Resources for Journalists

Marsden Fund supports leading researchers in Aotearoa to explore new ideas

Publicly released: Thu 3 Nov 2022 at 0800 AEDT, 1000 NZDT

These grants support excellent research in the humanities, engineering, mātauranga, mathematics, science, and the social sciences for three years. ... Of course, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic Read more about Marsden Fund supports leading researchers in Aotearoa to explore new ideas

Chronic pain associated with poor health - and higher COVID-19 risk - decades later

Publicly released: Thu 3 Nov 2022 at 0500 AEDT, 0700 NZDT

PLOS One

The team also found chronic pain was associated with lower life satisfaction, pessimism about the future, and poor sleep at age 55, as well as a higher risk of COVID-19 ... Chronic pain associated with Read more about Chronic pain associated with poor health - and higher COVID-19 risk - decades later

3 years in, COVID-19 may still be able to spread from humans back into bats

Publicly released: Wed 2 Nov 2022 at 1101 AEDT, 1301 NZDT

Royal Society Open Science

US scientists say the SARS-CoV-2 virus may still be able to spread from humans to other mammals, including back into the bats we think it came from, despite three ... Persistent cross-species SARS-CoV-2 Read more about 3 years in, COVID-19 may still be able to spread from humans back into bats

Gun violence across America: unexpected trends revealed

Publicly released: Wed 2 Nov 2022 at 0200 AEDT, 0400 NZDT

Chaos

Only a handful of U. S. states showed a surge in gun violence incidents in mid-2020 during civil unrest at the start of COVID-19 lockdowns and the murder of ... S. media reported widespread violence and Read more about Gun violence across America: unexpected trends revealed

‘A silent killer’ - COVID-19 shown to trigger inflammation in the brain

Publicly released: Tue 1 Nov 2022 at 1200 AEDT, 1400 NZDT

Molecular Psychiatry

Our team grew human microglia in the laboratory and infected the cells with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. ... Professor Woodruff said while the similarity between how COVID-19 and dementia Read more about ‘A silent killer’ - COVID-19 shown to trigger inflammation in the brain

EXPERT REACTION: Power prices - why are they so high and what can we do about it?

Publicly released: Mon 31 Oct 2022 at 1545 AEDT, 1745 NZDT

With electricity prices projected to increase by as much as 50% in coming months, Australian experts comment on the state of Australia's electricity market and how people can reduce their Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Power prices - why are they so high and what can we do about it?

The pandemic may not have hurt babies' brain development, but it has hurt their communication

Publicly released: Sat 29 Oct 2022 at 0200 AEDT, 0400 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

regardless of whether the mother had COVID-19. ... They did however find a higher risk of communication delay, which the researchers suggest could be related to external factors like parental stress and a Read more about The pandemic may not have hurt babies' brain development, but it has hurt their communication

Vaccination, Omicron and being a man could reduce your risk of long COVID

Publicly released: Fri 28 Oct 2022 at 1130 AEDT, 1330 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

About 14% of people surveyed in the US say they had lingering COVID-19 symptoms past two months, according to international researchers. ... About The Study: In this study of more than 16,000 individuals, Read more about Vaccination, Omicron and being a man could reduce your risk of long COVID

COVID-19 rebound: 1/3 of people report symptoms coming back

Publicly released: Fri 28 Oct 2022 at 1033 AEDT, 1233 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

The study tracked symptoms over 29 days in around 150 people who had COVID-19 and were only receiving a placebo as part of a clinical trial of COVID-19 treatments. ... Over one-third of participants who Read more about COVID-19 rebound: 1/3 of people report symptoms coming back

Vaccination reduces the chance of COVID-19-related pneumonia

Publicly released: Fri 28 Oct 2022 at 0200 AEDT, 0400 NZDT

JAMA Network Open

COVID-19 vaccination significantly reduces the chance of being hospitalised with pneumonia as a result of the virus, according to a study during a Delta wave in Lombardy, Italy. ... 1% of the 553 patients Read more about Vaccination reduces the chance of COVID-19-related pneumonia

Suicide among doctors in Aotearoa

Publicly released: Fri 28 Oct 2022 at 0001 AEDT, 0201 NZDT

New Zealand Medical Journal

Burnout has been documented to affect 45% in a consultant survey in one New Zealand hospital prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and this is likely to have increased with the ... Overseas counties have found Read more about Suicide among doctors in Aotearoa

Electron Liquids on the Cutting Edge

Publicly released: Thu 27 Oct 2022 at 1735 AEDT, 1935 NZDT

Nature Communications

The technique suggests a path to more-robust and more-accurate quantum computers. As you walk in a crowded shopping mall, it is easier to maintain social distancing when passing through ... Having Read more about Electron Liquids on the Cutting Edge

Bad news for the climate: 3 big greenhouse gases hit record highs

Publicly released: Thu 27 Oct 2022 at 1021 AEDT, 1221 NZDT

Global emissions have rebounded since the COVID-19-related lockdowns in 2020. The Bulletin also reported the biggest year-on-year jump in methane concentrations in 2021 since systematic measurements Read more about Bad news for the climate: 3 big greenhouse gases hit record highs

World-class innovators win Australia’s top prizes for engineering, technology and applied science

Publicly released: Wed 26 Oct 2022 at 2130 AEDT, 2330 NZDT

ACTIVATE 2022

Solving sustainability problems, protecting healthcare providers from COVID-19, and using technology to train next-gen pilots are among the achievements of award-winning STEM innovators recognised at Read more about World-class innovators win Australia’s top prizes for engineering, technology and applied science

‘Grey skies are gonna clear up, put on a happy face’ - you can put on a smile and feel happier

Publicly released: Wed 26 Oct 2022 at 1730 AEDT, 1930 NZDT

Nature Human Behaviour

Collecting data from 3878 participants across 19 countries, the study found a noticeable increase in happiness from people who mimicked smiling photographs or pulled their mouth toward their ears. Read more about ‘Grey skies are gonna clear up, put on a happy face’ - you can put on a smile and feel happier

Our dependence on fossil fuels continues to threaten our health

Publicly released: Wed 26 Oct 2022 at 0930 AEDT, 1130 NZDT

The Lancet

Combined with the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of infectious disease due to climate change has led to misdiagnosis, pressure on health systems, and difficulties in managing simultaneous disease Read more about Our dependence on fossil fuels continues to threaten our health

EXPERT REACTION: Federal Government releases Budget for 2022-2023

Publicly released: Tue 25 Oct 2022 at 2140 AEDT, 2340 NZDT

The Federal Government has released the Budget for 2022-2023. Below, Australian experts give their thoughts on how the Budget will impact health, the economy, research and development, the university Read more about EXPERT REACTION: Federal Government releases Budget for 2022-2023

First WHO ‘watch list’ of health-threatening fungi released

Publicly released: Tue 25 Oct 2022 at 1800 AEDT, 2000 NZDT

The WHO Fungal Priority Pathogens List ranks 19 species of highest concern, which require the greatest research and funding investment. ... During the COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence of at least three Read more about First WHO ‘watch list’ of health-threatening fungi released

If your COVID-19 infection was severe, your heart risk is also more severe

Publicly released: Tue 25 Oct 2022 at 0930 AEDT, 1130 NZDT

Heart

Compared with their matched peers who hadn’t caught the virus, those who didn’t require hospital admission for COVID-19 infection were nearly 3 times as likely to have a ... The risks of all the Read more about If your COVID-19 infection was severe, your heart risk is also more severe

Researchers make strides in the fight against COVID-19

Publicly released: Mon 24 Oct 2022 at 0300 AEDT, 0500 NZDT

Clinical & Translational Immunology

Following COVID-19 infection, virus-specific antibodies are generated, which can both neutralise the virus and clear the infection. ... In simple terms, we’ve deconstructed blood in our lab to measure Read more about Researchers make strides in the fight against COVID-19