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Feature article
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.
The full text of this article can be purchased from Informit.
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?
The full text of this article can be purchased from Informit.
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?
The full text of this article can be purchased from Informit.
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.
The full text of this article can be purchased from Informit.
The Wide Net of Seafood Slavery
A crew of Cambodian boys and men work on a Thai fishing ship a couple hundred miles off the coast of Thailand in the South China Sea. Credit: Ian Urbina / New York Times
By David Tickler & Jessica Meeuwig
Labour abuses are allowing fishing fleets to remain profitable while depleting fisheries ever-further from the coast.
The full text of this article can be purchased from Informit.
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.
The full text of this article can be purchased from Informit.
The Ancestor of All Flowers
Credit: TKphotography64
By Charles Foster
An international collaborative project has reconstructed the ancestor of all modern flowering plants. What can it tell us about the evolution of this important group?
The full text of this article can be purchased from Informit.
Quantum Satellite Micius Challenges Einstein
By Paul Edwards
Quantum cryptography experiments onboard a new Chinese Earth satellite foreshadow secret communications on a global scale with security guaranteed by the laws of physics.
The full text of this article can be purchased from Informit.
Reproductive Threats to Australia’s Marsupials
Credit: davemhuntphoto/Adobe
By Andrew Pask
Chemicals used in agriculture, industry and household goods can have effects on marsupial fertility as profound as sex reversal.
The full text of this article can be purchased from Informit.
Our Evolutionary Origins Expose Cancer’s Weakness
Credit: kapley/iStockphoto
By Charley Lineweaver
The evolution of cellular regulation has inspired a new model of cancer that predicts ways to attack its weaknesses instead of its strengths.
The full text of this article can be purchased from Informit.
