Medicine & Health
Getting blood donors back in the chair
ABC Health & Wellbeing | Nov 2019
Blood donors can save three lives in under an hour. But how people feel about giving blood — before, during and after their donation — is complicated, and it can stop people from going back to donate again.
Plastic Found Inside More Than 50% of Plaques From Clogged Arteries
Science Alert | March 2024
This could be bad for heart health.
Part two: Microplastics Found in Blood Clots in Heart, Brain, And Legs
A Crucial Pattern Behind Long COVID May Have Been Identified
SCience Alert | Oct 2023
A link seems to exist between four proposed mechanisms.
Can the world really stop wild polio by the end of 2023?
Nature News | Aug 2023
Given that global efforts to eradicate the poliovirus were recently described as unsuccessful, how are Afghanistan and Pakistan now on the verge of eliminating it?
As COVID-19 cases rose, so did diabetes — no one knows why
Nature News | July 2023
The spike in childhood type 1 diabetes opened new avenues for researchers to explore the cause of the disease.
Knee brace may help torn anterior cruciate ligaments heal themselves
New Scientist | June 2023
In a study involving 80 people with ruptured anterior cruciate ligaments, 90 per cent had signs of healing after three months of wearing a specialised knee brace
Scientists Think They've Found The Cause of Morning Sickness
SCIENCE ALERT | JUNE 2023
After decades of searching, researchers have singled out one hormone which acts on the brain to cause vomiting as the likely cause.
Bathing Through the Ages: 1300–1848
The Scientist | March 2023
Public bathing, ubiquitous around the world and through the ages, plays an often-unappreciated role in public health.
Striking new research tabled at Kathleen Folbigg inquiry
Cosmos | Nov 2022
Previously unseen scientific evidence was presented on day two of the latest inquiry into Kathleen Folbigg’s conviction. Is it a game-changer?
Many anterior cruciate ligament knee injuries can heal without surgery
New Scientist | Nov 2022
About 30 per cent of tears in the anterior cruciate ligament that supports the knee heal within two years with strengthening exercises, challenging the common assumption that surgery is always needed.
What to do about opioids
Cosmos Weekly | Sept 2022
North America is in the grip of a decades-long opioid epidemic that has cast a shadow over the treatment of chronic pain. Can Australia find another way?
Lupus Patients Go Into Remission in 'Spectacular' Immunotherapy Trial
Science Alert | Sept 2022
"I have to say that blew us away."
Why we need nasal-spray vaccines
Cosmos Weekly | Sept 2022
Nasal-spray vaccines could help ease the toll of COVID-19. But developing them for the flu and other respiratory viruses hasn’t been easy.
Diabetes risk rises after COVID, massive study finds
Nature News | march 2022
Even mild SARS-CoV-2 infections can amplify a person’s chance of developing diabetes, especially for those already susceptible to the disease.
Deciphering the cryptic codes of autoimmune disease
COSMOS WEEKLY | FEB 2022
The growing burden of autoimmune diseases and worrying lifestyle trends has researchers looking for better treatment options for both rare and common illnesses.
Three, four or more: what’s the magic number for booster shots?
NATURE NEWS | JAN 2022
COVID vaccine boosters are proving a useful tool against Omicron, but scientists say that endless boosting might not be a practical or sustainable strategy.
Ventilating complaints about air standards
Cosmos Weekly | July 2021
The world has finally accepted that the COVID-19 virus is spread on the air, and mainly indoors. So why haven’t ventilation standards been updated for buildings?
Eating disorders and energy deficiency: athletes straddle fine line in pursuit of goals
THE GUARDIAN | MAY 2021
A mismatch between energy intake and output can lead to long-lasting health consequences and elite sport is just the tip of the iceberg, experts say.
'I don't know myself': What happens when you go off the pill after 10 years
ABC EVERYDAY | July 2021
It could be a bumpy ride or something to embrace.
Surprise Discovery in The Human Spleen Could 'Redefine' What We Know About Malaria
Science Alert | May 2021
It explains so much.
The highs and lows of immunotherapy
Oncology Republic | Mar 2021
Despite some stunning results, specialists and patients alike are wrestling with the everyday uncertainty of whether immunotherapies will work and if they do, for how long.
Is natural skincare really better for you?
ABC Everyday | Jan 2021
Skin experts say natural beauty — or 'clean' beauty — is a clever marketing technique and doesn't necessarily make products safer or more suitable for your skin.
Do collagen supplements really help your muscles grow and skin glow?
ABC Life | Sept 2020
What the science says about claims collagen supplements are the key to healthy skin, bones and joints as we age.
How countries are using genomics to help avoid a second coronavirus wave
NATURE NEWS | MAY 2020
As many countries emerge from lockdowns, researchers are poised to use genome sequencing to avoid an expected second wave of COVID-19 infections.
Being a new dad and working at the hospital frontlines during coronavirus
ABC LIfe | April 2020
How two new fathers are managing the stress at work and risk of bringing the virus home.
“I’m towing a jumbo jet” – Life with MND
The Stand | March 2018
Justin Yerbury has dedicated his scientific career to finding a cure for the disease that has haunted his family. As Motor Neurone Disease takes hold of his body, he reflects on his path, his prognosis, and the people he loves.