Author: Bianca Nogrady

Bianca Nogrady is an Australian freelance science journalist, broadcaster and author - www.biancanogrady.com - @biancanogrady

Australia plans ‘national-interest’ test for research grants

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From Nature, 31 October 2018: Australia’s government is set to introduce a ‘national-interest test’ for research projects seeking grant funding from next year. The policy will require that researchers outline how their project will advance the country’s interests, said education minister Dan Tehan in a statement released on 31 October. “The value of specific projects … Continue reading Australia plans ‘national-interest’ test for research grants

Australian academics fear political interference following vetoed projects

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From Nature, 30 October 2018: Australian universities and researchers have condemned the actions of a government minister who vetoed projects that had been selected for funding by expert panels. Academics say that the government’s interference has undermined the integrity of the peer-review system and could damage the country’s reputation as a desirable place to do … Continue reading Australian academics fear political interference following vetoed projects

As Australia’s mining boom wanes, rehabilitation of abandoned mines offers lessons for the world

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From Ensia magazine, 11 October 2018: The 1986 Australian film Crocodile Dundee brought global fame to its leading man Paul Hogan, but the real star of the show was the vast, ancient landscape of the World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park. Kakadu is the jewel in the crown of Australia’s national parks, but this unique wilderness … Continue reading As Australia’s mining boom wanes, rehabilitation of abandoned mines offers lessons for the world

Japanese rover lands on ancient asteroid for 16 hour-mission

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From Nature, 4 October 2018: A third rover has touched down on the surface of asteroid Ryugu, marking a hat-trick of successful landings for the Japanese Hayabusa2 space mission. Earlier today, the shoe-box-sized Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout (MASCOT) separated from the Hayabusa2 probe, which had moved temporarily to 51 metres from the asteroid’s surface. The … Continue reading Japanese rover lands on ancient asteroid for 16 hour-mission

Stem cells can help us ‘build a human heart in a dish’ — but what are they, really?

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From ABC Science, 22 September 2018: Stem cell transplants smell like creamed corn, apparently. Petras learned this as he was undergoing treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.He’d already received chemotherapy to kill the cancerous cells coursing through his lymphatic system, but the disease had bounced back. The best option to save his life was to carpet-bomb his … Continue reading Stem cells can help us ‘build a human heart in a dish’ — but what are they, really?

Australian fur-seal pups in decline for first time in three decades

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From Nature News, 5 September 2018: Numbers of Australian fur-seal (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) pups have declined for the first time in more than three decades, according to a study published on 5 September. Researchers compared the latest count, collected in 2013-14, with an overall trend in the population since monitoring began in 1986. Pup numbers … Continue reading Australian fur-seal pups in decline for first time in three decades

These mice have brains that are part human. So are they mice, or men?

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From ABC Science, 29 July 2018: In Greek mythology, the chimera was a beast of fire and fury; a terrifying creation part-lion, part-goat, part-serpent, and all destruction. It took demigod Bellerophon to slay the monster, driving a lead-tipped lance into its throat. One wonders what Bellerophon might have made of the chimeras running around Steve … Continue reading These mice have brains that are part human. So are they mice, or men?

In Australia’s Snowy Mountains, a battle over brumbies

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From Undark magazine, 25 July 2018: The peatlands that drape the high, treeless slopes surrounding Australia’s tallest peak form a natural archive. “They are unusual bits of landscape in that they actually record their own history,” says Geoffrey Hope, an environmental historian at the Australian National University, who has been studying these unique bogs for … Continue reading In Australia’s Snowy Mountains, a battle over brumbies

Nudge tactics spark drop in antibiotic scripts

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From The Medical Republic, 5 July 2018: The most effective way to get GPs to reduce antibiotic prescriptions is to show them how much more they prescribe compared with their peers, according to a government-led behavioural economics intervention. Inspired by similar initiatives from the UK government’s Behavioural Insights Team – colloquially known as the “Nudge … Continue reading Nudge tactics spark drop in antibiotic scripts