ScienceAlert - Latest Stories

OPINION: Monday’s medical myth: stress causes cancer

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

It’s living a cancer-smart lifestyle and avoiding or reducing risk factors that count, Ian Olver writes.

Penguins on road to recovery

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

A study that compares the DNA of an ancient penguin population with modern-day birds shows that the birds have regained their diversity.

Study improves menopause prediction

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The initial signs of menopause can provide a hint on the severity and duration of the symptoms, new research shows.

Ritalin takers more aware of mistakes

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

People who take the drug Ritalin – Methylphenidate – have a higher awareness of the errors that they make, a new study shows.

NEEDNT food list fights obesity

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Researchers have published a NEEDNT list that names foods that have high calories, low in essential nutrients – and their replacements.

Scientists call for no-take coral sea park

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Scientists worldwide are urging the Australian Federal Government to create the world’s largest no-take marine reserve in the Coral Sea.

How muscles waste away

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

A loss of connection between nerves and muscles could be how the elderly lose their muscle mass and function, a new study shows.

Parents ‘target of teen violence’

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

More parents are becoming victims of their teenage children’s abusive and violent behaviour, researchers say.

Crocodiles don’t need pump to breathe

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

A research that involves having crocodiles run on treadmills show that the reptile breathes just like most other animals.

OPINION: Despair not, blokes, there’s hope for the Y chromosome yet

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

While the Y chromosome is shrinking continuously, studies show that the Y is still a survivor, Russell Bonduriansky writes.

How bees say ‘I’m watching you’

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Asian honeybees tell their predators that they’ve been spotted by banding together and shaking their abdomens, a new study shows.

Map reveals cancer hotspots

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Over ten thousand new sites have been identified with a new genetic mapping technique, including tell-tale “sign posts” of cancer.

Ants use scent to beat enemies

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Weaver ants remember their enemies’ scent and pass on the information to others in the nest, a new research shows.

Clouds working to cool Earth

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The height of clouds worldwide has declined over the decade, causing a lowering of the Earth’s temperature, new research shows.

Skull of three-toed horse found

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Scientists have located a skull of the ancient three-toed horse, Hipparion, in northwestern China.

OPINION: Smoke-free outdoor laws herald better community health

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The introduction of a smoke-free outdoors law in New South Wales this year is a cause for celebration, Andrew Penman writes.

‘Act early, act local’ to save landscapes

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Researchers have released a list of Australia’s ten most highly-threatened environments, urging people to ‘act early, act local’.

Animals’ secret language found

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The colour blind cuttlefish use polarisation – a type of light unseen by humans – to communicate, new research shows.

New way to curb social smoking

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Establishing smoking bans outside of bars may help curb social smoking, a new study shows.

Omega-3 can help small babies

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Small babies, who have a higher risk of heart diseases, could avoid such illnesses by taking omega-3 fatty acids, a new study shows.

Internet: body image issues

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Teenage girls who spend more time on the internet feel worse about themselves and their bodies, a new study reveals.

Scientists find new sea snakes

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

A new sea snake species that has raised scales has been discovered in northern Australia.

FEATURE: New space simulation facility gets go-ahead

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The approval of a new space simulation facility can take space research to the next level, Tim Wetherell reports.

How cholesterol gets shipped

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

A protein that directs traffic within cells is responsible for the gathering of ‘bad’ cholesterol, a new study shows.

New transistor has one atom

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Physicists have created a working transistor that has a single atom in a silicon crystal.

‘Infertile’ women need more time

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Women who have been diagnosed with infertility may just need more time to conceive, a new research shows.

Exercise still ‘valuable’: study

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Exercise is still important for obese and overweight people – despite what is reported in the media, a new study reveals.

Schizophrenia variants present in all

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

All people carry genetic variants for schizophrenia, researchers have found.

OPINION: Sharing of knowledge is a basic liberty, not a private good

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Julian Cribb questions whether it’s time to use the freedom of the internet as a weapon to scuttle science pirates.

Devil genome shows tumour secrets

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

A genome map of the Tasmanian Devil reveals that the facial tumour has had very little changes since 16 years ago, a new study shows.

Vitamin C boosts tumour death

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

High doses of vitamin C make it easier for radiation therapy to kill brain tumour cells, new research shows.

Health risks for asthmatic mums

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

For pregnant asthmatic women, taking the right medication is crucial for the health of their unborn child, a health researcher cautions.

OPINION: Not just smoke and mirrors: placebo’s place in modern medicine

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Monika Merkes describes the many effects of placebos.

How things move in the nasal

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

A new computer model can help researchers understand how small particles move through the nasal cavity.

High blood pressure hits one in three

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

One in three Australians are at risk of a future heart attack or stroke due to high blood pressure, a new research shows.

New way to determine ‘natives’

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Researchers propose a new way to determine whether an introduced species has become a native – by seeing how local wildlife react to it.

Scientist maps Coral Sea

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

A new digital map that details the reefs, mountains and canyons of Australia’s Coral Sea region has been created by a geologist.

Top site for mental health information

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Wikipedia is the most highly rated website for accurate and updated information on mental health, a new study shows.

New solar cells made

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Using gold and silver nanoparticles, researchers have greatly improved the efficiency of thin film solar cells.

Diets destroying environment

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Apart from being bad for health, certain diets and styles of eating are damaging the environment too, a new report states.

Gene therapy alter cell shapes

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Gene therapy, the new method to help injured brain cells survive and regrow, can change the shape of cells, researchers say.

OPINION: Don’t believe the hype: sleeping with your baby is not okay

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Bed-sharing with infants can increase their risk of suffocation and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), Rosemary Horne writes.

Lynch ups risk of breast cancer

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Apart from colon-related cancers, people with Lynch syndrome also have a higher risk of developing breast cancer, a new study shows.

Crocodile genome sequenced

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Scientists have completed a ‘detailed street directory’ for the genes of the saltwater crocodile.

Human ‘shock absorber’ found

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Scientists have found a molecular ‘shock absorber’ in humans that keeps our organs and tissues intact during body movement.

Vitamin D linked to language skills

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Children of women who lack vitamin D during pregnancy are more likely to have language difficulties, new research shows.

Parasite goes bananas before sex

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The malaria parasite adopts a banana shape before sexual reproduction so they can sneak into the spleen, a new study reveals.

New grass pea to boost crops

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

A new breed of grass pea – without its toxins – can avoid dehydration and boost nitrogen and phosphorus content, a new research shows.

Where big reef fish like to live

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Big reef fish like coral trout and snappers prefer to live under large, flat table corals, a new study shows.

Habitats set brain size

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The brain size of Dunnarts in captivity is determined by the quality of their enclosures, new research shows.