Research & development > Life sciences

Air pollution studies suggest that almost nowhere on Earth is safe

17 March, 2023

Researchers have found that only a tiny portion of the global population is exposed to levels of PM2.5 below those recommended by the WHO, resulting in risks to our health.


Chemical analysis reveals the world's oldest meals

29 November, 2022

The last meals consumed by animals that inhabited Earth more than 550 million years ago have unearthed new clues about the physiology of our earliest animal ancestors.


Bone scan reveals late-life dementia risk

15 July, 2022

A simple and common scan can reveal if people are at increased risk of developing late-life dementia, which is becoming increasingly common after 80 years of age.


Ocean acidification may not directly affect fish behaviour

28 February, 2022

The apparent severity of ocean acidification impacts on fish behaviour, as reported in the scientific literature, has declined dramatically over the past decade.


Huge prehistoric crocodile documented by Qld researchers

08 July, 2021

A new species of large prehistoric crocodile that roamed South East Queensland's waterways millions of years ago has been documented by UQ researchers.


New species of prehistoric crocodile identified from fossil

14 January, 2021

A new species of prehistoric crocodile, measuring more than five metres long and dubbed the 'swamp king', has been identified by Queensland researchers.


Building block for organic molecules discovered in meteorites

15 December, 2020

Scientists have confirmed the presence in meteorites of a key organic molecule that may have been used to build other organic molecules, including some used by life.


Genetic medicine revolution

11 December, 2020 by Peter Davis

The quest to produce the vaccine for COVID-19 has sharply focused attention on the 'new' age vaccines based on mRNA.


Extinct species of monk seal discovered in New Zealand

12 November, 2020

Researchers have uncovered an extinct species of monk seal that lived in the Southern Hemisphere, changing scientists' understanding of how seal species evolved around the world.


The secret behind virgin birth in South African bees

11 May, 2020

Reversions to asexual reproduction are rare in nature, so this may be the first time that the genetic basis of such a phenomenon has been discovered.


NanoViricides ramps up SARS-CoV-2 drug development efforts

20 March, 2020

NanoViricides has completed the synthesis of a number of nanoviricide drug candidates for testing just a few weeks after identification of virus-binding ligands.


Bacteria on ISS no more dangerous than earthbound strains

21 February, 2020

Two particularly tenacious species of bacteria have colonised the potable water dispenser aboard the International Space Station.


Egyptian mummy speaks again… sort of

30 January, 2020

The sound of a 3000-year-old mummified Egyptian priest has been reproduced based on measurements of the precise dimensions of his extant vocal tract following CT scanning.


The missing link in penguin evolution

17 December, 2019

The remains of the newly described Kupoupou stilwelli — the oldest penguin known with proportions close to its modern relatives — have been found on the geographically remote Chatham Islands.


Bacteria found in ISS drinking water

11 November, 2019

Bacteria have been found coating drinking water pipes and tanks on the International Space Station (ISS) — but what are the potential risks to human health?


  • All content Copyright © 2026 Westwick-Farrow Pty Ltd