Australian National University

In an impressive feat of urban adaptation, sulphur-crested cockatoos have worked out how to use their feet and their large bodies to twist the taps of drinking fountains. And much like another of their moves, they're learning to do this en masse.

Many of us have had a tooth pulled in the dentist's chair, and even with anesthetic, it's not pleasant. So spare a thought for the people who, for millennia, chose to have good teeth yanked out with no painkillers – all in the name of beauty (mainly).

The first-ever video of a blue whale nursing her calf has been released, as well as stunning footage of the species' intimate interactions. It's the first time these famously elusive animals have had their personal lives captured in this way.

A pair of night-vision glasses would change the way we navigate the late hours, from driving to walking home in the dark. This vision is nearer to reality, as researchers simplify how light is processed, trading bulky lenses for cling-wrap-thin film.

The brightest object in the known universe has just been found. It's a supermassive black hole with the mass of 17 billion Suns, and it swallows another Suns’ worth of material every day, making it also the fastest-growing black hole ever found.

Physicists have combined nanotechnology, artificial intelligence and molecular biology to design a novel method that can detect Alzheimer’s disease protein markers in blood that are the tell-tale signs of early neurodegeneration.

Researchers discovered the world’s first case of a new human parasitic infection, pulling a live roundworm from a woman's brain. They say the case highlights the risks posed by zoonotic diseases caused by pathogens that jump from animals to humans.

The European red fox isn't native to Australia, but it does live there now, preying on native species. To help restore the ecological balance, scientists are experimenting with putting foxes off of some of those creatures, by making them barf.

The earliest spice mix for a Southeast Asian curry has been identified on a sandstone slab excavated from the Óc Eo site in Vietnam. Incredibly, many of the ingredients are still key in curries today, but it also tells a tale about ancient trade routes.

Scientists have discovered evidence of a “lost world” of previously unknown lifeforms that inhabited Earth about a billion years ago. Fossilized steroids were identified in rocks all over the world, produced by a group called the "Protosterol Biota."

Dementia is a debilitating disease that affects millions of people worldwide. With no available cure, the focus has shifted to prevention. A study has provided new evidence about the link between magnesium intake and brain health.

A research team from the UK's Nottingham Trent University, the Australian National University and the University of New South Wales Canberra has developed a display prototype that could replace the LCD panels common to many of today's big-screen TVs.