June 2009

Velocity once again covers a wide range of topics providing readers with a light but informative insight into some of the latest in Australian science. Stories in this edition cover how water helps scientists see inside molecules; the ins and outs of time travel; the Queensland war on flies; physics and pizza tossing; treatments for aging eyes; and new data about the role of methane in climate change. There's always something a little different and new in Velocity, so be sure to forward this to a friend and encourage subscription!     The wonder of water     Time travel through film     Natural-born killers     Pizza tossing for science     Giving old eyes a 'tune up'     Greenland's 'good news'

The wonder of water Water is a commodity we take for granted every day, but many don't know that when its properties change, it has amazing uses. For scientists water is giving them the tools to further understand complex molecular structures at the atomic level, providing the potential to make significant scientific breakthroughs. Time travel through film Some of Hollywood's most successful movies, including Back to the Future, Planet of the Apes and The Terminator, involve speculation about the physics and philosophy of time. ANU researcher, Guy Micklethwait, explores the facts in science fiction about time travel. Natural-born killers The common Australian house fly and the blood-sucking stable fly are a major nuisance in Australian feedlots, where fly-plagued animals suffer increased stress and reduced weight gain. Now Queensland scientists have declared war on flies, slashing numbers by using two natural enemies - a parasitic wasp and a fly-killing fungus.

Pizza tossing for science In a curious twist on the classic bouncing ball problem used to understand physics, scientists in Melbourne have studied the art and science of pizza tossing - and the results may have implications for the design of motors small enough to be injected into the human bloodstream to aid complex surgical operations. Giving old eyes a 'tune up' We've all learnt to take care of our teeth so that we still have them in old age. Now the time has come for us to do the same with our eyes, according to researchers who have developed a set of painless low cost treatments that can protect, and even restore, vision. Greenland's 'good news' With a name like Greenland you'd expect it to be very green, but it's mostly covered by ice and snow, which is now revealing past climate change secrets and the role of methane through clever science. In the latest research, this potent greenhouse gas may not be as treacherous as previously thought - and that's good news.

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