Australia’s Black Summer a climate wake-up call

Publicly released: Thu 7 Jan 2021 at 2100 AEDT | 2300 NZDT

Communications Earth & Environment

The 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires are a “wake up call” demonstrating the extreme effects of climate change in Australia, according to a group of experts who’ve published a new study examining the factors that caused the disaster. The 2019/20 Read more about Australia’s Black Summer a climate wake-up call

Breatharian bacteria breakdown greenhouse gases and toxic pollutants

Publicly released: Thu 7 Jan 2021 at 1630 AEDT | 1830 NZDT

Nature Microbiology

Soil bacteria play a much greater role in regulating our atmosphere than previously thought. A recent study led by Monash University has revealed diverse bacteria in soils can breakdown trace gases, such as the toxic pollutant carbon monoxide and Read more about Breatharian bacteria breakdown greenhouse gases and toxic pollutants

EXPERT REACTION: Aussie COVID vaccine rollout brought forward to February

Publicly released: Thu 7 Jan 2021 at 1600 AEDT | 1800 NZDT

The rollout of a coronavirus vaccine in Australia will be brought forward to next month, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison saying the first groups are expected to receive the jab in mid-to-late-February. The PM said the first groups to receive the Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Aussie COVID vaccine rollout brought forward to February

Like investors, bacteria, viruses and cancer cells hedge their bets

Publicly released: Thu 7 Jan 2021 at 1215 AEDT | 1415 NZDT

Biophysical Journal

Bacteria, viruses and cancer cells can act like savvy human investors by diversifying their population against future shocks, just as people hedge their investments with a diversified portfolio against uncertainty. Cells ‘put buy’ slow-growing Read more about Like investors, bacteria, viruses and cancer cells hedge their bets

Effect of COVID-19 greatest on people living with dementia

Publicly released: Thu 7 Jan 2021 at 0901 AEDT | 1101 NZDT

Nature Reviews Neurology

Evidence suggests that people with dementia are more likely to contract COVID-19 than people without dementia. It also shows that older adults with dementia are more likely to have severe disease outcomes from the virus, including increased risk of Read more about Effect of COVID-19 greatest on people living with dementia

The world’s fastest optical neuromorphic processor

Publicly released: Thu 7 Jan 2021 at 0800 AEDT | 1000 NZDT

Nature

An international research team led by Swinburne University of Technology has demonstrated the world’s fastest and most powerful optical neuromorphic processor for artificial intelligence (AI), which operates at faster than 10 trillion operations Read more about The world’s fastest optical neuromorphic processor

Not just a guys’ club: resistance training benefits older women just as much as older men

Publicly released: Thu 7 Jan 2021 at 0700 AEDT | 0900 NZDT

Sports Medicine

Sure, everything might come down to sex – but not when strength training is concerned. Men and women aged over 50 can reap similar relative benefits from resistance training, a new study led by UNSW Sydney shows. Men and women aged over 50 can Read more about Not just a guys’ club: resistance training benefits older women just as much as older men

How to talk about death, dying

Publicly released: Thu 7 Jan 2021 at 0600 AEDT | 0800 NZDT

PLOS ONE

Our reluctance to think, talk or communicate about death is even more pronounced when we deal with others’ loss compared to our own, new research finds, but either way we tend to frame attitudes and emotions in a sad and negative way. Teaching new Read more about How to talk about death, dying

Genomes reveal new insights into iconic Aussie animals

Publicly released: Thu 7 Jan 2021 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

Nature

Australian scientists have published the full genetic code of the egg-laying monotreme mammals, platypus and echidna. Monotremes display a unique mix of mammalian and reptilian features and form the most distantly related, and least understood, Read more about Genomes reveal new insights into iconic Aussie animals

Where have all the platypuses gone? Five Brisbane waterways are no longer home to the Aussie icon

Publicly released: Thu 7 Jan 2021 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

Australian Mammalogy

Five waterways near Brisbane that were once home to platypuses may no longer have platypuses living there, say Australian researchers, who looked for platypus DNA in 54 waterways around Brisbane. Areas of concern they found were the mid to upper Read more about Where have all the platypuses gone? Five Brisbane waterways are no longer home to the Aussie icon

A tale of two cities: Renters in Melbourne and Sydney flock to CBDs while home owners hit the 'burbs

Publicly released: Wed 6 Jan 2021 at 1101 AEDT | 1301 NZDT

Proceedings of the Royal Society A

Renters in Melbourne and Sydney tend to cluster nearer commercial centres, whereas mortgagors tend to populate the outer suburbs, Australian researchers have found. The study found that both cities are developing towards having multiple cities Read more about A tale of two cities: Renters in Melbourne and Sydney flock to CBDs while home owners hit the 'burbs

Facebook data could map COVID transmission risk in Aussie outbreaks

Publicly released: Wed 6 Jan 2021 at 1101 AEDT | 1301 NZDT

Journal of the Royal Society Interface

Facebook's mobility data could be used to estimate the spread of COVID-19 transmission risk from locations where active cases have been identified, say Australian researchers. The team used the data, which tells them the number of people moving Read more about Facebook data could map COVID transmission risk in Aussie outbreaks

Cats vs Quolls: Feral cats are a triple threat compared to native predators

Publicly released: Wed 6 Jan 2021 at 1101 AEDT | 1301 NZDT

Proceedings of the Royal Society B

Compared to native predators like quolls, feral cats pose a triple threat to native wildlife thanks to their sheer numbers, foraging intensity and their ability to live in a range of environments, according to Australian research. The study found Read more about Cats vs Quolls: Feral cats are a triple threat compared to native predators

Looking at nature can lower your brain's load

Publicly released: Wed 6 Jan 2021 at 1101 AEDT | 1301 NZDT

Royal Society Open Science

Compared to looking at urban landscapes, looking at nature scenes, even for a short time, can lower your brain's cognitive load and even help you walk quicker, according to UK research. The study placed people in front of either city or nature Read more about Looking at nature can lower your brain's load

Evidence review confirms COVID-19 is generally ‘mild’ in young children

Publicly released: Wed 6 Jan 2021 at 0922 AEDT | 1122 NZDT

Vaccine

Babies and asymptomatic cases account for up to half of COVID-19 infections in the under-five age group, which has implications for vaccination programs, a new UNSW study has found. A systematic review and meta-analysis of international COVID-19 Read more about Evidence review confirms COVID-19 is generally ‘mild’ in young children

New clues to prostate cancer

Publicly released: Wed 6 Jan 2021 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

Cell Reports

Australian research has identified a new mechanism in which prostate cancer cells can ‘switch’ character and become resistant to therapy. These findings, just published in Cell Reports, are an important development in unravelling how an Read more about New clues to prostate cancer

Almost 50 million Americans may have had COVID - but herd immunity is still a long way off

Publicly released: Wed 6 Jan 2021 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

As of November 2020, an estimated 46. 9 million Americans, or more than 14 per cent of the US population, are likely to have had SARS-CoV-2 infections, with only around 28. 1 million of those being symptomatic, according to US research. The study Read more about Almost 50 million Americans may have had COVID - but herd immunity is still a long way off

Australia’s flagship STEM youth experience reinvented for 2021

Publicly released: Tue 5 Jan 2021 at 1630 AEDT | 1830 NZDT

A new-look National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) Year 12 Program kicks off today with a stellar line-up of speakers and an expanded program unlike ever before. The 2021 NYSF Year 12 Program features two Nobel Prize winners, over 20 top experts in Read more about Australia’s flagship STEM youth experience reinvented for 2021

Single dose of the vaccine may be better than nothing at all

Publicly released: Tue 5 Jan 2021 at 1046 AEDT | 1246 NZDT

Annals of Internal Medicine

International researchers suggest, in three different papers, that the speed-versus-efficacy trade-off of administering a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine may overrule the need for a double dose in the short-term. While the double-dose is more Read more about Single dose of the vaccine may be better than nothing at all

An insight into asthma attacks points the way to potential treatments

Publicly released: Tue 5 Jan 2021 at 1030 AEDT | 1230 NZDT

PNAS

Australian researchers have studied the lung immune response during an asthma attack in a mouse model of the disease and found that a protein involved in inflammation called Interleukin-13 (IL-13) may play a key role in asthma attacks. The authors Read more about An insight into asthma attacks points the way to potential treatments