Ancient Australia home to marsupial giants

Publicly released: Mon 16 Sep 2019 at 1000 AEST | 1200 NZST

PLOS ONE

A group of ancient Aussie marsupials may have weighed up to 1, 000kg, say Australian scientists who have looked at more than 60 fossils of the extinct group of Australian megafauna. The researchers say the group of animals, known as palorchestids Read more about Ancient Australia home to marsupial giants - Scimex

New approach to track returning animals at rehabilitated mine sites

Publicly released: Mon 16 Sep 2019 at 1000 AEST | 1200 NZST

A new approach to setting benchmarks for the return of fauna will allow rehabilitation managers to better assess the success of their restoration efforts on mine sites across Australia’s north. The research, led by Charles Darwin University’s Read more about New approach to track returning animals at rehabilitated mine sites - Scimex

Immune response depends on mathematics of narrow escapes

Publicly released: Mon 16 Sep 2019 at 0700 AEST | 0900 NZST

PNAS

The shape of immune cells plays key role in recognising invaders. Funder: The Wellcome Trust, the UK Medical Research Council, the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, and Cancer Research UK. Media Release. From:Macquarie Read more about Immune response depends on mathematics of narrow escapes - Scimex

Dusty vacuums may be astronauts' biggest health risk

Publicly released: Mon 16 Sep 2019 at 0001 AEST | 0201 NZST

MJA

A US expert on space medicine suggests the biggest challenge in keeping astronauts healthy in space is a surprisingly familiar, everyday issue - dust. In the vacuum of space, without gravity, dust settles further into the lungs, and is more Read more about Dusty vacuums may be astronauts' biggest health risk - Scimex

Breastfed Vietnamese babies have fewer health issues

Publicly released: Mon 16 Sep 2019 at 0001 AEST | 0201 NZST

Archives of Disease in Childhood

Vietnamese infants who are fed with infant formula or prelacteal foods such as water and honey soon after birth are more likely to experience higher rates of hospitalisation and childhood illnesses during their first year of life compared to infants Read more about Breastfed Vietnamese babies have fewer health issues - Scimex

Toddler becomes the first case of extensively drug-resistant typhoid in Australia

Publicly released: Mon 16 Sep 2019 at 0001 AEST | 0201 NZST

MJA

An Australian toddler returning from Pakistan has become the first case of extensively drug-resistant typhoid in Australia. Since 2016, extensively drug-resistant typhoid bacteria, which are resistant to all first-line antibiotics, have been found Read more about Toddler becomes the first case of extensively drug-resistant typhoid in Australia - Scimex

Slow brains may lead to fast car crashes

Publicly released: Sat 14 Sep 2019 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

If our working memory - an area which is critical to awareness of hazards while driving - is on a slow path to being fully developed, we could be at a higher risk of a car crash, say US researchers. As we age, our working memory gets better at Read more about Slow brains may lead to fast car crashes - Scimex

Same but different: unique cancer traits key to targeted therapies

Publicly released: Fri 13 Sep 2019 at 1900 AEST | 2100 NZST

Nature Communications

More than one in three lung cancers called adenocarcinomas have a common-cancer causing mutation in the gene KRAS, which is a potent cancer driver. Yet decades of attempts to develop a therapy that targets this gene have been unsuccessful. Now Read more about Same but different: unique cancer traits key to targeted therapies - Scimex

Cubed wombat poo claims physics gong in 2019's Ig Nobel Prizes

Publicly released: Fri 13 Sep 2019 at 1200 AEST | 1400 NZST

The 2019 Ig Nobels - the satirical take on the Nobel Prizes - have been announced, and a University of Tasmania study of wombasses and their cubic poo is among the winners. The Tassie scientists are in illustrious company - other award winners Read more about Cubed wombat poo claims physics gong in 2019's Ig Nobel Prizes - Scimex

Emotional rape victims seen as more believable

Publicly released: Fri 13 Sep 2019 at 1100 AEST | 1300 NZST

Psychological Bulletin

Distressed rape complainants are perceived to be more credible than those who control their emotions, a University of Queensland study has found. UQ  School of Psychology PhD candidate  Faye Nitschke said the findings were alarming, given that Read more about Emotional rape victims seen as more believable - Scimex

Worldwide patient advocacy groups pledge 1 million dollars for research into Leigh Syndrome

Publicly released: Fri 13 Sep 2019 at 1001 AEST | 1201 NZST

Today, five of the world’s leading mitochondrial disease (mito) patient advocacy groups have announced they will together pledge one million U.S dollars to form and fund a patient-driven research network to fast-track treatments and potential Read more about Worldwide patient advocacy groups pledge 1 million dollars for research into Leigh Syndrome - Scimex

Tracing travellers' typhoid to get an early warning of emerging threats

Publicly released: Fri 13 Sep 2019 at 1000 AEST | 1200 NZST

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases

Samples of the bacteria that cause typhoid fever in travellers returning from overseas could be used to warn of emerging global threats such as antibiotic resistance and disease outbreaks abroad, say Australian scientists. In countries where typhoid Read more about Tracing travellers' typhoid to get an early warning of emerging threats - Scimex

Mathematical modelling sheds new light on how continents may have formed

Publicly released: Fri 13 Sep 2019 at 0900 AEST | 1100 NZST

Life is unique to our planet. Or is it? Central to this question is the emergence of plate tectonics, which transported oxygen and water from the Earth’s interior to the atmosphere and formed mountain highs and deep oceans, where life thrived. Read more about Mathematical modelling sheds new light on how continents may have formed - Scimex

Early exposure key to recognising ‘other-race’ faces

Publicly released: Fri 13 Sep 2019 at 0837 AEST | 1037 NZST

Scientific Reports

New research led by The Australian National University (ANU) has shown exposure to people from other racial backgrounds during childhood could help us better recognise faces across different races as adults. Funder: Australian Research Council Read more about Early exposure key to recognising ‘other-race’ faces - Scimex

Rats can master hide and seek

Publicly released: Fri 13 Sep 2019 at 0400 AEST | 0600 NZST

Science

Researchers studying playful behaviour in animals have taught rats to play hide and seek, and the rodents are pretty good at it. The US researchers spent weeks teaching the rats how to play the game - both the hiding and seeking parts - and rewarded Read more about Rats can master hide and seek - Scimex

Bone cells also help during pregnancy

Publicly released: Fri 13 Sep 2019 at 0400 AEST | 0600 NZST

PLOS Biology

Cells from the bone marrow also travel to the womb to help during pregnancy, according to a study in mice. Early cells that live in bone marrow can become blood or tissue cells, and within the uterus they can become endometrial tissue to line the Read more about Bone cells also help during pregnancy - Scimex

English Channel dolphins swimming in pollution

Publicly released: Fri 13 Sep 2019 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

Scientific Reports

Dolphins living in the English Channel have some of the highest levels of mercury concentrations ever found in their species. These bottlenose dolphins are one of the largest coastal populations in Europe, but it seems they're paying the price with Read more about English Channel dolphins swimming in pollution - Scimex

Gaudy patterns on animals camouflage them when moving

Publicly released: Fri 13 Sep 2019 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

Current Biology

You would think that an extravagant high contrast pattern would cause you to stand out to your predators, but researchers from the UK say that as soon as the animal starts moving, they ninja-vanish due to the way predators' eyes work. They explain Read more about Gaudy patterns on animals camouflage them when moving - Scimex

Device generates light using the cold night sky

Publicly released: Fri 13 Sep 2019 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

Joule

A cheap, thermoelectric device that harnesses the cold of space to generate electricity has been reported by international researchers who used the device to power a LED. The researchers developed the device by taking advantage of radiative cooling, Read more about Device generates light using the cold night sky - Scimex

There's millions of tons of plastic in our oceans - so where is it all?

Publicly released: Fri 13 Sep 2019 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

Scientific Reports

If you've had a rubber ducky in the bath you'll know plastic floats, and based on past projections of annual plastic waste into our oceans, there should be tens of millions of metric tons of plastic floating on the ocean's surface by now. But we're Read more about There's millions of tons of plastic in our oceans - so where is it all? - Scimex