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Talking with your hands helps listeners separate an obJECT from an OBject
Proceedings of the Royal Society B
Talking with your hands, or specifically what is known as 'beat gestures', can influence what speech sounds we perceive and can help people pick up stresses on different parts of a word, for example distinguishing OBject from obJECT. Beat gestures Read more about Talking with your hands helps listeners separate an obJECT from an OBject
InternationalMax Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, The Netherlands -
Variety is the spice of life, at least for sparrows
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
For the last 2,000 years there has been debate about whether a more varied social group benefits the individuals in it. Experiments with house sparrows suggest that groups containing different personality types (in terms of exploratory behaviour) Read more about Variety is the spice of life, at least for sparrows
InternationalBabes-Bolyai University, Romania -
Being transparent about COVID testing benefits the workplace
Journal of the Royal Society Interface
A simulation model for small workplaces shows that workers who are open about testing for COVID-19 and their test results translate into improved workplace productivity and minimised infections, compared to those employees who keep such information Read more about Being transparent about COVID testing benefits the workplace
InternationalUniversity of Bristol, UK; University of Oxford, UK -
Even very young kids can socially distance at school
Royal Society Open Science
Measures to reduce COVID-19 spread in English primary schools reduced close in-person contacts by 50-80 per cent, according to UK research. Researchers surveyed teachers from 34 UK primary schools on close contacts before and after distancing Read more about Even very young kids can socially distance at school
InternationalUniversity of Bristol, UK -
Sorry, but you are probably fatter than an elephant
Journal of Experimental Biology
Do you think elephants are fat? Well, they're probably less podgy than you, according to international scientists. They measured fat levels in 35 female and nine male captive Asian elephants, and say they carry less body fat than the average person. Read more about Sorry, but you are probably fatter than an elephant
InternationalUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham, USA -
NT alcohol policies reduce ICU admissions
Anaestesia and Intensive Care
The introduction of alcohol harm limitation policies in Central Australia from 2018 have had a marked effect on critical health figures, with a 38% relative reduction in Hospital Intensive Care Unit admissions associated with alcohol misuse, as well Read more about NT alcohol policies reduce ICU admissions
Australia; NTFlinders University -
Why does Flu get worse as we age - and is it the same for COVID?
Clinical & Translational Immunology
Elderly people who contract the Flu seem to produce fewer immune 'emergency' signals from infected cells, and therefore a slower immune response to infection than younger people, according to Aussie researchers. The team also found that regardless Read more about Why does Flu get worse as we age - and is it the same for COVID?
Australia; VICThe University of Melbourne|Monash University|Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity -
Long-term study reveals harm in regular cannabis use
Drug and Alcohol Review
Regular cannabis use has harmful effects regardless of the age a person starts using, a University of Queensland-led study has found. The study examined people who began regular cannabis use in high school or in their early 20s, and compared both Read more about Long-term study reveals harm in regular cannabis use
Australia; VIC; QLDThe University of Queensland|Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI)... -
Skink social network may help save species
New Zealand Journal of Ecology
Reptiles, apart from dinosaurs, aren’t usually thought of as particularly sociable. However, researchers from the University of Otago found that social groups of between two and eight endangered Otago skinks in Ōrokonui Ecosanctuary persisted Read more about Skink social network may help save species
New ZealandUniversity of Otago -
Early antibiotic use could have an effect on growth
Nature Communications
Exposure to antibiotics in the first few weeks of life is associated with reduced weight and height in boys up to the age of six, but not girls, according to international researchers who suggest this effect may be due to changes in the development Read more about Early antibiotic use could have an effect on growth
InternationalBar Ilan University, Israel -
Three-day old blind mice, see how they 'run' to their mums
Cell Reports
Three day old mice, still blind, can recognise their mum, and they retain this memory later in life. Experiments showed that the babies preferentially orientate to their caregiver (biological or foster mother) if given a choice between her and an Read more about Three-day old blind mice, see how they 'run' to their mums
InternationalPrinceton University, USA -
Putting bugs on the menu, safely
Food Chemistry
The thought of eating insects is stomach turning for many, but new Edith Cowan University (ECU) research is shedding light on allergy causing proteins which could pose serious health risks for those suffering from shellfish allergy. The research, Read more about Putting bugs on the menu, safely
Australia; QLD; WAEdith Cowan University|CSIRO|James Cook University... -
No fans, no fights - did sporting matches get less heated during COVID?
Humanities & Social Sciences Communications
Sporting matches may have been less emotional in 2020, according to international research, which suggests that the absence of supporters at Austrian Bundesliga soccer games during the COVID pandemic resulted in fewer arguments or emotional Read more about No fans, no fights - did sporting matches get less heated during COVID?
InternationalUniversity of Salzburg, Austria -
Air pollution linked to increased risk of progressive and irreversible blindness
British Journal of Ophthalmology
Air pollution has been linked to an increased risk of progressive and irreversible sight loss, known as age-related macular degeneration, according to UK research. The study of over 100,000 people found that people who were exposed to higher fine Read more about Air pollution linked to increased risk of progressive and irreversible blindness
InternationalUCL Institute of Ophthalmology, UK -
Afternoon naps may boost your brain
General Psychiatry
If you were looking for an excuse to sneak in a quick siesta, Chinese scientists say taking a regular afternoon nap may be linked to improved mental agility. They studied 2,214 people, 1,534 of whom enjoyed a regular afternoon snooze, and say a Read more about Afternoon naps may boost your brain
InternationalThe Fourth People's Hospital of Wuhu, China -
Music can soothe following major heart surgery
Open Heart
Listening to music is linked to a significant reduction in anxiety and pain after major heart surgery, according to Dutch scientists who brought together previous research on the subject and re-analysed the pooled results. As music has neither risks Read more about Music can soothe following major heart surgery
InternationalErasmus MC, The Netherlands -
Musicians have more connected brains than non-musicians, even without perfect pitch
JNeurosci
The brains of musicians have stronger structural and functional connections compared to those of non-musicians, according to international research. Musicians that began their training at a younger age also had stronger structural connections than Read more about Musicians have more connected brains than non-musicians, even without perfect pitch
InternationalUniversity of Zurich, Switzerland, Stanford University, USA -
Discovery makes the invisible visible
Nature Photonics
Australian scientists have discovered a new way to analyse microscopic cells, tissues and other transparent specimens, through the improvement of an almost 100-year-old imaging technique. Australian scientists have discovered a new way to analyse Read more about Discovery makes the invisible visible
Australia; VIC; ACTLa Trobe University|The University of Melbourne|The Australian National University... -
Seaweed's spread around the world reflected in its genomes
Nature Ecology & Evolution
The intentional and unintentional spread of the seaweed Undaria pinnatifida to other parts of the world has left genetic traces on its genomes, an international study involving New Zealand researchers has found. While native to Northeast Asia, the Read more about Seaweed's spread around the world reflected in its genomes
New Zealand; InternationalNational Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA)... -
Smoking increases your risk of severe COVID-19
JAMA Internal Medicine
The more packets of cigarettes you smoke over your lifetime, the higher your risk may be of being hospitalised or dying from COVID-19, according to US research. Previously evidence to link smoking to COVID-19 risk had been limited and often Read more about Smoking increases your risk of severe COVID-19
InternationalCleveland Clinic, USA
EXPERT Q&A: Answering your questions about COVID-19 variants
With reports of new COVID-19 strains emerging in the UK, South Africa, and Brazil, an Australian expert a...
Mantis males must wrestle if they don't want to lose their heads
The praying mantis has a reputation for cannibalism because females often eat males before they get a cha...
Bee gone? A quarter of bee species haven’t been seen in 30 years
While reports and records of animal species have increased dramatically over the last few decades, the nu...
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