Conspiracies dominate YouTube climate modification videos

Publicly released: Thu 25 Jul 2019 at 1400 AEST | 1600 NZST

Frontiers in Communication

Most of the videos about climate modification on YouTube don't reflect the scientific consensus and propagate popular conspiracy theories, say German researchers. Searching for videos about climate modification or geoengineering, they found these Read more about Conspiracies dominate YouTube climate modification videos - Scimex

Top tools for pinpointing genetic drivers of disease

Publicly released: Thu 25 Jul 2019 at 1230 AEST | 1430 NZST

Nature Communications

A new benchmarking study has determined the best analysis tools for identifying errors in a patient’s DNA that are responsible for driving disease. Being able to pinpoint these ‘genomic rearrangements’is vital for understanding how illnesses Read more about Top tools for pinpointing genetic drivers of disease - Scimex

Australasian Fungi Red List Workshop: Conserving our overlooked but ecologically imperative fungi

Publicly released: Thu 25 Jul 2019 at 1000 AEST | 1200 NZST

"You can't have the tree without the fungi”. When it comes to conservation, it’s often the cuter and cuddlier species that get most of the attention, despite them being just the tip of the iceberg for rare and threatened flora and fauna. What Read more about Australasian Fungi Red List Workshop: Conserving our overlooked but ecologically imperative fungi - Scimex

Sharks threatened by global fisheries

Publicly released: Thu 25 Jul 2019 at 0300 AEST | 0500 NZST

Nature

About one-quarter of oceanic shark habitat is actively fished, leaving sharks with limited places to hide from the longlines they frequently get caught in. An international team of researchers - including Australians and New Zealanders - tracked the Read more about Sharks threatened by global fisheries - Scimex

EXPERT REACTION: Current climate warming is unprecedented in the last 2000 years

Publicly released: Thu 25 Jul 2019 at 0300 AEST | 0500 NZST

Nature, Nature Geoscience

Recent warming events have been unmatched in the past 2, 000 years, according to international and Australian researchers who analysed climate data in a series of research papers. Researchers used seven different statistical methods to look at Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Current climate warming is unprecedented in the last 2000 years - Scimex

'Apple' body shape a risk for women, even if you are not overweight

Publicly released: Thu 25 Jul 2019 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

After menopause, normal-weight women with more of an 'apple' shape are at a higher risk of death than normal-weight women with different body shapes, according to US research. The research found women in the normal weight range, who measure more Read more about 'Apple' body shape a risk for women, even if you are not overweight - Scimex

Darwinites are getting better at being sunsafe

Publicly released: Thu 25 Jul 2019 at 0001 AEST | 0201 NZST

ANZJPH

A study of people attending Darwin Market has found that around 31 per cent were wearing sunscreen, a 14 per cent increase on the figures from 20 years ago. The study conducted in 2016 repeated one conducted in 1994 to look at sun protection Read more about Darwinites are getting better at being sunsafe - Scimex

Urban kids exposed to pollution at day care

Publicly released: Thu 25 Jul 2019 at 0001 AEST | 0201 NZST

ANZJPH

Urban childcare centres should be built away from busy urban roads to minimise kids’exposure to traffic pollution, Aussie experts warn. Researchers investigated levels of fine particles in the air at an inner-city childcare centre in Melbourne. Read more about Urban kids exposed to pollution at day care - Scimex

Steep declines in hepatitis C among people who inject drugs show Australia’s treatment for all approach is working

Publicly released: Thu 25 Jul 2019 at 0001 AEST | 0201 NZST

Hepatitis C has declined by a staggering 60% among people who inject drugs since new hepatitis C cures were made available through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) in 2016, according to a new report released today by the Kirby Institute at Read more about Steep declines in hepatitis C among people who inject drugs show Australia’s treatment for all approach is working - Scimex

One dose of HPV vaccine may be enough

Publicly released: Wed 24 Jul 2019 at 1802 AEST | 2002 NZST

Papillomavirus Research

One dose of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has comparable effectiveness to two or three doses for preventing cervical pre-cancer, according to a new study. Funder: The data linkage and analysis of this study were funded by the Australian Read more about One dose of HPV vaccine may be enough - Scimex

Genes underscore five psychiatric disorders

Publicly released: Wed 24 Jul 2019 at 1639 AEST | 1839 NZST

Psychological Medicine

A group of international doctors has uncovered the genes that contribute to the development of ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, major depression and schizophrenia. Media Release. From:The University of Queensland. A group of Read more about Genes underscore five psychiatric disorders - Scimex

Fancy an apple with a side of bacteria?

Publicly released: Wed 24 Jul 2019 at 1400 AEST | 1600 NZST

Frontiers in Microbiology

Every apple you eat contains about 100 million bacteria, but even washing won't do the trick - 90 per cent of them are in the core. But according to Austrian researchers, the bacteria aren't all bad and the strains you encounter depend on which bits Read more about Fancy an apple with a side of bacteria? - Scimex

Rat baits fatal for dogs in Sydney

Publicly released: Wed 24 Jul 2019 at 1200 AEST | 1400 NZST

University of Sydney experts are warning all dog owners in inner city Sydney and the inner west to have their dog vaccinated against leptospirosis and to stay away from rat baits. Media Release. From:The University of Sydney. University of Sydney Read more about Rat baits fatal for dogs in Sydney - Scimex

Astronomer flies high to spy on star formation

Publicly released: Wed 24 Jul 2019 at 1000 AEST | 1200 NZST

Dr Stuart Ryder is venturing into the stratosphere on a NASA jet to study the birthplace of massive stars. Funder: N/A. Media Release. From:Macquarie University. Macquarie University astronomer Dr Stuart Ryder is in New Zealand to hitch a ride on a Read more about Astronomer flies high to spy on star formation - Scimex

Backyard scientists called on to help our possums

Publicly released: Wed 24 Jul 2019 at 1000 AEST | 1200 NZST

Australia has 27 types of possums and gliders, almost a quarter are threatened and many more are declining. Researchers from the Threatened Species Recovery Hub are calling on the community to be backyard scientists and record sightings in a new, Read more about Backyard scientists called on to help our possums - Scimex

Cane toad testes smaller at the invasion front

Publicly released: Wed 24 Jul 2019 at 0901 AEST | 1101 NZST

Biology Letters

Biological invasions impose novel evolutionary pressures. Individuals at an invasion front may allocate most of their resources to dispersing rather than reproducing. In the invasive cane toad in Australia, Professor Rick Shine and Dr Chris Friesen Read more about Cane toad testes smaller at the invasion front - Scimex

Oil and gas exploration air guns damage rock lobsters

Publicly released: Wed 24 Jul 2019 at 0901 AEST | 1101 NZST

Proceedings of the Royal Society B

Seismic air guns used in the oil and gas exploration industry damage rock lobsters and limit their ability to flip themselves the right way up when turned over, say Australian researchers. The researchers exposed lobsters to the equivalent of a Read more about Oil and gas exploration air guns damage rock lobsters - Scimex

Chimps probably can't remember where they left their keys either

Publicly released: Wed 24 Jul 2019 at 0901 AEST | 1101 NZST

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

International researchers say that our genetic cousins, the chimpanzees, have a similar working memory to us - the kind of memory we use to add up the cost of our shopping, or remember the names of people at a dinner party. The team offered a bunch Read more about Chimps probably can't remember where they left their keys either - Scimex

Animals have been growing smaller bodies, but is a warming climate to blame?

Publicly released: Wed 24 Jul 2019 at 0901 AEST | 1101 NZST

Royal Society Proceedings B

Are animals growing smaller bodies because of global warming? No, according to Australian and International researchers who set out to determine if natural selection is causing animals to grow smaller bodies due to warming global temperatures. The Read more about Animals have been growing smaller bodies, but is a warming climate to blame? - Scimex

New hope for mange-affected wombats

Publicly released: Wed 24 Jul 2019 at 0900 AEST | 1100 NZST

Journal of Applied Ecology

New research from the University of Tasmania is offering hope that the deadly mange disease affecting Tasmanian wombats could eventually be brought under control for wild individuals and populations. Funder: The Wildlife Disease Association Read more about New hope for mange-affected wombats - Scimex