Liam Mannix
The Sydney Morning Herald
Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Past articles by Liam:
It appears time moved much slower at the dawn of the universe. Here’s why
In a galaxy far, far away, enormous black holes born at the beginning of our universe have much to tell us about the relationship between time and space. → Read More
COVID-19 lab leak theory ends with a whimper, not a bang
When US intelligence services released a summary of the intelligence they had collected about the origins of COVID-19 this week, it put the case for a Wuhan lab leak to bed. → Read More
‘I lose sleep at night’: Experts fight to expose science fraud in Australia
Australians would be horrified at the amount of scientific fraud and misconduct going on, an expert says. → Read More
A new weight-loss drug is having remarkable results. Could it also change the way we talk about obesity?
Scientists and advocates say new anti-obesity drugs generating remarkable levels of weight loss in clinical trials will change the conversation about obesity away from it being a choice and towards it being a disease. → Read More
Rogue antibody and mystery pathogen behind AstraZeneca blood clots: study
A rare gene combined with exposure to a mystery pathogen may have caused the deadly blood clotting issues that plagued AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine. → Read More
Lab-grown brains can play video games now. Do they... have rights?
This brain in a dish could be the start of a whole new field of computing, where silicon and neurons are wired together to produce extraordinarily-powerful artificial intelligences. → Read More
The end of ‘just eat less’? Science doesn’t see being fat as a ‘choice’
Many members of the public have come to believe that being fat is a choice. But scientists hold a radically different view. → Read More
‘Dracula in the blood bank’: Years of inappropriate billing for spine surgery revealed
Many surgeons have been inappropriately billing Medicare and private health insurers for expensive spinal surgery, a leading surgeon claims. → Read More
Is the pandemic really over?
Joe Biden has declared that the pandemic is over, and the World Health Organisation says the end is in sight. But what does that really mean and who benefits from such pronouncements? → Read More
‘Silent killer of our brain’: Dementia experts warn about road pollution
Dementia epidemiologist Kaarin Anstey says she would not live on a busy road and is even worried about the health of cyclists. She’s not the only one to express concern. → Read More
Hope, hype or madness? Inside the “crazy money” bid to bring the Tasmanian tiger back from extinction
A scientist and a tech genius want to bring back the thylacine. They have “crazy money”. But scientists have tried this before - and last time it ended in acrimony and allegations of sabotage. → Read More
‘The siren has sounded’: Scientists pinpoint COVID’s origin
Since the emergence of COVID-19, a question has obsessed many: Where did it come from? → Read More
‘Desperate, despondent, ignored’: Australian science at crisis point
The Coalition’s decision to veto six research grants was the last straw for a sector that has felt it is under attack and saddled with an unfair funding system. → Read More
To hell and back: Devices meant to ease pain are causing trauma
A $35,000 treatment which pumps electric pulses into the spine of patients with chronic back pain is leaving some incontinent, unable to walk or, in a few cases, dead. → Read More
Multivitamins continue to disappoint. That tells us something important about science
Although Australians spend an estimated $3.1 billion a year on dietary and vitamin supplements, there is now plenty of evidence multivitamins do not work for people who do not have a vitamin deficiency. → Read More
Pandemic or endemic? Should we stop worrying about Omicron?
If COVID-19 has become endemic, that doesn’t mean it is “less bad” than a pandemic virus, just that it’s here for good. But what does that mean for us? → Read More
‘As loud as a jet taking off’: Why do cicadas sing at dusk?
Summer is no time to relax for these ancient insects. How and why do they produce their high-decibel song? → Read More
A fascinating experiment in how sexism, and racism, affects the way we watch sport
We see the world through a thick lens generated by our brains, and it changes the way we view sport. → Read More
Does whipping hurt race horses?
Does whipping cause pain to a horse? And does it improve their performance? → Read More
Alarmist or accurate? How the Burnet’s COVID-19 modelling stacks up
There has been widespread criticism of the modelling Australia has relied on during this pandemic. But has the flak been justified? → Read More