Published by Australian Academy of Science

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.

Sponsored by:

ARC Complex Open Systems Research Network

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?

Sponsored by:

the Australian Government's National Innovation Awareness Strategy

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.

Biology meets industry – genomics, proteomics, phenomics The entry of information technology and robotics into the biology laboratory is opening the door to new ways of studying cell biology – the 'omics. Sponsored by:

Australian Proteome Analysis Facility Australian Phenomics Facility

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.

Sponsored by:

The Australian Greenhouse Office is the lead Commonwealth agency on greenhouse matters

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Bogged down in the four-wheel drive debate? Four-wheel drives are becoming more common on the nation's roads, but there are questions about their impact on road safety and the environment.

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?

Sponsored by the National Centre for Advanced Cell Engineering Facility

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Driver fatigue – an accident waiting to happen Although we often associate driver fatigue with long-haul truck drivers, it can affect all of us.

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The shocking truth about road trauma For every person killed on Australian roads, another eleven lie hurt in the trauma wards of the nation's hospitals.

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.

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Bitumen battles – the phenomenon of road rage Scientists are starting to study road rage for clues about the physiological and social causes of anti-social behaviour

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.

Sponsored by:

the Australian Government's National Innovation Awareness Strategy

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.

Sponsored by:

The Bayer Group

and the bequest of J S Anderson, FAA.

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.

Sponsored by:

Australian Government Analytical Laboratories

and the bequest of J S Anderson, FAA.

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Alcohol and cars – a volatile mix Alcohol produces physiological effects on the human body that can turn safe drivers into potential killers.

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.

Sponsored by:

the Australian Government's National Innovation Awareness Strategy

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?

Sponsored by:

the Australian Government's National Innovation Awareness Strategy

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.

Sponsored by:

Milk Marketing (NSW)

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.

Sponsored by:

The Cooperative Research Centre for International Food Manufacture and Packaging Science

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.

Sponsored by:

The Howard Florey Institute of Experimental Physiology and Medicine

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.

Sponsored by:

The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

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.

Sponsored by:

Bionic Ear Institute

Cooperative Research Centre for Cochlear Implant and Hearing Aid Innovation.

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.

Sponsored by:

Cooperative Research Centre for Vaccine Technology

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.

Sponsored by:

The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

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.

Sponsored by:

The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

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.

Sponsored by:

Healthpact

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.

Sponsored by:

Healthpact

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.

Sponsored by:

the Australian Government's National Innovation Awareness Strategy

Earth's sunscreen – the ozone layer
The ozone layer screens out the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation. Can we reverse its destruction?

Sponsored by:

the Australian Government's National Innovation Awareness Strategy

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.

Sponsored by:

the Australian Government's National Innovation Awareness Strategy