Climate tipping points point to a climate emergency

Publicly released: Thu 28 Nov 2019 at 0500 AEDT | 0700 NZDT

Nature

Climate tipping points - thresholds that if passed can lead to rapid runaway climate changes - could be more likely to occur than previously though, according to a comment piece by Australian and international scientists. The experts say tipping Read more about Climate tipping points point to a climate emergency - Scimex

Stellar black holes much bigger than previously thought

Publicly released: Thu 28 Nov 2019 at 0500 AEDT | 0700 NZDT

Nature

An international study involving Monash astronomers has discovered for the first time that some black holes may be born more than twice the size than previously thought. Media Release. From:Monash University. An international study involving Monash Read more about Stellar black holes much bigger than previously thought - Scimex

Is the cashless welfare card driving Indigenous people from their land?

Publicly released: Thu 28 Nov 2019 at 0500 AEDT | 0700 NZDT

Australian Journal of Social Issues

The populations of two Australian towns involved in the trials of cashless welfare cards are declining faster than those of comparable towns, according to Australian research, which suggests the cards might be contributing to population loss in Read more about Is the cashless welfare card driving Indigenous people from their land? - Scimex

Depressed doctors make mistakes

Publicly released: Thu 28 Nov 2019 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

It's in all our best interests to keep doctors happy, as a review of multiple studies finds links between depressive symptoms and medical errors. In a review of 11 studies involving more than 21, 000 physicians, doctors with symptoms of depression Read more about Depressed doctors make mistakes - Scimex

Program cuts tooth decay among Aboriginal children

Publicly released: Thu 28 Nov 2019 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

Five years on from the start of a program designed to prevent cavities in Aboriginal children, Aussie researchers have found it is still helping to reduce tooth decay, especially in rural and remote kids. The program called, Baby Teeth Talk, Read more about Program cuts tooth decay among Aboriginal children - Scimex

Scientist have turned a gut bacteria into a CO2 munching machine

Publicly released: Thu 28 Nov 2019 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

Cell

Scientists have turned a bacteria found in our guts into a CO2 munching machine in a step towards carbon neutral production of food, fuels, and biochemicals. All living things either get their energy from eating other living things or they get it Read more about Scientist have turned a gut bacteria into a CO2 munching machine - Scimex

Even mild hearing loss may affect kids' learning and behaviour

Publicly released: Thu 28 Nov 2019 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery

We know severe hearing loss makes it hard for kids to learn and socialise, and now international researchers suggest less severe cases may also affect school life. In a study of 4, 700 Dutch children aged 9-11, slight to mild hearing loss was linked Read more about Even mild hearing loss may affect kids' learning and behaviour - Scimex

Measure the waist, not BMI, to determine post-op complications

Publicly released: Thu 28 Nov 2019 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

Obesity is a risk factor for bad outcomes after abdominal surgery, and Aussie researchers say we should toss out BMIs and instead use waist circumference to work out patients' risk. The team performed a randomised clinical trial and found waist Read more about Measure the waist, not BMI, to determine post-op complications - Scimex

Health star food ratings could be improved with traffic light colours

Publicly released: Thu 28 Nov 2019 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

Aust NZ J Public Health

A survey of Aussie adults has found that people were able to more easily understand health star ratings which were coloured in traffic light colours to indicate their overall health rating, compared to just black and white labels. The labels were Read more about Health star food ratings could be improved with traffic light colours - Scimex

How killer immune cells avoid self-destruction

Publicly released: Wed 27 Nov 2019 at 2100 AEDT | 2300 NZDT

Nature Communications

Specialised immune cells, capable of killing off infections and cancers, can escape their own destructive properties through the action of a protective outer shield, researchers from Peter Mac in Melbourne and the University College London have Read more about How killer immune cells avoid self-destruction - Scimex

Researchers use deep learning method to delve into predicting RNA structures in world first

Publicly released: Wed 27 Nov 2019 at 2100 AEDT | 2300 NZDT

Nature Communications

In a world-first, a team of Griffith University researchers has used an artificial intelligence method to better predict RNA secondary structures, with the hope it can be developed into a tool to better understand how RNAs are implicated in various Read more about Researchers use deep learning method to delve into predicting RNA structures in world first - Scimex

When cells forget how to die – a hallmark of cancer

Publicly released: Wed 27 Nov 2019 at 1701 AEDT | 1901 NZDT

In the late 1980s to early 1990s, two Melbourne scientists, Andreas Strasser and David Vaux, discovered the molecular processes that cause billions of cells in each of us to die every day. They showed that some cancer’s cells can evade this Read more about When cells forget how to die – a hallmark of cancer - Scimex

Alcohol and tobacco policies can reduce cancer deaths

Publicly released: Wed 27 Nov 2019 at 1200 AEDT | 1400 NZDT

BMC Medicine

Policies aimed at cutting alcohol and tobacco consumption, including the introduction of random breath testing programs and bans on cigarette advertising, have resulted in a significant reduction in Australian cancer death rates, new research shows. Read more about Alcohol and tobacco policies can reduce cancer deaths - Scimex

Whales stop being socialites when boats are about

Publicly released: Wed 27 Nov 2019 at 1101 AEDT | 1301 NZDT

Royal Society Open Science

The noise and presence of boats can harm humpback whales’ability to communicate and socialise, in some cases reducing their communication range by a factor of four. The discovery was made by Dr Rebecca Dunlop from The University of Queensland’s Read more about Whales stop being socialites when boats are about - Scimex

Dolphins can be lefties too, but most of them aren't

Publicly released: Wed 27 Nov 2019 at 1101 AEDT | 1301 NZDT

Royal Society Open Science

Being right- or left-handed doesn’t just apply to humans, or even require hands. Researchers in the US find dolphins show similar right-flipper bias, and studies in one Bahamian group found they also give preference to their right eye and Read more about Dolphins can be lefties too, but most of them aren't - Scimex

Cancer research that’s out-of-this-world

Publicly released: Wed 27 Nov 2019 at 1100 AEDT | 1300 NZDT

Australia's first space research mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will attempt to establish how some of the most aggressive cancer cells behave in a zero –gravity environment. Media Release. From:University of Technology Sydney (UTS Read more about Cancer research that’s out-of-this-world - Scimex

Flour power: How shoppers choose which bread to buy

Publicly released: Wed 27 Nov 2019 at 1000 AEDT | 1200 NZDT

Journal of Marketing Research

What drives our decision-making when products have multiple features and benefits? Researchers at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) have developed a new marketing research tool that provides a deeper insight into how we choose between Read more about Flour power: How shoppers choose which bread to buy - Scimex

One shot of ketamine could reduce problem drinking

Publicly released: Wed 27 Nov 2019 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

Nature Communications

Giving heavy drinkers a shot of ketamine right after they bring back their drinking-related memories could lead to massive decreases in their urges to drink, say European researchers, who add that the effects could last for over nine months. The Read more about One shot of ketamine could reduce problem drinking - Scimex

Ears all round: world’s first acoustic observatory

Publicly released: Wed 27 Nov 2019 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

You won’t see stars at the Australian Acoustic Observatory but you will “see” a galaxy of sounds from around Australia. Wild and remote areas around Australia are part of the Australian Acoustic Observatory, the world’s first ‘Google maps Read more about Ears all round: world’s first acoustic observatory - Scimex

Floating nurseries and robotic fleet deliver coral babies to damaged parts of Great Barrier Reef

Publicly released: Wed 27 Nov 2019 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

Coral experts have scaled up their advanced technological approach to restoring baby corals on damaged areas of the Great Barrier Reef, using large inflatable ‘coral nurseries’to help grow coral babies and a robotic ‘LarvalBoat’to help Read more about Floating nurseries and robotic fleet deliver coral babies to damaged parts of Great Barrier Reef - Scimex