Mantis males must wrestle if they don't want to lose their heads

Publicly released: Wed 20 Jan 2021 at 1101 AEDT | 1301 NZDT

Biology Letters

The praying mantis has a reputation for cannibalism because females often eat males before they get a chance to mate, but it turns out that for one species, the Springbok mantis, the boys may have a way to escape this deadly love. Australian Read more about Mantis males must wrestle if they don't want to lose their heads

Is COVID-19 affecting male fertility?

Publicly released: Wed 20 Jan 2021 at 1101 AEDT | 1301 NZDT

Royal Society Open Biology

International scientists warn that COVID-19 may affect fertility in men, and may even be passed on through sex. The researchers reviewed existing studies, and say there is some preliminary evidence that the male reproductive system may be targeted Read more about Is COVID-19 affecting male fertility?

Time to act on autism diagnosis deficiencies

Publicly released: Wed 20 Jan 2021 at 0900 AEDT | 1100 NZDT

Frontiers in Neurology

Identification of autism, followed by appropriate intervention, has the potential to improve outcomes for autistic individuals – but Flinders University experts say that presently not enough qualified people can diagnose. Professor Robyn Young, a Read more about Time to act on autism diagnosis deficiencies

Schools and parents urged to register for food safety training (plus Summer lunch box food safety tips)

Publicly released: Wed 20 Jan 2021 at 0700 AEDT | 0900 NZDT

With an estimated 4. 1 million cases of food poisoning in Australia each year the Food Safety Information Council is urging parents, school canteen volunteers and high school students to learn more about food safety. Young people in particular have Read more about Schools and parents urged to register for food safety training (plus Summer lunch box food safety tips)

Immunotherapy trial launched to protect children who undergo stem cell transplants

Publicly released: Wed 20 Jan 2021 at 0700 AEDT | 0900 NZDT

Stem cell transplants for blood cancers or inherited immune deficiencies are high-risk procedures that are required to cure otherwise life-threatening diseases, but many patients develop viral complications. Australian researchers have begun a Read more about Immunotherapy trial launched to protect children who undergo stem cell transplants

Higher risk of ADHD in kids if their mother has an autoimmune disease

Publicly released: Wed 20 Jan 2021 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

JAMA Pediatrics

Mothers with autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, psoriasis and rheumatic fever may be more likely to have kids who have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), say Aussie researchers. The study looked at over 60,000 children in Read more about Higher risk of ADHD in kids if their mother has an autoimmune disease

Wearing a mask seems to reduce COVID-19 transmission

Publicly released: Tue 19 Jan 2021 at 2300 AEDT | Wed 20 Jan 2021 at 0100 NZDT

The Lancet Digital Health

Wearing a mask may help control COVID-19 transmission in the community, according to international research, which analysed data from 300,000 people in the US. The study found that when people reported an increase in mask-wearing of 10 per cent, the Read more about Wearing a mask seems to reduce COVID-19 transmission

Nano-thin piezoelectrics advance self-powered electronics

Publicly released: Tue 19 Jan 2021 at 2200 AEDT | Wed 20 Jan 2021 at 0000 NZDT

Materials Today

A new type of ultra-efficient, nano-thin material could advance self-powered electronics, wearable technologies and even deliver pacemakers powered by heart beats. A new type of ultra-efficient, nano-thin material could advance Read more about Nano-thin piezoelectrics advance self-powered electronics

An antibiotic potential for cannabis molecule

Publicly released: Tue 19 Jan 2021 at 2100 AEDT | 2300 NZDT

Communications Biology

The main nonpsychoactive component of cannabis has been shown for the first time to kill the bacteria responsible for gonorrhoea, meningitis and legionnaires disease and could lead to the first new class of antibiotics for resistant bacteria in 60 Read more about An antibiotic potential for cannabis molecule

Using one hundred-million-year-old fossils and gravitational-wave science to predict earth’s future climate

Publicly released: Tue 19 Jan 2021 at 1458 AEDT | 1658 NZDT

Climate of the past

A group of international scientists, including an Australian astrophysicist, has used know-how from gravitational-wave astronomy (used to find black holes in space) to study ancient marine fossils as a predictor of climate change. The research, Read more about Using one hundred-million-year-old fossils and gravitational-wave science to predict earth’s future climate