ANU is a world-leading university in Australia’s capital city, Canberra. Our location points to our unique history, ties to the Australian Government and special standing as a resource for the Australian people.Our focus on research as an asset, and an approach to education, ensures our graduates are in demand the world-over for their abilities to understand, and apply vision and creativity to addressing complex contemporary challenges.

The Australian National University

ANU is a world-leading university in Australia’s capital city, Canberra. Our location points to our unique history, ties to the Australian...

English (Global)

Jo Meehan

ANU Media Team

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A promising new drug to combat sepsis has been developed by researchers at The Australian National University (ANU), potentially saving millions of lives each year. ANU Professor Christopher Parish and his team have been working on the drug for more than 10 years, with the drug being developed from compounds originally designed to fight cancer. There are some 11 million sepsis-related deaths worldwide each year, according to The World Health Organization (WHO) – accounting for almost 20 per cent of all global deaths. “There is a huge medical need for a treatment for sepsis. It is surprising how many people die from sepsis and the medical profession hasn’t yet found a treatment,” Professor Parish said. “We hope that we can now treat the untreatable. This drug is very safe, and we are very excited about its potential use against sepsis.” Sepsis is a dangerous, often fatal response to infection from many diseases – including COVID-19. “Sepsis occurs when pathogens – usually bacteria...

New drug to combat “untreatable” global killer sepsis

A promising new drug to combat sepsis has been developed by researchers at The Australian National University (ANU), potentially saving millions...

A promising new drug to combat sepsis has been developed by researchers at The Australian National University (ANU), potentially saving millions of lives each year. ANU Professor Christopher Parish and his team have been working on the drug for more than 10 years, with the drug being developed from compounds originally designed to fight cancer. There are some 11 million sepsis-related deaths worldwide each year, according to The World Health Organization (WHO) – accounting for almost 20 per cent of all global deaths. “There is a huge medical need for a treatment for sepsis. It is surprising how many people die from sepsis and the medical profession hasn’t yet found a treatment,” Professor Parish said. “We hope that we can now treat the untreatable. This drug is very safe, and we are very excited about its potential use against sepsis.” Sepsis is a dangerous, often fatal response to infection from many diseases – including COVID-19. “Sepsis occurs when pathogens – usually bacteria but sometimes viruses – get out of control and the immune system tries to control them but overdoes the job and causes massive collateral damage,” Professor Parish said. “Our drug stops patients from feeling very sick due to this uncontrolled collateral damage, a process that can result in multi-organ failure and death.” The drug, initially developed on-site at ANU and further developed in collaboration with chemist Professor Mark von Itzstein from Griffith University, has passed Phase 1 clinical trials in healthy volunteers and is undergoing another Phase 1 trial in sepsis patients. The development of the new drug was made possible after a discovery made by US researchers about a decade ago. They found a prominent family of proteins that interacts with DNA, called histones, are the cause of death by sepsis. Histones are toxic because they can bind to the surface of cells and puncture holes in them – but they don’t know how to discriminate between bacteria, viruses and their own cells. Since then, Professor Parish’s team has been working on a drug which neutralises histones. “Normally histones are harmless, packaging DNA within cells, but outside cells they can be very toxic,” Professor Parish said. “The drug binds to histones and stops them from punching holes in cell membranes.” The researchers say their new drug could help some people with COVID-19 – particularly those patients with sepsis-like symptoms in their lungs. “We have spent 10 years developing this drug to treat sepsis and although not planned, we predict it may have some activity against COVID-19,” Professor Parish said. “But sepsis will be here long after we get rid of COVID-19 – because it can come in all shapes and forms and a lot of pathogens can induce it. “If this drug works as predicted, it should be a game changer in treating sepsis - one of the biggest challenges in 21st century medicine.” Research on the compound published in Nature Communications today. FOR INTERVIEW: Professor Chris ParishJohn Curtin School of Medical Research, ANUT: 02 612 52604M: 0413 721 599E:christopher.parish@anu.edu.au For media assistance, contact Rachel Curtis on 0459879726 or the ANU Media Team on +61 2 6125 7979 or at media@anu.edu.au

Stargazers are in for a summer treat with three out-of-this-world events over the next week, ranging from shooting stars to a great planetary “romance” in the night-sky. Dr Brad Tucker, an astronomer from The Australian National University (ANU), said the space party starts with the Geminid meteor shower from Monday morning. “Some years are better than others, and this year should be a good one,” Dr Tucker, from the ANU Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, said. “The moon will be just before a new phase, so we’ll have some awesome dark skies.” The Geminids is an annual meteor shower, when Earth passes through the tail of the asteroid 3200 Phaethon. Small rocks break away from the asteroid and burn up in the atmosphere to produce this spectacular event. The name Geminid comes from the Gemini constellation where the meteor shower appears to originate in the sky. 3200 Phaethon does one orbit in 1.4 Earth years, and bits of the asteroid come off as it passes around the sun.

Summer space shows set to bring cheer in a tough year

Stargazers are in for a summer treat with three out-of-this-world events over the next week, ranging from shooting stars to a great planetary...

Stargazers are in for a summer treat with three out-of-this-world events over the next week, ranging from shooting stars to a great planetary “romance” in the night-sky. Dr Brad Tucker, an astronomer from The Australian National University (ANU), said the space party starts with the Geminid meteor shower from Monday morning. “Some years are better than others, and this year should be a good one,” Dr Tucker, from the ANU Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, said. “The moon will be just before a new phase, so we’ll have some awesome dark skies.” The Geminids is an annual meteor shower, when Earth passes through the tail of the asteroid 3200 Phaethon. Small rocks break away from the asteroid and burn up in the atmosphere to produce this spectacular event. The name Geminid comes from the Gemini constellation where the meteor shower appears to originate in the sky. 3200 Phaethon does one orbit in 1.4 Earth years, and bits of the asteroid come off as it passes around the sun. “To see the shooting stars, you want to be in the darkest spot possible with a clear view to the north,” Dr Tucker said. “When you go outside, let your eyes adjust for five to 10 minutes and then keep a nice, wide view. No special equipment is required. “You can expect to see 15 to 40 meteors or shooting stars per hour. People in the north of Australia will see the most, but the shooting star show is visible all across Australia.” Dr Tucker said the best time to see the meteor shower is from 2am until sunrise. Then it is Jupiter and Saturn’s turn to shine on Thursday 17 December, Dr Tucker said. “Jupiter, Saturn and the moon will form an awesome grouping in the sky,” he said. “A little bit after sunset, from about 8.30pm, look towards the west. You’ll see a thin crescent moon and two bright objects right next to it. That will be Jupiter and Saturn.” Dr Tucker said the show ends with a bang: Jupiter and Saturn “kissing”, which is a once-in-a-20-year event called the “Great Conjunction”. “You might think of Mars and Venus being the romantics – possibly in a stormy relationship – but it’s actually Jupiter and Saturn getting close and personal,” he said. “If you have a small telescope or pair of binoculars, you can see Jupiter and Saturn appearing to touch each other – you should be able to see the rings and shape of Saturn and the moons of Jupiter. “This is a special event, and the closest one since 1226. It will also be the longest day of the year, occurring on the summer solstice.” Dr Brad TuckerResearch School of Astronomy and AstrophysicsANU College of ScienceT: +61 2 6125 6711 M: +61 433 905 777 E: brad.tucker@anu.edu.au For media assistance, contact William Wright on +61 418 307 213, the ANU media hotline on +61 2 6125 7979 or at media@anu.edu.au

Australian adults have lost the equivalent of $338 billion in life satisfaction due to COVID-19, according to new analysis from The Australian National University (ANU). The analysis, from the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods, examined the financial value of declining wellbeing among adults between March and November. Study co-author, Professor Nicholas Biddle, said the decline in wellbeing during the height of the pandemic and associated lockdowns was “a massive hit to happiness, experienced by Australians from all walks of life”. “Our analysis, which examined the experiences of more than 3,000 people, found that each person lost the equivalent of $17,000 due to declining wellbeing or life satisfaction,” he said. “Put another way, that drop in life satisfaction was worth $423 in lost income per week.” The total amount of lost wellbeing over the period was significantly higher for those who lived in Victoria compared to the rest of the Australian population, but lower...

COVID misery burns through billions in life satisfaction

Australian adults have lost the equivalent of $338 billion in life satisfaction due to COVID-19, according to new analysis from The Australian...

Australian adults have lost the equivalent of $338 billion in life satisfaction due to COVID-19, according to new analysis from The Australian National University (ANU). The analysis, from the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods, examined the financial value of declining wellbeing among adults between March and November. Study co-author, Professor Nicholas Biddle, said the decline in wellbeing during the height of the pandemic and associated lockdowns was “a massive hit to happiness, experienced by Australians from all walks of life”. “Our analysis, which examined the experiences of more than 3,000 people, found that each person lost the equivalent of $17,000 due to declining wellbeing or life satisfaction,” he said. “Put another way, that drop in life satisfaction was worth $423 in lost income per week.” The total amount of lost wellbeing over the period was significantly higher for those who lived in Victoria compared to the rest of the Australian population, but lower for those who lived outside a capital city. Those aged 55 years and over, people who spoke languages other than English at home and those living in the most advantaged areas of Australia also had lower levels of lost life satisfaction. The study’s findings show since the end of November life satisfaction and wellbeing has improved – reaching the same levels as before the 2019/20 bushfires and start of the coronavirus pandemic. Co-author, Professor Matthew Gray, said the study also quantified total lost household income between March and November. “It isn’t just declining wellbeing that has hurt Australians. The pandemic has blown massive holes in household budgets,” he said. “Our analysis shows between March and November the average household lost a total of $4,726 in income. “That’s a total loss of $46.7 billion for Australian households over the COVID-19 recession.” The study has also modelled for the first time changes in income inequality across Australia during the pandemic. “At the beginning of the pandemic, between February and April, income inequality declined slightly,” Professor Biddle said. “This is due to the financial support provided by governments to households at the lower end of the income distribution. “However, in the middle of the pandemic, between April and August, inequality increased. This was due to a widening between the middle and the low parts of the income distribution and a widening between the high and the middle parts. “And while the last few months have seen some convergence in income levels, Australia still appears to have higher inequality levels at the end of 2020 than at the start. “Clearly, how we protect the most vulnerable households in our society and economy during the ongoing COVID crisis remains a key and difficult challenge for policymakers – especially as government budgets continue to plummet deeper into the red.” The study forms part of the ANU Centre for Social Research Methods COVID-19 monitoring program and is available online. Data collection for the study was provided by the Social Research Centre, with financial support from Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. FOR INTERVIEWS:Professor Nicholas Biddle Centre for Social Research MethodsANU College of Arts and Social SciencesM: +61 466 841 595E: Nicholas.Biddle@anu.edu.au For media assistance, contact James Giggacher on +61 436 803 488 or ANU Media on +61 6125 7979 or media@anu.edu.au

A new report has found drivers that mitigate experiences of violence for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Researchers from The Australian National University (ANU) partnered with 18 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to gather and analyse data from 1,600 people in an effort to understand how to reduce family violence. The researchers hope the Indigenous-led study, commissioned by the Department of Social Services, supports an understanding of family safety targets in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. The study found trauma and discrimination were among the key drivers of family violence. “The data shows that the prevalence of experiencing and using violence was lower among those with less exposure to trauma themselves or within their families; among those who had experienced lower levels of discrimination, and among those who had not witnessed violence – particularly in their youth,” report co-author, Associate Professor Raymond Lovett, said.

Family violence research helps in closing the gap

A new report has found drivers that mitigate experiences of violence for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Researchers from The...

A new report has found drivers that mitigate experiences of violence for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Researchers from The Australian National University (ANU) partnered with 18 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to gather and analyse data from 1,600 people in an effort to understand how to reduce family violence. The researchers hope the Indigenous-led study, commissioned by the Department of Social Services, supports an understanding of family safety targets in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. The study found trauma and discrimination were among the key drivers of family violence. “The data shows that the prevalence of experiencing and using violence was lower among those with less exposure to trauma themselves or within their families; among those who had experienced lower levels of discrimination, and among those who had not witnessed violence – particularly in their youth,” report co-author, Associate Professor Raymond Lovett, said. “The drivers of and responses to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family violence are complex and often overlapping – highlighting a deep connection to past trauma. “Overwhelmingly, participants talked about the root of family violence – the causes – coming from historical settler-colonial trauma inflicted on individuals and communities.” The report identifies key drivers, that do not cause violence, but are contributors to increased experiences of violence. These include housing problems, financial stress, alcohol and drug use, poor physical and mental health, unemployment, contact with police and justice systems, and incarceration. “Participants told us stories of how removal from family and community and exclusion from broader society were experienced and how this affects people in their contemporary relationships. For many people that trauma has not been addressed,” Professor Lovett said. The results show over six-in-10 people (62 per cent) surveyed had some form of violence in their lifetime and one-in-five (20 per cent) had experienced violence in the previous year. The violence that was experienced was by men and women across all age groups. Women experienced more frequent violence, including from a partner or family member, compared with violence experienced by men. Study director Dr Jill Guthrie said: “This research shows the approach to reduce family and community violence needs to be underpinned by addressing intergenerational violence and trauma. “The communities drove the process of the research – an indication of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people&#39;s desire to address violence.” The results show almost four-in-10 people who seek help for violence, do so from informal networks including Elders and other family members within the community. “We need a larger focus on early intervention programs at a primary prevention level and there needs to be culturally informed education programs at a young age about what constitutes healthy relationships,” Dr Guthrie said. The Family and Community Safety (FaCtS) report is released Thursday 10 December. FOR INTERVIEW: Raymond LovettAssociate Professor NHMRC Research Fellow and Program Leader Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander HealthANU College of Health and MedicineT: + 61 2 6125 5619M: +61 418 627 446E: Raymond.Lovett@anu.edu.au Jill GuthrieFellow - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health ProgramANU College of Health and MedicineT:+61 2 6125 0782M: +61 439 881 530E:jill.guthrie@anu.edu.au For media assistance, contact Rachel Curtis on 0459879726 or ANU Media on +61 2 6125 7979 or at media@anu.edu.au

An Aussie inventor and entrepreneur reshaping the future of global healthcare with microwearable technology has been recognised for the incredible impact of his work. Mark Kendall, a Vice-Chancellor’s Entrepreneurial Professor at The Australian National University (ANU), has been elected a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). Election as an NAI Fellow is the highest professional distinction awarded to academic inventors. Professor Kendall is the founder and CEO of Brisbane-based health-tech company WearOptimo, which works on next-generation solutions to global health problems. He joins 175 inventors from 115 institutions from around the world, and is one of three Australians elected to the NAI in 2020. His election as a fellow recognises Professor Kendall’s outstanding contributions to the field of biomedical engineering, particularly the delivery of vaccines and wearable health monitoring devices that will help beat major diseases and potentially save lives. “At...

Major global honour for master of microwearables

An Aussie inventor and entrepreneur reshaping the future of global healthcare with microwearable technology has been recognised for the incredible...

An Aussie inventor and entrepreneur reshaping the future of global healthcare with microwearable technology has been recognised for the incredible impact of his work. Mark Kendall, a Vice-Chancellor’s Entrepreneurial Professor at The Australian National University (ANU), has been elected a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). Election as an NAI Fellow is the highest professional distinction awarded to academic inventors. Professor Kendall is the founder and CEO of Brisbane-based health-tech company WearOptimo, which works on next-generation solutions to global health problems. He joins 175 inventors from 115 institutions from around the world, and is one of three Australians elected to the NAI in 2020. His election as a fellow recognises Professor Kendall’s outstanding contributions to the field of biomedical engineering, particularly the delivery of vaccines and wearable health monitoring devices that will help beat major diseases and potentially save lives. “At WearOptimo we see our role as helping change the world,” Professor Kendall said. “The microwearables we’re working on will empower individuals and their health care providers. “For example, some of our sensors will detect and alert you to dehydration while people are on the job, or to dehydration in the elderly. Another type of our sensors will help with the early detection of heart attacks and cardiovascular disease, which is responsible for 20 million deaths per year. “We’re working on tackling some of the biggest killers on the planet, so it is a real thrill to receive this recognition for our important work.” Professor Kendall has also mentored more than 40 PhD and master’s students, with many going on to become successful innovators themselves. His election to the NAI follows on from a new partnership between WearOptimo and Aspen Medical, which will take his Australian-designed microwearables to the global market. Microwearables are low-cost, “sticker-like” sensors that monitor critical signs in the patient, enabling timely and tailored medical intervention and better recovery planning. "WearOptimo&#39;s microwearable sensors are designed to rapidly access patients&#39; vital signs, in situations where time really matters," Professor Kendall said. "In the case of a heart attack, early warning can be the difference between life and death. "Most of today&#39;s drugs, vaccines, and other treatments have been created with a &#39;one size fits all&#39; approach. Our microwearable sensors are designed to allow doctors and patients to fine-tune treatment to precisely suit their condition at the time." For media assistance, contact James Giggacher on +61 436 803 488 or media@anu.edu.au About WearOptimo WearOptimo is an Australian technology company developing the next generation in microwearable devices for continuous monitoring in precision healthcare. The Australian National University works with WearOptimo under the University&#39;s Innovation Institutes scheme to advance Australia&#39;s role in developing wearable, smart technology that will dramatically improve world access to healthcare. About the National Academy of Inventors The National Academy of Inventors is a member organisation comprising US and international universities, and governmental and non-profit research institutes, with over 4,000 individual inventor members and Fellows spanning more than 250 institutions worldwide. It was founded in 2010 to recognise and encourage inventors with patents issued from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), enhance the visibility of academic technology and innovation, encourage the disclosure of intellectual property, educate and mentor innovative students, and translate the inventions of its members to benefit society.

A leading national security expert is today calling for all Australian states and territories to establish dedicated National Security Units in order to meet the security challenges of the 21st century. Speaking at the National Press Club, Professor Rory Medcalf from The Australian National University (ANU), will argue state and territory governments are seen by foreign powers as “weak links” when it comes to Australian sovereignty and creating a unified foreign and security policy. “States and territories are where it gets real,” he will say. “They don’t deal with the abstractions of diplomatic talking points or strategic analysis, but the tangible day-to-day elements of national resilience and national vulnerability – critical infrastructure, frontline geography, and the daily decisions and livelihoods of Australian citizens. “So state and territory governments need to accept that they have special responsibilities in securing Australia. That means they need to be equipped to do...

States and territories must shore up national security weak links

A leading national security expert is today calling for all Australian states and territories to establish dedicated National Security Units in...

A leading national security expert is today calling for all Australian states and territories to establish dedicated National Security Units in order to meet the security challenges of the 21st century. Speaking at the National Press Club, Professor Rory Medcalf from The Australian National University (ANU), will argue state and territory governments are seen by foreign powers as “weak links” when it comes to Australian sovereignty and creating a unified foreign and security policy. “States and territories are where it gets real,” he will say. “They don’t deal with the abstractions of diplomatic talking points or strategic analysis, but the tangible day-to-day elements of national resilience and national vulnerability – critical infrastructure, frontline geography, and the daily decisions and livelihoods of Australian citizens. “So state and territory governments need to accept that they have special responsibilities in securing Australia. That means they need to be equipped to do so. Right now, they are plainly not.” Professor Medcalf, Head of the ANU National Security College, will be joined at the National Press Club by Michelle Price, CEO of AustCyber, the Australian Cyber Security Growth Network. Both speakers will layout distinct and complementary roadmaps for Australia to protect its cyber security interests and values in the decade ahead. These involve drawing on the lessons of 2020 and building foundations for new kinds of security, spanning defence, economics, diplomacy, society, information and technology. Watch the National Press Club live broadcast on ABC TV from 12.30pm, Wednesday 9 December. ANU media contact:James Giggacher, Manager Strategic CommunicationsPhone: +61 436 803 488Email: james.giggacher@anu.edu.au AustCyber media contact:Tom Finnigan, PR, Media and Engagement Manager, AustCyberPhone: +61 408 867 367Email: tom@austcyber.com

There could be fewer than 300 swift parrots left in the wild, according to new research from The Australian National University (ANU). Lead researcher Dr George Olah says this is much lower than previous estimates and shows we need to urgently address major threats like deforestation. “We used DNA extracted from blood and feather samples to estimate the population size of the swift parrot for the first time,” Dr Olah said. “With our background knowledge of the species from a decade of research, this study has painted a much clearer, and starker picture of how few of these birds are currently left in the wild. “Understanding the current population size of the swift parrot is essential for their conservation.” The swift parrots’ nomadic lifestyle makes them very difficult to study and protect. “They fly around Tasmania looking for the best habitat, but they also migrate to mainland Australia each year looking for food,” co-author Professor Rob Heinsohn said. “Each Spring they...

Swift action needed to help critically endangered parrot

There could be fewer than 300 swift parrots left in the wild, according to new research from The Australian National University (ANU). Lead...

There could be fewer than 300 swift parrots left in the wild, according to new research from The Australian National University (ANU). Lead researcher Dr George Olah says this is much lower than previous estimates and shows we need to urgently address major threats like deforestation. “We used DNA extracted from blood and feather samples to estimate the population size of the swift parrot for the first time,” Dr Olah said. “With our background knowledge of the species from a decade of research, this study has painted a much clearer, and starker picture of how few of these birds are currently left in the wild. “Understanding the current population size of the swift parrot is essential for their conservation.” The swift parrots’ nomadic lifestyle makes them very difficult to study and protect. “They fly around Tasmania looking for the best habitat, but they also migrate to mainland Australia each year looking for food,” co-author Professor Rob Heinsohn said. “Each Spring they look for the best flowering patches of trees near nest hollows, so each year they end up in a different location. “This also makes the actual census population size hard to estimate. But there are several ways you can use genetic samples to arrive at what’s called the ‘effective population size’.” The researchers hope this study will highlight how quickly the swift parrot is heading toward extinction. “Swift parrots are critically threatened by a range of factors, including deforestation of their habitat,” co-author Dr Dejan Stojanovic said. “This study shows that threats like the severe deforestation of the Tasmanian breeding habitat of swift parrots has drastically reduced their population size and increased the odds that the species will go extinct.” The study could also help other endangered species. “Our findings have important implications for other threatened species with unknown population sizes,” Dr Olah said. “They demonstrate that by using available genetic data, we can get reasonable estimates of population sizes. These estimates can provide an early warning for conservation managers.” The research has been published in Animal Conservation. FOR INTERVIEW: Dr Dejan Stojanovic Fenner School of Environment and Society ANU College of Science M: +61 408 264 761 E: dejan.stojanovic@anu.edu.au Professor Rob Heinsohn Fenner School of Environment and Society ANU College of Science M: +61 414 214 262 E: robert.heinsohn@anu.edu.au Dr George Olah Fenner School of Environment and Society ANU College of Science E: george.olah@anu.edu.au *Note for media: Dr Olah is currently based in Europe For media assistance, contact Jess Fagan on +61 436 694 750 or ANU Media on +61 2 6125 7979 or at media@anu.edu.au

Improved survival means cancer is increasingly a chronic disease, and a lot of people are living well with it, new research from The Australian National University (ANU) shows. The study, the largest of its kind in the world, has looked at data from more than 22,000 people with cancer compared to 244,000 people without cancer, analysing levels of physical disability, psychological distress and quality of life. However, the researchers warn their findings show “underserved cancers”, like lung cancer, are more challenging for survivors. “There are more than one million people living with cancer in Australia and average five-year survival rates sit at 68 per cent,” study lead, Professor Emily Banks, said. “We started this project in collaboration with cancer survivors to understand more about what it is like to live with cancer. “The good news is that for the most common cancer types – such as breast, prostate, bowel cancer, and melanoma – the outcomes are looking really good.

Cancer shifts to chronic disease, so living well matters

Improved survival means cancer is increasingly a chronic disease, and a lot of people are living well with it, new research from The Australian...

Improved survival means cancer is increasingly a chronic disease, and a lot of people are living well with it, new research from The Australian National University (ANU) shows. The study, the largest of its kind in the world, has looked at data from more than 22,000 people with cancer compared to 244,000 people without cancer, analysing levels of physical disability, psychological distress and quality of life. However, the researchers warn their findings show “underserved cancers”, like lung cancer, are more challenging for survivors. “There are more than one million people living with cancer in Australia and average five-year survival rates sit at 68 per cent,” study lead, Professor Emily Banks, said. “We started this project in collaboration with cancer survivors to understand more about what it is like to live with cancer. “The good news is that for the most common cancer types – such as breast, prostate, bowel cancer, and melanoma – the outcomes are looking really good. “Overall, we found that once patients with the most common cancers were through the initial period of diagnosis and treatment, their quality of life and levels of psychological distress were similar to people in the community without cancer. “These findings should shift the general mindset about cancer, as it is increasingly becoming a chronic disease. It is good for people to know they may not have to quit their job and may continue to have a good quality life.” The study looked at cancer survivors from rural and urban areas, people with early and late stage cancer, and people who have been recently diagnosed along with people diagnosed up to 12 years ago. Although the researchers say the cancer experience is diverse, the findings map a broad spectrum of different cancers and how they relate to quality of life. “Certain cancers, especially those with worse survival, have a much more challenging profile,” Professor Banks said. “People with multiple myeloma, leukaemias and lymphomas do tend to have higher levels of physical disability than people without cancer and their overall profile is much worse. “People with more advanced cancer also tend to have worse outcomes. “We found that, on average, all cancer survivors in the community were 30 per cent more likely to be living with significant physical disability than people without cancer. They also had reduced quality of life and had slightly more psychological distress.” A new report based on the study’s findings authored by ANU Fellow, Dr Grace Joshy, is published in BMC Medicine today. Dr Joshy says the study’s findings show there is “no one-size-fits-all approach” for cancer care. “This study shows us the majority of people are surviving well with cancer, but there are underserved cancer groups,” Dr Joshy said. “For example, things seems to be working well for some cancer types, such as breast or bowel cancer. There are likely to be lessons from these for cancers like multiple myeloma and lung cancer.” An investigator on the project, and cancer survivor John Stubbs, said: “As a person with cancer the one thing I didn’t think about was the possibility of long-term emotional and other effects. Even with a cure, the trauma can hit years later. “It is great that we now have this study to guide us, bringing together the experiences of tens of thousands of Australians, with and without cancer.” DOI: 10.1186/s12916-020-01830-4 FOR INTERVIEW:Professor Emily BanksProfessor of Epidemiology and Public HealthNational Centre for Epidemiology and Population HealthE: emily.banks@anu.edu.au Dr Grace JoshyANU Research School Population Health E: grace.joshy@anu.edu.au Images: https://anuphotos.photoshelter.com/download-page/D0000JMRsbplxBBI For media assistance, contact Rachel Curtis on +61 459 879 726 or ANU Media on +61 2 6125 7979 or at media@anu.edu.au

Season four of The Crown has dropped, ruffling some Royalists’ feathers on the show’s accuracy. ANU historian Professor Frank Bongiorno - who has binged the latest Netflix season – says Princess Diana did not thwart Australia’s attempts at becoming a republic. “As much as I enjoy watching it, I would give The Crown about a five out of 100 for accuracy on that one,” Professor Bongiorno says. Episode six follows Princess Diana and Prince Charles’s visit to Australia in 1983, with the storyline focusing on the risk of republicanism weakening the monarchy. But the issue of republicanism in 1983 Australia was barely on the map for Bob Hawke, Professor Bongiorno says. “The depiction of Charles and Diana’s visit as having saved the monarchy is absolute fiction! “Australia was experiencing its worst recession since the 1930s, double figure unemployment and recovering from the Ash Wednesday bushfires with lots of devastation to lives and property. “Australia was in a pretty grim corner at...

Fact checking The Crown: ‘Di Down Under gets 5/100’

Season four of The Crown has dropped, ruffling some Royalists’ feathers on the show’s accuracy. ANU historian Professor Frank Bongiorno - who has...

Season four of The Crown has dropped, ruffling some Royalists’ feathers on the show’s accuracy. ANU historian Professor Frank Bongiorno - who has binged the latest Netflix season – says Princess Diana did not thwart Australia’s attempts at becoming a republic. “As much as I enjoy watching it, I would give The Crown about a five out of 100 for accuracy on that one,” Professor Bongiorno says. Episode six follows Princess Diana and Prince Charles’s visit to Australia in 1983, with the storyline focusing on the risk of republicanism weakening the monarchy. But the issue of republicanism in 1983 Australia was barely on the map for Bob Hawke, Professor Bongiorno says. “The depiction of Charles and Diana’s visit as having saved the monarchy is absolute fiction! “Australia was experiencing its worst recession since the 1930s, double figure unemployment and recovering from the Ash Wednesday bushfires with lots of devastation to lives and property. “Australia was in a pretty grim corner at the beginning of 1983 and Hawke likely saw the Royal tour as a feel-good opportunity for Australians, not a rallying call for a republic.” While it is a fiction that Diana had any real impact on Australia staying loyal to the monarchy and the series doesn’t stack up when it comes to many details, it can still make an important contribution to historical understanding. “The show does really well capturing the mood of key periods in Britain’s recent history, Professor Bongiorno says. “For example, episode five with Michael Fagan [who broke into the Queen’s bedroom in Buckingham Palace in 1982] gets pretty right the feeling and reality of Thatcher’s Britain for the poor,” Professor Bongiorno says. “There was such a strong sense of hopelessness, with the marginalised and unemployed at three million in the UK during that period.” Professor Bongiorno sees the dramatisation of historical events through TV shows as a positive for further engagement with past events. “The historian Greg Dening has said that historical films tend to be the present in funny dress, where they enact values and ways of thinking that are rooted in the present, but they do it stylised in a past world,” he says. “A historian’s role is not to spoil people’s enjoyment but to educate people on how to best discriminate between sources of information. A television series such as The Crown has many virtues but it shouldn’t be treated as an authority on historical detail.” FOR INTERVIEW Professor Frank BongiornoResearch School of HistoryANU College of Arts and Social SciencesM: 0437 216 149E: frank.bongiorno@anu.edu.au For media assistance, contact Olivia Ireland on 0417 129 550 or the ANU Media Team on +61 2 6125 7979 or at media@anu.edu.au

Australians are a nation of creative expletive users who take pride in bad language as part of their cultural identity, according to a new book from The Australian National University (ANU). ‘Suckhole’, ‘get rooted’, ‘no wuckers’ and ‘we’re not here to f*** spiders’ are some of the more modern colourful phrases identified as uniquely Australian obscenities by the Australian National Dictionary Centre’s Chief Editor, Dr Amanda Laugesen. Her new book, Rooted, an Australian history of bad language charts the history of swearing and how it was used to defy authority as well as oppress and control groups in Australia’s history. She said in our earlier history the four Bs – ‘bloody’, ‘bastard’, ‘bugger’ and ‘bullshit’ – were some of the rudest expletives one could utter and could earn you a flogging or a fine depending on which century they were used in. Bloody was noted as “the great Australian adjective” in 1847 by an English visitor to the Australian colonies. According to Dr...

Strewth! Are Aussies the world’s most virulent swearers?

Australians are a nation of creative expletive users who take pride in bad language as part of their cultural identity, according to a new book...

Australians are a nation of creative expletive users who take pride in bad language as part of their cultural identity, according to a new book from The Australian National University (ANU). ‘Suckhole’, ‘get rooted’, ‘no wuckers’ and ‘we’re not here to f*** spiders’ are some of the more modern colourful phrases identified as uniquely Australian obscenities by the Australian National Dictionary Centre’s Chief Editor, Dr Amanda Laugesen. Her new book, Rooted, an Australian history of bad language charts the history of swearing and how it was used to defy authority as well as oppress and control groups in Australia’s history. She said in our earlier history the four Bs – ‘bloody’, ‘bastard’, ‘bugger’ and ‘bullshit’ – were some of the rudest expletives one could utter and could earn you a flogging or a fine depending on which century they were used in. Bloody was noted as “the great Australian adjective” in 1847 by an English visitor to the Australian colonies. According to Dr Laugesen, by the 1900s Australians were talking about themselves as swearers. “In the middle of the 19th century there’s a desire on the part of Australians to be respectable and shake off their convict past. But, late 19th century literature celebrates Australian cultural figures like the bushman and the bullock driver, both renowned for their swearing,” she said. “During the First World War, there are a lot of references to Australian soldiers talking themselves up as being much more creative swearers and more willing to swear than the soldiers of other national armies. “Australian society forgives the soldiers for their bad language because of the hardship of fighting in the trenches. So, the experience of the war helps to cement the ‘acceptability’ of at least mild swearing, but it does depend on who’s doing the swearing.” Dr Laugesen found women and Indigenous people throughout history falling foul of Australia’s obscenity laws, which she says were often used to control and oppress. “On the one hand there were acceptable swearers - generally working men - but on the other it’s unacceptable for working class women and ‘larrikin roughs’ out of work and on the streets to swear, so they get arrested on offensive language charges,” she said. “Most of the evidence of oppression of Indigenous people comes from the 20th century and into the 21st, where research shows, Indigenous people are disproportionately targeted by offensive language laws .” Dr Laugesen said Australian swearing has shifted from the religious blasphemy – ‘crikey’ is a disguise for Christ and ‘strewth’ is a shortening of god’s truth – to the sexual and excretory including the proverbial ‘shit sandwich’. “There are a lot of Australian compound words using the word shit, such as ‘deadshit’, ‘shit kicker’, and ‘shit-can’,” Dr Laugesen said. “Another key finding highlighted in my book is the increased use of the word c***. “The older generation is horrified at any prospect of this word becoming more acceptable, but anecdotally, it’s being used more often by younger people and they sometimes use it as a jokey term of abuse – a bit like bastard. “The c-word was used on Australian reality TV last year where one contestant on The Bachelor used the word ‘dog-c***’ to refer to someone who was betraying someone else. “There was a lot of discussion around the broadcast of this word, but the commentary on social media found it more amusing than shocking, with one online comment noting: ‘That’s such an Australian thing to say’. “It shows that shifts in attitudes to bad language are generational; certainly my mother-in-law would be shocked at hearing that word.” Rooted, an Australian history of bad language is published by NewSouth Books. FOR INTERVIEW: Dr Amanda LaugesenAustralian National Dictionary CentreResearch School of Humanities and the Arts ANU College of Arts and Social SciencesM: +61 412 741 551 E: amanda.laugesen@anu.edu.au To arrange interviews, contact Jane Faure-Brac on +61 459 852 243 or the ANU Media Team on +61 2 6125 7979 or at media@anu.edu.au.