Coastal erosion costs ‘will inundate natural disaster fund’
The costs of coastal erosion threaten to swamp a natural disaster budget already strained by floods and fire.
Science
Microplastics found in human brain for first time
The tiny pieces of plastic are found everywhere, including the human body, but until now have not been found to have reached the brain.
Dementia no ‘old person’s disease’
By 2050, Australia and the Western Pacific will contribute half the world’s dementia cases, as experts argue the current national plan is not fit for the future.
Revolutionary start-up breeds future success
A tech start-up says it can reduce genetic improvement processes in livestock from seven years to just seven days.
Immune study brings safe, accessible wound treatment in reach
A blood cell key to repairing the body can be exploited, research shows, to quickly seal wounds, heal from a heart attack and more.
Remarkable voyage left theory on rocks
Thor Heyerdahl was a man of imagination and courage – he was the kind of person who makes most of us feel utterly inadequate.
Fruit and exercise delay dementia
New links between brain health and gut health illustrate importance of fruit and exercise in preventing cognitive decline.
Prostate cancer ‘game changer’
A new prostate cancer therapy used only in late-stage treatment where conventional therapy has failed has been found to dramatically improve outcomes for patients in earlier stages.
Cause of killer disease found
The cause of a mystery disease that affects as many as one in 20 women and can cause sudden strokes, heart attacks, kidney failure and brain aneurysms has finally been cracked
SpaceX astronauts conduct historic space walk
Billionaire Jared Isaacman helps to fund first-ever commercial space walk incorporating SpaceX-designed suits
Methane cuts on track for 2030 goal
The world’s methane emissions have surged in the past two decades, but it’s a different story in Australia.
MND hope in stem cell discovery
A new method for researching motor neurone disease a ‘realistic hope’ for future sufferers of the incurable, untreatable disease.
Type 2 diabetes blindness curbed by diet change
Macular oedema is one of the most feared side effects of diabetes, but a growing number of patients are putting it into remission through a new lifestyle.
‘Dangerous, irresponsible, quackery’: doctors slam Elle’s cancer claims
The supermodel says her ‘holistic’ approach means she is now in remission for her breast cancer but specialists warn alternative treatments increase the risk of death six-fold.
Made-to-match cells give hope to kids stuck in transplant queue
Children with blood diseases endure lengthy waitlists and side effects from imperfect transplants – but an Australian breakthrough in cell manufacturing could change that.
Seaweed solution to methane problem
Governments and companies around the world are cracking down on carbon emissions in their supply chain. A Fremantle business has come up with a solution for the livestock sector.
Plastics proven to devastate health
The finding that the chemicals in many common products are associated with a wide range of health risks is ‘a red flag for the world’, a researcher said.
What it’s like to remove a brain tumour
A neurosurgeon writes candidly about the moments that terrify him during surgery, and why he sometimes holds his breath.
Children of the Sun
Carl Sagan, the great American astronomer, was fond of pointing out that our bodies are “made of star-stuff”. It’s literally true.
Australian science strategy centres on defence, Indigenous knowledge
The first National Science Statement and Priorities in almost a decade prioritises Indigenous knowledge and Future Made in Australia objectives.
Meta’s AI fails basic maths tests that others pass
Meta’s new chatbot that it installs on Instagram and WhatsApp accounts is failing to make simple mathematical calculations, with the AI generator struggling with times tables and often reading decimals incorrectly.
Experts call for regulation of plastics linked to autism
Medical experts have called for an overhaul of plastics regulation in Australia as growing evidence indicates that neuroendocrine-disrupting chemicals are linked with the development of autism.
Cells being taught to fight cancer
Australian scientists are teaching cells in the body to fight brain cancer on their own, and hope to slash rates of recurrence in one of the most aggressive types of tumour.
Autism detectives link plastics chemical in mother’s womb to spectrum disorder
Boys with lower levels of a key brain enzyme who are born to mothers that have higher levels of plastic chemicals in their wombs are six times more likely to develop autism by the time they are a teenager, a world-first Australian study has found.
Death-defying tycoon seeks new age of ideas
Tech tycoon Peter Diamandis’s latest project is a competition to extend the human lifespan and reverse the effects of ageing.
Fire ant fight stalls amid sightings surge
Fire ant reports are surging but the national eradication program is struggling to keep up. It could be a $22bn mistake.
Scientists urge action on our ‘fragile’ soil
Leading soil scientists have called on the government to protect the ‘golden soil’ underneath an agricultural industry worth $78bn a year.
Vegan diet could reverse body clock in eight weeks
Switching to a ‘healthy’ plant-based diet low in junk food may reverse one of the biological hallmarks of ageing, a study suggests.
Inside the mission to make this Aussie the world’s fastest man
He was among the world’s best sailors but Glenn Ashby has sensationally turned his back on the water to chase unthinkable speed records — powered only by the wind.
Roundup ruling a relief for farmers
It’s an essential part of modern farming, but questions have been raised around the world about Roundup’s safety. The Federal Court has had its say.
Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/science/page/3