Stories that challenged our thinking in 2021
1. Mushrooms for the sole
Students from the School of Architecture, Design and Planning听were听asked to听apply natural processes to real-world challenges.听
They developed a smart听insole made from mushroom spores, containing electronic microprocessors to monitor foot health.听
2. Consumption costs lives
惭颈肠谤辞蝉肠辞辫颈肠听笔惭2.5 particulate matter听is responsible for more than 4 million premature deaths a year.
A study co-written by Professor Manfred Lenzen shows half of those deaths are caused by consumption-induced pollution from the world鈥檚 20 biggest economies.
3. Paracetamol may not stop your pain
罢丑别听largest review of paracetamol听for pain relief, led by听Dr Christina Abdel-Shaheed听from the听Faculty of Medicine and Health, found only four conditions where it was shown to relieve pain.听
Paracetamol only had evidence of听modest听effectiveness as a pain reliever for four conditions studied: knee or hip osteoarthritis;听tension headache; perineal pain after childbirth; and craniotomy (removal of part of the skull).
4. The financial sector pays lip service to human rights
Twenty-two ASX-listed financial companies, including the 鈥榖ig four鈥� banks and popular consumer credit provider听Afterpay, are largely failing to manage the risk of potential human rights breaches.
Written by researchers at the Sydney Law School, the听2020 Financial Services Human Rights Benchmark Report, the first of its kind worldwide, assessed the performance of 22 financial companies against six human rights categories: privacy and information; anti-discrimination; economic security; health and safety; voice and participation; and right to remedy.
5. Jane Austen is best read out loud
Jane Austen read her novels aloud to her family and friends.听
In her PhD thesis, Ruth Wilson proposed听we do the same听in our classrooms, so students learn to听savour听the听feel听of the words in their mouths and the听sound听of the words in their heads.
6. Don't throw out those rancid oranges
础听Faculty of Engineering听PhD researcher is developing a cancer and serious disease-detecting biomedical probe that can be made from the juice of rancid oranges.听
罢丑别听nanobiosensor听鈥� a tiny probe that uses fluorescence to signal cells' pH in terms of their acidity or alkalinity听鈥撎齞etects听whether cells are at risk, or in the early stages of cancer or other serious diseases.听听
7. The Milky Way sent out strange signals
International PhD candidate Ziteng Wang from the听School of Physics听was part of a team who听detected听unusual signals听from deep inside the Milky Way.听
Astronomers are now searching听for more evidence of what type of object could be emitting them.
8.听Good gums during pregnancy听could reduce听premature birth risk
Professor Joerg Eberhard听from the听School of Dentistry鈥檚听research听highlighted the importance of听regular dental checks, dental cleaning and treatment of any gum inflammation during听pregnancy.
His听research听found the treatment of听common gum inflammation during pregnancy was linked with reduced risk of preterm birth and low birth weight in babies.
9. We may one day hug from a distance
The ability to see and hear family, friends and colleagues using digital devices听is now part of our daily lives.听
Dr听Zhanwei听Hou from the Faculty of Engineering is听going听one step further听by听developing ultra-fast communication that facilitates Tactile Internet, a technology he hopes might one day allow users to touch听via the internet.听
10. Refugees are an untapped source of talent
Dr Betina Szkudlarek from the Business School published a guide for employers wanting to tap into the refugee recruitment pool.听
Co-sponsored by the Crescent Foundation, the guide drew on her earlier research听showing refugees, once settled at work, had high productivity and low turnover rates.
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