ScienceAlert - Latest Stories

Moreton Bay corals ‘still at risk’

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

While implementing no-fishing zones has aided the recovery of some corals, reefs and seagrass are still at risk, researchers warn.

Arctic nearing climate tipping points

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The Arctic region is reaching a series of ‘tipping points’ that can trigger a large scale climate change across the world, scientists caution.

Quality sperm is pricey: study

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Male crickets that produce quality sperm have weakened immune systems and are more vulnerable to infections, a new study shows.

OPINION: Monday’s medical myth: tongues register different tastes in different locations

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

All four common tastes of sweet, sour, salty and bitter can be sensed in all four regions of the tongue, David Laing explains.

Testosterone link to language problems

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Boys exposed to high levels of testosterone before birth are twice as likely to experience language problems, research has found.

Eye contact can predict autism earlier

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Measuring a baby's reaction to eye contact could help predict autism as young as six months and improve treatments, research has shown.

Moles have rare iridescent fur

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Scientists have found that golden moles have iridescent hair, a characteristic common in beetles and birds but rare in mammals.

White roofs cool buildings

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

An Australian study has shown that white roofs can cool buildings by 3% on hot days without the use of energy-intensive air conditioning.

Bowerbirds woo mates with illusions

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

An Australian bird woos mates with a lavish house of illusions, and isn't above destroying other males' efforts, a study has found.

Oldest dinosaur nest discovered

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

A 190-million-year-old dinosaur nest has been unearthed in South Africa, revealing information about the reproduction of early dinosaurs.

FEATURE: The language and art of maths

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

With its own rules and grammar, maths is a very precise language that one mathematician has turned into an art form. Nerissa Hannink reports.

OPINION: Space invasions: what to do when stuff falls from the sky

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

What do you do when satellites or spacecraft start falling from space? An expert suggests that you shouldn't panic - or pick up the fragments.

Native trees store carbon longer

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Native trees offer a more natural and long-term carbon capture solution than traditional methods, a study has found.

New electron interactions observed

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

A new type of electron interaction has been observed in quantum systems, which could lead to an entirely new breed of electronics.

OPINION: Googling the past: how I uncovered prehistoric remains from my office

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

New technology is helping archaeologists to discover some of the world's most ancient sites - without leaving their desks.

OPINION: Reviewing the top medical iPhone apps - what’s the diagnosis?

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

If you want to improve your health there are plenty of apps to help. But do they work? Experts review medical apps and the science behind them.

Early detection hope for ovarian cancer

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Australian scientists have identified biochemical changes that could help to detect ovarian cancer earlier and save womens' lives.

Black tea lowers blood pressure

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Drinking a cup of black tea three times a day could significantly reduce your blood pressure, world-first research has found.

Planned burning can't replace bushfires

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Controlled burning doesn't benefit a forest's biodiversity the way natural bushfires do, a 23-year study has found.

Migrants succeed in regional Australia

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Migrants in country Australia are earning similar incomes to Australian-born residents in the same region, a new study has shown.

OPINION: Medical myth: play Mozart to boost baby’s IQ

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Many parents believe playing Mozart will make their child smarter, but science shows teaching kids to play music themselves is more effective.

Hip size determines obesity risk

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Hip fat can be good for you, and measuring it can help predict a person's risk of death from obesity more accurately, research has found.

Corruption linked to low income

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The best way to stop corruption is with wealth, suggests a study that found corruption is higher in countries with low incomes.

Fish and corals need each other

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Research on ancient reefs has shown that maintaining the relationship between corals and fish is crucial to the survival of both.

Climate change displacing birds

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Climate change may have already forced some species of tropical Western Australian birds south, new research suggests.

Meteorites definitely struck Moon

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The mineral zircon has been found in lunar rock samples, providing indisputable proof of meteorite collisions on the Moon.

Stem cells could save snow leopards

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Embryonic stem-like cells have been made from a snow leopard for the first time in a breakthrough that could help save the species.

OPINION: Beyond spirituality: the role of meditation in mental health

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 12:37:16 GMT

Meditation can have a major impact on the way our brain and bodies function, write Jonathan Krygier and Andrew Kemp.

Star Trek-style medical scanner on way

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 12:09:45 GMT

A new way of creating the rays used in security detectors could help scientists develop futuristic hand-held medical scanners.

Mixing medicines increases injury risk

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 11:47:56 GMT

Mixing prescription medications can double the risk of adults suffering serious falls at home, according to new research.

Students think science is pointless

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 11:40:58 GMT

Many Australian students don't believe studying science and maths is relevant to their lives, a new report has revealed.

Corals adapt to warming in many ways

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 11:28:42 GMT

Corals stand a better chance at adapting to climate change than previously thought, new research has found.

Genetic effect on lifetime IQ revealed

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 10:17:26 GMT

The environment we grow up in has a greater affect on our lifetime intelligence than our genes, early research suggests.

Muscle relaxants not helping arthritis

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Muscle relaxants provide little pain relief for rheumatoid arthritis patients while carrying major side effects, a new study shows.

Malaria’s ‘cloak of invisibility’ unveiled

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Scientists have found one of the molecules that help malaria parasites put on an invisibility cloak and hide from the immune system.

Protecting houses from bushfires

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Fuel reduction close to houses via vegetation clearing is the best way to lessen the impact of bushfires, new research shows.

New app helps choose healthy food

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

A new iPhone app will allow users to scan barcodes of Australian packaged foods and make healthy choices, researchers say.

Internet gambling on the rise

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

More people are participating in online gambling due to convenience and ease of access, a new study shows.

Study cracks genetic code for parasite

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Scientists have mapped the genetic blueprint of Schistosoma haematobium, a blood parasite linked to bladder cancer and HIV.

Teens abusing energy drinks

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

More teenagers are indulging in energy drinks without being aware of the possible caffeine toxicity, new research shows.

Mind can control allergic response

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The human brain has some control on how the body reacts to allergic reactions by altering its immune response, new research shows.

Too many sugary drinks for Aussie kids

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Australian children and adolescents are drinking too many sugar drinks, a new research shows.

Study links posture with back pain

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

A study on the posture and body sway of patients with back pain reveals a direct relationship between the two.

New way to beat blood cancer

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The removal of a pro-survival protein from acute myeloid leukaemia cells may be a way to beat the aggressive blood cancer.

OPINION: Get up, stand up – if not you’ll be a sitting duck

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

While most of the public is aware of the obesity crisis, few realise the dangers of inactivity, Catriona Bonfiglioli writes.

Carbon dioxide 'is driving fish crazy'

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Fish are losing their ability to hear, smell and turn due to rising carbon dioxide levels in the water, putting them at risk of being eaten.

Old inner cities still exposed to lead

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Old inner city areas are threatened by airborne lead as vehicles resuspend contaminated roadside soil and dust, a new study shows.

Rare moon mineral found on Earth

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Tranquillityite, a mineral thought to be unique to the moon, has been found in Western Australia.

One in three lack vitamin D

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

One in three Australians are suffering vitamin D deficiency, putting them at risk of a range of diseases, new research shows.

Sex keeping seagrass healthy

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Sex plays a much more important role in keeping seagrass populations healthy, researchers have found.