Latest News in Science (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Scientific freedom charters questioned

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:07:00 +1100

NEWS ANALYSIS: A new charter meant to encourage Australian scientists to become involved in public debate may not have this desired effect, says one expert.

Father of modern astronomy found

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:09:00 +1100

DNA studies on two strands of hair and a tooth have ended a centuries old hunt for the tomb of 16th century astronomer Nicolas Copernicus, say experts.

Lose weight, rediscover your mojo

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:24:00 +1100

A man's secret to maintaining a healthy sex life well into old age could be as simple as shedding a few kilograms, says an Australian obesity expert.

How much of hunger is hormonal?

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:12:00 +1100

ASK AN EXPERT: How much of hunger is hormonal and how much is linked to the nervous system? What are the receptors and how do they act?

Mammoth genome may explain extinction

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:16:00 +1100

Researchers have sequenced the gene map of a long-extinct woolly mammoth using DNA taken from its hair, but don't expect to see them brought back to life anytime soon.

'Sneakey' photos could steal your keys

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:14:00 +1100

US scientists have developed a software algorithm that creates a physical key based solely on a picture, regardless of angle or distance.

Dry skin gets the indigo treatment

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:01:00 +1100

A dose of the blues may help persistent sufferers of psoriasis, according to a team of Taiwanese researchers.

'Nuclear family' found in ancient grave

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:33:00 +1100

Parents clasped the hands of their children in a 4600 year-old grave which researchers believe to be the oldest evidence discovered so far of the nuclear family in early human development, according to a new study.

How to deal with a green skeptic

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:06:00 +1100

GREEN GURU: We would love to know how the ABC deals with the skeptics and creates a green culture at work.

Regrowth mystery reborn

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:51:00 +1100

GREAT MOMENTS IN SCIENCE: If you're only as old as you feel then are you as old as your body? The idea that body cells regrow every seven years should be an accurate guide, right? Wrong! Dr Karl can sense it in his bones.

Tiny plankton weaken mighty continents

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:02:00 +1100

The skeletons of microscopic plankton that flourished billions of years ago may be causing continents to break apart, says a US scientist.

Silk the key to rebuilding bone

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:03:00 +1100

Silkworms and spiders could hold the key to engineering healthy bone tissue to replace damaged bone and teeth, according to a US biomedical engineer.

Scientists sequence kangaroo genome

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:59:00 +1100

After more than four years and a last-minute rescue plan to fund the project, the genome of Australia's largest marsupial, the kangaroo, has been mapped.

Soil study muddies climate change debate

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:04:00 +1100

Climate change may not be as severe as predicted, suggests an international study that shows current modelling of carbon dioxide emissions from soils are overestimated by as much as 20%.

Heat stroke? Forget the ice, says study

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:50:00 +1100

When it comes to cooling a heat stroke victim , forget the ice and immerse them in temperate water, new research suggests.

Marine organisms found in ancient amber

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:07:00 +1100

Scientists have discovered a menagerie of perfectly intact marine microorganisms trapped in tree resin at least 100 million years ago, according to a new study.

Crop pests changing with pesticides, GM

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:53:00 +1100

Increasing pesticide use is changing the profile of insect and other pests that Australian farmers must contend with, and GM crops are set to bring their own changes, say experts.

Call for Top End farming research

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:32:00 +1100

NEWS ANALYSIS: Investing in agriculture in Australia's north could not only be a way to beat climate change, but could also help feed the planet, says a new report.

Telescopes capture another solar system

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:20:00 +1100

Astronomers have captured the first direct images of a solar system of planets orbiting another star, while another group has used the Hubble space telescope to spot a planet orbiting a nearby star.

Human ancestors had big-brained babies

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:42:00 +1100

The fossilised Homo erectus pelvis found in Ethiopia suggests females swayed their hips as they walked and gave birth to relatively developed babies with big heads, say researchers.