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Fresh Science 2005:
The
stories - the people
-
the events |
Back L-R:
Matt Gordon, Mark Quigley, Tom Karagiannis, Fabiano Ximenes
Centre Standing L-R: Ian Salmon, Natalie Sinn, Timothy Nelson, Caroline Lee,
Romina Rader, Jacinda Woodhead (Organiser)
Centre Seated L-R: Herbert Volk, Helena Bailes, Sophia Tragoulias, Tim
Thwaites (Organiser), Jenni Metcalfe (Organiser), Neville Young
Front L-R: Niall Byrne (Organiser), Sarah Brooker (Organiser) |
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| The
stories |
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Hunting mice in trees
There is more than we know in the rainforest canopy
A crane-driving young
woman is revealing a whole new world of life in the canopy of the Australian
rainforest. Already she has found that the native
prehensile-tailed mouse, once considered rare, is in fact, common and
significant in the tree tops.
Romina Rader,
Rainforest CRC,
James Cook University |
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Sheep
smarter than we think
Armidale sheep put to the test in a complex maze
Sheep are
smarter than we think. They can learn and remember, according to CSIRO
researchers from Armidale in NSW. They've developed a complex maze test
to measure intelligence and learning in sheep, similar to those used for
rats and mice.
Dr
Caroline Lee, CSIRO Livestock, Cheswick
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Sight for
sore eyes: ancient fish see colour
The
Australian lungfish—one of the world’s oldest fishes and related to our
ancient ancestors—may have been viewing rivers in technicolour long
before dinosaurs roamed the Earth. These unusual fish have genes for
five different forms of visual pigment in their eyes. Humans only have
three.
Helena Bailes, University of Queensland |
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Smart bomb for cancer therapy
A new system for directing radiation
to target cells has been developed in Melbourne. The new targeting
system has the potential to specifically destroy cancer cells with
minimal damage to healthy tissues.
Tom Karagiannis, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
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Train on simulators not patients
A young Adelaide engineer has
developed a simulator to help health professionals learn how to properly perform
the common ‘pen torch’ examination of the eyes – an essential test for signs of
brain dysfunction. EyeSim will allow trainees to
practise without distress to real patients - in the same way that pilots
practise using flight simulators.
Timothy Nelson,
Flinders University |
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Strangling
tumours in bid to halt cancer
It may be possible to halt cancer in its tracks by
blocking a gene critical to building tumour supply lines.
Most tumours need a blood supply to grow. The
problem until now has been cutting it off without cutting off the rest
of the body's blood as well.
Dr
Neville Young, University of Queensland
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It's life,
but not as we know it
Billion year old bacteria in NT rocks and bugs from outer
space
Researchers from the CSIRO, Sydney University and
Colorado State University have developed a means of detecting signs of ancient
microbes which may have lived on Earth or come from outer space. The group has
already picked up
signs of bacteria more than a billion years old inside rocks from the Northern
Territory.Herbert Volk,
CSIRO Petroleum |
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Wings that sing
Sound could stop light planes from stalling
Sound can be used to control the flow
of air over an aircraft’s wing, greatly boosting its lift. This idea is being
developed for use in a new generation of
light aircraft.Ian Salmon, Qantas Airways
and University of New South Wales
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Study takes the sting out of tropical swimming
Box jellyfish are capable of moving
several kilometres a day, but seem to stay within a relatively short stretch of
beachfront. The first ever detailed study of the movements of the
potentially lethal animals aims to make Australia’s
tropical beaches safer by developing a computer model capable of predicting
where and when they will occur.
Matt Gordon, Tropical Australian Stinger Research
Unit, James Cook University
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Not a dry eye in the house
What are tears made of?
A new
understanding of the composition of tears may bring relief to the
millions of people worldwide who suffer from the eye irritation, constant
blinking and sensitivity to wind, smoke or air conditioning known as ‘dry eye’.
Sophia Tragoulias,
PAREXEL |
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Fish oil
helps attention deficit in children
A commercially
available dietary supplement high in omega-3 fatty acid can improve the attention and behaviour of children
with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Natalie Sinn, University of South Australia and CSIRO Nutrition. |
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Did the
earth move for you?
Recent Australian earthquakes
In the past 100,000 years,
Australia has been hit by at least five large, landscape-changing
earthquakes. Each was at least 10 times as big as the 1989 Newcastle
earthquake, which caused $1.5 billion damage. And we can
expect more.Mark Quigley, University of Melbourne |
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Wood, the local tip and climate
change
How long does paper last?
Burying
wood products such as floor boards and furniture in landfill sites can effectively prevent them
from contributing to global warming. This means that timber can be a greenhouse friendly material, if the products are
properly disposed of at the end of their life.
Fabiano
Ximenes, Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Accounting
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The Fresh Science 2005 forum ran from 15 to 18 August 2005, in Melbourne during National Science
Week. The program was based at the State Library of Victoria.
Finalists presented at the following Melbourne events:
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Fresh
Science at the Redback -
A pub event in North Melbourne that asked the fresh
scientists to encapsulate their science in under 45 seconds (the
length of a sparkler) and to fit their science into a haiku or
limerick.
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Fresh Science at the State Library of Victoria
- The State Library of Victoria hosted daily forums daily in the Experimedia studio. Designed for both students and the general
public, the 13 scientists talked about their discoveries and
answered questions.
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