Mangroves act as ocean plastic sinks

Publicly released: Wed 4 Nov 2020 at 1425 AEDT | 1625 NZDT

Science Advances

An international research project has discovered that mangrove sediments are trapping much of the plastic that ends up in the world oceans. Results have revealed a pattern of plastic sedimentation gleaned from core samples collected from the Red Sea Read more about Mangroves act as ocean plastic sinks

Magma ‘conveyor belt’ fuelled world’s longest erupting supervolcanoes

Publicly released: Wed 4 Nov 2020 at 1153 AEDT | 1353 NZDT

Geology

International research led by geologists from Curtin University has found that a volcanic province in the Indian Ocean was the world’s most continuously active — erupting for 30 million years — fuelled by a constantly moving ‘conveyor Read more about Magma ‘conveyor belt’ fuelled world’s longest erupting supervolcanoes

Tea break snacks give us the feels

Publicly released: Wed 4 Nov 2020 at 1128 AEDT | 1328 NZDT

Food Quality and Preference

What you eat at tea break - and where you eat it - can conjure up different emotions, according to new Kiwi research. Scientists compared the emotional effects of eating a chocolate biscuit versus a caramel slice in different contexts: a real-world Read more about Tea break snacks give us the feels

Dying eggs blue could boost fertility treatment

Publicly released: Wed 4 Nov 2020 at 1101 AEDT | 1301 NZDT

Journal of the Royal Society Interface

Reliably predicting the health of human egg cells is a major challenge for assisted fertility treatment. In a new study, researchers in Germany used a blue dye that selectively stained healthy pig egg cells without damaging the surrounding follicle Read more about Dying eggs blue could boost fertility treatment

Crown-of-thorns starfish 'party at night, sleep-in and only some find their way home'

Publicly released: Wed 4 Nov 2020 at 1101 AEDT | 1301 NZDT

Proceedings of the Royal Society B

Time-lapse monitoring of the Great Barrier Reef by Aussie and international researchers has revealed that most crown-of-thorns starfish move short distances to feed at night before returning to shelter. However, when their preferred coral snack was Read more about Crown-of-thorns starfish 'party at night, sleep-in and only some find their way home'

R0 may not be the best way to keep track of COVID-19

Publicly released: Wed 4 Nov 2020 at 1101 AEDT | 1301 NZDT

Journal of the Royal Society Interface

International scientists say R0 - the basic reproductive number used to indicate the spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19 - is too simple to reflect the complex process of a virus spreading through the population. They point out Read more about R0 may not be the best way to keep track of COVID-19

Purple Crowned Fairy Wren unlocks key to immune function

Publicly released: Wed 4 Nov 2020 at 1101 AEDT | 1301 NZDT

Proceedings of the Royal Society B

A study led by Monash scientists has found the iconic Purple-crowned fairy-wren may hold the key to better understanding immune function. Read more about Purple Crowned Fairy Wren unlocks key to immune function

Smartphone case demonstrates a stronger bio plastic

Publicly released: Wed 4 Nov 2020 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

Nature Communications

Chinese scientists have developed a method for producing a strong, bio-based material, which they say could be used as a replacement for plastics. Previous plastic alternatives have not been as strong as petroleum-based plastics, but the researchers Read more about Smartphone case demonstrates a stronger bio plastic

Growing up in an impoverished neighbourhood may be bad for kids' brains

Publicly released: Wed 4 Nov 2020 at 0200 AEDT | 0400 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

US scientists analysed 11,875 American children aged nine or ten and found living in a deprived neighbourhood was linked to lower scores in tests of thinking and lower brain volume in the prefrontal regions of the brain, which are important in speech Read more about Growing up in an impoverished neighbourhood may be bad for kids' brains

NEWS BRIEFING: Australia's current biosecurity not enough to meet growing threats - CSIRO Report 

Publicly released: Wed 4 Nov 2020 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

Briefing recording now available If COVID has taught us anything, it is that keeping biological threats out is critical. At least 75 per cent of emerging human infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, originate from animals. Biosecurity is also Read more about NEWS BRIEFING: Australia's current biosecurity not enough to meet growing threats - CSIRO Report