Fresh Science

Sunlight is being used to convert carbon dioxide into batteries, thanks to a new technology being developed by researchers at the University of Newcastle. Currently, we mine the materials we use to make batteries. One of these materials is graphite—a type of carbon—that has specific properties that makes it good at storing electrical energy, including…

If you’ve ever had a gut feeling about a relationship, there may be more science behind it than you realise. A recent study in fruit flies has shown that the bacteria in their guts may impact who they choose to mate with, as well as the number and health of their children. Macquarie University’s Dr…

Important parts of our DNA don’t get easily repaired after being exposed to sunlight, cancer scientists at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have shown. The findings, published in Nature, help researchers to understand how and why mutations accumulate in certain parts of our DNA. Dr Rebecca Poulos and colleagues studied mutations in the…

Tiny implantable particles could offer a more effective treatment for glaucoma than eye drops, says a Sydney researcher. Glaucoma affects more than 60 million people worldwide, and is a leading cause of irreversible blindness. With the disease, the channels that normally drain the fluid from inside the eye are blocked, causing high pressure in the…