This week on radio, Tim Thwaites is talking about diabetes in pregnancy, X-ray body scanners, the language gene, those slippery neutrinos, and more…
Read the full article →
engineering
Young leaders from Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Adelaide awarded Menzies scholarships to study in US, UK, and Australia
The effect of diet on brain function; whether virtual reality can be used for rehabilitation of arm movements following traumatic brain injury; how chemotherapy damages nerves; and the role of engineering in sustainable development—these are just some of the issues being tackled by this year’s crop of Menzies scholars.
2012 Menzies Scholars: background information Read the full article →
Below are photos of the five 2012 Menzies Scholars who received their award at a dinner on Thursday 24 November. Read the full article →
This week on radio, Tim Thwaites is talking about personal helicopters; pruney fingers; screwed up beetles; rig recycling; and more… Read the full article →
A new technology to stop falls before they happen could helping the elderly stay in their own homes longer
Researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have developed a simple way of predicting the likelihood of an elderly person falling in the near future, allowing action to reduce the chances of it happening. Read the full article → This week on radio, Tim Thwaites is talking about snake ointment; stool pigeon crows; buzzing belts; virtual pop stars; and more… Read the full article →
The Deakin University invention uses waste heat to reduce friction by warming the engine oil. A prototype has been built and tested and the inventors are now talking to the car manufacturers and developing an aftermarket conversion kit. Read the full article →
Welcome to my first bulletin in 2011 for people around the country with an interest in physics.
2010 was another big year for physics in Australia with
- the 50th anniversary of the laser, celebrated by a lecture tour organised by the Australian Optical Society with the AIP’s assistance
- widespread discussion and a diversity of views on the K-10 Science and Senior Physics draft national curricula
- a national lecture tour by Women in Physics lecturer Professor Elizabeth Winstanley of the University of Sheffield Read the full article →
Wednesday 8 December 2010
Today’s stories from the physics conference in Melbourne include:
Tomorrow’s technology pioneers recognised today
- From the laser to quantum optics
Prof Kostya (Ken) Ostrikov (Kostya.Ostrikov@csiro.au), a CSIRO scientist who set the ground rules for constructing new materials atom by atom using collections of charged particles known as plasmas; - Teleportation
Prof Hans-Albert Bachor (hans.bachor@anu.edu.au) from the Australian National University (ANU) whose work on the graininess or particle nature of light is leading to new technologies such as quantum encryption and teleportation; - Laser controllers
A/Prof Robert Scholten (scholten@unimelb.edu.au), a University of Melbourne physicist who has established a thriving and profitable business which makes and exports laser controllers; and - Acoustics of music
Prof Joe Wolfe (j.wolfe@unsw.edu.au) of the University of New South Wales, an expert on the acoustics of music whose multimedia learning resources are accessed about 60,000 times a day.
Also:
Diamond dust adds sparkle to medical imaging
Electronic paper makes itself
Bionic valves without the batteries
Invisible fibres disappearing soon
Acquiring a better feel for disease
Healthy and unhealthy brain states – what role does electrical conductivity play?
Is that a diamond in your eye? Read the full article →
In 2011 Australia will hold one of the world’s largest meetings of earth scientists. They will explore all the physical aspects of our planet, from deep in the Earth’s core to our place in space.
Given recent natural disasters—such as the Pakistan floods, Black Saturday bushfires, Hurricane Katrina, the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, 2010 Chile earthquake, Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano—the Earth seems ever more restless and destructive, and the impact on human life and infrastructure is increasingly heavy.
So it is important to understand how the Earth works—which means the 25th General Assembly of the International Union of Geophysics and Geodesy in Melbourne from 28 June to 7 July 2011 will be a focus of attention, not only for the 3,000 delegates expected to attend, but for many others besides. Read the full article →
This week on radio, Tim Thwaites is talking about ditching fingers for bean bags; evolving to beat climate change; the downside of space tourism; running before breakfast; and more…
This week on radio, Tim Thwaites is talking about artificial skin; the optical illusions of bowerbirds; tractor beams; earthquakes; and more Read the full article →
In two weeks Australia will play host to a major UN conference focusing on global health and the Millennium Development Goals. More than 70 countries and over 300 organisations will be represented. There will be many compelling stories that matter to Australia and our region. More details and downloads below.
Also, in Canberra today the Australian Academy of Science Think Tank is tackling questions regarding Australia’s mineral deposits. Will we run out of minerals? How much more mineral wealth is still to be found? Do we have the technologies to find it and extract it safely? The media releases are online at www.scienceinpublic.com.au/blog
These issues are being discussed in Canberra at a forum on 19 and 20 August. The media are invited to day one and the speakers are available for interview. The findings will be published later in the year. Read the full article →
Released on behalf of the Australian Academy of Science
Predicting where Australia’s next mineral boom will come from is serious business. Data collected using satellite sensing, airborne surveys, seismic crews and prospecting teams is immense and is piling up rapidly. But what use are all these data? Read the full article →
Released on behalf of the Australian Academy of Science
Most of the easily-found, economically exploitable mineral deposits in Australia have already been discovered, and are steadily being mined out. We need new, large, rich ore bodies to replace them.
How we go about finding and developing them is at the core of an Australian Academy of Science Think Tank to be held in Canberra on Thursday 19 and Friday 20 August. The media are invited to the first day, and the speakers are available for interview. Read the full article →
This week on radio, Tim Thwaites is talking about the decline of tiny seaweeds in the ocean; diet and disease; orang-utan couch-potatoes; high tech odour prevention; and more…
High tech cling wraps that ‘sieve out’ carbon dioxide from waste gases can help save the world, says Melbourne University chemical engineer, Colin Scholes who developed the technology.
The membranes can be fitted to existing chimneys where they capture CO2 for removal and storage. They are already being tested on brown coal power stations in Victoria’s La Trobe Valley, Colin says. His work is being presented for the first time in public through Fresh Science, a communication boot camp for early career scientists held at the Melbourne Museum. Colin was one of 16 winners from across Australia.
Read the full article →A young Tasmanian electrical engineer, Natalia Galin, has turned US technology into a robust helicopter-borne radar system that can accurately measure the thickness of snow on polar sea ice.
Could it really happen—a secret geo-engineering project financed by a billionaire eco-warrior in frustration at the lack of government action on climate change? It is possible, but how likely? ABC’s Bluebird alternative reality project explores real issues in geo-engineering.
Getting fire-safety messages into the home, using bacteria to break down rocks, cleaning up soil with ultrasound and the meat quality of beefier cattle were just some of the fascinating research projects about which I heard at the Cooperative Research Centres Association (CRCA) Conference in Alice Springs last week. Read the full article →
