A new way to target high rates of obesity

Publicly released: Wed 22 Aug 2018 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

Nature Communications

A novel drug is being touted as a major step forward in the battle against Australia’s escalating rates of obesity and associated metabolic diseases. As it stands, 2 in 3 adults in Australia are classified as being overweight or obese. A long-term Read more about A new way to target high rates of obesity - Scimex

Race to unlock key to save endangered orchids

Publicly released: Wed 22 Aug 2018 at 0001 AEST | 0201 NZST

Scientists from the Threatened Species Recovery Hub and Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria are in a race against time to save some of Australia’s most endangered native orchids. Almost a third of Australia's 140 species of Leek Orchids are at risk of Read more about Race to unlock key to save endangered orchids - Scimex

Antibiotics best paediatric treatment for children’s chronic wet cough

Publicly released: Wed 22 Aug 2018 at 0001 AEST | 0201 NZST

Cochrane Reviews

A new study has confirmed the use of antibiotics for prolonged wet cough in children is the most effective treatment to prevent the illness from getting worse. The QUT-led research published in Cochrane Reviews found children, who had a cough Read more about Antibiotics best paediatric treatment for children’s chronic wet cough - Scimex

Trapdoor spider ‘stunt double’ study reveals summer wasp threat

Publicly released: Tue 21 Aug 2018 at 1200 AEST | 1400 NZST

Scientific Reports

Curtin researchers using ‘stunt spiders’found male trapdoor spiders leaving their burrows to mate faced predators such as birds, lizards and rodents all year round while wasps posed a threat only in summer. Media Release. From:Curtin University. Read more about Trapdoor spider ‘stunt double’ study reveals summer wasp threat - Scimex

Feral cat exclosures boost reptile populations

Publicly released: Tue 21 Aug 2018 at 1100 AEST | 1300 NZST

Biological Conservation

A collaborative research project between the Northern Territory Government and Parks Australia has found that feral cat exclosures have a positive impact on local reptile populations. Funder: The Australian Government’ s National Environmental Read more about Feral cat exclosures boost reptile populations - Scimex

Quantum leap for Einstein’s scientific principle

Publicly released: Tue 21 Aug 2018 at 1000 AEST | 1200 NZST

Nature Physics

How Einstein’ s equivalence principle extends to the quantum world has been puzzling physicists for decades, but a team including a University of Queensland researcher has found the key to this question. UQ physicist, Dr Magdalena Zych from the Read more about Quantum leap for Einstein’s scientific principle - Scimex

First Buccaneer satellite mission is a success

Publicly released: Tue 21 Aug 2018 at 0900 AEST | 1100 NZST

A satellite jointly developed by UNSW Canberra Space and Defence Science and Technology (DST) has been operating on-orbit successfully for more than nine months. It has performed important experiments as part of a mission that is paving the way for Read more about First Buccaneer satellite mission is a success - Scimex

Cancer's tragic impact on children

Publicly released: Tue 21 Aug 2018 at 0830 AEST | 1030 NZST

Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health

As if cancer wasn't horrific enough, a parent's cancer can have a detrimental effect on a child's grades, later education and adult earning power, Danish research has found. The study of more than one million people found children with experience of Read more about Cancer's tragic impact on children - Scimex

No partitions between desks may be ‘healthier’ for office workers

Publicly released: Tue 21 Aug 2018 at 0830 AEST | 1030 NZST

Occupational & Environmental Medicine

People who work at desks without partitions in open plan offices tend to have higher levels of physical activity while at work, and lower levels of stress outside the office than other office setups, according to US research. Researchers monitored Read more about No partitions between desks may be ‘healthier’ for office workers - Scimex

‘Food Poisoning – take it seriously!’ announced as the Australian Food Safety Week 2018 theme

Publicly released: Tue 21 Aug 2018 at 0801 AEST | 1001 NZST

Already in 2018 a Listeria food poisoning outbreak, linked to Australian rockmelons, has resulted in 6 deaths and a woman miscarrying then 26 people contracted hepatitis A from imported frozen pomegranates and a woman died in June. The theme for Read more about ‘Food Poisoning – take it seriously!’ announced as the Australian Food Safety Week 2018 theme - Scimex

Are we prepared for bioterrorism threats? Simulated smallpox epidemic exercise at UNSW

Publicly released: Tue 21 Aug 2018 at 0800 AEST | 1000 NZST

Preparedness could be the difference between a contained local outbreak and a global pandemic if there was a smallpox attack in the Pacific today, a bioterrorism exercise held at UNSW Sydney discovered. The hypothetical scenario, designed to test Read more about Are we prepared for bioterrorism threats? Simulated smallpox epidemic exercise at UNSW - Scimex

STEVE is no aurora

Publicly released: Tue 21 Aug 2018 at 0700 AEST | 0900 NZST

Geophysical Research Letters

An aurora-like light show caught by amateur photographers isn't an aurora at all, according to scientists examining the purple and white ribbons of light. Dubbed STEVE - an Over the Hedge reference - the phenomenon has been caught on film for Read more about STEVE is no aurora - Scimex

Turning coffee waste into coffee cups

Publicly released: Tue 21 Aug 2018 at 0601 AEST | 0801 NZST

18th European Congress on Biotechnology

A Macquarie PhD student believes he’ s come up with a way to turn coffee waste into biodegradable plastic coffee cups. He’ s developed a method to turn coffee grounds into lactic acid, which can then be used to produce biodegradable plastics, Read more about Turning coffee waste into coffee cups - Scimex

Australian parents oblivious to true danger of the flu

Publicly released: Tue 21 Aug 2018 at 0201 AEST | 0401 NZST

Clinical Infectious Diseases

After being hit with one of the worst flu seasons on record, Australian parents still need convincing of the serious consequences of the flu, with less than one in four children aged six months to four years receiving an influenza vaccine so far in Read more about Australian parents oblivious to true danger of the flu - Scimex

Discrimination fears lead to dope, depression, ADHD

Publicly released: Tue 21 Aug 2018 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

JAMA Pediatrics

High-school students worried about discrimination in society are more likely to drink and smoke cigarettes or marijuana, according to a study of 2500 Los Angeles teenagers. The students were surveyed at age 16, then again at 17, and asked to report Read more about Discrimination fears lead to dope, depression, ADHD - Scimex

Policing protein rounds up genes for healthy development

Publicly released: Tue 21 Aug 2018 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

Nature Structural & Molecular Biology

Melbourne scientists have shown for the first time how a protein called SMCHD1 helps to police healthy development in the body. The study revealed how SMCHD1 rounds up genes that need to be restrained into specific areas where it efficiently Read more about Policing protein rounds up genes for healthy development - Scimex

Ecological winners and loses in extreme Californian drought

Publicly released: Tue 21 Aug 2018 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

Nature Climate Change

Giant "kangaroo rats" fared well for the first two years of the 2012-2015 drought on the Californian Carrizo Plain, but began to die off as the drought persisted - which made it harder for their predators to survive. Researchers were already Read more about Ecological winners and loses in extreme Californian drought - Scimex

Scientists closer to developing next generation of super computers

Publicly released: Tue 21 Aug 2018 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

Nature Photonics

An international team of researchers including scientists from The University of Western Australia and The University of Queensland is a step closer towards developing the next generation of super computers, engineering a silicon chip that guides Read more about Scientists closer to developing next generation of super computers - Scimex

Carbon emissions from land dropped during global warming 'slow down'

Publicly released: Tue 21 Aug 2018 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

Nature Geoscience

Carbon emissions from land use dropped during the period where global warming slowed from 1998 to 2012, according to Australian and international researchers. The drop in land-use emissions was not driven by the lower rate of warming, but rather the Read more about Carbon emissions from land dropped during global warming 'slow down' - Scimex

#chatsafe: world-first guidelines help young people talk safely online about suicide

Publicly released: Tue 21 Aug 2018 at 0001 AEST | 0201 NZST

The world's first guidelines to support young people in communicating safely online about suicide have been released today by Orygen, the National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health. Media Release. From:Orygen, The National Centre of Read more about #chatsafe: world-first guidelines help young people talk safely online about suicide - Scimex