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University of Sydney


Does the time of day you move your body make a difference to your health?

Researchers found that undertaking majority of daily aerobic physical activity in the evening is associated with lower risk of premature death and cardiovascular disease for people with obesity. The study, published in Diabetes Care, suggests that planning physical activity into certain times of the day may help offset some health risks.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalDiabetes Care·TypeObservational study·DateApr 9, 2024

New privacy-preserving robotic cameras obscure images beyond human recognition

Researchers at the University of Sydney and Queensland University of Technology have developed a new approach to designing cameras that process and scramble visual information. The approach, known as 'sighted systems,' creates distorted images that can still be used by robots to complete tasks but do not compromise privacy.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalJournal of Responsible Technology·TypeImaging analysis·DateApr 4, 2024

Daily step count of 9,000 to 10,000 may counteract risk of death and cardiovascular disease in highly sedentary people

A study found that increasing daily step count can counteract the health consequences of too much sedentary time. The optimal number of steps per day to achieve this benefit was between 9,000 to 10,000 steps/day, which lowered mortality risk by 39% and incident CVD risk by 21%.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalBritish Journal of Sports Medicine·TypeObservational study·DateMar 5, 2024

Scammed! Animals ‘led by the nose’ to leave plants alone

Researchers at the University of Sydney have developed a method to shield plants from herbivorous mammals by fooling them with artificial odors, mimicking plants they naturally avoid. This approach is more humane and low-cost than current methods, and shows promise for protecting valuable plants globally.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalNature Ecology & Evolution·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 2, 2024

Black summer bushfires in Australia wiped $2.8 billion from tourism supply chain

The 2019-2020 'Black Summer' bushfires in Australia resulted in a $2.8 billion loss to the tourism industry, with almost 7300 jobs disappearing nationwide. The study found that the impact of the fires was felt across the entire economy, with the Australian tourism industry being particularly vulnerable.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalEconomics of Disasters and Climate Change·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJan 30, 2024

Centralized social networks potentially hinder innovation by making decision-making too similar

A study by researchers at the University of Sydney and Stockholm University found that centralized social networks can lead to a culture of homogeneity, where innovative voices are crowded out and traditionalist practices prevail. This can have significant consequences for the environment and global food security.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalPeople and Nature·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 24, 2024

‘Maintain Asian forest diversity to avoid climate change impact’

A team of international scientists found that Southeast Asian forests resisted 'savannisation' during the Last Glacial Maximum, maintaining a mosaic of diverse closed and open forest types. Maintaining forest diversity is key to preventing future 'savannisation' and protecting tropical rainforests in regions like South East Asia.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 25, 2023

How effective are opioid medications for cancer pain?

A recent review of opioid medicines for cancer pain found surprisingly large gaps in evidence regarding their true benefits. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may be at least as effective as some opioids for background cancer pain, offering potential alternatives to reduce dependence and waning analgesia over time.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalCA A Cancer Journal for Clinicians·TypeSystematic review·DateDec 18, 2023

Photonic chip that ‘fits together like Lego’ opens door to semiconductor industry

Researchers at the University of Sydney have invented a compact silicon semiconductor chip integrating electronics with photonic components, significantly expanding radio-frequency bandwidth and filter control. The new technology has potential applications in advanced radar, satellite systems, wireless networks, and telecommunications,...

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 30, 2023

Nanowire ‘brain’ network learns and remembers ‘on the fly’

Researchers at the University of Sydney have developed a physical neural network that can learn and remember data in real-time, using nanowire networks to mimic brain-inspired learning and memory functions. The network achieved high accuracy in benchmark image recognition tasks and demonstrated its capacity for online learning.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 1, 2023

Antibiotics for common childhood infections no longer effective

A study led by the University of Sydney found that many antibiotics for childhood infections have less than 50% effectiveness, leading to thousands of unnecessary deaths globally. The World Health Organization has declared antimicrobial resistance a top public health threat, emphasizing the urgent need for updated guidelines.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalThe Lancet Regional Health - Southeast Asia·DateOct 31, 2023

Evolution wired human brains to act like supercomputers

Researchers have confirmed that human brains use Bayesian inference to process visual information, allowing for precise interpretation and speed. This natural ability enables people to outperform machines in tasks such as recognizing objects in images, with implications for fields like artificial intelligence and clinical neurology.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalNature Communications·TypeObservational study·DateSep 14, 2023

Growing evidence supporting the protein leverage hypothesis

The protein leverage hypothesis proposes that a decrease in protein intake due to modern diets drives increased energy consumption. Research supports this idea, showing how protein appetite interacts with processed foods and life stage changes to increase the risk of obesity.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalPhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences·DateSep 3, 2023

Scientists use quantum device to slow down simulated chemical reaction 100 billion times

Researchers at the University of Sydney have successfully slowed down a simulated chemical reaction by a factor of 100 billion times using a quantum computer. This achievement allows for direct observation of previously inaccessible processes, enabling breakthroughs in fields like materials science and drug design.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalNature Chemistry·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 28, 2023

Chemical odyssey: First global analysis shows how pesticides leach into the environment

Approximately 70,000 tonnes of pesticides leach into aquifers each year, impacting ecosystems and freshwater resources. The study showed that about 80 percent of applied pesticides degrade into daughter molecules, persisting in the environment for a long time and posing significant harm to marine wildlife and coral reefs.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalNature·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJul 12, 2023