Australasian Science 11

APRIL 2016|| 3

CONTENTS

117

20

27

34

FEATURES

14 Creationism Evolves
Nick Matzke
It’s 10 years since the teaching of “intelligent design” was ruled
unconstitutional, yet anti­evolution legislation continues to replicate
and “evolve” across the USA.

17 Wallabies Rock the Basis of Speciation
Sally Potter & Mark Eldridge
Six rock­wallaby species in Queensland have different numbers of
chromosomes, yet gene flow somehow occurs between them. What
does this tell us about how new species form?

20 The Ice Age Lizards of Oz
Gilbert Price
A chance finding in a Queensland cave has revealed that giant and
dangerous lizards still lived when the first humans reached Australia.

24 The Giant Rats of Timor
Julien Louys
Giant rats coexisted with humans for 40,000 years on the island of
Timor. Their extinction is a cautionary tale about the ecological
consequences of deforestation in South­East Asia today.

27 Gut Feeling
Nicholas Talley
Does indigestion lead to anxiety and other mood disorders, and could
a cure be in sight for both?

30 Do Fish Feel Pain?
Brian Key
If you want to know whether your pet goldfish can feel pain you had
better look inside its head to see if it has the brains for it.

34 Data Caps Brain Cancer Concerns
Mark Elwood & Stella Kim
Extensive health data records in New Zealand have revealed whether
brain cancer rates have changed as a result of radiation emitted by
mobile phones.

36 Keeping the Noise Down
Gary Housley
Transgenic mice have revealed how the cochlea protects itself from
loud noise and why some people may be more susceptible to hearing
loss than others.

conSCIENCE

39 Defence Takes Control over Australian Research
Brendan Jones
A new law comes into force this month that puts scientists at risk of
imprisonment and businesses at risk of losing their intellectual property.