Farmers and others on the land are already noticing Australia's climate losers

Publicly released: Sat 23 Nov 2019 at 0600 AEDT | 0800 NZDT

PLOS ONE

A survey of over 300 people with close links to the Australian environment, such as farmers, graziers and bird watchers, shows that they are already noticing climate change impacts on hundreds of species and ecosystems across Australia. Generally Read more about Farmers and others on the land are already noticing Australia's climate losers - Scimex

Pothead parents may pass on their poor habits to their progeny

Publicly released: Sat 23 Nov 2019 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

You might be telling your kids to do as you say, not as you do, but US researchers have found an association between parents that smoke pot and an increased risk of their kids smoking tobacco or marijuana, or drinking, and taking opioids. The team Read more about Pothead parents may pass on their poor habits to their progeny - Scimex

Scientists improving Australia through chemistry receive top awards

Publicly released: Fri 22 Nov 2019 at 2330 AEDT | Sat 23 Nov 2019 at 0130 NZDT

On the evening of 22 November, the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) recognises sixteen leading scientists with the top awards given to chemists in Australia. Some of these scientists improve our health through chemistry. They fight Read more about Scientists improving Australia through chemistry receive top awards - Scimex

Which HPV vaccine has you covered?

Publicly released: Fri 22 Nov 2019 at 2201 AEDT | Sat 23 Nov 2019 at 0001 NZDT

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

A Cochrane Review of the three human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines currently in use - that protect against two, four and nine strains of HPV - has found all are safe for men and women. The review found two doses of HPV vaccine resulted in similar Read more about Which HPV vaccine has you covered? - Scimex

Millions of coral babies ‘turbo-charged’ in floating nurseries to restore damaged parts of the Great Barrier Reef

Publicly released: Fri 22 Nov 2019 at 1300 AEDT | 1500 NZDT

Coral researchers are working night and day on the Great Barrier Reef to complete a radically new approach to mass coral re-seeding, successfully rearing millions of hardy coral babies following the reef’s famous mass coral spawning event. The Read more about Millions of coral babies ‘turbo-charged’ in floating nurseries to restore damaged parts of the Great Barrier Reef - Scimex

Your chance to name a new species of spider

Publicly released: Fri 22 Nov 2019 at 1159 AEDT | 1359 NZDT

What is black with eight honey-red and black legs? It’s a new species of Eastern Wishbone Spider and Queensland Museum is giving you the opportunity to name this new species. To celebrate Queensland Museum’s latest exhibition Spiders – The Read more about Your chance to name a new species of spider - Scimex

EXPERT REACTION: Global report shows about 9 in 10 Aussie and Kiwi teens are not doing enough physical activity

Publicly released: Fri 22 Nov 2019 at 1030 AEDT | 1230 NZDT

Lancet Child & Adolescent Health

The first ever global report looking at trends in physical activity among 11-17 year olds has found that 89 per cent of young Australians and Kiwis do not meet current recommendations of at least one hour of physical activity per day. Australia was Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Global report shows about 9 in 10 Aussie and Kiwi teens are not doing enough physical activity - Scimex

Handheld device can check if fish oil supplements have gone off

Publicly released: Fri 22 Nov 2019 at 0800 AEDT | 1000 NZDT

Applied Spectroscopy

New Zealand researchers have developed a portable handheld device that can check the quality of fish oil supplements when you buy them. The omega-3 fatty acids contained in the capsules are prone to deteriorate when exposed to heat and light, but Read more about Handheld device can check if fish oil supplements have gone off - Scimex

Music is truly a universal language

Publicly released: Fri 22 Nov 2019 at 0600 AEDT | 0800 NZDT

Science

From love ballads to lullabies, songs across the globe share universal patterns, according to a new study. Merging modern data science with musical and ethnographic recordings from more than 300 societies, the researchers found there is more Read more about Music is truly a universal language - Scimex

We're still a long way off designer babies

Publicly released: Fri 22 Nov 2019 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

Cell

The recent CRISPR-baby scandal, where a rogue scientist edited genomes in twins, has resurrected talk of 'designer babies'. But new research from Israel suggests, even if we wanted to go down this road, we're a long way off understanding how Read more about We're still a long way off designer babies - Scimex

Trials promise good news for countries with dengue and Zika virus

Publicly released: Fri 22 Nov 2019 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

Current Biology

An international team of scientists have reported an effective and environmentally sustainable way to block the transmission of mosquito-borne dengue virus, in trials carried out in Malaysia. The breakthrough has major implications for countries Read more about Trials promise good news for countries with dengue and Zika virus - Scimex

The antibiotic arms race moves at high speed

Publicly released: Thu 21 Nov 2019 at 1400 AEDT | 1600 NZDT

Biofilms and Microbiomes

Acinetobacter baumannii is a pathogen that creates serious problems in hospitals throughout the world. It causes opportunistic infections in the bloodstream, urinary tract, and other soft tissues, accounting for as much as 20 per cent of infections Read more about The antibiotic arms race moves at high speed - Scimex

Bali temperatures predict dengue cases in Australia

Publicly released: Thu 21 Nov 2019 at 1400 AEDT | 1600 NZDT

Environmental Research

Dengue fever cases in Australia can be predicted four months ahead by noting temperatures and rainfall in Bali, giving public health authorities time to take proactive measures to prevent a local outbreak, a QUT study has found. Media Release. Read more about Bali temperatures predict dengue cases in Australia - Scimex

Digital inclusion and wellbeing in New Zealand

Publicly released: Thu 21 Nov 2019 at 1301 AEDT | 1501 NZDT

Those in social housing and people with disabilities appear to be particularly disadvantaged with respect to internet access, according to new research from Motu, that uses four large-scale surveys of New Zealanders. In 2017, just 69 per cent of Read more about Digital inclusion and wellbeing in New Zealand - Scimex

Non-indigenous Australian suicide underestimated

Publicly released: Thu 21 Nov 2019 at 1300 AEDT | 1500 NZDT

Mortality

Suicide statistics of non-Indigenous Australians are underestimated by 15 to 50 per cent, owing partly to coroners being confined to a binary finding of suicide/not suicide, and their desire to spare the dead person’s family the stigma of suicide. Read more about Non-indigenous Australian suicide underestimated - Scimex

Gay and bisexual men who use HIV prevention pill ‘PrEP’ have lower anxiety

Publicly released: Thu 21 Nov 2019 at 1300 AEDT | 1500 NZDT

J AIDS

A new study from the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney published today shows that gay and bisexual men who are taking the HIV prevention medication PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) also have significantly lower levels of HIV-related anxiety. HIV Read more about Gay and bisexual men who use HIV prevention pill ‘PrEP’ have lower anxiety - Scimex

Inducing mums early could reduce stillbirths

Publicly released: Thu 21 Nov 2019 at 1030 AEDT | 1230 NZDT

The BMJ

Sometimes it’s best to hurry bub along if a pregnancy has already gone to full term, according to a new trial. Researchers in Sweden investigating the risks of problems for mum and baby beyond 42 weeks of pregnancy compared women who were induced Read more about Inducing mums early could reduce stillbirths - Scimex

Aquifers key to resource resilience - 2019 Groundwater Conference

Publicly released: Thu 21 Nov 2019 at 1000 AEDT | 1200 NZDT

What do Australia’s climate change, finite water resources, resource management and energy-future challenges have in common? The 2019 Australian Groundwater Conference will outline an important commonality: they all require Australia’s Read more about Aquifers key to resource resilience - 2019 Groundwater Conference - Scimex

Mental health program helps teens recognise and support peers at risk

Publicly released: Thu 21 Nov 2019 at 0800 AEDT | 1000 NZDT

ANZJPH

A new mental health program improves teenagers’ability to recognise and support friends who might be at risk of suicide, according to new research. Funder: This research was funded by a Mental Health Research Grant awarded to the authors by Read more about Mental health program helps teens recognise and support peers at risk - Scimex

New fossils shed light on how snakes got their bite and lost their legs

Publicly released: Thu 21 Nov 2019 at 0600 AEDT | 0800 NZDT

Science Advances

New fossils of an ancient legged snake, called Najash, shed light on the origin of the slithering reptiles. The fossil discoveries, revealed in Science Advances, provide details about how the flexible skull of snakes evolved from their lizard Read more about New fossils shed light on how snakes got their bite and lost their legs - Scimex