Hot Topics

AusSMC blog: Where is the science in the ABC’s ‘I can change your mind about…climate’?

Tue Apr 24, 2012

Stephan Lewandowsky asks whether the science is missing from the ABC documentary “I can change your mind about … climate”

NEWS BRIEFING: The dangers of youth – a Lancet series on adolescent health

Mon Apr 23, 2012

Embargo lifted at 9.01am AEST Wed 25 April 2012 NEWS BRIEFING:  The dangers of youth – a Lancet series on adolescent health ONLINE BRIEFING – Tue 24 April at 9.30am AEST There are around 4.8 million adolescents (those aged 10-24 years) in Australia today, comprising around a fifth of our total population. However, new research [...]

ROUND-UP: Protein with dual benefit for bone health (Nature*) – experts respond

Wed Apr 18, 2012

EMBARGO LIFTED at 3am AEST 19 April, 2012 Japanese researchers report on a protein that protects bones by promoting bone formation and limiting bone breakdown in mice. The authors conclude that if this protein plays a similar role in humans then it may pave the way for the development of therapeutic agents for bone and [...]

RAPID REACTION: National Greenhouse Accounts released – experts respond

Tue Apr 17, 2012

The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency has today released the latest National Greenhouse Accounts which compare Australia’s emissions to our Kyoto Protocol obligations. The Accounts show Australia’s carbon pollution is currently tracking at 104 per cent of 1990 levels. Australia’s Kyoto Protocol target is to limit emissions to108 per cent of 1990 levels, [...]

RAPID REACTION: Indonesian earthquake and tsunami warning – experts respond

Wed Apr 11, 2012

According to the US Geological Survey, a magnitude 8.6 earthquake has struck off the coast of Sumatra in Indonesia at 6:38pm tonight AEST. For more information see the US Geological Survey website. Below seismologists and tsunami experts from Australia, America and the UK respond. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre has a warning in place.

ROUND-UP: How vaccine scares unfold (PLoS Computational Biology*) – an Expert responds

Thu Apr 5, 2012

EMBARGO LIFTED at 7am AEST Fri 6 Apr 2012 US researchers have used mathematical models to show how worries over vaccine risks affect vaccine uptake within the community. The study shows how to predict ways in which population vaccinating behaviour might unfold during a vaccine scare, testing the model against real data from two infamous [...]

RAPID REACTION: The end of the war on drugs? – experts respond

Tue Apr 3, 2012

The think-tank Australia 21 has today released a report urging Australia to reopen the national debate about drug use, its regulation and control. Here an Australian drug expert comments.

RAPID REACTION: CSIRO reaps Wi-Fi windfall – experts respond

Mon Apr 2, 2012

The Minister for Science and Research, Senator Chris Evans, today announced CSIRO had successfully settled litigation in the United States to licence the wireless local area network (WLAN) technology, invented in Australia in the 1990s. The technology, which came out of CSIRO’s work on radioastronomy, is today used in more than three billion devices worldwide [...]