Future of Coal Series

Black lung's back? How we became complacent with coal miners' pneumoconiosis

Apr 21, 2016 07:06 am UTC| Insights & Views Health

The name black lung says it all. When miners inhale excessive amounts of coal dust, the fine air filtration system of the lungs sieves out the dust, which then remains permanently in the lung. These deposits can even be...

Explainer: what is Lyme disease and does it exist in Australia?

Apr 21, 2016 06:57 am UTC| Health

Ticks in Australia are a health risk. Reactions to their bites can be severe; they can cause life-threatening paralysis and allergies and transmit disease-causing pathogens. But it is the debate about Lyme disease and its...

British drinking culture mixes moderation and excess, our new study shows

Apr 21, 2016 06:41 am UTC| Health

One of the most common refrains in alcohol policy debates is that we need to change our drinking culture. Used by politicians, the alcohol industry and, occasionally, public health advocates, it refers to a belief that the...

How to pick Australia's health and medical research priorities

Apr 21, 2016 06:29 am UTC| Insights & Views Health

Earlier this month, Health Minister Sussan Ley announced the board of the Australian Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF). It is led by Professor Ian Frazer, one of Australias most innovative and successful researchers who...

Genetics: what it is that makes you clever – and why it's shrouded in controversy

Apr 21, 2016 05:53 am UTC| Science Health

For nearly 150 years, the concept of intelligence and its study have offered scientific ways of classifying people in terms of their ability. The drive to identify and quantify exceptional mental capacity may have a...

Why phages could be the new weapon in the war against antibiotic resistance

Apr 20, 2016 10:55 am UTC| Health

Every year an increasing number of health tourists are travelling to Eastern bloc countries to receive an old Soviet medical treatment, which could be the answer to the Wests crisis in antibiotics. Receiving life saving...

Why over-treating malaria in Africa is a problem, and how it can be stopped

Apr 20, 2016 05:48 am UTC| Health

Malaria policymakers and clinicians are concerned about the clinical, financial and public health harms associated with over-treating malaria. Over-treatment happens when a person who doesnt have malaria is given...