Our Stories
Mind the gap: How maths is taught may be failing girls
Opinion: Australian boys are dramatically ahead of girls in maths at both primary and high school level, an international test has revealed. But mathematician Associate Professor Richard Garner warns the gender gap is more complex than it appears.
Tiny Australian Peacock Spiders break records in speed-jumping
New research has tracked Australia’s peacock spiders making the fastest-known jumps in a spider, experiencing forces higher than fighter pilots while leaping distances 15 times their body length.
Australian-first map to track motor neuron disease clusters
A new map has begun to build a picture of motor neuron disease (MND) in NSW, with the team at Australia’s first MND surveillance centre aiming to collect patient data to pinpoint the causes of the deadly neurodegenerative disease.
New survey shows businesses see lower inflation rate ahead in 2025
A new survey of 500 Australian businesses shows leaders are confident inflation will drop further in coming months, potentially easing cost-of-living concerns for the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), which meets today for its first decision this year.
Siamese fighting fish need more space in pet shops: new behaviour data
Scientists have found prized Siamese fighting fish are typically being kept in conditions a quarter of the size they need to thrive, challenging decades of retail practice in the multi-million dollar ornamental fish industry worldwide.
The race to stop running injuries: new data
A new study by Macquarie University health science researchers has identified a way of showing which runners are at risk of injury from high impact landings, and they hope now to use it to drive the next generation of wearable devices.
Scientists engineer fish and flies to clean up toxic mercury
Using genes borrowed from bacteria, Macquarie University-led research has demonstrated fish and flies can be engineered to break down methylmercury and remove it from their bodies as a less harmful gas, offering new ways to tackle persistent mercury pollution in the environment.
Illness invalidation harmful to patients with chronic conditions
A new study of Australians living with chronic physical health conditions has found family members and doctors who dismiss their experiences cause significant mental distress.
Quick, simple and cheap: The test that identifies kids who need help
Macquarie University psychology researchers have shown that a brief, online survey can not only identify children and teens in need of support for depression, anxiety, ADHD or eating difficulties, but also help improve their mental health.
Take note: How AI promises to improve your visit to the doctor
Visits to the doctor could be improved with the use of AI to record a patient’s medical history provided concerns about accuracy, reliability and privacy are addressed. A study led by Macquarie University researchers tested the performance of models such as ChatGPT to find out which form of AI took the best clinical notes.
Please explain: Is it possible to miss something happening right in front of you?
In one famous case in the US, a police officer pursuing a suspect ran past an assault without seeing it. What does this tell us about how memories are formed and retrieved, and how they might be altered along the way? Forensic psychology researcher Dr Hayley Cullen explains.
Only the Astronauts: book of space stories reveals secret lives of galactic junk
In her new book, social anthropologist Dr Ceridwen Dovey explores the imaginary tales of human-made objects adrift in outer space, using real events as her inspiration. Here Dr Dovey unveils the motive behind her 'characters' which include the International Space Station and the Voyager 1 space probe.