Author: Amalyah Hart
Anatomical secrets of ‘ridiculously long’ pterosaur necks
Scientists discover unique anatomical quirk that enabled giant, flying pterosaurs to support their long necks. For Cosmos Magazine.
What is radiometric dating?
Dive headfirst into the weird world of dating by radioactive decay. For Cosmos Magazine.
Monkeydactyl: the new pterosaur with the oldest opposable thumbs
Newly discovered flying pterosaur found to have the oldest truly opposable thumbs. For Cosmos Magazine.
Year of the quiet ocean
An international team aims to monitor the impact of 2020’s ‘quiet’ oceans on marine life. For Cosmos Magazine.
Bone tools from the Kimberley among oldest in Australia
A new study of bone artefacts found in the Kimberley region reveals the secrets of their deep antiquity and diverse use. For Cosmos Magazine.
Poorer children “failed by system”
Study reveals the extent of poverty as a barrier to education in low and middle income countries. For Cosmos Magazine.
Marine species flee the equator
Warming waters are triggering a mass exodus of marine creatures from the tropics. For Cosmos Magazine.
The staggering cost of biological invasion
New study reveals that invasive species have cost US$1.28 trillion globally over the past 50 years. For Cosmos Magazine.
Papua New Guinea COVID-19 update
The COVID crisis in PNG worsens as a new strain is identified and 8,000 vaccines are delivered. For Cosmos Magazine.
Snap-lockdowns: How to Safeguard Your Mental Health
How to protect your mental health in lockdown. For Life Supports Counselling.
2I/Borisov: Interstellar interloper
New comet is only the second ever interstellar visitor detected entering our solar system. For Cosmos Magazine.
Ancient tree-climbing kangaroo discovered
Researchers discover extinct kangaroo adapted for life in the upper storey. For Cosmos Magazine.
Diverse crocodiles underwent rapid evolution
New study reveals ancient crocodiles were far more disparate than today, thanks to rapid evolution. Cosmos Magazine.
Explainer: Cryptocurrency
How digital currencies work, and why we should care. For Cosmos Magazine.
Standing sentinel: The vanishing giants of the Central Highlands
In Victoria’s Central Highlands, ancient survivors of a lost world cling on against the odds. Economy and industry, fires and drought, loom as close threats. Amalyah Hart journeys deep into the forest, navigating the human stories that will shape it’s future.
How to survive a mass extinction
New study reveals how life on earth recovered after the most devastating mass extinction in geological history. Full article in Cosmos online at: https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/palaeontology/how-to-survive-a-mass-extinction/
Recycling hero: Justin Chalker
The recycling whizz-kid saving the planet one novel polymer at a time. Full article in Cosmos online at: https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/sustainability/recycling-heroes-associate-professor-justin-chalker/
Birdsong baffles babies
Researchers find that baby brains are bolstered by lemur and human voices – but not by birdsong. Full article in Cosmos online at: https://cosmosmagazine.com/animals/lemur-calls-help-babies-learn/
Bitcoin boom has huge carbon footprint
Researcher finds that Bitcoin mining alone may rival the carbon footprint of all global data centres combined. Full article in Cosmos online at: https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/computing/bitcoin-boom-has-huge-carbon-footprint/
How a baby T-Rex bites
Researchers use 3D modelling to examine the jaws of different-sized tyrannosaurs. Full article in Cosmos Magazine online at: https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/palaeontology/how-a-baby-t-rex-bites/
Next-wave technology inspired by the ingenuity of nature
If you know where to look, there’s almost no technological or design problem that nature hasn’t solved already. Amalyah Hart dives headfirst into the world of bio-inspiration. Full text here: https://www.thecitizen.org.au/articles/next-wave-technology-inspired-by-the-miracles-of-nature This article originally published in Cosmos Magazine issue 90.
Seared into country and memory, lessons for a fiery future
This year’s La Nina has allowed some respite and healing after the devastation of Black Summer, but scientists warn that recognising the risks of more fires, more often, will be crucial to species survival. Originally published at: https://www.thecitizen.org.au/articles/seared-into-country-and-memory-lessons-for-a-fiery-future The lush folds of the Newnes Plateau swamps, a critical but endangered habitat in the Blue Mountains […]
The Science of Healing Breath: How deep breathing can bring you calm, reduce anxiety and improve your health
This article originally published at: https://lifesupportscounselling.com.au/blog/benefits-of-deep-breathing-and-how-it-can-improve-your-life/ Breathing is the critical mechanism for the maintenance of human life. It confers oxygen into the bloodstream, pumping the body with the essential molecules it needs for metabolic processes, and ridding it of unneeded waste in the form of carbon dioxide. A growing body of evidence points to the […]
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Everything You Need To Know
This article originally published at: https://lifesupportscounselling.com.au/blog/understanding-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/ What is PTSD? Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental condition that develops in response to a traumatic event. It is characterised by intrusive recollections – ‘flashbacks’ – of the traumatising event that cause extreme emotional distress. The condition is associated with a vicious kaleidoscope of secondary symptoms, including […]
How Aboriginal health experts acted first and led the fight against the coronavirus
Enlisting local initiatives, networks and the lessons of the past, Aboriginal health services were quick off the mark when coronavirus came. Their success to date is powerful testimony to the importance of Indigenous leadership in narrowing the health gap, experts say.
Minding the gap: the dangers of deficit thinking
Global protests have prompted introspection in Australia about systemic racial issues, including the disparity in Indigenous health outcomes. However, Indigenous health experts say that viewing the problem through a narrow lens of “deficit” isn’t helping.
A multi-layered epidemic: mental health in the time of coronavirus
Mental health professionals in Victoria are reporting soaring issues as the pandemic continues.
Directors of Melbourne nightclub fear COVID-19 could destroy local music industry
The directors of a Melbourne nightclub say they fear the COVID-19 lockdown could put them out of business, and damage the city’s vibrant music industry.
Overcoming Loneliness in Isolation & Lockdown
Canadian poet Rupi Kaur couldn’t have anticipated our present moment any more vividly than when she wrote, “the irony of loneliness is we all feel it at the same time.”
The social distancing measures put in place to protect us from COVID-19 have drastically reduced the circle of people we have regular access to, making many of us lonely or isolated.
Understanding and Managing Fear
Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by a perceived threat of harm or suffering. Fear may be referred to by many different names; phobia, anxiety, social anxiety, panic, fight-or-flight and so on.
How positive thinking can help you through a global pandemic – and help your immunity, too
The COVID-19 pandemic has plunged all of us into a new and frightening way of living. In an unprecedented global health crisis, it’s natural to be experiencing anxiety, depression, or other forms of mental distress like a lack of motivation.