Ancient cow skull surgery

Publicly released: Thu 19 Apr 2018 at 2300 AEST | Fri 20 Apr 2018 at 0100 NZST

Scientific Reports

A near-complete cow skull found in Neolithic site (aged 3, 400– 3, 000 BC) suggests it might have undergone cranial surgery. Such surgery in humans dates back as early as the Mesolithic (10, 000– 2, 700 BC), which involved drilling or cutting a Read more about Ancient cow skull surgery - Scimex

Cicadas that rarely meet but still hybridise

Publicly released: Thu 19 Apr 2018 at 2300 AEST | Fri 20 Apr 2018 at 0100 NZST

Communications Biology

Cicadas are a common soundtrack to summer, but did you know species vary depending on how many years they spend underground as larvae? Researchers have found genetic evidence of hybridisation between cicadas that spend 13- and 17-years underground Read more about Cicadas that rarely meet but still hybridise - Scimex

Blow flies drink their own spit bubbles to keep cool

Publicly released: Thu 19 Apr 2018 at 2300 AEST | Fri 20 Apr 2018 at 0100 NZST

Scientific Reports

Blowflies blow from hot to cold by blowing spit bubbles and then slurping the saliva back down, according to a new study. The Brazilian researchers found that once a saliva droplet leaves a blowfly’ s mouth, it partially evaporates - cooling down - Read more about Blow flies drink their own spit bubbles to keep cool - Scimex

Scientists urge international community to act on childhood pneumonia in war zones

Publicly released: Thu 19 Apr 2018 at 1301 AEST | 1501 NZST

ISPPD Symposium

Scientists at an international pneumococcal conference in Melbourne this week, the ISPPD Symposium, urged international agencies to provide a new class of pneumococcal vaccines to children in acute humanitarian emergencies, such as war zones and Read more about Scientists urge international community to act on childhood pneumonia in war zones - Scimex

New Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of the Kimberley highlights the need to conserve these pristine waters

Publicly released: Thu 19 Apr 2018 at 1205 AEST | 1405 NZST

A new colour publication, A Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of the Kimberley, details the Kimberley's fascinating freshwater fishes, many unique to the region, and includes newly described species. Funder: The project was supported through an Read more about New Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of the Kimberley highlights the need to conserve these pristine waters - Scimex

Artificial pancreas can smooth out blood sugar levels for type 1 diabetics

Publicly released: Thu 19 Apr 2018 at 0830 AEST | 1030 NZST

The BMJ

Artificial pancreas can help people with type 1 diabetes smooth out blood sugar peaks and troughs, according to a new review of trials by Greek researchers. The researchers compared a regular treatment for type 1 diabetes – insulin pumps where Read more about Artificial pancreas can smooth out blood sugar levels for type 1 diabetics - Scimex

Curtin research finds no vasectomy reversal link to prostate cancer

Publicly released: Thu 19 Apr 2018 at 0501 AEST | 0701 NZST

The Journal of Urology

New Curtin University research that studied almost 10, 000 men who had undergone vasectomy reversals across the globe has found no evidence of a link between the procedure and prostate cancer. Media Release. From:Curtin University. New Curtin Read more about Curtin research finds no vasectomy reversal link to prostate cancer - Scimex

Study reveals new Antarctic process contributing to sea level rise and climate change

Publicly released: Thu 19 Apr 2018 at 0401 AEST | 0601 NZST

Science Advances

A new study has revealed a previously undocumented process where melting glacial ice sheets change the ocean in a way that further accelerates the rate of ice melt and sea level rise. Led by IMAS PhD student Alessandro Silvano and published in the Read more about Study reveals new Antarctic process contributing to sea level rise and climate change - Scimex

A quarter of all US food ends up in the bin

Publicly released: Thu 19 Apr 2018 at 0400 AEST | 0600 NZST

PLOS ONE

Between 2007-2014, US consumers chucked out more than 400 grams of food per person each day, reports a new study. That works out to be a quarter of all food (by weight) ending up in the rubbish! Growing this wasted food used 30 million acres of Read more about A quarter of all US food ends up in the bin - Scimex

Krill — the ocean’s blender

Publicly released: Thu 19 Apr 2018 at 0300 AEST | 0500 NZST

Nature

The daily commute of millions of krill from deep waters to the ocean surface causes quite a stir, report the authors of a new lab-based study. Monitoring water disturbance in tanks full of tiny shrimp, the US authors found that vertically migrating Read more about Krill — the ocean’s blender - Scimex

Liver ‘life support’ better for transplants

Publicly released: Thu 19 Apr 2018 at 0300 AEST | 0500 NZST

Nature

Preserving livers at body temperature may improve transplant outcomes and increase viable donor liver numbers, according to the results of a new UK clinical trial. Researchers compared two methods of storing livers for transplant: keeping livers on Read more about Liver ‘life support’ better for transplants - Scimex

EXPERT REACTION: The GBR may never fully recover from 2016's heatwave

Publicly released: Thu 19 Apr 2018 at 0300 AEST | 0500 NZST

Nature

Australian and US scientists say the marine heatwave of 2016 caused a catastrophic die-off of corals on the Great Barrier Reef, transforming the ecology of around a third of the reef, which may never fully recover. The researchers mapped heat Read more about EXPERT REACTION: The GBR may never fully recover from 2016's heatwave - Scimex

Melanoma picked up earlier in married people

Publicly released: Thu 19 Apr 2018 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

JAMA Dermatology

Melanomas are more likely to be detected early in married people than in singles, divorcees or widowers, according to US research. The study of more than 50, 000 people found that married people presented to doctors with earlier stage tumours. They Read more about Melanoma picked up earlier in married people - Scimex

Cheap new oil spill solution from waste products

Publicly released: Thu 19 Apr 2018 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

Advanced Sustainable Systems

Polluted beaches, oily water, dead birds and marine life destruction caused by crude oil spills could be a thing of the past with pioneering new research led by Flinders University. An exciting, more sustainable answer to effectively clean up oil Read more about Cheap new oil spill solution from waste products - Scimex

Smoking a lot of weed makes you dopey, until you straighten out

Publicly released: Thu 19 Apr 2018 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

JAMA Psychiatry

A US study of existing research reveals that teens and young adults who smoke a lot of weed show small reductions in cognitive functioning, but those reductions disappear when they stay straight for three days. The scientists found 69 studies that Read more about Smoking a lot of weed makes you dopey, until you straighten out - Scimex

World-first research into injury rates among people released from prison

Publicly released: Thu 19 Apr 2018 at 0001 AEST | 0201 NZST

The Lancet Public Health

People released from prison who have both mental illness and substance use problems are at 12 times the risk of suffering injury compared to the general community, world-first research from the University of Melbourne has found. Funder: National Read more about World-first research into injury rates among people released from prison - Scimex

Modern science shows Roman wheat farming advice was on the money

Publicly released: Wed 18 Apr 2018 at 1901 AEST | 2101 NZST

Scientific Reports

Ancient Romans beat modern scientists to a wheat temperature discovery. Plant biologists have made an important discovery about rising temperatures and wheat crops - and subsequently learned that the Romans suspected the effect more than 2000 years Read more about Modern science shows Roman wheat farming advice was on the money - Scimex

340,000 stars’ DNA interrogated in search for Sun’s lost siblings

Publicly released: Wed 18 Apr 2018 at 1000 AEST | 1200 NZST

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society & Astronomy and Astrophysics

An Australian-led group of astronomers working with European collaborators has revealed the “DNA”of more than 340, 000 stars in the Milky Way, which should help them find the siblings of the Sun, now scattered across the sky. This is a major Read more about 340,000 stars’ DNA interrogated in search for Sun’s lost siblings - Scimex

Moa didn't disperse large seeds

Publicly released: Wed 18 Apr 2018 at 0901 AEST | 1101 NZST

Proceedings of the Royal Society B

For decades it had been assumed that New Zealand’ s largest native fruits evolved to be eaten and spread about prehistoric landscapes by the large extinct moa. The new study from the University of Canterbury casts doubt on this theory. By Read more about Moa didn't disperse large seeds - Scimex

Car crash karaoke? Give a little whistle instead

Publicly released: Wed 18 Apr 2018 at 0901 AEST | 1101 NZST

Royal Society Open Science

Can't sing? Well pucker up and whistle instead, and thank your ape ancestors for the privilege, say international researchers. Their study looked at muscular control of the voice box while people were asked to repeat a tune, either by singing or Read more about Car crash karaoke? Give a little whistle instead - Scimex