freelance science journalist and author
Science reporting
From ABC News in Science, 26 November 2014: Vultures manage to survive exposure to a host of nasty bacteria by keeping their own team of gut bacteria that outcompete even the most deadly pathogens, new research shows. The study of the gut microbiome of New World vultures, published today in Nature Communication, reveals a remarkably … Continue reading Vultures survive toxic diet with bacterial help
From ABC News in Science, 30 October 2014: The charismatic Australian bearded dragon changes colour in sync with its circadian rhythm, researchers have found. The study, published today in PLoS ONE , shows that the dragon continues to change from dark colours during the early part of the day, to light at night, even when … Continue reading Bearded dragon’s colour matches body clock
From ABC News in Science, 23 October 2014: People handling shopping receipts on a regular basis may want to avoid using hand sanitiser. New research suggests the combination can increase absorption of the hormone-mimicking chemical BPA. The study found that bisphenol A — or BPA — on shopping receipts printed on thermal paper was easily … Continue reading Hand sanitisers boost BPA absorption from receipts
From ABC News in Science, 25 September 2014: The eyeless, cave-dwelling form of the Mexican tetra fish (Astyanax mexicanus) has surrendered its circadian rhythm for the sake of saving energy in its pitch-black habitat. The absence of a day/night cycle in the cave-dweller’s metabolism has resulted in a 27 per cent saving in energy use, … Continue reading Blind cavefish ditches circadian rhythm to save energy
From ABC News in Science, 23 September 2014: The evolution of fire may have had major social impacts, as well as transforming our diet, according to new research. Research among the Bushmen of the Kalahari has found sitting around a campfire at night enables conversations, storytelling, and social bonding that rarely happens during daylight. Study … Continue reading Campfire chat a chance for social bonding
From ABC News in Science, 2 September 2014: We are not born with the ability to lie and distrust, but appear to acquire these ‘skills’ at around seven years of age, researchers have found. The team of child psychologists and game theorists published their results today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. … Continue reading Lies and distrust a part of life at seven
From ABC News in Science, 14 August 2014: Prehistoric Egyptians practised mummification well before the time of the Pharaohs, suggests an analysis of resin-soaked linen. A team of Australian and British researchers investigated samples of wrappings taken from bodies found in the earliest known ancient Egyptian cemeteries — 4500 BC to 3350 BC — in … Continue reading Egyptian mummification began before the Pharaohs
From ABC News in Science, 22 August 2014: The canola plant is set for an overhaul to boost its oil content, make it more disease-resistant, and help it adapt to climate change, thanks to the sequencing of its genome. An international team of scientists report the sequencing of the Brassica napus genome today in Science … Continue reading Canola genome paves the way for better crops
From ABC News in Science, 9 July 2014: Plant-eating tropical fish species are causing serious damage to algae and kelp forests in sub-tropical and temperate regions around the world, an international team of experts warn. The findings come from a review published today in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, which suggests that climate … Continue reading Tropical fish threaten kelp and algae
From ABC News in Science, 9 July 2014: Would you continue gambling on a poker machine if you knew there was no chance of winning the jackpot? Setting a ‘jackpot expiry’ time limit for a poker machine causes gamblers to walk away sooner, a new Australian study shows. The research, published in the Journal of … Continue reading ‘Jackpot expiry’ limits gambling losses
Bianca Nogrady 