Sea snail venom could be ‘the holy grail’ in pain therapeutics
Australian scientists are one step closer to developing new pain relief drugs from chemicals, known as conotoxins, used by venomous sea snails to immobilise and kill their prey.
Professor of pharmacology at the University of Sydney, Macdonald Christie said indications suggest conotoxins are more effective than opioids and cannabinoids, have fewer side effects and the additional benefit of treating the cause of pain.
Shark stops police breath test of boat user
A shark has interrupted a police operation in Australia’s most renowned shark habitat off the coast of South Australia.
The South Australian police were administering a random breath test to the owner of a recreational fishing vehicle when the shark gilded between the boat and the police dinghy.
The shark had been circling the fishing boat prior to police arrival and after waiting for the shark to pass, police abandoned their breath test allowing both boats to depart to safety.
Safety commission called to stop road fatalities
Calls were made yesterday for Queensland to start a commission into road safety and active transport to end the state’s shocking road toll.
Bicycle Queensland’s Chief executive Anne Savage is planning to bring light to the issue at the parliamentary committee hearing into the Heavy Vehicle National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill.
The commission call comes after data reveals there were 242 avoidable road related deaths in Queensland in the past 12 months.
Hinds: I Don't Run
- Four years ago, four young women from Madrid uploaded a track called Demo on Soundcloud and unknowingly struck gold. Within months, they were an international sensation, with every country begging for a tour and more material. Hinds, formerly known as Deers, were heralded as the next big thing in rock’n’roll, and their nonchalant-yet-ambitious approach to lo-fi, DIY guitar pop struck a chord with adoring fans worldwide.
Commonwealth Games: Indigenous activists arrested in police clashes
Three Indigenous activists, including former Northern Territory youth detainee Dylan Voller, were arrested last night after attempting to gain unauthorised entry into Carrara Stadium ahead of the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.
Ten activists allegedly tried to enter the stadium, believing they had tickets at the door but were stopped at the entrance by police after being advised no tickets had been left for them.
Donny Benet: The Don
- I often find myself asking what makes the perfect musician. For me, it comes down to one key consideration: did they play accordion in Italian bands around Sydney before moving to Las Vegas to perform Tom Jones covers? If the answer to that question is ‘yes’, you have the perfect musician, and that perfect musician is Donny Benét.
Marville: Terra Alpha
- Ashleigh Kerley often cops comparisons to Kim Gordon and, y’know, I get it. The breathy, sometimes deadpan delivery, completely unfazed by the out-of-control collapsing speaker stack of guitar noise overwhelming everything. To me though, the Marville frontwoman is, in an important way, the polar opposite.
The Person: Tide Life
- Who is The Person? It’s a question that has shadowed a slew independent releases and appearances over the last few years. A simple answer is The Person is Minna Wight, eccentric Melbourne based artist and musician, probably best known for her work as Tina Tongs in Aussie-BBQ themed novelty band The Burnt Sausages.
Grindr swipes left on data sharing criticism
The dating app Grindr has taken a stand against criticism for sharing information about its users’ HIV status.
The Norwegian research group Sintef discovered Grindr had shared this information.
Grindr however has stated it was legitimate, carried out to industry standards and wasn’t for commercial purposes.
Safety fail forces flight frenzy
Flight delays in Europe are causing major headaches for jetsetters and airports the continent over.
A computer glitch is being blamed for the cancellation of 10% of flights and consequent delays as safety systems failed to launch.
The company responsible, EuroControl has apologised to air travellers and attempts to return to schedule are underway.