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We need to talk about what smartphones are doing to kids’ brains
OPINION: The Federal Government has announced raising the minimum age for social media to 16 over mental health concerns, but researchers are also worried about potential loss of brain function. Professor Mark Williams says there may be a link between excessive screen use and younger-onset dementia.
Lights deter Great White sharks: new research
VIDEO: What if surfers could be protected from shark attacks with something like an invisibility cloak? That’s what Professor Nathan Hart says is close to happening following discoveries he and colleague Dr Laura Ryan have made about how to trick sharks’ visual systems.
New genetic discovery reveals how birds get their coloured bills
Macquarie University researchers have uncovered a genetic reason for the distinctive red, yellow and orange bills of Australian finches, finding a link with how they process the pigments they get from seeds.
Teacher shortage: how to attract our best and brightest to the profession
Opinion: Education researcher Dr Janet Dutton says while everybody wants their children taught by the best teachers, they don't want their children to be teachers. Dr Dutton tackles some of the reasons behind the shortage and proposes steps that could return teaching to a profession our brightest students want to enter.
New breast implant illness data supports removal
A three-year research project on breast implant complications is continuing to build on the body of knowledge on breast implant illness, with the latest data showing ongoing physical and psychological benefits after removing the implants, Professor Anand Deva says.
New study of seven million records reveals who gets long COVID
Macquarie University researchers shed new light on who is most likely to be diagnosed with long COVID in a groundbreaking Australian study that promises to improve how we screen, monitor and treat patients.
Fearful of the future? Let us count the ways
Whether its asteroids, volcanoes, artificial intelligence (AI) or climate change that keeps you up at night, a new book by Professor of Media John Potts examines how hope can coexist with angst, as he traces human's fear of the future from prehistory to the present.
The reasons flowers wilt could explain how plants spend (and save) their energy
Wilting flowers might not signal poor flower or plant health, but rather the effects of a sophisticated resource management strategy in plants, millions of years in the making.
Trump v Harris: the polls, popular vote and electoral college explained
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are neck-and-neck in the polls with a week to go until the US presidential election. Dr Lloyd Cox, senior lecturer in US political history, explains the voting system and looks to the past for clues about who will win.
How AI is shaping your next career move
Artificial intelligence can help you write an email or look up an obscure topic, but Macquarie Business School Associate Professor Sarah Bankins says the technology also shapes many decisions we make about our careers.
Please explain: What's wrong with Australia's carbon credit markets?
New findings from the Transforming Energy Markets Research Centre have identified changing government regulations as one of the reasons behind the very low and highly volatile prices of carbon credit units in Australia.
Please explain: Is cannabis the answer to insomnia?
Cannabis products are attracting increasing attention as a possible solution for insomnia, with gummies containing cannabinoids even being sold in supermarkets in some parts of the United States. But is there any proof that it works? Dr Camilla Hoyos looks at what we know.