkrotenthaler

   Phone:

   +43 1 401 60 346 11

   Position:

   Corresponding author

   Email:

   thomas.niederkrotenthaler@meduniwien.ac.at

9. EXPERT REACTION: Baby boomers hitting the bottle and bong

   

   Publicly released: Wed 23 Aug 2017 at 0830 AEST / 1030 NZST

   The BMJ

   2017-08-23 08:30. Rising levels of alcohol and drug abuse among the over-50s are a cause for concern, according to an editorial by a UK and an Australian expert. In Australia, risky drinking is generally declining, but not in baby boomers, they warn. Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Baby boomers hitting the bottle and bong - Scimex

   Australia; SAFlinders University|, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, UK

   • Health / Medical
   • Society / Lifestyle

   SMC Pick

   Note for journalists:

   Australian morning newspapers must wait until the next day to run this story in print.

   Name:

   Ann Roche via Karen Ashford

   Phone:

   +61 8 8201 2092

   Position:

   Author

   Email:

   karen.ashford@flinders.edu.au

10. Does BMI affect bubs in the belly?

    

    Publicly released: Wed 23 Aug 2017 at 0400 AEST / 0600 NZST

    PLOS Medicine

    2017-08-23 04:00. Bigger mums may not be affecting their unborn babies' metabolism, according to international research. Twenty to 50 per cent of women in Western populations start pregnancies while overweight or obese, and researchers had thought Read more about Does BMI affect bubs in the belly? - Scimex

    InternationalUniversity of Bristol, UK

    • Health / Medical
    • Society / Lifestyle

    SMC Pick

    Note for journalists:

    Australian newspapers have permission from the journal to run this story in print on the day the embargo lifts, with the strict proviso that nothing can appear online until after the embargo lifts.

    Name:

    Debbie Lawlor

    Position:

    Author

    Email:

    d.a.lawlor@bristol.ac.uk

11. One in five boys lagging behind peers at school

    

    Publicly released: Wed 23 Aug 2017 at 0001 AEST / 0201 NZST

    Journal of School Health

    2017-08-23 00:01. A large study of more than 1000 Australian grade three school children has found that one in five boys in this age group have an emotional or behavioural problem and lag academically about 12 months behind their peers. The males Read more about One in five boys lagging behind peers at school - Scimex

    Australia; VICMurdoch Childrens Research Institute

    • Health / Medical
    • Society / Lifestyle

    SMC Pick

    Note for journalists:

    Name:

    Luke Williams

    Position:

    Communications Specialist

    Email:

    luke.williams@mcri.edu.au

12. Trail of 13 million year old gene transfer uncovered

    

    Publicly released: Tue 22 Aug 2017 at 1900 AEST / 2100 NZST

    Scientific Reports

    2017-08-22 19:00. Scientists from Agriculture Victoria have made a world-first scientific discovery that could have various applications in pasture and crop agriculture. The breakthrough event is the first documented example of a gene being Read more about Trail of 13 million year old gene transfer uncovered - Scimex

    Australia; VICVictorian Government|AgriBio

    • Environment / Climate / Energy
    • Rural / Agricultural

    SMC Pick

    Note for journalists:

    Name:

    Arpad Maksay

    Position:

    Media Advisor

    Email:

    arpad.maksay@ecodev.vic.gov.au

13. Afternoon slump or the brain’s expectations at work?

    

    Publicly released: Tue 22 Aug 2017 at 1430 AEST / 1630 NZST

    Journal of Neuroscience

    2017-08-22 14:30. The brain’ s reward centre activates differently across the day, peaking in the morning and evening, according to new research from Swinburne University of Technology’ s Centre for Mental Health. PhD candidate Jamie Byrne and Read more about Afternoon slump or the brain’s expectations at work? - Scimex

    Australia; VICSwinburne University of Technology|Monash University

    • Health / Medical
    • Society / Lifestyle

    SMC Pick

    Note for journalists:

    Please contact Lea Kivivali (Swinburne University of Technology) for a copy of the paper.

    Name:

    Lea Kivivali

    Phone:

    +61 3 9214 5428

    Position:

    Senior Media and Communications Adviser

    Email:

    lkivivali@swin.edu.au

14. Report urges simpler liquor permit management in communities

    

    Publicly released: Tue 22 Aug 2017 at 1430 AEST / 1630 NZST

    2017-08-22 14:30. Liquor permit schemes in the Northern Territory (NT) can be made easier to implement and more accountable to local communities, a NT Government-commissioned report has found. The review, led by Menzies School of Health Research Read more about Report urges simpler liquor permit management in communities - Scimex

    Australia; NTMenzies School of Health Research

    • Health / Medical
    • Society / Lifestyle
    • Rural / Agricultural
    • Business / Politics

    SMC Pick

    Note for journalists:

    Professor Peter d'Abbs is available for interview.

    Name:

    Paul Dale

    Phone:

    +61 8 8946 8658

    Position:

    Senior communications officer

    Email:

    paul.dale@menzies.edu.au

15. Past victims of abuse are more likely to be harmed as adults by others' drinking

    

    Publicly released: Tue 22 Aug 2017 at 1200 AEST / 1400 NZST

    Drug and Alcohol Review

    2017-08-22 12:00. Men and women with histories of victimisation are more at risk of being harmed from someone else’ s drinking, according to new research from the US. The researchers surveyed 7, 000 Americans and found that early life experiences Read more about Past victims of abuse are more likely to be harmed as adults by others' drinking - Scimex

    InternationalUniversity of California, Berkeley, USA

    • Health / Medical
    • Society / Lifestyle

    SMC Pick

    Note for journalists:

    No media release.

    Name:

    Katherine Karriker-Jaffe

    Position:

    Author

    Email:

    kkarrikerjaffe@arg.org

16. Country kids face veg challenges

    

    Publicly released: Tue 22 Aug 2017 at 1030 AEST / 1230 NZST

    International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

    2017-08-22 10:30. Regional and remote kids face unique challenges when it comes to eating the recommended amount of vegetables, new research has found. Location of Interest:. Australia. WA. Edith Cowan University, The University of Western Australia, Read more about Country kids face veg challenges - Scimex

    Australia; WAEdith Cowan University|The University of Western Australia|Curtin University

    • Health / Medical
    • Society / Lifestyle
    • Rural / Agricultural

    SMC Pick

    Note for journalists:

    Name:

    David Gear

    Phone:

    +61 8 6304 2288

    Position:

    Media Officer

    Email:

    d.gear@ecu.edu.au

17. Opera House reef breathes new life into Sydney harbour

    

    Publicly released: Tue 22 Aug 2017 at 0937 AEST / 1137 NZST

    2017-08-22 09:37. A modular artificial reef will be suspended alongside the Sydney Opera House as part of a new research project exploring ways to improve marine biodiversity and increase native species in Sydney Harbour. Location of Interest:. Read more about Opera House reef breathes new life into Sydney harbour - Scimex

    Australia; NSWUniversity of Technology Sydney (UTS)

    • Environment / Climate / Energy

    SMC Pick

    Note for journalists:

    Name:

    Marea Martlew

    Phone:

    +61 2 9514 1766

    Position:

    Media and PR Advisor, Faculty of Science

    Email:

    marea.martlew@uts.edu.au

18. Why tiger snakes are on a winner

    

    Publicly released: Tue 22 Aug 2017 at 0915 AEST / 1115 NZST

    Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part C

    2017-08-22 09:15. Australian tiger snakes have “hit the jackpot”because prey cannot evolve resistance to their venom. While that may sound foreboding, University of Queensland School of Biological Sciences expert Associate Professor Bryan Fry Read more about Why tiger snakes are on a winner - Scimex

    Australia; QLDThe University of Queensland

    • Environment / Climate / Energy

    SMC Pick

    Note for journalists:

    Name:

    Associate Professor Bryan Fry

    Position:

    Study author

    Email:

    bgfry@uq.edu.au

19. Post-whaling recovery of Southern Hemisphere

    

    Publicly released: Tue 22 Aug 2017 at 0600 AEST / 0800 NZST

    Fish and Fisheries

    2017-08-22 06:00. By 2100 some Southern Hemisphere whale species will not have reached half their pre-whaling numbers, while other species are expected to recover by 2050. Location of Interest:. Australia. International. QLD. CSIRO, The University Read more about Post-whaling recovery of Southern Hemisphere - Scimex

    Australia; International; QLDCSIRO|The University of Queensland

    • Environment / Climate / Energy

    SMC Pick

    Note for journalists:

    Name:

    Asaesja Young

    Phone:

    +61 7 3833 5727

    Position:

    Communications

    Email:

    asaesja.young@csiro.au

20. It's beginning to look a lot like Mars-mas

    

    Publicly released: Tue 22 Aug 2017 at 0100 AEST / 0300 NZST

    Nature Geoscience

    2017-08-22 01:00. Oh, the weather outside on Mars is frightful, but international scientists have made a discovery so delightful. They say our celestial neighbour receives a light dusting of snow at night. The researchers used an atmospheric model Read more about It's beginning to look a lot like Mars-mas - Scimex

    InternationalCentre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France

    • Environment / Climate / Energy
    • Tech / Engineering / Space

    SMC Pick

    Note for journalists:

    Australian and New Zealand newspapers have permission from the journal to run this story in print on the day the embargo lifts, with the strict proviso that nothing can appear online until after the embargo lifts.

    Name:

    Aymeric Spiga

    Phone:

    +33 1 44 27 28 47

    Position:

    Author

    Email:

    aymeric.spiga@upmc.fr