We may have discovered the reason flies are so darn hard to swat

Publicly released: Wed 13 Jan 2021 at 1101 AEDT | 1301 NZDT

Proceedings of the Royal Society B

International researchers may have figured out why there are no flies on houseflies when it comes to outsmarting us. Houseflies use specialised hind-wings called halteres to stabilise their bodies during takeoff, allowing them to take off more Read more about We may have discovered the reason flies are so darn hard to swat

Telling a really big lie turns us into copycats

Publicly released: Wed 13 Jan 2021 at 1101 AEDT | 1301 NZDT

Royal Society Open Science

Dutch and UK researchers say we start to mimic the actions of an interviewer when asked to tell them a huge whopper of a lie. They used motion capture to monitor the behaviour of liar and lie-ee as the fibbers told progressively bigger untruths. We Read more about Telling a really big lie turns us into copycats

Redesigning our cities could help stop diseases spreading

Publicly released: Wed 13 Jan 2021 at 1101 AEDT | 1301 NZDT

Proceedings of the Royal Society A

US and Mexican scientists say city design plays an important role in how infectious diseases spread. They looked at neighbourhood-level census data for Guadalajara, a city in western Mexico, and found that daily patterns of people's movements Read more about Redesigning our cities could help stop diseases spreading

EXPERT REACTION: Scientists call for pause to AstraZeneca vaccine rollout

Publicly released: Wed 13 Jan 2021 at 1009 AEDT | 1209 NZDT

The Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology says the federal government should immediately pause the planned rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine because it may not be effective enough to generate herd immunity. Below, Aussie scientists Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Scientists call for pause to AstraZeneca vaccine rollout

More women are temporarily conscious during surgery than we thought, despite general anaesthesia

Publicly released: Wed 13 Jan 2021 at 1001 AEDT | 1201 NZDT

Anaesthesia

A UK study of awareness during pregnancy-related surgery under general anaesthesia shows around 1 in 250 women may be temporarily conscious during the surgery, and some may experience long-term psychological harm. Some women temporarily regain Read more about More women are temporarily conscious during surgery than we thought, despite general anaesthesia

Impact of COVID lockdown on aeromedical retrievals

Publicly released: Wed 13 Jan 2021 at 0944 AEDT | 1144 NZDT

Internal Medicine Journal

New data released this week by Australian researchers reveals the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown period on aeromedical retrievals in rural and remote regions. New data released this week by Australian researchers reveals the impact of the COVID-19 Read more about Impact of COVID lockdown on aeromedical retrievals

Exploring the reasons why some women use force

Publicly released: Wed 13 Jan 2021 at 0854 AEDT | 1054 NZDT

In the context of family relationships, women who use force generally do so because they want power rather than because they have power, according to new research. Women who use force commonly also see themselves as responsible for their actions, Read more about Exploring the reasons why some women use force

There may be no limits to heart health benefits of exercise

Publicly released: Wed 13 Jan 2021 at 0600 AEDT | 0800 NZDT

PLOS Medicine

Get your joggers back on, folks! International and Australian researchers suggest there is no limit to how much physical activity can benefit your heart. The team collected data on over 90,000 participants' physical activity, and say that the people Read more about There may be no limits to heart health benefits of exercise

The pen is mightier for barking geckos

Publicly released: Wed 13 Jan 2021 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

New Zealand Journal of Ecology

Establishing new populations of geckos could be more successful if the geckos are initially forced to stay in a confined space, according to new research from the University of Otago and the Department of Conservation. Nineteen barking geckos spent Read more about The pen is mightier for barking geckos

Bias in genetic studies may explain beneficial effects of alcohol on health

Publicly released: Wed 13 Jan 2021 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

Nature Communications

Genetic studies that rely on self-reported drinking may be biased by misreporting and changes in behaviour, according to Australian research, which may explain conflicting reports about links between alcohol and health. Drinking too much has long Read more about Bias in genetic studies may explain beneficial effects of alcohol on health