Archived News for Research Sector Professionals - February, 2014
A pilot program is using technology to bridge education barriers worldwide, by conducting courses through avatars in an entirely virtual world.
Lack of evidence prompts deeper look for wind farm effects
The National Health and Medical Research Council says there is no evidence that wind farms cause adverse health effects in humans, re-iterating the findings of virtually all credible studies on the matter.
Report plots new depths of political dislike
Australian politicians have broken new ground in the unpopularity stakes, with the nation electing its least favourite Prime Minister in decades.
Spinning nano-crystals find their own forms
Simply making certain nanoparticles spin causes them to leap into life, of a sort.
Unions' roles extolled in industrial study
A new study says that while Australian unions are not perfect, they still play an important role in enforcing minimum standards and certain regulations.
Chicken eyes give better view on new state of matter
The light-sensitive cells in the eye of a chicken represent the first known biological occurrence of a potentially new state of matter.
Phase change found for ultra-thin future
Breakthroughs have brought the possibility of functional ‘Mottronic’ devices a bit closer.
Rock finding sets back the clock on Earth, oceans and life
The oldest piece of the Earth’s crust ever seen has been uncovered in Western Australia.
Closed talks continue on medical, intellectual and economic future
A new round of Trans-Pacific Partnership talks have begun in Singapore, where trade ministers from twelve nations carve out the final parts of the far-reaching deal.
Lively liver cells created, transplanted and functioning in mice
Researchers have developed a method to turn skin cells into mature, fully functioning liver cells, that flourish after being transplanted into laboratory animals with liver failure.
New exoskeleton tops fit, comfort and movement stakes
A successful test has shown the future for prosthetics, with a fully-customised exoskeleton allowing a paralysed skier to walk for the first time in over twenty years.
Simple suggestions for more Medicare money
A health policy expert says Medicare improvements can be made by modifying peoples’ thinking, not how much they pay.
New centre plots ancient lines for modern help
A new research centre will use high-tech tools to investigate the history of the country’s first residents.
Strike starts over places and pay at UWA
Some staff at the University of Western Australia will take industrial action to escalate an ongoing pay dispute.
Young inventor finds cheap help for the blind
An inventor has slashed the price of Braille printers by thousands of dollars, but even more incredibly – he’s only 12 years old.
Carbon tax scenario shows cost of delay
The seemingly imminent repeal of the carbon tax is being prevented while Labor and the Greens hold the balance of power in the federal Senate, and new research has investigated how the efforts to end the carbon price may be hurting energy investments.
Devil destruction gives clues on cancer evolution
As Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) continues to ravage the world’s largest carnivorous marsupial, researchers say the treatment program is providing insights on influences for cancer evolution.
Fish-following boosted by rolling battery design
Engineers have created a tiny battery and sensor, no bigger than a grain of rice, which holds enough power to track the long migratory path of salmon.
Health grants fund broad range of vital efforts
The funds are flowing to help Australian researchers usher a new age of medical treatments, with the announcement of $134 million worth of health research grants.
New light links bend and stretch to future devices
Researchers worldwide are working on materials to better integrate humans with their technology, and a new development in the field of optics may provide a way to link it all together.
Ocean-going gourd spotted across the Atlantic
The bottle gourd has revealed itself to be a globe-trotting explorer, crossing the Atlantic Ocean several times to find work as a water-carrying device for early humans.