news

People on the autism spectrum are predisposed to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a new study from The Australian National University (ANU) and the University of Queensland has shown. The research also found PTSD can lead to the aggravation of core traits of autism such as repetitive behaviour.

New evidence of one of the first cities in the Pacific shows they were established much earlier than previously thought, according to new research from The Australian National University (ANU). The study used aerial laser scanning to map archaeological sites on the island of Tongatapu in Tonga. Lead author, PhD scholar Phillip Parton, said the new timeline also indicates that urbanisation in the Pacific was an indigenous innovation that developed before Western influence.

Daylight savings has a long history and surprising health risks. But little hacks can help us feel well when the clock changes. The clock will move back an hour this weekend in most Australian states and territories as Daylight Savings Time (DST) comes to an end in the wee hours of Sunday 7 April. This means that at 3am the clock turns back to 2am.

Researchers from The Australian National University (ANU) have made a  discovery  about a little understood protein in the human body that could help treat diseases that cause seizures, including epilepsy. The researchers examined the 'force-sensing' protein, or mechanical protein, which is responsible for physical touch and brain development.

A supportive workplace, work-life balance and a connection to rural communities are all key to retaining doctors in rural and remote areas of Australia, according to a new study from The Australian National University (ANU). The study involved two groups of general practitioners - those who'd completed their training in Australia and those who'd trained internationally - now working in regional NSW.

A study of more than 11,000 Australians who tested positive to COVID-19 in 2022 has revealed almost one-in-five were still experiencing ongoing symptoms three months after their initial diagnosis, according to new research from The Australian National University (ANU). The study was conducted in Western Australia (WA), with participants drawn from the almost 71,000 adults who tested positive to COVID-19 in WA between 16 July 2022 and 3 August 2022.

Forest regeneration projects that have received tens of millions of carbon credits and dominate Australia's carbon offset scheme have had negligible impact on woody vegetation cover and carbon sequestration, new research from The Australian National University (ANU) has found. The research was undertaken in collaboration with Haizea Analytics, University of New South Wales (UNSW) and the University of Queensland, and analysed 182 human-induced regeneration (HIR) projects.

Scientists from The Australian National University (ANU) have discovered a gene mutation is responsible for causing psoriasis - a chronic inflammatory skin disease that causes patients to develop red, scaly and itchy patches across their body. According to ANU researcher Dr Chelisa Cardinez, if two copies of this mutated gene (known as IKBKB) are present, patients with psoriasis may go on to develop psoriatic arthritis, leaving them with joint pain, stiffness and swelling.

A new evaluation from The Australian National University (ANU) of the number of swift parrots left in the wild has confirmed their population size is likely only a few hundred and declining rapidly. A 2020 ANU study estimated the number could be as low as 300 - much lower than previously thought. The researchers have now been able to reassess that estimate using new methods.

New research substantiates the mind-bending astrophysics behind the famous sci-fi novel turned Netflix saga, The Three-Body Problem, and solves an interstellar murder mystery billions of years in the making. It's the coldest of cold cases. An interstellar murder mystery that originated so long ago and so far away that the crime scene lurks beyond the reaches of forensic science.

Seismic waves from a 2010 earthquake more than 600 km under Spain were the clues leading to an unexpected discovery of a subducted oceanic plate that had flipped over, according to new research from The Australian National University (ANU). The waveforms show a plate beneath the western Mediterranean that descended rapidly into the Earth's mantle and overturned so that the water it carried as it sunk is now further below the surface.

People's feelings about how morally divided a society is in the lead-up to an election can cause them to have extreme reactions if the result doesn't go their way, like the 6 January 2021 attacks on the US Capitol, new research from The Australian National University (ANU) has shown. The researchers argue that voters' sense of division, even if inflated and misguided, can prove crucial.

The fastest-growing black hole ever recorded - devouring the equivalent of one sun every day - has been discovered by researchers at The Australian National University (ANU). Lead author Associate Professor Christian Wolf from ANU said it's a record he doesn't think will ever be beaten.   "The incredible rate of growth also means a huge release of light and heat," Associate Professor Wolf said.

We now know more about the diet of a prehistoric creature that grew up to two and a half metres long and lived in Australian waters during the time of the dinosaurs, thanks to the power of X-rays and a team of scientists at The Australian National University (ANU) and the Australian Museum Research Institute (AMRI).

A clever protein inside the immune system could be used as a "weapon" against a common bacteria that in extreme cases is responsible for causing deadly flesh-eating disease, scientists from The Australian National University (ANU) have found. The protein helps detect and warn against the potentially lethal bacteria, Clostridium perfringens.

More magnesium in our daily diet leads to better brain health as we age, according to scientists from the Neuroimaging and Brain Lab at The Australian National University (ANU). The researchers say an  increased intake of magnesium-rich foods such as spinach and nuts could also help reduce the risk of dementia, which is the second leading cause of death in Australia and the seventh biggest killer globally.

E-cigarette use among young Australians has increased "alarmingly" in recent years, as a major peer-reviewed study led by The Australian National University (ANU) confirms the risks to health vaping poses. Published in the Medical Journal of Australia , the study builds on a 2022 ANU report on e-cigarettes , with additional peer-review and evidence from more than 400 studies and reports.

Starting life in captivity can change the wing shape of birds, hindering their chances of surviving migratory flights when they are released into the wild, new research from The Australian National University (ANU) has shown. Study author Dr Dejan Stojanovic said while captive breeding is an important conservation tool, it can lead to various physical changes in animals , including their wing shape.

Poor sleep in middle age can have a negative impact on brain health, according to a new study by researchers at The Australian National University (ANU). The study looked at the sleep habits of over 29,000 people aged between 37 and 73 and could provide the basis for helping to combat major diseases like dementia.

Superb fairy-wrens are more likely to take risks to help members of their close social circle, according to an international team of researchers including scientists from Monash University and The Australian National University (ANU). The authors found that wild superb fairy-wrens use similar rules to human hunter-gatherers when deciding how much help to offer another in need.  "Both species live in multilevel societies, starting with a core group of just a few closely connected individuals," lead author and PhD candidate at Monash University Ettore Camerlenghi said.