https://phys.org/ en-us Latest news from Curtin University Living near trees and parks may help protect unborn babies from some of the harmful effects of outdoor air pollution during pregnancy, according to a new systematic review from Curtin University. The study, published in Environmental Research, is a critical systematic review to examine whether public health interventions modify how exposure to outdoor air pollution and extreme heat during pregnancy affects child health outcomes, including birth outcomes, respiratory conditions and neurodevelopment. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-green-spaces-unborn-babies-effects.html Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:10:01 EDT news694169422 Curtin University research has found farmers making small changes to how they give water to cattle in semi-arid regions could halt the spread of one of Australia's most damaging invasive species—all without disrupting farming operations. Published in Global Ecology and Conservation, the paper reveals straightforward, low-cost changes to cattle troughs and fencing could prevent invasive cane toads from accessing the water they need to survive during hot and dry conditions. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-toad-proofing-farms-invasive-pest.html Ecology Mon, 30 Mar 2026 09:10:01 EDT news694080001 Scientists at Curtin University have solved a long-standing mystery about how some of the world's best-preserved fossils formed in ancient oxygen-free ocean floor settings. The research, published in Communications Earth & Environment, focuses on a 183-million-year-old ichthyosaur—a dolphin-like marine reptile, preserved three dimensionally inside a carbonate concretion from Germany's Posidonia Shale. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-scientists-uncover-secret-3d-sea.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 26 Mar 2026 13:40:02 EDT news693744541 A new Curtin University study warns that large parts of Australia, including major cities and farming regions, could be highly vulnerable to a fast-spreading invasive beetle, already causing severe damage across the Perth metropolitan area. The study looked at the full life cycle of the polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB), a tiny insect which releases a fungus that can starve trees of nutrients, killing them in the process. The study resulted in a model to analyze where new outbreaks are most likely to occur in Australia. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-huge-areas-australia-vulnerable-tree.html Plants & Animals Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:26:28 EST news689516761 Low-income renters in Australia are far less likely to experience housing stress, rent arrears, or be forced to relocate when living in social housing compared to those receiving cash rent assistance payments or no assistance, according to a new global study by Curtin University published in the journal Housing Studies. The research analyzed data from 2001 to 2020, tracking housing outcomes for more than 9,200 low-income renters in Australia and almost 15,000 in the United Kingdom, comparing how different rental support schemes affected housing security. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-social-housing-key-income-renters.html Economics & Business Mon, 02 Feb 2026 10:29:39 EST news689250542 Curtin University researchers have demonstrated a new way to uncover the ancient history of Australia's landscapes, which could offer crucial insights into how our environment responds to geological processes and climate change and even where deposits of valuable minerals may be found. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-cosmic-clock-reveals-australian-landscapes.html Earth Sciences Sat, 17 Jan 2026 12:10:06 EST news687614974 Playing video games for more than 10 hours a week could have a significant impact on young people's diet, sleep and body weight, according to a new Curtin University-led study published in Nutrition. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-reveals-hours-video-games-week.html Health Thu, 15 Jan 2026 05:26:41 EST news687677162 A new Curtin University-led study has shed new light on the widespread number of households in developing countries burning plastic as an everyday energy source, uncovering serious international health, social equality and environmental concerns. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-global-reveals-widespread-plastic-cooking.html Environment Thu, 08 Jan 2026 05:00:01 EST news686939521 Public attitudes toward 'chatbot therapists' shifted dramatically during the rapid rise of generative artificial intelligence in 2023, according to a new Curtin University study, that is now behind the redevelopment of a safer, well-being chatbot called Monti. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-ai-chatbot-therapists-surges.html Social Sciences Mon, 15 Dec 2025 12:44:31 EST news685025042 A new Curtin University study has found that people diagnosed with sarcoma—a cancer disproportionately affecting teenagers and young adults—are being left without the resources they urgently need. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-reveals-online-lacking-sarcoma-patients.html Oncology & Cancer Tue, 09 Dec 2025 21:00:01 EST news684493176 A Curtin University-led study has found that where Australians live has a measurable influence on their body weight, with local food environments and neighborhood design playing a big part in shaping health outcomes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-australians-body-weight.html Health Tue, 02 Dec 2025 06:32:28 EST news683879522 Middle-aged Australians are keeping the country running—but it's taking a hefty toll on their well-being, a new report shows. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-middle-aged-room-australia-burnout.html Economics & Business Wed, 19 Nov 2025 22:50:01 EST news682771595 Though many people may benefit from setting life goals, new research led by Curtin University has revealed working towards unachievable targets could in fact have a negative impact on overall well-being—and knowing when to abandon or change your goals may be just as important as persistence. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-em-reveals-benefits-unrealistic-goals.html Social Sciences Mon, 17 Nov 2025 10:05:23 EST news682596320 New Curtin University research has found invasive cane toads are on track to reach Western Australia's Pilbara region within the next 10 to 20 years, threatening to cause widespread losses among native species and significant cultural and economic harm. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-invasive-cane-toads-western-australia.html Plants & Animals Mon, 10 Nov 2025 05:00:07 EST news681737401 A Curtin University-led international study has solved the mystery of how the skin of a fossilized fish was able to be preserved for 52 million years, extending our understanding of how even the most delicate of biological material can survive deep time. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-skin-deep-reveals-secret-ancient.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 13 Oct 2025 09:50:04 EDT news679567802 A new report out today shows that companies taking action for gender equality see lower staff turnover, more women in leadership and better shareholder value. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-action-gender-equity-linked-career.html Social Sciences Mon, 13 Oct 2025 09:10:01 EDT news679317181 New Curtin University research has found the impact of bushfires and prescribed burns on global bee populations is highly varied, with some species benefiting from fire while others face severe risks. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-issue-friend-bees-foe.html Plants & Animals Wed, 08 Oct 2025 13:00:04 EDT news679147202 A Curtin University-led study has identified the most critical risk factors linked to neonatal deaths worldwide, providing comprehensive evidence to help guide global efforts to save newborn lives. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10-newborn-baby-deaths-linked-treatable.html Obstetrics & gynaecology Tue, 07 Oct 2025 09:40:03 EDT news679048801 An international research team led by Curtin University has used prehistoric feces to better understand how molecular fossilization works, offering a new window into what ancient animals ate, the world they lived in and what happened after they died. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-fossilized-feces-prehistoric-worlds-life.html Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 19 Sep 2025 08:38:04 EDT news677489882 New Curtin University research has uncovered a striking link between the structure of our galaxy and the evolution of Earth's crust, showing its development was shaped by the impact of meteorites during its journey through the Milky Way and not solely through internal processes as was previously widely considered. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-earth-history-written-stars-zircon.html Astronomy Tue, 16 Sep 2025 08:59:25 EDT news677231960 A new species of a native bushland marsupial—closely related to the kangaroo—has been discovered but is already likely extinct, new research shows. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-ghost-australian-bush-newly-marsupial.html Ecology Thu, 04 Sep 2025 21:10:01 EDT news676197302 Rare rocks buried deep beneath central Australia have revealed the origins of one of the world's most promising new deposits of niobium—a metal vital for producing high-strength steel and clean energy technologies—and how it formed during the breakup of an ancient supercontinent. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-ancient-reveal-continent-critical-mineral.html Earth Sciences Wed, 03 Sep 2025 07:02:04 EDT news676101722 A global study has identified the DNA markers for stuttering, providing a genetic link that will pave the way for clinicians to predict which family members will experience the speech disorder affecting more than 400 million people worldwide. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-dna-markers-stuttering-doors-early.html Molecular & Computational biology Fri, 01 Aug 2025 11:59:27 EDT news673268359 Curtin University researchers have undertaken the world's biggest survey of low-frequency satellite radio emissions, finding Starlink satellites are significantly interfering with radio astronomy observations, potentially impacting discovery and research. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-astronomy-unintended-consequence-faster-internet.html Astronomy Wed, 23 Jul 2025 08:35:04 EDT news672478501 Common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) during pregnancy have been linked to a higher risk of significant birth complications including preterm birth, stillbirth and babies born smaller than expected, according to a new, large-scale Curtin University study. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-stis-pregnancy-linked-adverse-birth.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 22 Jul 2025 07:55:50 EDT news672389746 Children from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds are twice as likely to face developmental vulnerability in communication skills and general knowledge when starting school compared to their peers, according to new Curtin-led research. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-culturally-diverse-western-australian-kids.html Social Sciences Wed, 09 Jul 2025 08:15:04 EDT news671267702 The future of smashed avocado might depend on patches of native vegetation preserved alongside farmland, as new Curtin research reveals the hidden role of these habitats in supporting the insects that keep crops—and brunch menus—thriving. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-native-habitats-key-avocado-future.html Ecology Thu, 03 Jul 2025 12:12:03 EDT news670763521 New research has found that men who carry a common genetic variant are twice as likely to develop dementia in their lifetime compared to women. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-05-common-gene-variant-dementia-men.html Genetics Fri, 30 May 2025 10:10:40 EDT news667818637 New research from Curtin University and The Kids Research Institute Australia mapping tuberculosis (TB) cases in Africa could help dramatically improve diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the disease around the world. The paper is published in the journal Communications Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-05-tuberculosis-disease-hotspots-treatment.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 27 May 2025 14:03:03 EDT news667573382 Curtin University research has revealed that high densities of European honey bees could be harming Australian native bees' fitness by reducing their reproductive success and altering key traits linked to survival. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-invasive-european-honey-bees-australian.html Plants & Animals Mon, 19 May 2025 12:00:01 EDT news666863281