Aboriginal People ^[NEW]

Aboriginal people are believed to have arrived as early as 60,000 years ago, and evidence of Aboriginal art in Australia dates back at least 30,000 years. Several states and territories had their origins as penal colonies, with the first British convicts arriving at Sydney Cove in 1788.

Sad Truth ^[NEW]

The sad truth is that happy sounds are infectious. Now comes research that at least partly explains why? It was published this week in the journal of neuroscience. A British research team played various sounds including laughter to people who are having their brain scanned by a functional MRI machine. All the sounds activated the premotor cortical region of the brain, that area prepares facial muscles to move.

Nectar ^[NEW]

The scientists say this is the first documented instance of nectar that attracts a particular animal assistant being produced outside of a nectary. In fact, the observed nectar bleeding might actually be an early system that evolved to include the nectaries found in other plants today.