Fresh Science

Family matters in autism outcomes Cognition is influenced by siblings, researchers find. Autistic children with autistic siblings have better cognition than those who are the only family member with the condition, researchers have found. Importantly, the outcome does not depend on birth order. Although previous studies have identified that having autistic siblings leads to better…

Sugar found to boost lethal bacteria Adelaide researchers find how a bacteria digests a sugar can be key to new treatments The severity of a common and often lethal type of bacteria depends on its ability to process a type of sugar, research from the University of Adelaide reveals. Streptococcus pneumoniae causes diseases of the…

Better emergency responses by removing social bots Filtering out social bots can help critical response teams see what’s happening in real time. Researchers have created an algorithm that distinguishes between misinformation and genuine conversations on Twitter, by detecting messages churned out by social bots. Dr Mehwish Nasim and colleagues at the School of Mathematical Sciences…

Researchers use sound to deliver drugs A technique adapted from telecommunications promises more effective cancer treatments. Drugs can be delivered into individual cells by using soundwaves, Melbourne researchers have discovered. Adapting a technique used in the telecommunications industry for decades, Dr Shwathy Ramesan from RMIT, and colleagues, used the mechanical force of sound to push…