Australasian Science: Australia's authority on science since 1938
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Feature article
The ART of Milk Production
Credit: Per Tillmann/Adobe
By Tamara Leahy & Simon de Graaf
Assisted reproductive technologies play an increasingly important role in the genetic improvement of the high-yielding dairy cow.
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Flower Evolution from the Birds to the Bees
Credit: BirdImages/iStockphoto
By Mani Shrestha, Adrian G. Dyer and Martin Burd
Walking around in the Australian bush we can see a dazzling array of different flower colours, but have you ever wondered how and why these evolved?
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Does Red Meat Deserve Its Bad Reputation?
Because Australian red meat differs so significantly from other western countries, we need to be very careful about interpreting the results of major studies examining health outcomes associated with red meat intake.
By Amanda Patterson
Returning to the tradition of eating “meat and three veg” for dinner may improve the eating patterns and nutritional status of Australians, and help to reduce rates of chronic disease.
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False Killers
Two juvenile false killer whales off north-eastern New Zealand. Image: Jochen Zaeschmar
By Jochen Zaeschmar
The false killer whale appears to form long-term relationships with another dolphin species.
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Are You Looking at Me?
Observers have a tendency to believe that someone's gaze is directed towards themselves.
By Colin Clifford & Isabelle Mareschal
Is that person wearing the sunglasses looking at you? Or are we programmed to anticipate that we are being watched even when we’re not?
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Ancient Skeletons Reveal the Cost of a Sweet Tooth
People today have far higher frequencies of decay-associated bacteria than during the agricultural or hunter-gatherer periods.
By Christina Adler
A genetic study of ancient oral bacteria in the calcified dental plaque of human skeletons shows that our ancestors had healthier mouths than us.
Christina Adler is an Associate Lecturer in the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Sydney.
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Climate Records Reveal North–South Divide
It’s little wonder that the two regions have different climate histories: the Southern Hemisphere is a vast oceanic region that is influenced by ocean circulation features such as El Niño, while the Northern Hemisphere is dominated by most of the Earth’s continental masses.
By Joëlle Gergis
The first comprehensive reconstruction of the Southern Hemisphere’s temperature over the past millennium reveals that Northern Hemisphere warm and cool periods were not global. But what about late 20th century warming?
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A Solid Grip on the Moa Extinction
A bird bone to reckon with: Dr Morten Allentoft contemplates the shin bone of a giant female moa.
By Richard Holdaway
Were humans responsible for the extinction of New Zealand’s moa, or were they already in decline?
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Reaching Australia’s Ancient Refugia
Australia’s first peoples have painted rock shelters like these for at least 35,000 years, though this activity was discontinued during the stresses of the LGM. Photo: P.S.C. Taçon with permission of Ronald Lamilami and the Aboriginal people of the Namunidjbuk Estate, Wellington Range, Arnhem Land.
By Michelle Langley
New research reveals how Australia’s ancient Aboriginal populations were challenged by extreme climate change between 23,000 and 12,000 years ago, and provides insights into how people may respond to dramatic climate change in the future.
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The Importance of Meal Times on Weight Loss
Credit: showcake/Adobe
By Amanda Page
Our modern 24/7 appetite is disrupting natural gastric signalling oscillations to the brain. Restricting meal times could help weight loss and maintenance, particularly among shiftworkers.
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