NEWS BRIEFING: Shark numbers dive 92 per cent in the last half a century

Publicly released: Fri 14 Dec 2018 at 0100 AEDT | 0300 NZDT

Communications Biology

Shark populations off the east coast of Australia have been declining over the past 55 years and show little evidence of recovery, according to Australian research, suggesting any increase in attacks is not being driven by greater shark numbers. The Read more about NEWS BRIEFING: Shark numbers dive 92 per cent in the last half a century - Scimex

Young Aussies support a sugar tax

Publicly released: Fri 14 Dec 2018 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

ANZJPH

The majority of young Australians support a tax on sugar sweetened drinks, especially if funds were to be directed towards health promotion initiatives, according to Australian research. The researchers surveyed over 1, 700 Victorians aged 18 to 30 Read more about Young Aussies support a sugar tax - Scimex

High level of support for public breastfeeding

Publicly released: Fri 14 Dec 2018 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

New Zealand Medical Journal

Although about three-quarters of New Zealand newborns are breastfed from birth, this figure drops to under 60 per cent by three months of age. Researchers aimed to find out whether social attitudes played a role in creating a barrier to Read more about High level of support for public breastfeeding - Scimex

Male dominated workforces at higher suicide risk

Publicly released: Fri 14 Dec 2018 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

ANZJPH

Men and women who work in male-dominated occupations are at a higher risk of suicide, according to Australian research. For men in these jobs, there was a 7.5 times higher risk, while for women the increased risk was only small. The authors say the Read more about Male dominated workforces at higher suicide risk - Scimex

NZ not on track to meet Smokefree 2025 goals

Publicly released: Fri 14 Dec 2018 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

New Zealand Medical Journal

We're not on track to meet the Smokefree 2025 goal say University of Otago researchers, and we'll need to drastically improve this rate if we still want to get smoking prevalence down to five per cent of the population by 2025. Their modelling Read more about NZ not on track to meet Smokefree 2025 goals - Scimex

Not enough psychologists to meet mental health needs

Publicly released: Fri 14 Dec 2018 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

New Zealand Medical Journal

The Government's Mental Health and Addiction Inquiry stated that the number of people experiencing mental health issues in New Zealand has risen to almost one million. An editorial in the New Zealand Medical Journal notes that we don't currently Read more about Not enough psychologists to meet mental health needs - Scimex

'Good Sports' drinking programs in footy clubs boost participation

Publicly released: Fri 14 Dec 2018 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

ANZJPH

Introducing responsible alcohol management practices in community sports clubs can reduce overall alcohol consumption, and increase the extent to which club members participate, according to Australian research. The study found that football clubs Read more about 'Good Sports' drinking programs in footy clubs boost participation - Scimex

New guidelines aim to improve health services access for transgender people

Publicly released: Fri 14 Dec 2018 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

New Zealand Medical Journal

New guidelines have been created for health professionals working with transgender and gender diverse and children, adolescents and adults to provide updated recommendations for access to hormonal therapies, puberty blockers, surgery and other Read more about New guidelines aim to improve health services access for transgender people - Scimex

Poorer health and wellbeing for lesbian, gay and bisexual Aussies

Publicly released: Fri 14 Dec 2018 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

ANZJPH

Gay, lesbian and bisexual Australians suffer from poorer health than straight Aussies, especially when it comes to emotional health and suffering physical violence, according to Australian research. The worse outcomes were in bisexual Australians Read more about Poorer health and wellbeing for lesbian, gay and bisexual Aussies - Scimex

Video game players who are frequently exposed to graphic content may see the world differently

Publicly released: Fri 14 Dec 2018 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

Visual Cognition

Disturbing imagery disrupts perception, but not as much among violent video game players, UNSW Sydney psychologists have shown. Media Release. From:The University of New South Wales. People who frequently play violent video games are more immune to Read more about Video game players who are frequently exposed to graphic content may see the world differently - Scimex

Urbanisation and air travel leading to growing risk of pandemic

Publicly released: Thu 13 Dec 2018 at 1600 AEDT | 1800 NZDT

Science Advances

Our cities are becoming denser, the global population is expanding and more people are travelling by air than ever - so what does this mean for health? University of Sydney researchers say its increasing our vulnerability to pandemic. Media Release. Read more about Urbanisation and air travel leading to growing risk of pandemic - Scimex

Higher risk of heart attack on Christmas Eve

Publicly released: Thu 13 Dec 2018 at 1030 AEDT | 1230 NZDT

The BMJ

The risk of heart attack peaks at around 10pm on Christmas Eve, particularly for older and sicker people, most likely due to heightened emotional stress, finds a Swedish study. The risk was also higher during New Years’ and Midsummer holidays, and Read more about Higher risk of heart attack on Christmas Eve - Scimex

Robot makes world-first baby coral delivery to Great Barrier Reef

Publicly released: Thu 13 Dec 2018 at 1000 AEDT | 1200 NZDT

In a world first, an undersea robot has dispersed microscopic baby corals (coral larvae) to help scientists working to repopulate parts of the Great Barrier Reef during this year’ s mass coral spawning event. Media Release. From:Queensland Read more about Robot makes world-first baby coral delivery to Great Barrier Reef - Scimex

Gradient Institute to create ethically aware Artificial Intelligence

Publicly released: Thu 13 Dec 2018 at 0900 AEDT | 1100 NZDT

IAG, CSIRO’s Data61 and The University of Sydney today announced the creation of Gradient Institute. The Institute will be an independent not-for-profit organisation founded to research the ethics of artificial intelligence (AI) and develop Read more about Gradient Institute to create ethically aware Artificial Intelligence - Scimex

A new form of communication: blinking

Publicly released: Thu 13 Dec 2018 at 0600 AEDT | 0800 NZDT

PLOS One

Humans may unknowingly interpret listeners' blinks as social cues during conversations, according to an international experiment. The experiment had 40 people talk to a ‘virtual listener’that asked questions and blinked. The talkers were Read more about A new form of communication: blinking - Scimex

Skeleton reveals Marsupial Lions that once roamed Australia are similar to Tassie Devil

Publicly released: Thu 13 Dec 2018 at 0600 AEDT | 0800 NZDT

PLOS One

New research into the first complete skeleton of a Marsupial ‘Lion’which once roamed Australia provides extraordinary insights into the species hunting ability, social traits, and similarities with the iconic Tasmanian Devil, according to Read more about Skeleton reveals Marsupial Lions that once roamed Australia are similar to Tassie Devil - Scimex

Eastern El Niño to bring more severe weather

Publicly released: Thu 13 Dec 2018 at 0500 AEDT | 0700 NZDT

Nature

Extreme weather events could become more frequent as climate change increases the uncertainty of the effects of the eastern Pacific El Niño, according to an Australian led study. The eastern Pacific El Niño is linked to flooding in eastern Pacific Read more about Eastern El Niño to bring more severe weather - Scimex

Researchers capture 'key' used by world’s deadliest malaria parasite to infect humans

Publicly released: Thu 13 Dec 2018 at 0500 AEDT | 0700 NZDT

Nature

An international team led by Institute researchers has visualised for the first time the unique molecular ‘key’used by the world’s deadliest malaria parasite to enter and infect human blood cells. This breakthrough provides scientists with the Read more about Researchers capture 'key' used by world’s deadliest malaria parasite to infect humans - Scimex

Eczema on the skin can lead to suicide on the brain

Publicly released: Thu 13 Dec 2018 at 0300 AEDT | 0500 NZDT

JAMA Dermatology

Eczema has previously been associated with depression and anxiety, but US researchers have delved a bit deeper and have discovered that people with the skin condition were more likely to have suicidal thoughts and attempts than those without. The Read more about Eczema on the skin can lead to suicide on the brain - Scimex

The Long Dry: Why the world’s water supply is shrinking

Publicly released: Thu 13 Dec 2018 at 0001 AEDT | 0201 NZDT

Global water supplies are shrinking, even as rainfall is rising. The culprit? The drying of soils due to climate change. Media Release. From:The University of New South Wales. A global study has found a paradox: our water supplies are shrinking at Read more about The Long Dry: Why the world’s water supply is shrinking - Scimex