| Australian astronomer discovers new kind of galaxy
An international team of astronomers headed by Australia’s
Dr. Michael Drinkwater has discovered a new, very compact
galaxy that could help explain the discrepancy between
observation and the cosmological models used to describe
the origin of the universe.
Previously thought to be stars of the Milky Way, the
discovery could answer the one question that has always
given astronomers sleepless nights: where have all
the dwarf galaxies gone?
Considered the building blocks of the universe, scientists
have found far fewer dwarf galaxies than the size of
our universe suggests, however, according to computer
simulations by Dr. Kenji Bekki (Sydney, Australia),
these new ultra-compact galaxies could in fact be dwarf
galaxies that have lost their peripheral stars.
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Telstra helps jumpstart electric car
Students from Claremont College are working frantically
to bring back to life a 1985 Hyundai as a one-of-a-kind
electric car.
The project, being carried out by students in a
range of courses, was innovative enough to receive
the $3,000 dollars it needed for the purchase of
the project’s key component – the electric
motor – from Telstra Country Wide.
Margaret O’Rourke, Telstra’s General
Manager for Hobart and Southern Tasmania, offered
the cash because “The electric car provides
students with hands-on experience in a range of areas – it’s
the kind of project that encourages students to learn
because it is fun and interesting, and at the same
time the results are visible.”
“I am very impressed by the work undertaken
by Claremont College, and Telstra Country Wide is
proud to be associated with the project” she
said.
Telstra Country Wide is a big supporter of activities
that help Tasmania’s young people develop new
skills and confidence.
<< top >> Australia takes $345 million slice of Taiwan high-speed rail project
Australia’ Barclay Mowlem has signed a $165 million
contract to construct a major depot as part of Taiwan’s
new high speed rail line, Trade Minister Mark Vaile
announced Monday.
The contract is the second for the company, which secured
a $180 million contract to construct part of the track
for the same project in August 2002.
Mr. Vaile said Barclay Mowlem’s success was
the result of many years work on the part of the
company and the Federal Government through Austrade
and the Australian Railway Industry Corporation.
“The genesis of this deal can be traced back
as far as 1996” said Vaile, and the fact that
Barclay Mowlem had now been able to win two contracts
of equal complexity was a testament to the company’s
increasing reputation as a competitive exporter of
superior expertise and skill in the field of rail
infrastructure.
The Tsoying Depot is to be constructed on 40 hectares
of land and will comprise some 31 structures, ranging
from an administrative building, 350m x 50m work
sheds housing six rail tracks, through to transformer
enclosures.
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Aussie’s discover a new anti-cancer treatment
A new anti-cancer treatment could be on
the market within three years after a breakthrough
discovery by Australian scientists.
The treatment, developed by Monash University scientists,
was unveiled in Washington this Monday at the BIO2003
world biotechnology conference.
It uses existing drugs to stimulate the body’s
immune system and initial trials on leukemia and
prostate cancer patients in Melbourne have shown
improvement in a majority of the cases.
Headed by Victorian biotech company, Norwood Abbey,
clinical trials will be extended to the US and Europe,
and scientists are hopeful the treatment will soon
be commercially available.
The treatment involves boosting the body’s
production of disease-fighting T-cells with an existing
class of drugs called GnRH analogues which are normally
used to block the production of sex hormones in people
with prostate cancer, breast cancer and endometriosis.
But Victorian scientists also found the drugs also
acted to kick-start the T-cell producing thymus,
a gland in the chest that shrinks after puberty.
“The fact that (the drug) had an effect on
the immune system was not known to any of the drug
companies who had this molecule” said Norwood
Abbey executive chairman Peter Hansen.
Victorian Premier Steve Bracks, who led the state’s
drive to become one of the world’s top five
biotechnology cities said the technology has the
potential to save millions of lives and could be
worth hundreds of millions in royalties.
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