Category: Science

Science reporting

Ancient bubbles in Pilbara rock show Earth had thin atmosphere 2.7b years ago

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From ABC Science, 10 May 2016: Air bubbles trapped in 2.7 billion-year-old lava flows in the Pilbara suggest the Earth’s atmosphere weighed less than half that of today and was far thinner than previously thought. The discovery has forced a rethink of how the Earth managed to stay relatively ice-free during that period, despite the … Continue reading Ancient bubbles in Pilbara rock show Earth had thin atmosphere 2.7b years ago

No trace of Neanderthal DNA on Y chromosome of modern men

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From ABC News in Science, 8 April 2016: Modern men have no traces of Neanderthal DNA on their Y chromosome, the first-ever analysis of the male Neanderthal sex chromosome has revealed. The Y chromosome is passed exclusively from father to son. Until now, all sequencing of the Neanderthal genome had been done on females because … Continue reading No trace of Neanderthal DNA on Y chromosome of modern men

Human embryos cultured in lab for record time a ‘major step forward’ that opens ethical debate

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From ABC News in Science, 5 May 2016: For the first time, scientists have kept human embryos alive in the laboratory for six days beyond the point at which it would normally implant into the uterus. Two separate groups of scientists today report in Nature and Nature Cell Biology their successful development of human embryos … Continue reading Human embryos cultured in lab for record time a ‘major step forward’ that opens ethical debate

Three planets discovered orbiting nearby cool small star ‘best places to look for life’

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From ABC News in Science, 3 May 2016: Astronomers have discovered three planets orbiting the habitable zone of an ultra-cool dwarf star just 40 light-years from Earth. The discovery, reported today in Nature, is the first evidence supporting the hypothesis that these very low-mass and low-temperature stars should have Earth-sized or smaller planets orbiting them. … Continue reading Three planets discovered orbiting nearby cool small star ‘best places to look for life’

Australian cryptologists concerned by restrictive exports law

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From Nature News, 22 March 2016: Researchers in Australia are worried that an unusually restrictive ‘export controls’ law that comes into force in April could constrain their academic freedom. The law, called the Defence Trade Controls Act, will require academics who are working on applied research that is classified as ‘dual-use’ — that which may … Continue reading Australian cryptologists concerned by restrictive exports law

Southern right whale study quantifies impact of whaling in New Zealand’s waters

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From ABC News in Science, 16 March 2016: The population of southern right whales in the waters off New Zealand is just 12 per cent of its size before whaling began, according to a new study. The research, published in Royal Society Open Science, highlighted the slow path to recovery from whaling in this area, … Continue reading Southern right whale study quantifies impact of whaling in New Zealand’s waters

Moods may have an evolutionary purpose

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From ABC Science, 4 November 2015: Moods, both positive and negative, may actually serve an evolutionary purpose in helping us to have more realistic expectations. Researchers have used mathematical modelling to show that our mood may be a subconscious way for us to keep track of the availability of rewards in our environment, and to … Continue reading Moods may have an evolutionary purpose

The demise of science journalism and rise of science communication?

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Am I a science journalist or a science communicator? It might seem like a pointless question to ask, but as someone whose day-to-day living kinda of revolves around this issue, it’s actually quite important. Contemplating this led me to realise that I actually don’t really know what the point of difference is between a science … Continue reading The demise of science journalism and rise of science communication?

Ancient teeth point to earliest modern humans in southern China

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From ABC News in Science, 15 October 2015: Modern humans may have occupied southern China at least 30,000 years earlier than previously thought. Archaeologists have found 47 Homo sapiens teeth closely resembling our own, dated from 80,000-120,000 years old, in a cave in Hunan province, according to a letter published today in Nature. The discovery … Continue reading Ancient teeth point to earliest modern humans in southern China

Black Death plague pathogen thousands of years older than first thought

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From ABC News in Science, 23 October 2015: The microbe responsible for the Black Death plagues was infecting Bronze Age humans more than 3,000 years earlier than the pandemics it is most notorious for. Early forms of the bacteria, Yersinia pestis, have been found in Bronze Age human teeth up to 5,000 years old, according … Continue reading Black Death plague pathogen thousands of years older than first thought