News Medical: Genome reference database can help predict disease-linked gene variants more accurately. “Most diseases have a genetic component. To better understand disease, researchers led by the Garvan Institute of Medical Research are analysing genetic information to determine what keeps us healthy. In a world first, the team has compiled a genome reference database of thousands of healthy older Australians, which has the potential to predict disease-linked gene variants more accurately than has been previously possible.”
Australia
9 News Australia: New map shows impact of fires on fruit and nut farms
9 News Australia: New map shows impact of fires on fruit and nut farms. “A new map shows how fires have impacted some of Australia’s fruit and nut industry. Scientists have released the map, which shows avocado, mango, olive, banana, macadamia and citrus orchards that have been hit by the bushfire crisis, and those which have been spared.”
The West Australian: Researcher delves into convict past
The West Australian: Researcher delves into convict past. “The convict register includes details of the 2500 men who arrived in the district at differing stages of their prison sentences. Some arrived as probationer prisoners at the Geraldton Convict Hiring Depot or as members of road parties living in tents, some as ticket of leave men (parolees) and some whose sentences were almost over and were granted more freedom to move.”
Government News (Australia): Shade mapping tool helps pedestrians dodge heat
Government News (Australia): Shade mapping tool helps pedestrians dodge heat. “With the mercury recently hitting 45C in Bendigo, Council has adopted a new tool which helps residents seek out routes with the most shade coverage and avoid the heat. The Shadeways tool, developed by researchers from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, uses satellite imagery to generate a ‘temperature likelihood’ monitor. By analysing surfaces and vegetation type, it creates an urban heat map and generates suggested shaded routes.”
ABC News (Australia): Tasmanian lavender farms being loved to death by tourists seeking social media photos
ABC News (Australia): Tasmanian lavender farms being loved to death by tourists seeking social media photos. “The purple haze of the lavender fields brings tourists from all around the world to Tasmania to as they attempt to snap the perfect photo in front of the crop. The intertwined nature of agriculture and tourism has helped to boost both industries. But some farmers say over-enthusiastic visitors are damaging their crops.”
ABC News (Australia): Fires misinformation being spread through social media
ABC News (Australia): Fires misinformation being spread through social media. “Australia’s bushfire emergency is being exploited on social media, as misinformation is spread through cyberspace via hundreds of thousands of posts.”
The West Australian: Google Maps gets overseas tourists stuck near Goldfields fire zone
The West Australian: Google Maps gets overseas tourists stuck near Goldfields fire zone. “Drivers are being warned not to trust online maps in times of emergencies after two tourists were found down a backtrack near Norseman as firefighters tackled several blazes. Kalgoorlie incident control centre public information officer Drew Griffiths said emergency services had located a foreign couple who appeared to have relied on information from an online maps service to go around the road closures.”
