Zoe Kean
Damage to sensitive sea floor ecosystems sparks calls for tighter regulation of the tourist ship industry in the Antarctic region. 1h ago 1 hours ago Mon 9 Jun 2025 at 4:01am
In 1953 Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary become the first two people to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Just under 10 years later, Norgay made his mark in another place of wild beauty — Tasmania. Sun 17 Nov Sun 17 Nov Sun 17 Nov 2024 at 8:19pm
Huge patches of forest in Tasmania have rapidly turned brown over recent months, with many trees dying after a dry summer. As climate change causes hotter and drier weather, can we expect more tree deaths in the future? Wed 8 May Wed 8 May Wed 8 May 2024 at 11:19pm
Shimmering blue seas below pink and green skies are all possible in Australia's southern-most state which is a nexus for glowing oddities. Tue 22 Aug Tue 22 Aug Tue 22 Aug 2023 at 1:08am
Scientists say they can bring the extinct thylacine back from the dead within a decade, but does anybody want them to? The resounding answer to an ABC survey is "Yes". Sat 19 Aug Sat 19 Aug Sat 19 Aug 2023 at 9:33pm
Should the thylacine be brought back to life? Professor Andrew Pask — leader of the Thylacine Integrated Genetic Restoration Research Lab at Melbourne University — answers your questions about plans to de-extinct Australia's only marsupial apex predator. Sat 19 Aug Sat 19 Aug Sat 19 Aug 2023 at 9:33pm
How a tin miner living in remote Tasmania helped discover what may be the world's oldest and most mysterious clone that has excited scientists for years. Sat 29 Jul Sat 29 Jul Sat 29 Jul 2023 at 2:42am
Welcome to Tattsmania. From mountains, devils, tigers, and tunes, why is it that tattoos are so popular in Tasmania? Thu 20 Jul Thu 20 Jul Thu 20 Jul 2023 at 9:32pm
This simple task can help save you money and keep you warm in winter. You've just got to remember to do it. Sun 16 Jul Sun 16 Jul Sun 16 Jul 2023 at 11:50pm
The death of a platypus found in a city suburb may reflect the fate of the entire species if we don't pay closer attention to how this Australian animal is faring. Fri 14 Jul Fri 14 Jul Fri 14 Jul 2023 at 8:12am
How the pademelon often tricks the world into thinking it is the extinct thylacine, and seven other wild pademelon facts. Tue 11 Jul Tue 11 Jul Tue 11 Jul 2023 at 11:22am
In 1805 black swans, kangaroos, and the world's last King Island emu lived amongst the sweeping lawns of the Château de Malmaison in Paris. So how did this creature make it to an empress' garden? Tue 27 Jun Tue 27 Jun Tue 27 Jun 2023 at 7:23am
Tasmania's native bees aren't as notorious as the Tassie devil or the swift parrot. But these tiny, unassuming and strangely beguiling bugs are incredibly important to the state's forests and fields. Sat 20 May Sat 20 May Sat 20 May 2023 at 12:32am
James Chung Gon arrived in Australia to try his luck on the goldfields of Bendigo. Legend has it that all he had to his name was a shilling in his pocket, but he turned it into a fortune. Wed 3 May Wed 3 May Wed 3 May 2023 at 7:54am
Sometimes dubbed mermaid's purses, these strange and wonderful works of nature are a common find on Australian beaches and scientists want beachcombers to help them learn more. Mon 20 Mar Mon 20 Mar Mon 20 Mar 2023 at 5:48am
In 1997, Tasmania became the last Australian state to decriminalise sex between men, and one activist believes that enduring homophobia can be directly traced to the penal colonies of the island's past. Fri 3 Mar Fri 3 Mar Fri 3 Mar 2023 at 12:02am
First they discovered that wombats created their famously square poos in the intestine and not at "point of exit". Now, the same team of scientists has explained how wombats poo such "perfectly consistent" pellets. Thu 23 Feb Thu 23 Feb Thu 23 Feb 2023 at 3:28am
We want to hear from you — should the Tasmanian tiger be brought back to life? And what will that mean for First Nations people, the environment, and the ecosystem? Fri 25 Aug Fri 25 Aug Fri 25 Aug 2023 at 12:53am
The dingo fence does its job keeping the predator at bay — but that single change has cascading effects on the environment, right down to the shape of the sand dunes. Thu 9 Feb Thu 9 Feb Thu 9 Feb 2023 at 3:49am
Long-spined sea urchins — the "single biggest threat" for reefs in eastern Tasmania — are arriving via an ocean current supercharged by climate change. So what can be done about it? Thu 2 Feb Thu 2 Feb Thu 2 Feb 2023 at 10:18pm
Being an adult who does not drive can come with setbacks, judgement and unexpected benefits. Here are your stories. Thu 2 Feb Thu 2 Feb Thu 2 Feb 2023 at 3:17am
Unusually dry weather is leaving the state's Wilderness World Heritage Area sensitive to fire. It's a prospect that threatens a living fossil that traces its history to the ancient super-continent Gondwana. Fri 27 Jan Fri 27 Jan Fri 27 Jan 2023 at 8:48pm
Driving is seen as such a common skill that Rosie, Tim, and Sophie are often met with shock when they tell people they don't drive. Thu 19 Jan Thu 19 Jan Thu 19 Jan 2023 at 12:18am
While spotting a badly-stuffed platypus in an overseas museum may draw a laugh from visiting Australians, scientists say poor taxidermy is a serious matter that can affect a species' survival. Thu 5 Jan Thu 5 Jan Thu 5 Jan 2023 at 1:26am
Bushwalking can be about more than just the destination. For Bin Ling, it's also about the plants she sees on the way.
Fri 16 Dec Fri 16 Dec Fri 16 Dec 2022 at 3:05am
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News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Health Check: Tetratherix breaks biotech IPO drought with 13pc gain on debut
Tetratherix's listed life starts on a solid note Dimerix pockets a $4.2 million milestone – with close to $1.4 billion to come Orthocell chalks up first commercial US procedure for its Remplir device Today's ASX debut of wound management house Tetratherix (TTX) has raised the hopes of other life-science plays that have eyed an IPO but have relegated the idea to the too-hard basket. Having downsized its offer from $35 million $25 million to banish the fast money, Tetratherix traded up to 13% above their $2.88 a share offer price. The company has developed an injected liquid polymer that hardens at body temperature and then biodegrades after the job is done. Yet to be approved, the platform-based tech targets novel applications including tissue healing, bone regeneration and surgical spacing (such as in prostate radiation therapy). CEO Will Knox dubs the platform as 'medical Lego', in that the products are built from the same polymer structure. 'That means you can use the same underlying biological performance and safety data in all regulatory applications. 'Our path to market is a lot faster and simpler because the data is interchangeable across the different applications.' Post raising, Tetratherix has cash of circa $30 million. This factors in two US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approval applications, one further submission and 'multiple clinical trial readouts'. Tetratherix is the first life sciences IPO since late November 2024, when cryogenics play Vitrafy Life Sciences (ASX:VFY) and nerve repair house ReNerve (ASX:RNV) listed on the same day. Their shares are down 20% and 50% to date, respectively. Aptium is on IPO foot-ing The developer of an AI-powered tool for the podiatry market, the private Aptium is eyeing an IPO after a private whip-'round. Aptium's scanner provides real-time thermal and three and four dimensional analysis of motion and the shape of the foot. This enables 3D manufacturing of patient-specific insoles 'with precision-grade firmness and softness:. The tech also may detect diabetic foot ulcers early. Co-founded by biotech greybeards Dr Mel Bridges and Carl Stubbings, Aptium is seeking to tap $5 million in a private convertible note round. The company aspires to list within the next 18 months or so. Bridges has founded six companies, including ImpediMed (ASX:IPD) and the formerly ASX-listed Panbio. Stubbings was former CEO of Sienna Cancer Diagnostics, which merged with Bard1 to become Inoviq (ASX:IIQ). Aptium could test IPO appetite in more ways than one. That's because the company is 40% owned by Greg Creed, the former CEO of US giant Yum! Brands which owns KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. Dimerix pockets first milestone from Japanese partner Kidney drug developer Dimerix (ASX:DXB) has pocketed $4.2 million as its first milestone payment from Japan's Fuso, one of the company's four global partners. Signed in January this year, the Fuso compact could deliver up to $100 million of milestone payments. This is subject to progress on Dimerix's lead phase III program, for the kidney ailment focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. In October 2023 Dimerix inked distribution deals with the London-based Advanz Pharma (covering Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand). The company followed up in May last year by entering a Middle East licensing agreement with the Oman-based pharma group, Taiba. In its biggest deal, Dimerix last May signed up the Nasdaq-listed rare diseases house Amicus Therapeutics for the US honours. Collectively, the deals promise $1.4 billion of potential milestones, largely contingent on eventual FDA drug approval. The Amicus deal alone involves of US$520 million of success-based payments. The Fuso milestone became payable on opening of the first Japanese site for the Action 3 trial. Investors now expect likely follow-on deals in territories including China, Latin America and South Korea. LTR Pharma is full bottle on safety study Drug development is all about getting the small stuff right, such as whether the packaging is tickety-boo. In this vein, LTR Pharma (ASX:LTP) has affirmed that the bottle and pump components for its proposed nasal mist based erectile dysfunctional treatment meet accepted standards. LTR completed the so-called extractables study with co-development partner Aptar Pharma. The study confirmed that all detected compounds met International Council for Harmonisation safety thresholds – the standard adopted by the FDA and other agencies. A 'leachables' study is now underway, to support an FDA marketing submission. As the name suggests, the leachables study evaluates the potential migration of compounds from packaging into the liquid. This takes account of 'real-world' storage conditions, such as the back of the bedside drawer. The study will run for at least 24 months, after which the company can submit its FDA entreaty. Dubbed Spontan, LTR's treatment is based on the same active ingredient as current oral treatments but is much faster acting. LTR is also developing Oroflow, a spray treatment for a group of ailments that affect swallowing function. Orthocell hits the right nerve Nerve repair play Orthocell (ASX:OCC) reports the first use of its Remplir device in a US surgical procedure, to repair a foot injury. The FDA approved Remplir in April. The company says the first use is a crucial step in its US rollout, 'building surgical experience and knowledge of the product that will be key in driving product sales'. Remplir is a collagen 'wrap' that improves regeneration of damaged nerves and requires less stitching. The surgery took place at an unnamed Ohio hospital, sourced from Orthocell's network of 14 specialist distributors. These intermediaries have 'mature, direct-to-surgeon, hospital and other customer relationships' across 25 US states. Orthocell CEO Paul Anderson said the critical first step in the US rollout was 'getting Remplir into surgeons' hands for them to gain familiarity with its key features and benefits in clinical practice'. The company promises 'material' sales growth in the December half - which of course starts tomorrow – with the financial benefits reflected in the June half 2026 accounts. Orthocell estimates that surgeons carry out two million peripheral nerve repairs annually, equating to a US$3.5 billion market. This is across its approved markets of Australia/New Zealand, Singapore, the US, Europe/UK, Canada, Brazil, Japan, Hong Kong and Thailand.
News.com.au
5 hours ago
- News.com.au
Do larger breasts increase breast cancer risk? What experts really say
It is a question often asked but rarely answered clearly: does having larger breasts increase your risk of breast cancer? As breast cancer cases in young Aussie women increase at a concerning rate, this question has never been more pressing. According to leading breast cancer surgeon and researcher Dr Sanjay Warrier, the answer is more nuanced than a simple yes or no. 'Breast size in itself is not considered a direct or independent risk factor for breast cancer,' Professor Warrier told 'The assumption that larger breasts may increase risk lacks strong clinical evidence and is not supported by robust data.' However, he urges women with larger breasts to still be proactive about their health, especially if they have other contributing risk factors such as a family history of breast cancer, a sedentary lifestyle, or hormonal influences. Breast density a more important factor More importantly, breast tissue composition, specifically breast density, plays a far more significant role in breast cancer risk than size alone, Prof Warrier said. The BI-RADS (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System) density scale is used to classify breast tissue, with categories C and D indicating higher density. Women with smaller breasts can still have high breast density, which is why it's important to check the scale. High-density breast tissue is associated with a slightly increased risk of cancer and can make tumours more difficult to detect on standard mammograms, as dense tissue appears white on imaging, which is the same colour as potential tumours. For women with larger breasts, tumours may also be more difficult to detect, sometimes leading to delayed diagnosis. In these cases, contrast-enhanced mammography or a MRI is often recommended for improved clarity. Other factors to consider Prof Warrier also highlighted that women with a higher Body Mass Index (BMI), which may correlate with larger breast size, are at a statistically higher risk of developing breast cancer, especially after menopause. 'Higher body weight means more fat tissue, which in turn increases oestrogen levels, leading to a higher risk of hormone receptor-positive breast cancers,' he said. 'Hormonal exposure across a woman's lifespan, including early menarche, late menopause, and hormone replacement therapy, also elevates risk by increasing the duration of oestrogen exposure.' A preventive approach The key takeaway is that breast size alone does not determine your cancer risk. It's the broader picture of lifestyle, hormonal exposure, weight, family history, and breast density that matters. Prof Warrier advises women of all body types to adopt a preventive approach to breast health, incorporating self-examinations, regular screenings, a wholefood diet, physical activity, and limiting alcohol and processed food intake. Taking a personalised approach to breast cancer screening is also increasingly regarded as best practice. New research proves promising While standard population-based screening generally begins at age 50, emerging evidence suggests that earlier and more frequent screening may benefit those at higher risk. Landmark studies such as the PROCAS trial in the UK and the ROSA Project in Victoria are exploring risk-based models that take these variables into account. These studies are helping to shape new guidelines for tailored screening strategies. This may not only lead to earlier detection but also reduce the need for aggressive treatments and improve overall outcomes by catching cancers at a more manageable stage. Breast cancer diagnoses on the rise It comes as breast cancer diagnoses continue to rise among young women in Australia. Breast cancer is estimated to be the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women aged 20-39, and every day around three women under 40 are diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancers in young women tend to have different characteristics and poorer survival outcomes compared with older women, making early detection vital. If you have concerns about your breast cancer risk, make an appointment with your GP to discuss your personal situation and the best screening options for you.
ABC News
7 hours ago
- ABC News
CSIRO creates pinpoint accurate model of Richmond River catchment to test flood mitigation options
In an effort to better understand flood behaviour in one of the wettest parts of Australia, scientists have turned the region's river system into a virtual model. The CSIRO has mapped the Richmond River catchment in northern New South Wales at an unprecedented level of detail. The first-of-its-kind model will help test the most effective way of protecting communities against floods. Senior principal research scientist Jai Vaze said it was a detailed mathematical representation of the 7,000-square-kilometre catchment. It includes millions of data inputs capturing flood-relevant factors including topography, hydrology, evaporation, soil types and vegetation. "To look at any flood-mitigation scenarios reliably, whether it will work or not, you need a catchment-scale model," Dr Vaze said. The model shows how flooding unfolded across a six-week period in 2022 across the catchment. Its pinpoint accuracy relies in part on Bureau of Meteorology rainfall data refined to hourly readings localised to one-square-kilometre grids. It may sound simple enough, but the model has been the result of more than two years of painstaking work by Dr Vaze and his team. Lidar technology with 3D laser scanning gathered 16 measurement points per square metre across 30,000 square kilometres of the Tweed, Brunswick, Richmond and Clarence river catchments. The team used sonar to collect high-resolution data on river depths and riverbed undulation. Dr Vaze said the model would have the capacity to accurately test the effect of various flood mitigation options, or "bundles" of options, that could include hard infrastructure such as levees. He said the project shifted the dial from reactive flood responses to actively planning ahead to mitigate their effects. "The government wanted to look at whether something could really be done [to mitigate flooding]. "There are a number of local area models built over past decades, but a full catchment model was needed to answer any real questions for flood mitigation." The 2022 Northern Rivers floods have cost the NSW and federal governments $880 million in reactive solutions designed to move people off the flood plain, or elevate and retrofit people's homes to withstand the next flood when it inevitably comes. A further $150 million has been allocated to resilience measures including repairs and upgrades to pumping stations, improvements to town drains and flood channels, establishing community-led resilience teams and reforestation projects. The Lismore Citizens Flood Review Group has been lobbying for action to address flooding in the catchment since the Cyclone Debbie flood of 2017, and worked closely with Dr Vaze to feed local knowledge into the model. Beth Trevan and her son Richard said it was serendipitous good fortune that led to then National Recovery and Resilience Agency coordinator Shane Stone supporting and funding the project. Mrs Trevan said it was also the region's great fortune that Dr Vaze was assigned to do the job. "He is totally committed to the region and solving the problem," she said. "He has given his life to it for the past three years, seven days a week — he never stops working on it. "What is being developed is international best practice; it's not only going to be a template for Australia, it's going to be a template internationally. Richard Trevan said a lot was riding on the success of the model in coming up with flood-mitigation solutions for the Richmond River catchment. "We are the most at-risk community in the nation for floods, but to date fully effective solutions have not been implemented," Mr Trevan said. "Nationally, just 3 per cent of government funding has gone into mitigation while 97 per cent is spent on recovery. "Lismore has one chance to get this right. For us, it's about getting the final recommendation to the point where our politicians can actually move forward and make the kinds of changes that are needed. "Ultimately, for our kids and our grandkids, we want them to be able to look back at this moment and say that we got it right." Whian Whian resident Patrick Tatam has lived for a decade at the headwaters of a tributary feeding the catchment. When the rain really comes down at his place, two-hourly checks of his rain gauge reveal what's in store for downstream communities including Lismore, Coraki and Woodburn. He is skeptical that anything can be done to protect them. "It is strong and violent."
