Latest news with #GriffithUniversity
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
'Shocking' find could change the way Aussies visit the beach
For 200 years, there has been speculation that swimmers could be tormented by more than one species of bluebottle jellyfish. It turns out there are at least four, including one in Australia that has a 'prominent nose'. 'We were shocked, because we assumed they were all the same species," Griffith University marine ecologist Professor Kylie Pitt said. Until recently, studying these notorious jellyfish has been a challenge because they're hard to keep in captivity, and when they wash up on the beach they disintegrate quickly. Speaking with Yahoo News, Pitt explained the game-changer has been advances in DNA sequencing. 'With our paper, we used the most powerful method, whole genome sequencing, so it's entire DNA has been sampled,' she said. 'By combining the DNA with morphology, we've got the strongest evidence possible for separating out the species.' The discovery is likely to have a direct impact on Aussie swimmers because it could help researchers better understand jellyfish behaviour and predict when they'll swarm towards beaches. Pitt was part of an international research effort by Yale University, University of New South Wales and Griffith University that sequenced the genomes of 151 jellyfish from around the world and published their findings in the journal Current Biology. A key finding of the study that the notorious Portuguese man o' war is only found in the Atlantic and is a completely separate species from Australian bluebottles. 'For a long time, people have said they're much bigger over there and the venom is much more potent,' Pitt said. 'Now we know that the potency of their venom might differ.' Related: 😳 Swimmer's painful encounter with deadly creature on Queensland island The existence of three newly described species, Physalia physalis, Physalia utriculus and Physalia megalista, had been proposed in the 18th and 19th Centuries, but the idea was later dismissed. The researchers also identified a fourth species Physalia minuta that had never been described before. 'The one that really stands out is Physalia megalista because it has a really pronounced nose,' Pitt said. It's also believed there are several distinct subpopulations shaped by regional winds and ocean currents. This new knowledge about bluebottles will have a real-world impact for swimmers, as there could be differences with the venom of Australian species too. It will also help support an investigation into jellyfish behaviour that's funded by the Australian Research Council. 🌏 Secret hidden beneath Australia's 'most important' parcel of land 👙 Tourists oblivious to disturbing scene 500m off sunny Aussie beach 📸 Confronting picture showcases state of Aussie wildlife on world stage Pitt explained a PhD student is working to understand how winds and currents move the bluebottles towards beaches, as well as how they move in the water. 'Bluebottles can actually erect their float or lay it down, depending upon what the wind conditions are. And they can also expand and or extend and contract their tentacles, which might act a little bit like a sea anchor, so there might be a bit more of a drag,' she said. 'Now we know there are at least three species in Australia she may need to look at their behavioural differences.' Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
'Shocking' find after 200-year-old bluebottle jellyfish theory investigated
For 200 years, there has been speculation that swimmers could be tormented by more than one species of bluebottle jellyfish. It turns out there are at least four, including one in Australia that has a 'prominent nose'. Until recently, studying these notorious jellyfish has been a challenge because they're hard to keep in captivity, and when they wash up on the beach they disintegrate quickly. Griffith University marine ecologist Professor Kylie Pitt explained the game-changer has been advances in DNA sequencing. 'With our paper, we used the most powerful method, whole genome sequencing, so it's entire DNA has been sampled,' she said. 'By combining the DNA with morphology, we've got the strongest evidence possible for separating out the species.' Pitt was part of an international research effort by Yale University, University of New South Wales and Griffith University that sequenced the genomes of 151 jellyfish from around the world and published their findings in the journal Current Biology. She describes feeling 'shocked' by the result of the study. A key finding was that the notorious Portuguese man o' war is only found in the Atlantic and is a completely separate species from Australian bluebottles. 'For a long time, people have said they're much bigger over there and the venom is much more potent,' Pitt said. 'Now we know that the potency of their venom might differ.' Related: 😳 Swimmer's painful encounter with deadly creature on Queensland island The existence of three newly described species, Physalia physalis, Physalia utriculus and Physalia megalista, had been proposed in the 18th and 19th Centuries, but the idea was later dismissed. The researchers also identified a fourth species Physalia minuta that had never been described before. 'The one that really stands out is Physalia megalista because it has a really pronounced nose,' Pitt said. It's also believed there are several distinct subpopulations shaped by regional winds and ocean currents. This new knowledge about bluebottles will have a real-world impact for swimmers, as there could be differences with the venom of Australian species too. It will also help support an investigation into jellyfish behaviour that's funded by the Australian Research Council. 🌏 Secret hidden beneath Australia's 'most important' parcel of land 👙 Tourists oblivious to disturbing scene 500m off sunny Aussie beach 📸 Confronting picture showcases state of Aussie wildlife on world stage Pitt explained a PhD student is working to understand how winds and currents move the bluebottles towards beaches, as well as how they move in the water. 'Bluebottles can actually erect their float or lay it down, depending upon what the wind conditions are. And they can also expand and or extend and contract their tentacles, which might act a little bit like a sea anchor, so there might be a bit more of a drag,' she said. 'Now we know there are at least three species in Australia she may need to look at their behavioural differences.' Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
ABC News
2 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
Soccer heading can alter brain chemistry, new research shows
Amateur Sydney soccer player Oliver Lee-Young remembers countless heading sessions when he was an aspiring young player. "My dad took me to the park in the north of Sydney and we used to practice heading all the time, coaches as well, the school programs, all that kind of thing," Lee-Young said. "It's so important — you can't really play the game without heading for defence, for attack, for scoring goals, for pretty much every facet of the sport." But Lee-Young said new research that has found any soccer heading alters the brain's chemistry and electrical activity has given food for thought. The work, published today in the journal Sports Medicine — Open, found changes in the brains of players who participated in a heading study by researchers at the University of Sydney and Griffith University. "Overall, I'd say we found that soccer heading has a subtle effect on the brain even when there's no concussion and cognitive impairment detected," said researcher Dr Danielle McCartney, a research fellow at the Lambert Institute of Cannabinoid Therapeutics at Sydney University. The study recruited 15 male amateur soccer players between the ages of 18 and 35 to head a ball launched 20 times in 20 minutes from a machine at a fixed distance and speed. The players then underwent MRI scans and gave blood samples. Dr McCartney said the results showed the players' brain chemistry had changed immediately after doing the headers. "We found altered electrical conductive and altered chemistry in certain regions of the brain," she said. The changes included altered chemistry in a part of the brain involved in motor control and decreased electrical conductivity across several areas. "We also found that two blood biomarkers, which have previously been associated with head trauma and dementia, were elevated following the heading task," Dr McCartney said. The blood samples showed elevated levels of two proteins, GFAP and NFL. Elevated levels of these two proteins are also seen in cases of concussion and dementia, albeit at much higher levels than were seen in the study's participants. These proteins are currently considered some of the best available blood biomarkers of brain injury and future dementia risk. But Dr McCartney was quick to point out that the players in the study didn't suffer any cognitive effects. "It tells us that they (the effects) are subtle," she said. "It tells us that we need to do further work to really understand the clinical and long-term significance of these effects." Dr Nathan Delang, who led the research as a PhD candidate and is now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Queensland, said more studies were being done to understand the patterns. "Elevated levels of these biomarkers indicate brain cells have been disturbed at a microstructural level," Dr Delang said. "The clinical and long-term significance of such small elevations is still being studied, particularly in relation to how much, and what pattern, of exposure might lead to effects on brain structure and function." But Dr McCartney said determining the long-term impact of soccer heading was difficult because it was virtually impossible to sort out the effects of sub-concussive knocks — like heading a soccer ball — from more severe head knocks. "Often people who are experiencing a lot of non-concussive impacts are also experiencing concussive impacts, and so, it makes it hard to do these observational studies," she said. "Our research shows that heading has acute effects on the brain. "Certainly, we need more studies to determine whether or not these effects persist, whether they not they accumulate over time. "Those kinds of things will help us better understand the effects of heading on long-term health." The research will add to the debate in Australia about whether children should be allowed to head the ball. In the United States and the United Kingdom, young children are banned from heading until they're in their early teens. Certain clubs in Australia have also initiated a ban, but it hasn't been adopted across the country. In a statement, Football Australia said it released updated guidelines on concussion for junior and community sport last month. "Junior football is played on smaller fields, with a reduced number of players and small goals," the statement said. "Modifications to the laws of the game, including no throw-ins and the requirement for goalkeepers to release the ball by rolling or throwing, help reduce the incidence of heading at a junior level. "Football Australia has approved an expert project team to consider a Football Australia Expert Working Group's suggestions on strategies to reduce the incidence, magnitude and burden of heading in youth football, commencing with a comprehensive literature review." Lee-Young said the University of Sydney research might make people consider the potential dangers of heading, but he didn't believe it would ever be banned from the game. "It's like saying you can't bowl a bouncer in cricket — it's part of the sport. It wouldn't really be soccer with heading," he said. "But for kids, it might be a different story." Dr McCartney said there needed to be caution. "As a starting point, I think we need to be exercising caution in and around heading," Dr McCartney said. "Making an effort to limit exposure as appropriate. "Undertaking intense training sessions involving a lot of heading might not be the best plan based on our results."
The Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
What's behind the global surge of new Covid variant NB.1.8.1 – and should you get vaccinated?
A new Covid variant, NB.1.8.1, is spreading across the world, with India and other countries in Asia reporting a surge in cases. In the UK, the Health Security Agency confirmed 13 cases of the variant in England in early June, while hospital admissions due to Covid have risen by almost 10 per cent. However, the true extent of the variant's spread remains uncertain, largely due to a significant reduction in Covid-19 testing compared to the peak of the global pandemic five years ago. What do we know about the variant NB.1.8.1? NB.1.8.1 stemmed from the Omicron variant and was first detected in January this year. It has quickly spread across China and Hong Kong, and has now been recorded in several states across the United States and Australia. By late April, NB.1.8.1 comprised about 10.7 per cent of submitted sequences globally, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). This rose from just 2.5 per cent a month before. The WHO declared the NB.1.8.1 strain a 'variant under monitoring' on 23 May, which means scientists believe it could potentially affect the behaviour of the virus. Why has there been a surge in new cases? Lara Herrero, a virologist from Griffith University in Australia, suspects that NB.1.8.1 spreads more easily than other variants. 'Using lab-based models, researchers found NB.1.8.1 had the strongest binding affinity to the human ACE2 receptor of several variants tested, suggesting it may infect cells more efficiently than earlier strains,' Dr Herrero wrote last month in The Conversation. Dr Chun Tang, GP at UK private healthcare centre Pall Mall Medical, said: 'NB.1.8.1 isn't too different from the Omicron variant, but it does have some tweaks to its spike protein, which might make it spread a bit more easily or slip past some of our existing immunity. 'That said, early signs suggest it doesn't seem to cause more serious illness, but of course, we're still learning more about it.' 'Its spread has been identified in around 22 countries,' said Dr Naveed Asif, GP at The London General Practice. 'The WHO assesses the additional risk to the global public as currently low, and existing Covid-19 vaccines are considered effective in preventing severe disease.' However, the 'Nimbus' variant, as it has been dubbed, does appear to be more transmissible than previous strains, with notable increases reported in India, Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand, notes Dr Asif. What are the symptoms? Common symptoms of Nimbus include a severe sore throat, fatigue, mild cough, fever, muscle aches and congestion. It has also been reported that some patients have experienced gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and diarrhoea. Healthcare experts have stressed, however, that there is no evidence that the new strain is more deadly or serious than previous variants, and that current Covid vaccines are expected to remain effective and protect anyone infected from severe illness. Should you get vaccinated? In the UK, the NHS advises that Covid vaccinations are currently unavailable to the public until the early winter roll out, and only to those who need extra protection from the virus. The NHS will get in touch to offer you the Covid vaccine if you are eligible.
The Age
2 days ago
- The Age
Just how eco-friendly is Queensland's ecotourism plan?
Ziplines, cableways, anything that suspends tourists through the treetops. These are attractions that evoke strong emotions from Queenslanders, especially when they're suggested for a popular patch of bushland or a World Heritage-listed national park. It wasn't that long ago that a zipline was proposed for Mount Coot-tha, sparking protests and attracting more than 3200 public submissions against the idea. Brisbane's biggest section of bushland was back in the news this week after council announced plans to upgrade it – thankfully, with no zipline in sight. Necessary improvements do need to be made. A visit to Mount Coot-tha early on Tuesday showed a tired planetarium and a tropical dome that's seen better days. But a new proposal to add more infrastructure to the mountain has raised concerns about the environmental impact. Plans to build a cableway through the Gold Coast Hinterland – an idea that has been floated several times in the past 30 years – have stoked similar fears. With three decades of opposition to a plan that would involve clearing trees from a World Heritage-listed forest, you'd think the cableway would have been put to bed a long time ago. But proposals to sail through the hinterland's canopies have been reanimated with this month's announcement of Queensland's 20-year tourism strategy. Loading At the centre of Destination 2045 is a plan to make Queensland a world leader in ecotourism, with the Crisafulli government pledging 45 new experiences by 2045. These are described as 'projects that are ecologically sustainable and primarily focused on experiencing an area in a way that fosters understanding, appreciation, and conservation of the area and its natural and cultural values'. Taken at face value, encouraging more low-impact, nature-based tourism is an excellent proposition. But like a cableway cutting through an ancient forest, there's an oxymoron at the heart of this strategy. Griffith University environmental anthropologist Georgette Leah Burns says ecotourism itself is a well-intentioned, growing industry. The trouble is, the term is not always applied appropriately.
