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Articles by Alex Dook
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Theft. Extortion. Dinner with Dad. Lola McKenzie never wanted to steal from her dodgy boss. But she also never wanted to be stuck in a dead-end job, paying off her dad’s debts. So when she sees a bag of cash sitting around unattended at work, she figures it’s time to make life a little easier. Only, the next day her boss is missing, presumed dead – and it won’t take a genius to figure out Lola is involved.
Tackling climate change one tinny at a time – Tech News | Particle
Spinifex Brewing Co. is a local brewery focused on craft beers infused with native Australian flavours like lemon myrtle leaf, Geraldton wax flowers and gubinge. They’ve recently teamed up with Murdoch University’s Harry Butler Institute to recycle their brewery waste using locally sourced algae. THE BEER NECESSITIES Before we unpack the finer details of reducing brewery waste, let’s recap how beer is made.
Fully understanding the human brain may not be a pipe dream
People have been studying the brain for thousands of years. But if you ask a neuroscientist how much we really know about the squishy blobs in our head, they'll probably tell you "not much." That may change soon, thanks to a groundbreaking new theory about how brain shape influences brain activity. Size matters "When we talk about brain shape, we are talking about its actual geometry. Its length, size and, most importantly, its contours," says Dr. James Pang from Monash University.
Fully understanding the brain may not be a pipedream – Health News | Particle
People have been studying the brain for thousands of years. But if you ask a neuroscientist how much we really know about the squishy blobs in our head, they’ll probably tell you ‘not much’. That may change soon, thanks to a groundbreaking new theory about how brain shape influences brain activity. SIZE MATTERS “When we talk about brain shape, we are talking about its actual geometry. Its length, size and, most importantly, its contours,” says Dr James Pang from Monash University.
Creating new bacteria to fight plastic – Technology News | Particle
By 2050, . This is if we continue producing and consuming plastic at the current rate of 400 million tonnes every year. And if you think most of the plastic we produce is recycled, think again. Only . What’s more, producing all this plastic currently accounts for 4.5% of global carbon emissions. Yikes. But for all its faults, plastic is extremely useful. So if we must continue our plastic addiction, we need to develop cleaner and more efficient supply chains.
Unlocking the mystery of fairy circles – Environment News | Particle
Aboriginal knowledge unravels ‘one of nature’s greatest mysteries’ Fairy circles are round patches of bare earth surrounded by grass. They occur in the desert near Newman, Western Australia, and in Namibia. For decades, there has been global scientific debate about the cause of this peculiar phenomenon. In 2016, an international team of scientists concluded they were formed by plants competing for water and nutrients.
Homegrown tech could give Australia an edge in green hydrogen – Tech News | Particle
As the transition to a green economy gathers pace, green hydrogen is cited as both a (potential) renewable fuel and an industrial game-changer. In 2019, the federal government released a , seeking to position Australia as a “major global player by 2030”. However, industry figures such as Andrew Forrest, Executive Chairman of Fortescue Future Industries, have warned Australia may miss out on the opportunity to reach this goal if we don’t give incentives to the energy industry.
Turning plants into biological factories
Genetic manipulation has come a long way. Humans have been using genetic manipulation for millennia, long before we worked in lab coats. From cute dogs to edible fruit, selective breeding has long been used to cultivate plants and animals of high value. These days, scientists carry out more-precise genetic manipulation in labs. But the results haven't always been perfect.
Turning plants into biological factories – Earth News | Particle
Humans have been using genetic manipulation for millennia, long before we worked in lab coats. From cute dogs to edible fruit, selective breeding has long been used to cultivate plants and animals of high value. These days, scientists carry out more-precise genetic manipulation in labs. But the results haven’t always been perfect. Up until recently, genetic modification could be a little clunky, producing organisms that might thrive in a lab but not in real-world conditions.
The rise of the machines
They also need to distinguish between what is and isn’t a threat. “They can’t just run from everything, because they would spend their entire day running from tree branches or dragonflies,” says Callum. Fiddler crabs can’t tell how close an object is because they lack depth perception. They overcome this challenge by using relatively simple and low-resolution two-dimensional cues such as the size an object takes up in their visual space or the rate it expands.
No longer solo: A big deal for evolution
No longer solo: A big deal for evolution Humans are a social species. Whether it’s with work colleagues, friends or a partner, we’re hard-wired to connect. But where does our sociability come from and are other animals as social as we are? Flinders University PhD student Lucas Hearn is studying the social evolution of a native Australian bee. Amphylaeus morosus is part of the Colletidae family. Out of more than 2000 species, it’s the only one known to be social instead of flying solo. However, A.
Helping green hydrogen out of the lab Original
There are many steps between a lab breakthrough and real-world application. And green hydrogen may have just taken the first few steps. Green hydrogen has a lot going for it. It's a clean fuel that can not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but create a lucrative new export industry. However, it has some significant challenges that need to be resolved before it can reach its full potential. Putting a cork in it One major challenge for green hydrogen is storage.
Helping green hydrogen out of the lab – Tech News | Particle
Helping green hydrogen out of the lab Green hydrogen has a lot going for it. It’s a clean fuel that can not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but create a lucrative new export industry. However, it has some significant challenges that need to be resolved before it can reach its full potential. PUTTING A CORK IN IT One major challenge for green hydrogen is storage. If hydrogen were to be stored and transported in the same manner as natural gas, it would need to be cooled down and liquefied.
Explaining genetic modification research
What do bananas and cavoodles have in common? They're both lovely, yellowy and have been produced by genetic manipulation. If we went back in time a few hundred years, bananas and cavoodles would look very different—if they even existed at all! That's because their genetic code has changed from what it is today. Welcome to Genetic Modification 101. What are genes? Let's start small with DNA. DNA is made up of molecules that provide a chemical blueprint for each living organism.
Particle 101: Genetic Modification – Health News | Particle
Republishing our content We want our stories to be shared and seen by as many people as possible. Therefore, unless it says otherwise, copyright on the stories on Particle belongs to Scitech and they are published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. This allows you to republish our articles online or in print for free. You just need to credit us and link to us, and you can’t edit our material or sell it separately.
Waste not: turning food scraps into renewable energy
Food waste is a growing global problem. Australians alone chuck out 7.6 million tonnes of food each year. That’s enough to fill 13,000 Olympic swimming pools. (Or the equivalent of more than 58 billion Iced VoVos. We checked). The waste sent to landfill releases biogases, including methane. Methane’s a greenhouse gas that’s . To put it into perspective, the United Nations estimates that 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from food waste. In Australia, it’s approximately 3%.
Mars is all shook up...literally - Space news
It’s magnetic Earth’s is a vast, comet-shaped ‘bubble’ that protects our planet from harmful cosmic radiation. Without it, Earth would be uninhabitable. “Mars once had a magnetic field, but it died millions of years ago,” says Hrvoje. “That had catastrophic consequences for the potential of life development and preservation.” So when and why did it die? They’re big questions Hrvoje and Weijia hope their work can help answer.
Quolls vs cane toads: Battle for survival - Environment News
Can WA scientists help save the northern quoll from extinction? Cane toads were released in North Queensland in 1935 in a failed attempt to control beetles that were damaging sugarcane crops. Since then, they have wreaked ecological havoc. They don’t have any natural predators to control or contain them. So over the years, their numbers have exploded from around 2400 to more than 2 billion.
Waste not: Turning food scraps into renewable energy
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Food for thought: if food waste was a country it'd be the world's third largest greenhouse gas producer behind the US and China. So what's being done about it? Food waste is a growing global problem. Australians alone chuck out 7.6 million tons of food each year. That's enough to fill 13,000 Olympic swimming pools. (Or the equivalent of more than 58 billion Iced VoVos. We checked). The waste sent to landfill releases biogases, including methane.
Waste not: turning food scraps into renewable energy
Food Waste not: turning food scraps into renewable energy Food waste is a growing global problem. Australians alone chuck out 7.6 million tonnes of food each year. That’s enough to fill 13,000 Olympic swimming pools. (Or, the equivalent of more than 58 billion Iced Vovos. We checked.). The waste sent to landfill releases biogases, including methane. Methane’s a greenhouse gas that’s .
Lost highways: archaeologists uncover ancient Arabian avenues - Earth News
People Ancient networks shed light on Arabian life 4500 years ago Picture the highway to Margaret River. You’ll pass some petrol stations, a couple of bakeries and a few wineries. In Saudi Arabia, the scenery’s more likely to feature burial chambers. Archaeologists from UWA recently discovered that people living in Arabia 4500 years ago built major highway networks between settlements. These ancient pathways were bordered by elaborate burial monuments. Together, they’re known as funerary avenues.
Perth summer: feeling hot, hot, hot - Earth News
Earth Hot Perth summer: are heatwaves here to stay? If you sweltered through Perth’s hottest Christmas on record, you may have hoped it was going to soon cool down. Unfortunately, Perth’s has continued. In January, Perth was the hottest capital city in Australia’s warmest summer on record, and summer isn’t over yet. So what causes a heatwave, and are we in for more? A strong Bight to it Weather can feel very local, but it’s often caused by atmospheric phenomena happening thousands of kilometres away.
Protecting the family tree
Earth Protecting the family tree According to PhD student William Thomas, we need to understand another creeping threat to plants: a lack of genetic diversity. At UWA’s School of Biological Sciences, William looks at innovative ways to manage the recovery of plant species threatened by population decline. In this study, William and his team focused on Styphelia longissima (Ericaceae).
Landing on the origin of life
Earth Landing on the origin of life That’s because you’re close to ancient hot springs that hold clues to the how life began. But how could this discovery affect our understanding of the origin of life (and where to find it elsewhere)? Deep Blue Sea One persistent theory about the origin of life on Earth is that life began in the deep ocean with hot, acidic vents known as black smokers.
The wonderful world of seed banks
Earth The wonderful world of seed banks Seeds – and the plants they grow – are a vital part of WA’s ecosystem. And to protect our vast biodiversity, teams of seed collectors and scientists keep native WA seeds safe in specialised banks around the world. Banking on it Originally set up in the 1960s to source seed material for native plants in Kings Park, the WA Seed Centre now performs a vital conservation role.
Communicating through cartoons - People News
People Inclusive production is making STEM shine According to Dr Rina Fu, microbiologist and science educator, there is a significant gap in science education between students at mainstream schools and students at schools for people with an intellectual disability. “In education support centres or schools for students with special needs, STEM isn’t typically a priority because they’re focusing on skills for everyday living,” says Rina.
How scientists are tuning in to the universe, man
An artist’s impression of a pulsar. Credit: ICRAR/Curtin University You're driving down the freeway listening to the radio, but you're getting static. Enjoy it. That's the sounds of the universe. You're driving down the freeway listening to the radio. Unfortunately, the radio is picking up some static. Sounds a bit rough, doesn't it?
How wombats cube their poo
Credit: CC0 Public Domain OK, first things first. Wombats do cubed-shaped poos. Now you know. It's been thought in the past that this distinctive shape was formed at the—ahem—point of exit. But thanks to some new research by University of Tasmania wildlife ecologist Dr. Scott Carver and a team spanning Australia and the US, we now know these cubes are shaped before they ever see the light of day, in the digestive system.
How ancient DNA is uncovering the mysteries of Australian biodiversity
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain If TV has taught us anything, it's that DNA can solve crimes. But can it shed a light on prehistory? If police procedural crime shows have taught us anything, it's how DNA can provide answers to tricky questions. Wondering who used the candlestick on Colonel Mustard in the library? DNA can solve the mystery—better luck next time, Mrs Peacock. But can DNA help solve mysteries that happened a little longer ago?
The Blind Cave Eel's modern day evolution - Earth News
Republishing our content We want our stories to be shared and seen by as many people as possible. Therefore, unless it says otherwise, copyright on the stories on Particle belongs to Scitech and they are published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. This allows you to republish our articles online or in print for free. You just need to credit us and link to us, and you can’t edit our material or sell it separately.
Fear of the flush: Social anxiety and public restrooms
Credit: CC0 Public Domain Most people experience anxiety at times. It's a normal emotion that can help us detect danger. But there's a fine line between our evolutionary instincts and a debilitating condition. For example, imagine you're in a jungle and hear a rustle in the bushes behind you. All of a sudden, you're super alert and adrenalin's pumping through your body because it could be a tiger. In this case, your anxiety is a finely tuned evolutionary survival mechanism.
How science is supersizing your veggies
Credit: CC0 Public Domain It turns out that plants and animals sense nutrients in the same way. Have you ever thought that fruit and vegetables in the supermarket are getting bigger? That's not just your imagination. And it's not by accident either. Scientists like Dr. Brendan O'Leary from the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology at UWA are working to boost the size of produce so we get the best bang for our buck in agriculture.
Feeling salty about climate change? Let's talk about desalination
Credit: CC0 Public Domain With bushfires dominating the media landscape, discussions about addressing carbon emissions are everywhere. But there is another area we need to address: how we will adapt to a changing climate. But don't worry. This article isn't all doom and gloom. This is about an adaptive policy that was put in place over a decade ago and has worked so well that you've probably not heard a lot about it. We're talking about securing Perth's water supply through desalination.
Hydrogen is blowing up: From science experiment to export industry
Credit: Darren Halstead on Unsplash Remember those science experiment cars powered by water? That technology could help Australia decarbonize its economy and become a major player in a zero-emissions world. Did you ever do the science experiment at school where you fueled little plastic cars with water? Those neat little guys were a cool way to learn about electrolysis, the process of using electricity to split water into two gases: hydrogen and oxygen.
Here comes the sun
It's no surprise Western Australia has a lot of sunshine. But what are we doing with it? It might not come as a surprise to West Australians, but our state gets a lot of sunshine. Perth bakes in the sunshine every year, but other than catching some rays, what else can we use all our sunlight for? As obvious as the answer might be (solar—for those playing at home), there's been a quiet surge to create new and better solar technology. And it starts down at the nano level. Nano what?
Want to tackle climate change? Tackle your food waste first
Australians love food. Whether it's Indian, French, Japanese or American cuisine, we're keen for it. But unfortunately, there seems to be something else that we can't get enough of: food waste. Every year, Australians send over 5 million tonnes of food waste to landfill. That's enough to fill 9000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. This isn't just bad because needy people miss out. When food goes into landfill, the environment seriously suffers. Why? Because of carbon in food. Yes, carbon.
How gold rush prospectors made the original smart fridge
If there is one thing new technology strives for, it is to be smart. I, for one, am comforted that my phone is smart. Even if you strip away the fancy apps and design, it's capable of some pretty neat things. So no one should be totally surprised that smart fridges are now a thing. That's right, Samsung is launching a new fridge that frankly leaves all other fridges in the dust. This ain't your granddaddy's old fridge.
How bats help explain the human brain
Imagine you're in your office making a cup of coffee. Wally from Accounts walks in, and you groan. Wally is a weirdo, and he's coming over to chat. Don't feel bad for immediately noticing Wally and being annoyed. You're not being mean. You're just using a nifty trick that mammals—and especially humans—have evolved to build social groups and civilisations. I'm talking about cognitive social mapping or the ability to keep track of the physical location of people in our social circles.
Could this creature hold the future of regenerative medicine?
Have you ever watched an X-Men movie and been jealous of Wolverine's regenerative powers? Well, do I have news for you! Thanks to a team of scientists from UWA and Monash University, researchers are a step closer to understanding how mature cells (such as skin cells, brain cells or blood cells) can be reprogrammed back into stem cells in the laboratory.
What can albatross poo tell us about climate change?
If there is one quality that scientists possess, it's dedication. They train for years, mastering complex concepts and theories, all in pursuit of answering the universe's questions. Sometimes these questions lead to … unexpected places. Just ask Dr Julie McInnes of the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania. She dedicates her scientific study to measuring the effect of climate change on how different species live and feed. How, you ask?
The benefits of being a total space cadet
It's official—Australia is getting a space agency. But what does that mean to us on the ground? Well, as it turns out, a lot. I spoke with Glen Nagle of the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex (a collaboration between CSIRO and NASA) to find out about how research into space travel benefits us down here on Earth. "It's by pushing the boundaries of space research that we've made thousands of unforeseen advances in technology on Earth that we use each and every day," said Glen.
Monster fish of the deep
Do insects make your skin crawl? What about snakes? There are some seriously gross critters around, but if you think a creepy-looking bug is the worst of it, you're wrong. It gets much weirder. With huge fangs, an enormous mouth gape and jaws like the arms of a praying mantis, the black loosejaw isn't exactly cute and cuddly. But it's not just its looks that make it scary—the black loosejaw has a special ability that gives it an amazing advantage over other critters down in the deep.
Can nanotechnology heal scar tissue?
If you've ever had a nasty burn from hot water or a kettle, chances are you've come away with a scar. These scars can last a lifetime and can be debilitating for victims of more severe burns. But that might be about to change, thanks to a little thing (and I mean really little thing) called nanotechnology. How little, I hear you ask? Try on a scale where things are measured in nanometres or billionths of a metre. To understand how small a nanometre is, pluck a hair from your head.
Can Nanotechnology Heal Scar Tissue?
Think scars last a lifetime? Think again. If you've ever had a nasty burn from hot water or a kettle, chances are you've come away with a scar. These scars can last a lifetime and can be debilitating for victims of more severe burns. But that might be about to change, thanks to a little thing (and I mean really little thing) called nanotechnology. How little, I hear you ask? Try on a scale where things are measured in nanometres or billionths of a metre.
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