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 Australian Academy of Science
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Health topics
A quiet revolution the science of complex systems
If you haven't heard of complex systems don't worry, you are not the only one. Scientists have been quietly puzzling over the complex interactions that define so many things in our world.
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Epigenetics beyond genes
Recent developments in epigenetics suggest that you may inherit more than genes from your parents.
Sponsored by the Sir Mark Oliphant International Frontiers of Science and Technology Conference Series, funded by the Australian Government under the International Science Linkages programme.
Prions morphing agents of disease
Prions are the proteins that cause deadly brain diseases. But how do they cause disease and what is their normal role in the body?
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Bird flu the pandemic clock is ticking
Diseases caused by viruses from animals are an ongoing threat to people's health. With the number of deaths in Asia from bird flu rising, scientists say it is only a matter of time before the next flu pandemic strikes.
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The
dope on drug-impaired driving
Since the 1990s the prevalence of drug-impaired driving in Australia has
increased and this has not gone unnoticed by police and politicians. |
Putting on a good face
the chemistry of cosmetics
The pursuit of beauty has spawned a massive industry founded on the science
of chemistry – the cosmetics industry.
Warmer and sicker? Global warming and human health
Continued warming of the planet could have significant implications for human health. Coping with extreme heatwaves will be just one of our concerns.
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The Australian Greenhouse Office is the lead Commonwealth agency on greenhouse matters
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Stem cells gateway to 21st century medicine
Human embryonic stem cells burst into the headlines in 1998 and have made regular appearances ever since. Newspapers love controversy. But why is the issue so controversial?
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Quiet please! Fighting noise pollution
Increases in the density of residential and commercial buildings, more traffic on the roads, and
out-dated building regulations are all contributing to serious noise pollution in our cities.
Sponsored by the bequest of J S Anderson, FAA.
The picture becomes clear for magnetic resonance imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging is increasing in importance as a tool for diagnosing illness and injury. Regulations in Victoria now require professional boxers to have an MRI brain scan every 3 years.
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Hydatids when a dog is not man's best friend
Dogs are the main culprits in the spread of hydatids, a common but largely ignored disease in Australia that can kill people, livestock and wildlife.
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Who will win the drugs race?
Catching drug cheats is essential if sports are to be conducted on a level playing field and if deleterious health effects are to be avoided.
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The mammal copiers advances in cloning
The cloning of Dolly the sheep has stimulated discussion on the benefits and risks of the development of cloning techniques.
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The bitter-sweet taste of toxic substances
Household items such as bleach, disinfectant and detergent are an integral part of
everyday life and they are all potentially toxic. How can we minimise the risks they
present?
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Pointing the bone at osteoporosis
Think this is a disease that only affects old people? The reality may be closer to the bone than you think.
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When bugs have you on the run
Consumers are demanding food with fewer chemical preservatives and additives this means that good hygiene and safe storage conditions will have to play an even more important role in preventing food poisoning.
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Getting our heads around the brain
Neuroscience has been described as the last great frontier of human biology in fact NASA's most recent mission, Neurolab, was devoted to investigations involving the nervous system. Australian neuroscientists are among the leaders in brain research.
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Singing the praises of colony stimulating factors
An Australian researcher's discovery of colony stimulating factors led to their widespread use to prevent infection in cancer chemotherapy patients and AIDS patients.
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Cochlear implants wiring for sound
Australian researchers are helping deaf people to hear the majority of the world's cochlear implant recipients use a device manufactured here.
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Kissing the Epstein-Barr virus goodbye?
Glandular fever, a common disease in teenagers, is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. Australian research on the Epstein-Barr virus has led to a glandular fever vaccine, which is currently being trialled.
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Immunisation protecting our children from disease
The latest figures show that 91 per cent of Australian children are immunised. This is a vast improvement over the 53 per cent recorded in 1995.
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Toxic algal blooms a sign of rivers under stress
Toxic algal blooms pose a serious threat to Australia's already embattled waterways and are the subject of much scientific research.
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Local air pollution begins at home
Local air pollution is a major health threat. It ranges in scale from cigarette smoke in a house to the photochemical smog that can cover a city.
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Malaria a growing threat
Australia is certified free of malaria by the World Health Organization, but elsewhere it is a killer. Australian researchers are currently working on a vaccine against malaria.
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The rise and rise of asthma
Australia has one of the highest rates of asthma in the world. It is a complex disease which is still not fully understood.
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Sun and skin a dangerous combination
With its sunny climate and predominantly pale-skinned population, Australia has the world’s highest rate of skin cancer. But with early detection, most skin cancers can now be cured.
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The Human Genome Project discovering the human blueprint
In what has been called the Everest of modern biology, scientists from around the world have worked together to unravel and record the entire set of human genetic instructions.
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Earth's sunscreen the ozone layer
The ozone layer screens out the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation. Can we reverse its destruction?
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Mad cow disease a human problem?
The possibility that a form of mad cow disease can be transmitted to humans has sparked a worldwide scare about eating beef.
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The Australian Foundation for Science is a supporter of Nova.
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