An Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) survey found most Aussies would adopt a healthier lifestyle if they knew more about ways of reducing their risk of dementia, but only one in three are confident in their knowledge of how to reduce the risk. The Dementia Awareness Survey collected information on how much Aussies know about dementia. In addition to the findings about healthier lifestyles, the survey found one in five respondents mistakenly believe that dementia is a normal part of the ageing process, nearly all were engaged in healthy activities that reduce dementia risk, but ..read more

*BRIEFING RECORDING NOW AVAILABLE* We must protect the future of the Murray-Darling Basin, according to Aussie experts who say climate change is threatening the river's health and sustainability. Ten of Australia's leading water experts have contributed to a new commentary from the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering (ATSE). A comprehensive and independent assessment of the future of the Murray-Darling Basin, the series highlights the vibrant, thriving potential of the Basin if sustainably managed for the benefit of communities and the environment. The series warns w ..read more

A team of conservation and policy researchers have called for a logging loophole within the proposed Great Koala National Park to be urgently remedied to stem the tide of harmful outcomes impacting the South East Australian koala population. The new report published in the International Journal of Social Quality highlighted exclusion of prime koala habitat from logging within the proposed park was inconsistent with koala protection efforts ..read more

The current method of measuring heart disease risk leaves many women undiagnosed, according to international researchers who used AI to find better ways to detect heart disease in women. Using AI models, the team found that women are underdiagnosed twice as often as men for certain heart conditions, and after testing thousands of possible factors to improve detection, they found electrocardiograms (EKGs) were most effective at improving disease detection in men and women. Traditionally, heart disease risk is measured using the Framingham Risk score, which is based on factors such as age, sex ..read more

A University of Adelaide study of shallow-water fish communities on rocky reefs in south-eastern Australia has found climate change is helping tropical fish species invade temperate Australian waters. According to the team, the fish are travelling the Australian ecosystems as larvae caught in the Eastern Australian Current. They would not normally survive in the cooler Australian ocean water, but the warming Eastern Australian Current keeps the baby fish warm and increases their likelihood of survival, they say ..read more

Sure, ChatGPT can write a poem about your pet in the style of T.S Eliot, but generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots have a potentially more useful role to play in idea generation according to a new study by University of Technology Sydney health researchers ..read more

Lateropulsion, a clinical condition that results in the body leaning to one side affects about half of all stroke survivors. In recent research, the team found that lateropulsion could continue to resolve up to one-year post-stroke, far beyond the period of in-patient rehabilitation. Average in-patient length of stay following a stroke varies, but for those patients presenting with lateropulsion, in-patient stay was about three to four weeks longer compared to those without, they say. Edith Cowan University (ECU) PhD graduate Dr Jessica Nolan said while the problem is common, lateropulsion is ..read more

A Curtin University study has revealed breeding less-flatulent cows and restoring agricultural land could significantly reduce rising methane emission levels, which play a considerable role in climate change ..read more

Engineers have invented energy-efficient bricks with scrap materials, including glass, that are normally destined for landfill. Test results indicate that using these bricks in the construction of a single-storey building could reduce household energy bills by up to 5% compared to regular bricks, due to improved insulation ..read more

A team of Adelaide and US researchers has discovered a link between a less common form of rheumatoid arthritis and gene mutations found in blood cancer. The team was surprised to discover that many patients with mutations in epigenetic genes that can lead to a lazy marrow (myelodysplasia) or acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), also had a form of seronegative arthritis ..read more