Money won't save countries from climate change health harms

Publicly released: Thu 3 Dec 2020 at 1030 AEDT | 1230 NZDT

The Lancet

Every country, no matter how wealthy, will suffer health impacts from worsening climate change, according to the 2020 report of The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change. Heat-related deaths among the elderly, more burns and lung damage from Read more about Money won't save countries from climate change health harms

Lancet Countdown on health & climate change - Bushfires, local launch, policy brief

Publicly released: Thu 3 Dec 2020 at 1030 AEDT | 1230 NZDT

The 2020 MJA-Lancet Countdown on health and climate change focuses on our 'Black summer', complementing the global mega-report, publishes this morning (to be followed by a briefing), while a coalition of medical experts warn the failure to tackle Read more about Lancet Countdown on health & climate change - Bushfires, local launch, policy brief

More frequently sheared sheep are happier mothers

Publicly released: Thu 3 Dec 2020 at 0930 AEDT | 1130 NZDT

Sheep shearing and epigenetic change

More frequently sheared pregnant sheep are more active, have lower stress levels and produce lambs with finer wool, according to University of Queensland research. Dr Edward Narayan from UQ’s School of Agriculture and Food Science and the Read more about More frequently sheared sheep are happier mothers

Incredible vision in ancient marine creatures drove an evolutionary arms race

Publicly released: Thu 3 Dec 2020 at 0800 AEDT | 1000 NZDT

Science Advances

Ancient deep sea creatures called radiodonts had incredible vision that likely drove an evolutionary arms race according to new research published today. Read more about Incredible vision in ancient marine creatures drove an evolutionary arms race

GPS trackers keep tabs on plastic pollution

Publicly released: Thu 3 Dec 2020 at 0600 AEDT | 0800 NZDT

PLOS One

Researchers have developed a low cost, open-source method to track common rubbish like plastic bottles via GPS in order to understand how plastic pollution spreads through the waterways. These “bottle tags” were released at 25 sites along the Read more about GPS trackers keep tabs on plastic pollution

Orca stranding linked to human activity

Publicly released: Thu 3 Dec 2020 at 0600 AEDT | 0800 NZDT

PLOS One

New research into trends behind orca stranding has revealed human activity as a cause of death across every age group of the orcas studied. A North American research team reviewed the pathology reports of almost 90 whales that stranded in Hawai’i Read more about Orca stranding linked to human activity

Continents were weak and prone to destruction in their infancy

Publicly released: Thu 3 Dec 2020 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

Nature

Monash University geologists have shed new light on the early history of the Earth through their discovery that continents were weak and prone to destruction in their infancy. Read more about Continents were weak and prone to destruction in their infancy

Why do so few native plants and animals have Māori names?

Publicly released: Thu 3 Dec 2020 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

New Zealand Journal of Ecology

Only four per cent of New Zealand species have scientific names based on te reo Māori or ta re Moriori. An independent scientist and historian reviews the history, noting there are still no restrictions or recommendations on the source or language Read more about Why do so few native plants and animals have Māori names?

AI could keep weather balloons in the sky

Publicly released: Thu 3 Dec 2020 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

Nature

Artificial intelligence could help stratospheric balloons stay in place for weeks at a time, according to international research that could have really shortened Carl Fredrickson’s adventure in Up. Helium-filled ‘superpressure’ balloons are Read more about AI could keep weather balloons in the sky

Potential treatment restores vision in mice

Publicly released: Thu 3 Dec 2020 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

Nature

Aussie and international researchers have found a way to reprogram the neurons in mouse eyes to return them to a more ‘youthful’ state and restore vision, which could provide a new pathway for treating age-related vision loss. Neurons in the eye Read more about Potential treatment restores vision in mice

EXPERT REACTION: 2020 looks set to be one of the warmest years on record - WMO report

Publicly released: Thu 3 Dec 2020 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

As if 2020 wasn't bad enough, now it looks like it is also on track to be one of the three warmest years on record, with the global mean temperature for January to October 2020 measuring around 1. 2°C above pre-industrial levels. With the fifth Read more about EXPERT REACTION: 2020 looks set to be one of the warmest years on record - WMO report

New project to improve health and well-being of young people with cerebral palsy

Publicly released: Thu 3 Dec 2020 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

A new research project has been created to better understand and address the health care and service needs of adolescents and young adults with cerebral palsy. Read more about New project to improve health and well-being of young people with cerebral palsy

STEM superstars call for more gender and cultural diversity

Publicly released: Thu 3 Dec 2020 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

N/A

The University of Melbourne leads this year's STEM superstars cohort with five academics chosen to step into the media spotlight. Read more about STEM superstars call for more gender and cultural diversity

New butterfly-inspired hydrogen sensor is powered by light

Publicly released: Wed 2 Dec 2020 at 2215 AEDT | Thu 3 Dec 2020 at 0015 NZDT

ACS Sensors

Inspired by the surface of butterfly wings, researchers have developed a light-activated hydrogen sensor that produces ultra-precise results at room temperature. Read more about New butterfly-inspired hydrogen sensor is powered by light

Only a small fraction of those surfing the dark web are nefarious

Publicly released: Wed 2 Dec 2020 at 1502 AEDT | 1702 NZDT

PNAS

Almost seven percent of regular dark web users are likely using the anonymous network for malicious purposes, according to new research. The dark web allows users to protect their anonymity, but it also protects those who use it for illegal or Read more about Only a small fraction of those surfing the dark web are nefarious

Tanning beds may be linked to greater risk of endometriosis

Publicly released: Wed 2 Dec 2020 at 1105 AEDT | 1305 NZDT

Human Reproduction

Tanning beds and getting sunburns may be linked to a greater risk of developing endometriosis, according to a new study that analysed survey data of more than 95,000 American women from 1989 to 2015. Researchers found that women who had used tanning Read more about Tanning beds may be linked to greater risk of endometriosis

Kiwi 'sixth sense' evolved in the time of the dinosaurs

Publicly released: Wed 2 Dec 2020 at 1101 AEDT | 1301 NZDT

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

An organ that gives Kiwi and some other birds a "sixth sense" to find buried prey probably arose before those birds evolved to what they are today. A comparative study of 353 living bird species, such as Kiwi, shorebirds, and ibises, and six fossil Read more about Kiwi 'sixth sense' evolved in the time of the dinosaurs

People interpret screams and gasps based on context

Publicly released: Wed 2 Dec 2020 at 1101 AEDT | 1301 NZDT

Royal Society Open Science

People usually interpret harsh 'nonvocal' sounds, like a scream or a gasp, as signifying a negative emotion, but new research has found that people can interpret the same sounds differently if other context is available. European researchers asked Read more about People interpret screams and gasps based on context

More midwives could save millions of lives

Publicly released: Wed 2 Dec 2020 at 1030 AEDT | 1230 NZDT

The Lancet Global Health

Increasing the number of midwives and their level of care could reduce birth-related deaths by two thirds in low and middle income countries over the next 15 years. Too few midwives, along with poor training and support, result in inadequate care Read more about More midwives could save millions of lives

Targets for avoidable sight loss ‘not being met’: 30-year study finds

Publicly released: Wed 2 Dec 2020 at 1030 AEDT | 1230 NZDT

The Lancet Global Health

A new global study has found no significant reduction in the number of people with treatable sight loss since 2010. Published in The Lancet Global Health, it examined population-based surveys of eye disease worldwide from 1980 and found public Read more about Targets for avoidable sight loss ‘not being met’: 30-year study finds