biology

Everyday PNG People: Naomi Longa

I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Papua New Guinea and I have been the Director of Sea Women of Melanesia Training Program at the Coral Sea Foundation Organisation since November 2018.

I became a scuba dive instructor during this time and have helped train women in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. I have also been actively involved in the reef survey, training and community engagement activities in Kimbe and Manus (West Coast) during this pandemic period.

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Here's why you should keep spiders and insects onside

Sarah Bonney, a PhD candidate at Charles Darwin University and organiser of the Darwin Insect Festival, said most people gave insects and invertebrates a bad rap.

"Insects actually play a very big role in our world," she said.

"Without them we wouldn't have a lot of food, they keep our soil healthy, and they basically keep the world turning."

But as well as doing their bit for the environment, beetles, bugs and other invertebrates can also work for us.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals: Is your home making you sick?

Obesity, type 2 diabetes, and some cancer rates are on the rise in humans. While sperm count and fertility is on a downward slide in some populations. What if chemical exposure was partly responsible for these trends?

One hypothesis is that a group of chemicals — known as 'endocrine disrupting chemicals' (EDCSs) — could affect human reproduction, puberty, metabolism and other functions controlled by hormones in our endocrine system.

Many suspected EDCs are already in your home — but how much risk do they really pose? At what exposure level do they become unsafe?

Transhumanists, biohackers, grinders: Who are they and can they really live forever?

The answer is maybe soon — at least according to them.

Ok. So what's a transhumanist?

Like some scientists, they believe that ageing is a disease, and they are not afraid of taking human evolution into their own hands by harnessing genetic engineering, nanotechnology and artificial intelligence.

Sydney-based IT innovation manager and self-described transhumanist Peter Xing says Australians aged in their 20s and 30s could now end up living long enough to live forever.

It is called "longevity escape velocity".