Australasian Science 11

4 | APRIL 2016

CONTENTS

113

41

42

45

NEWS

6 Browse

A round­up of science news from our shores.

COLUMNS

5 Up Front

The battle now shifts from public good to commercial research, as new

Defence powers threaten a broad range of “dual­use” technologies.

35 Expert Opinion

The ABC’s science program Catalystdrew widespread criticism in an

episode that examined “whether our wireless devices could be putting

our health at risk”.

40 Australasian Sky

Your map of the night sky this month.

41 Neuropsy

Laughter may be the best medicine, but some jokers may be incurable.

42 The Fit

Friends, family and co­workers influence our health and happiness to

varying extents.

43 The Fossil File

High­tech scanners now enable palaeontologists to gain new insights

from significant fossils embedded in solid rock.

44 Directions

The STELR program now reaches 500 schools, 50,000 students and

1500 teachers each year.

45 Out of this World

Astronomers calculate that black holes at the heart of galaxies could

swell to 50 billion times the mass of the Sun, and determine why some

galaxies are “clumpy” rather than spiral in shape.

46 The Bitter Pill

The promises of genetic tests and treatments may be outstripping the

science.

47 The Naked Skeptic

Universities can no longer be relied upon to allow unconventional

voices to be heard – unless there’s sponsorship attached.

48 EcoLogic

The focus on “threat hotspots” can be wasteful and may even push

threatened species closer to the brink.

49 Lowe Tech

Our universities aren’t producing enough engineers to meet demand,

and gender balance remains an issue.

50 Quandary

“Resignation syndrome” in refugee children and adolescents in

Sweden is one of the most bizarre medical stories of the past decade.