Ebola vaccine proves highly effective
11 January, 2017An experimental Ebola vaccine has proven highly protective against the deadly virus in a major trial conducted in Guinea.
The science behind food comas
08 December, 2016Christmas is the time of year where families get together to indulge in excessively large meals, before lying around for hours on end in a fuzzy-headed stupor. But have you ever wondered about the exact cause of the infamous 'food coma'?
If the placoderm was not our ancestor, what was?
07 December, 2016 by Adam FloranceFlinders University researchers have questioned the traditionally held belief that we vertebrates descended from the archaic armoured jawed fish known as placoderms.
How the brain handles noisy environments
06 December, 2016Researchers have revealed the way the brain handles the often noisy environments found on Earth, with the results explaining why animals, including humans, can easily cope with both the still and quiet of early-morning parks to the bustle of cafes and streets.
Platypus venom for insulin regulation
02 December, 2016Australia's iconic monotremes have an unusual ability that could pave the way for new treatments for type 2 diabetes in humans.
Rapid liquid biopsies for melanoma patients
01 December, 2016 by Lauren DavisThe Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute is using blood test technology from Bio-Rad Laboratories to detect and analyse cancer genes in melanoma patients.
Chemical communication helps bacteria boost their immune systems
30 November, 2016Research led by the University of Otago has found that bacteria can boost their immune systems by 'talking' to each other.
Why do we crave salt?
17 November, 2016 by Adam FloranceResearchers in Melbourne have determined the mechanism which explains our addiction to salty foods and this research may even be able to help us curb other addictions.
Suppressing the immune system won't improve your chances of conceiving with IVF
15 November, 2016 by Sarah Robertson, University of AdelaideMany doctors hold an outdated view that immunity is naturally reduced in pregnancy. So they infer it's acceptable to suppress the immune system by medication.
Monitoring genes for antimicrobial resistance
11 November, 2016Australian researchers are offering a new perspective on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) that they hope will lead to the phenomenon being characterised as an ecological disease.
Airport door handles and the spread of drug-resistant bacteria
03 November, 2016Drug-resistant bacteria from international travellers could be transferred to inanimate surfaces in airports and then picked up by others, who may go on to spread these bacteria in their home countries.
Stem cells that rust
01 November, 2016Scientists have discovered that certain cells during embryonic development are negatively affected by oxidation — the same process that causes rust in metal.
Leukaemia cells run but don't hide
19 October, 2016 by Adam FloranceResearchers pioneering a new method of zooming in on leukaemia cells in action have found that the notoriously treatment-resistant blood cancer cells are not playing 'hide and seek', as was traditionally believed, but are actually playing a game of 'tag'.
Stroke enables gut bacteria to spread
18 October, 2016Australian researchers have revealed that stroke injury can compromise the immune system, enabling bacterial pathogens to take an opportunistic journey from the gut into other organs — including the lungs.
A blood test to detect breast cancer
07 October, 2016Australian and French scientists are developing a new potential way to detect and monitor breast cancer that could involve a simple blood test.
