Could you be a metal head?
Clare Varcoe, Feature writier
May 12, 2018
Advances in 3D printing and titanium use in skull injury means you could be. In Perth, 600 people a year need skull repairing surgery, and 68% is trauma-related, from either injury or sport. Research led by the Royal Perth Hospital and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital has revealed that titanium plate...
Growing organs for science
Jacob Vantuil, ECU Reporter
May 10, 2018
Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) is finding a way to treat kidney diseases, using gene-editing technology and stem cell kidney-regeneration research. They aim to correct serious gene mutations in lab-grown “mini kidneys”. According to a study published by The American Journal of Human ...
Treatment by terrarium
Sasha Parissis, ECU Reporter
May 10, 2018
A terrarium is a ‘mini-greenhouse’ with therapeutic benefits. Mostly used for decoration and to create ambience in a space; terrariums are indoor gardens in a sealed container. According to interior design firm Ambius: “The plants and the soil in the terrarium release water vapour – essentially recycling water. Th...
Birthing rural babies
Lara Pellegrini, Feature writer
May 9, 2018
For many women in rural towns, their journey to giving birth is not as easy as those who live in cities. The isolation from resources makes their pregnancies more vulnerable. Statistics from 2012, indicate that 30% of all Australian births occurred in outer metropolitan hospitals and that 57% of these...
The colour of stars
Tim Cornish, Feature writer
May 9, 2018
The marketing materials put out by Astrofest were tempting but confusing. The words were about science and innovation but the images were more about science fiction. Arriving on a cool evening in March to check out the annual event hosted by Curtin University I found a weird and wonderful mixture of...
Understanding autism differently
Sarsha Tombides, Feature Writer
May 8, 2018
“I don’t understanding what ‘normal’ is, but I can walk past a thousand people and then the thousand and first I will be like, he’s like me, he has autism,” explained 16-year-old Kale. Dr Liz Pellicano from Macquarie University is changing the way scientists think about autism. To truly...
Study drugs and the long term risk
Jack Slattery, Feature Writer
May 8, 2018
When you’ve got a scary deadline coming at you fast, and a mountain of reading and writing to get done; it’s natural to become anxious about the prospect of not being able to complete what is required in the remaining time. For some, a cup of hot coffee and a silent room is all that's needed to focus...
Space radiation: new dangers in the great beyond
Eddie Scown, Feature Writer
May 8, 2018
We have always known that space is a dangerous place. It’s very cold, you’re always falling, and there’s no air. It all seems a recipe for disaster, yet we have boldly gone, and we continue to boldly go. Even now, there are 6 people hurtling around Earth in the International Space Station at an...
The truth about apple cider vinegar
Connor Mallis
May 3, 2018
David “Avocado” Wolfe claims that there are 10 "amazing" benefits of consuming Apple Cider Vinegar before going to bed. Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is created when you leave apples and in water at room temperature until the natural sugars ferment and form ethanol. While Wolfe, and others like...
Life in a petri dish
Ebony Garlett, Reporter
May 3, 2018
What makes us human? Is it our brain, or our body? American TV thriller Westworld season 1 says it’s our memories. Scientists and philosophers are asking questions about consciousness, as researchers race to find the cure for disorders. In a bid to learn more about disorders such as Parkinson's...
Pillow Talk: Unlock your dreams with B6
Venine Palm, Reporter
May 3, 2018
Whether it is because you had a profound business idea that could make you the next Mark Zuckerberg, or if it is to confront your demons, it is safe to say many people have wanted to remember what their brains got up to in their sleep. In a study published in the journal of Perceptual and Motor Skills , researchers from the University of Adelaide have fou...
Genetic breakthough on hair colour
Bella Sardelis, Reporter
May 3, 2018
Have you ever wondered why your hair is a certain colour? A group of 45 scientists from seven countries have discovered which genes determine hair colour. A group of scientists conducted a genome-wide association meta-analysis study, based on 300,000 participants of European descent. In the study, scientists identified 123 different types of genes and an X-chromosome significantly associated with hair colour. The researchers found that early humans had darker hair pigmentation, which protected their skin from high ultraviolet radiation. Later lighter pigmentation of hair began to evolve in European and Asia...