science wire

A necessity or a danger? Why we love and hate our credit cards
A new University of Sydney study has revealed the full extent of Australia's love-hate relationship with credit cards and those who use them.

’Next Generation’ cancer treatment ready for clinical trials
A new class of anti-cancer drugs which control the growth and spread of cancers and do so with minimal side effects is being developed by researchers at the University of Sydney. "These new agents attack a fundamental characteristic of cancer cells while leaving normal cells alone," said Professor Des Richardson , from the Bosch Institute in Sydney Medical School.

Vice-Chancellor unveils plans for Southeast Asian studies in Jakarta

Chinese archaeology proves early East-West links
The vast but little known north-western Chinese region of Xinjiang has presented a University of Sydney archaeologist with exciting new evidence of early between China and the West. The findings of the Chinese-Australian collaborative team will be presented at East and West: Past and Future , an upcoming archaeological workshop examining early ties between the West, Xinjiang and Central Asia.

Gambling not an addiction say University of Sydney researchers
Many people talk of problem gambling as an 'addiction' but work coming out of the University of Sydney's Gambling Treatment Clinic suggests that this may not be the case. "The idea of gambling addiction is widespread, but inaccurate," says the clinic's Education and Training Officer, Fadi Anjoul, who has treated problem gamblers for the past 15 years.

Meditation linked to better wellbeing and health, including mental health
The experience of 'mental silence' is linked with better health outcomes and greater wellbeing according to a University of Sydney study. The area of greatest difference was in mental health, where long-term meditators, with a minimum of two years of regular practice, were more than 10 percent better off than the general population.

New measurement tool for clinical trials to help children with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
An international study led by the University of Sydney and published in the Annals of Neurology has the potential to improve the design of clinical trials for the treatment of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a disorder which affects the peripheral nervous system. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is among the most common inherited neurological disorders, affecting one in 2500 people.

Read the story Research Nursing Mental Health Policy and Practice
How to build resistance and strengthen families living with mental illnesses is the focus of a Churchill Fellowship study tour to be undertaken by Associate Professor Kim Foster from the Sydney Nursing School.

Nursing Mental Health Policy and Practice
How to build resistance and strengthen families living with mental illnesses is the focus of a Churchill Fellowship study tour to be undertaken by Associate Professor Kim Foster from the Sydney Nursing School.

What matters to you?
Does solving climate change for future generations keep you awake at night? Do you think that advancing Australia's relationships with China and the US is the best way forward for our country? F

US Studies Centre joins global soil crisis talks
Members of the United States Studies Centre's Soil Carbon Initiative put their case for increased attention to global soil security at the United Nations in New York last week.

What it takes to make a working farm dog
The secret to breeding a successful working farm dog is the focus of a new national University of Sydney study. Professor Paul McGreevy and Professor Claire Wade , both from the Faculty of Veterinary Science , are working on a three-year research program to explore what distinguishes the best working dogs on Australian farms.

Tiny crystal revolutionises computing
A tiny crystal that enables a computer to perform calculations that currently stump the world's most powerful supercomputers has been developed by an international team including the University of Sydney's Michael Biercuk. The ion-crystal used is poised to create one of the most powerful computers ever developed, with the results published in the journal Nature on 26 April 2012.

Could the Mekong’s water destabilise Asia?
South-East Asian nations surrounding the Lower Mekong Basin should put construction of hydro-electric dams on the Mekong River on hold if they want to avoid a human security disaster more reminiscen

Good looks and charm valued over qualifications and experience in fashion retail
In another win for beautiful people, a University of Sydney study has revealed that fashion retail managers consider good looks and charm to be significantly more important for their staff than qualifications or experience.

AusAID grant to boost Mongolian public sector transparency and accountability
The University of Sydney Business School has won a prestigious AusAID research grant that will see it export its capability-building expertise to Mongolia.

Breakthrough in solar cell efficiency
Low cost solar cells suitable for rooftop panels could reach a record-breaking 40 percent efficiency following an early stage breakthrough by a University of Sydney researcher and his German partners.

Uncovering a secret weight-loss trick from the galaxy’s biggest stars
Putting all dieters to shame, the red giant stars of our galaxy lose many times the entire mass of the Earth, every year. Unlike Hollywood starlets, they have not previously revealed their weight-loss secrets, posing an enigma for scientists, until this breakthrough study by the University of Sydney, published in Nature on 12 April.

University of Sydney taxonomist names new family of fish
A University of Sydney taxonomist has built on the research of Emperor Akihito of Japan, perhaps the world's best known ichthyologist, to classify a new family of fish. The classification of the new family Thalasseleotrididae by Anthony Gill comes after careful re-examination of the three species included in the family, one of which was first collected in Port Hacking near Cronulla in the early 1980s.

Thongs could be better for kids’ feet than other shoes
Australia's favourite footwear is under the spotlight, with a new world-first study from the University of Sydney indicating thongs may not be as bad for children's feet as their reputation suggests. Angus Chard, from the University's Footwear Research Group within the Faculty of Health Sciences , examined the motions of children walking and jogging in thongs and found their foot and ankle motion to be more similar to bare foot motion than other shoes.

Celebrating research wins
Academics across the University of Sydney are starting to explore new ways to tackle some of the big issues of the 21st century thanks to their success in attracting external research funding throughout 2011.

School shoes lose traction as best option for kids’ feet
Parents spend a lot of time and money picking out the perfect school shoes for their children, but a University of Sydney study is questioning whether the traditional solid, sturdy shoe is the best choice.

Fatty acids fight cancer spread
Tiny agents found in omega-3 could potentially be used to block the path of primary cancer tumours, preventing the advance to secondary stage cancers according to pharmacy researchers at the University of Sydney. Investigators in the Pharmacogenomics and Drug Development Group of the Faculty of Pharmacy are using breast cancer tissue cells to gauge the blocking capacity of the omega-3 agents called epoxides on cancer cell movement.

New ultra-small laser opens up a world of possibilities
Computing and medicine are among the many fields which could be revolutionised by a new form of ultra-small laser. The innovation was created by an international team of scientists, including David Moss , from the University of Sydney's School of Physics. Featured on the front cover of the prestigious journal Nature on 4 April, it is the first laser to be mode-locked making it highly precise, ultra-fast and ultra-small.

Endeavour Award winner studies the politics of immigration

Breakthrough virus research recognised by award
The discovery of how a particular virus can persist in a latent state for the life of the human host has won the 2012 Sir Zelman Cowen Universities Fund Prize for Medical Research.

What makes a difference to you?
Do you care about reducing the environmental impact of mining? Do we need to reduce the uptake of smoking? The University of Sydney is using its most prominent academics and alumni to find out what Australians care about and give the wider community a better idea of the impact of its work.

Helping Laotians adapt to rapid change
Human geographers and international public health experts from the University of Sydney are collaborating on a project to help people in Laos adjust to large-scale environmental changes, with a research grant of $1.4 million from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research.

Taxis are getting worse, latest transport survey finds
More than one in two Australians believe that taxi services in their local areas are deteriorating, according to the University's latest quarterly national transport survey.

Current coal seam gas approach not covering risks
Australia would greatly benefit from a "slow down and learn approach" to managing possible risks from coal seam gas extraction given the near impossible challenge of modelling its impacts, argues Professor Alan Randall from the University of Sydney.

Endothelium research receives $4 million of support
Sydney doctor and philanthropist Tom Wenkart yesterday donated $4 million to endow the University of Sydney Wenkart Chair in Endothelium Medicine at the Centenary Institute.

Maybe
Honesty may be the best policy, but new research from the University of Sydney suggests that consumers feel more satisfied if they lie and get what they want than if they tell the truth. The study, to be published in the Journal of Consumer Research by Christina Anthony and Professor Elizabeth Cowley of the University of Sydney Business School , found that people who lie during a service encounter have more extreme reactions to the outcome than their honest peers.

New laboratory will fast track weapons against TB
A $1.2 million biosecurity laboratory which opened in Sydney this week will allow researchers to double their efforts to understand and combat tuberculosis.

Fulbright scholar will help computers understand us better
Research into how computers can better understand human language has won University of Sydney PhD candidate Dominick Ng a Fulbright Scholarship to spend eight months studying at UC Berkeley in the US.

Biomedical research advances through new Institute
The Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology (BMET) will be officially opened this evening at the University of Sydney and will significantly advance this highly multidisciplinary research for life sciences and medicine.

Root cause of dental phobia
Women in their forties are more likely to have dental anxiety than any other age group according to a University of Sydney study into dental anxiety and phobia.

Why do some heavy drinkers get liver cirrhosis and some don’t?
The US government is investing $2.5 million in a Sydney-based study to determine the role of genetics in alcoholic liver disease.

The annihilating effects of space travel
Long distance space travel could create the ultimate 'killer entrance', devastating your destination and anything around the arriving spacecraft, according to calculations by Professor Geraint Lewis and two honours students from the University of Sydney.

Music of the universe
By exploring the connections between astronomy and music, Professor Bryan Gaensler , from the University of Sydney, will introduce a chamber music concert celebrating Galileo.

How open source could help malaria treatment
In open source drug discovery all data and ideas are freely and immediately shared, and anyone may participate at any level. Mat Todd , from the University of Sydney's School of Chemistry , recently led a meeting titled Open Source Drug Discovery for Malaria, to discuss the application of the open source model to discovering drugs to treat malaria.

Asian origins of Machado-Joseph disease revealed
Knowledge of a disease prevalent among Northern Territory Indigenous communities has been overhauled thanks to research contributed by the University of Sydney's Garth Nicholson. "This advance in our understanding of the origins of Machado-Joseph Disease in Australia will hopefully contribute to the development of a cure of this debilitating condition which affects people from as young as 10-years-old," said Associate Professor Nicholson from the ANZAC Institute at the University.

Cartilage repair gel gives injuries a sporting chance
A cartilage gel being developed by tissue engineers and biochemists at the University of Sydney could bring increased mobility to people living with debilitating sports injuries.

Risky homes still being approved on Australia’s coast
New homes worth hundreds of millions of dollars are being approved in Australia's coastal zones under local government planning controls that haven't been updated to account for climate change impacts, warns a report launched today.

Problems with TGA transparency says study
The Therapeutic Goods Administration's record on medical device regulation lacks transparency according to research led by the University of Sydney.

Micro visit by EU Commissioner

Aquatic robot audits health of seabed
The watery depths of Western Australia's Ningaloo coast will be audited by marine engineers and scientists this week using an aquatic robot and technology developed by University of Sydney mechatronic experts. The innovative technology will assist scientists from the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in detailed mapping of the seabed communities of Ningaloo Reef's deeper waters, which form part of Australia's Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS).

Report shows strength of our China connections
By Richard North 24 February 2012 The strength of the University of Sydney's relationship with China has been highlighted in a new report issued by the Minster for Science and Research, Senator Chris Evans. The report, Science and Research Collaboration between Australia and China , shows that the University published more joint papers with China between 2000 and 2009 than any other Australian university - a total of 1396 papers, or 13.2 per cent of the market.

World-renowned scientist to head multidisciplinary centre tackling ’lifestyle diseases’
A world-renowned scientist whose research spans why locusts swarm to the dietary causes of ageing and human obesity has been appointed Academic Director of the University of Sydney's new multidisciplinary centre specialising in obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Indigneous family film screens in Berlin
A short film about an Indigenous family living a technologically engaged life in a remote region to the north-east of Darwin, has been screened in the prestigious Berlin international film festival (Berlinale).

Why Gender Matters: A Sydney Ideas forum
A leading international thinker in the field of gender and cultural studies, Professor Sara Ahmed , will feature in a Sydney Ideas panel this week that will explore the topic 'Why Gender Matters'.

Omega-3 linked with reduced risk for smallest babies
Omega-3 fatty acids may have a role in preventing heart attack or strokes in adults who were small at birth, according to University of Sydney researchers.

IPads show the way forward for medical imaging
Tablet computers such as the iPad are becoming more and more popular, but new research from the University of Sydney means they could soon be used in hospitals as a tool for doctors to view medical imaging. Results of the University of Sydney study, presented this month at the International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE) Medical Imaging conference in San Diego, show tablet computers such as the iPad are as good as standard LCD computer screens when used as secondary display devices for viewing medical imaging.

Do we needlessly fear sharks and spiders?
When and how do animals 'become' dangerous? In Australia, neither sharks nor spiders were considered serious hazards to human life until almost 100 years ago and we've been trying to quantify, control and exterminate these beasts ever since.

Surveillance in everyday life
Topics to be covered in the Surveillance and/in Everyday Life: Monitoring Pasts, Presents and Futures international conference include surveillance in the home, opinion mining on the internet, privat

Saltwater crocodile breeders to benefit from genome sequence
The genome sequence of the saltwater crocodile has been completed by an international collaboration of scientists, including researchers from the University of Sydney.

Recognition for research which will create jobs and reduce carbon footprint
For his work on catalysis and sustainable processes, including developing methods to create low carbon crude and heavy fuel oil substitutes, the University of Sydney's Professor Thomas Maschmeyer has been awarded the prestigious 2011 Applied Research Medal.

Engineering images bring life to submerged city

Quality audit commends the University of Sydney’s performance
The University of Sydney has been commended for its strong research performance and its successful efforts to build multidisciplinary and international research collaborations through its highly strategic approach to internationalisation.

Professor Ben Eggleton wins Walter Boas Medal
Professor Ben Eggleton, Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Ultrahigh bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems (CUDOS), in the School of Physics , has won the 2011 Walter Boas Medal from the Australian Institute of Physics.

People with chronic illness or disability face catastrophic costs, experts warn
Australians with a chronic illness or disability face serious levels of economic hardship, according to an article in the January issue of the Medical Journal of Australia .

Researcher wins top astronomy medal
Professor Joss Bland-Hawthorn, from the University of Sydney's School of Physics , has been awarded the prestigious 2012 Jackson-Gwilt Medal by the UK's Royal Astronomical Society.

$7 million injection into cancer research
Two University of Sydney cancer research teams have received almost $7 million in NSW government funding, announced at the Bernie Banton Centre today by the Minister for Health and Medical Research, Jillian Skinner.

Hotter homes produce smarter babies
A hotter home appears to produce babies with better cognitive abilities - but before you turn up the home heater to make your baby brainier, the research was conducted on the Australian lizard Bassiana duperreyi by researchers from the University of Sydney. Many traits in young reptiles are determined by the temperature of the nest, so Joshua Amiel , a PhD student in the School of Biological Sciences , and his supervisor, Professor Rick Shine , looked at how incubation temperature would affect the learning performance of these lizards.

New approach to diagnosing anorexia nervosa
A new approach for diagnosing patients with anorexia nervosa has been developed at the University of Sydney. The approach could have a significant impact on the treatment and recovery of sufferers, as well as reducing the strain on public health. As reported in the Sydney Morning Herald , Professor Stephen Touyz , of the University of Sydney's Centre for Eating and Dieting Disorders, advocates a move to diagnosing anorexia nervosa in stages of severity, similar to the method used for diagnosing cancer.

Dancing their falls away
Foxtrot, salsa, rumba! Twice weekly ballroom dancing classes for senior citizens could bring back the balance and strength needed to prevent falls in elderly Australians, according to University of Sydney researchers.

How good are your horse’s brakes?
Horseriding is a popular summer holiday activity, but few people know that horses kill more Australians annually than any other animal.

Grant funding will lead to a healthier Australia
More effective cancer treatments, heart disease research and evidence-based health care are the focus of some of the major successful programs announced today by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

University of Sydney achievement and ambition inspires donors to a record 2011

Adult sleep shortages debunked by study
University of Sydney researchers have debunked the widespread belief that technological devices such as computers and mobile phones are increasingly eating into our sleep.

University of Sydney professor joins leaders of Australia’s first National Mental Health Commission
Professor Ian Hickie, Executive Director of the University of Sydney's Brain and Mind Research Institute , has been named as one of eight commissioners to lead Australia's first National Mental Health Commission.

Alzheimer’s vaccine cures memory of mice
A vaccine that slows the progression of Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia has been developed by researchers at the University of Sydney's Brain and Mind Research Institute (BMRI). The vaccine, which targets a protein known as tau, prevents the ongoing formation of neurofibrillary tangles in the brain of a mouse with Alzheimer's disease.

Winners in the Australian Innovation Challenge
Two University of Sydney scientists have won Australian Innovation Challenge awards for their research - Professor Marcela Bilek, from the School of Physics , and her team won the Health award, while Professor Rick Shine from the School of Biological Sciences took out the Environment award.

Australians prefer investment in urban rail over high-speed services
More Australians want improved rail services in major cities than they want high-speed intercity rail, the latest quarterly national transport survey from the University of Sydney shows.

Lending a helping hand to develop African soil information
West African soil scientists are learning how to make the most out of sub-Saharan African soil during a six-week visit to the University of Sydney.

Young Australians’ lack good quality fruit and vegetable knowledge
A new survey of young Australians has found one in two don't know how many servings of fruit and vegetables to eat in a day, and even fewer know the serving sizes of common fruit and vegetables.

Finding a drop in the ocean
Relief for people living with neurological disorders, mental illness and even cancers may be close at hand thanks to Australia's first cyclotron dedicated to biomedical research.

Helmets off to legislation
Cycling levels in Sydney could more than double if laws forcing cyclists to wear helmets were repealed, according to new research published today in the Health Promotion Journal of Australia .

Project to target lung cancer tumours takes top ranking
A University of Sydney researcher developing significant advances in lung cancer treatments was recognised with a major award last night at the National Health and Medical Research Council's 75th Anniversary Gala Dinner and Awards.

Indian Ocean cocktail party leaves trail of party hats behind
Scientists have unexpectedly found traces of the supercontinent Gondwana in the Indian Ocean - in the process solving a mystery behind a large group of ocean 'mountains' known as seamounts, including Christmas Island. The German-Australian team of marine geologists set out on the German research vessel Sonne to map and sample about 60 seamounts - ranging in height from one to three kilometres - in one the world's largest volcanic seamount provinces off the north-west Australian coast.

Mother and baby research delivers fellowship
An associate professor who has led her field in obstetrics, gynaecology and neonatology research has been awarded a new National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Fellowship.

How do you mend a broken heart?
A study involving University of Sydney cardiac researchers has shown the loss of a loved one can really break your heart. Anastasia Susie Mihailidou , from the Sydney Medical School says when we lose someone we love it may feel as if our heart is breaking. Milhailidou, a clinical senior lecturer at Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH), is part of a multi-disciplinary team led by Professor Geoff Tofler, Professor of Medicine and Tom Buckley, Sydney Nursing School , based on the RNSH campus.