Wilson da Silva

Processed foods lack protein, so the body compensates by overeating, study shows. By Wilson da Silva A YEAR-LONG STUDY study of the dietary habits of 9,341 Australians has backed growing evidence that highly processed and refined foods are the…

Fewer links to frontal lobes than expected, but more links to visual networks. By Wilson da Silva THE MOST DETAILED map ever made of the communication links between the hippocampus — the brain’s memory control centre — and the rest of the human brain…

Scientists in universities across Australia, energised by the pitched battle against COVID-19, are developing a suite of home-made solutions to future scourges. By Wilson da Silva BASIC SCIENCE informs and drives advances in knowledge that address…

Nature’s deadliest weapon is giving scientists new tools to fight disease and control the body’s internal machinery. By Wilson da Silva STUDYING VENOM is a risky business. Ask Bryan Fry: he’s been bitten by venomous creatures 27 times — mostly by…

A gifted artist, Pasteur had wanted to teach painting; instead, he proved microbes cause disease and showed the world how to stop them. LOUIS PASTEUR never really wanted to study science: in fact, he had long harboured the dream of being an artist.…

It turns out silk, an ancient natural fibre, has versatile uses in medicine — especially when combined with diamonds. ASMA KHALID enjoys wearing a silk dress, and appreciates diamonds for their beauty. But she never expected both would end up being…

Nanomachines curing the body from within sounds like science fiction, but for Japanese researchers, it’s a serious goal. THE AMBITION is grand and the timeline spans decades: the development of nanomachines dispersed in the human body, performing…

New research shows how the outdoors makes us healthier – and how it can save our cities. EVEN ON A BLUSTERY winter’s afternoon, Mount Lofty flaunts its splendour as a bushland oasis, one of the last vestiges of the original forests and woodlands…

Donning scrubs to observe an operation to correct spinal deformity is a fascinating experience – but not one for the faint hearted. “YOU’VE NEVER SEEN an operation before?” asked Dr Chris Pike as we entered Theatre One at the Prince of Wales…

Marie Curie was an undisputed scientific giant, and the first person to win two Nobel Prizes. But her research also eventually claimed her life. By Wilson da Silva IT WAS AN AILING François Mitterrand, in the final weeks of his last term as French…

A new Japanese cancer treatment of high-intensity ultrasound and nanobots has had miraculous results in dogs and mice — and human trials show promise. By Wilson da Silva A RESEARCHER sees a patient’s most painful and intimate moments when developing…

Spinnen, Echsen, Schnabeltiere - Gifte kommen überall im Tierreich vor. Ihre Erforschung ist knifflig, denn die toxischen Cocktails sind extrem komplex, und ihre Besitzer oft unfreundlich. von Wilson da Silva DIE ERFORSCHUNG natürlicher Gifte ist…

From deadly snakes and spiders to the box jellyfish and blue-ringed octopus, Australia’s legendary range of venomous creatures is being celebrated as a potentially rich source of new drugs and disease treatments. By Wilson da Silva RESEARCHING VENOM…

Quantum mechanics began as curiosity-driven university research into fundamental physics, and now drives advances in everything from computing, communications, mining and medicine to finance.By Wilson da SilvaBELOW THE SIZE of atoms, the world…

The rapid response to COVID-19 by the Australia’s university science sector helped avert an early disaster. By Wilson da Silva “WE HAVE something that turned out to be my worst nightmare,” Dr Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease…

Why are rural people healthier than city folk? It turns out it’s the diversity of bacteria in the soil — and that those benefits can be brought to the city. By Wilson da Silva MEANDERING DOWN the narrow tracks from the summit of Mount Lofty, near…

It turns out silk, an ancient natural fibre, has versatile uses in medicine — especially when combined with diamonds. By Wilson da Silva ASMA KHALID enjoys wearing a silk dress, and appreciates diamonds for their beauty. But she never expected both…

A gifted artist, Pasteur had wanted to teach painting; instead, he proved microbes cause disease and showed the world how to stop them. His work led to the salvation of millions.By Wilson da SilvaLOUIS PASTEUR never really wanted to study science: in…

The more diverse the microbe community in the soils around us, and the more you are exposed to it, the healthier you become. By Wilson da Silva EVEN ON A BLUSTERY winter’s afternoon, Mount Lofty flaunts its splendour as a bushland oasis, one of the…

Observing a five-hour operation to correct spinal deformity is a fascinating experience – but not one for the faint hearted.By Wilson da Silva"YOU’VE NEVER seen an operation before?” asked Dr Chris Pike as we entered Theatre One at the Prince of…