Dr Lesley Russell

University of Melbourne’s Richard Robson shares Nobel Prize for Chemistry!

How to Protect Your Pets From Pollution Wildfire smoke, lead paint and other environmental toxins are health hazards for animals, too.

Although there is still much to learn about how pollution affects pets, it’s clear that wildfire smoke, lead paint and other environmental toxins are health hazards for animals, too. Here's what experts suggest for how to reduce the risks for your animal companion.

'Completely flawed': Monash University is scrapping its flagship sustainability institute The uni's plans to 'streamline operational services' by closing down its flagship institute dedicated to climate action and sustainability have sparked internal backlash.

‘Completely flawed’: Monash University plans to ‘streamline operational services’ by closing down its flagship institute (est 2007) dedicated to climate action and sustainability.
Why?
www.crikey.com.au/2025/10/07/m...

It’s an honour for me to be appointed the new Chair of the Board of #Gavi - the Vaccine Alliance. Gavi’s mission to reach every child with essential vaccinations is life-saving. This is a noble mission which I am proud to support. @gavi.org www.gavi.org/news/media-r...

I always admired her work and often cited it.

Ocean heat was off the charts, and Australia bore the brunt For the past year, Australia's oceans have been hotter than ever before. The impacts are being felt all across the nation — as far away from the coast as you can get.

“What we’re seeing here is certainly not something that’s been seen before in our historical data”

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...

Love the headgear!

🌡️HISTORIC HEAT WAVE IN IRAN

47.4c Shabankareh
46.3 Dayyer
46.2 Kangan

We are just 0.2C from the October highest temperature ever recorded in the whole Northern Hemisphere ! (and 2nd in the world) with the extreme heat expected to continue for the whole week.

Aged care waiting lists a ‘calculated denial of services’ that could be fatal, Senate inquiry warns Greens-chaired inquiry says system should be demand-driven despite Labor’s dissenting view that this could cause unintended flow-on issues A Senate inquiry into the delayed aged care scheme has sounded the alarm on the potentially fatal consequences of what it has labelled a “calculated denial” of services as more than 200,000 elderly Australians remain on waiting lists. The majority report of the Greens-chaired inquiry, released Wednesday, said the system should be demand-driven, as recommended by the aged care royal commission, instead of offering elderly Australians a limited number of places. Continue reading...

Aged care waiting lists a ‘calculated denial of services’ that could be fatal, Senate inquiry warns

The political economy of health is failing us | Health Services Daily Medical care contributes relatively little to population health compared to social determinants of health. Yet we continue to privilege medical care. Governments devote billions to hospitals and pharm...

Australian health is dominated by medical industry.
Medical care contributes relatively little to population health vs SDOH but we privilege medical care. Governments devote $b to hospitals & pharmaceuticals, funding for prevention is limited.

www.healthservicesdaily.com.au/the-politica...

Wildfire Rips Through One of Africa’s Largest National Parks

Wildfire Rips Through One of Africa’s Largest National Parks
More than a third of Etosha National Park in Namibia has burned, threatening the rich biodiversity in a popular tourist attraction.

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/29/w...

For TIME’s cover, my profile of @springsteen. Fifty years after his breakthrough Born to Run and ahead of a powerful new film on the most vulnerable stretch of his life, we met to discuss his life and legacy, and to walk the streets where it all began: Asbury Park.

Story: time.com/7319963/bruc...

Encouraging news from Moldova. For those unfamiliar with its courageous & inspirational President, see her Lunch with FT. Now big question is stance of Alternativa (BEA) on 🇪🇺 as sometimes confused
on.ft.com/3HHWNko Moldova’s Maia Sandu: ‘They would like to remake the Soviet Union’

Here’s what AI summarises about my @croakeynews.bsky.social articles on MRFF - and links to these. (Has to be a first time to use those summaries that keep popping up!)

“It is rare to have a ready-made answer [to Trump’s research cuts]. Yet, in the MRFF, we have what we need already in the bank.”

Billions going unspent from Australia’s $24b medical research fund Costings commissioned by independent MP Monique Ryan reveal the government could double how much funding it gives to innovative health research each year.

PBI costings commissioned by Ind MP Monique Ryan show MRFF could lift its annual disbursements from $650m to as much as $1.4b without depleting its current levels over next 10 yrs

Something I’ve been pushing since 2019! With Trump’s withdrawal of US funds - do it!

www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...

Labor’s CDC lacks budget and vision Never before has Australia more needed a full-service, independent Centre for Disease Control, able to address the rising challenges of disease, both infectious and non-communicable. Medical experts f...

“The Australian CDC must become a trusted and authoritative public health communications hub – a single source of wisdom. The decisions we make around the scope, remit and funding of the CDC are crucial.”
Sage advice from Monique Ryan MP
www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/comment/topi...

Australian bird of the year! A tiny feathery hiatus from the grim day-to-day | First Dog on the Moon (unless you are a bird)

Here @firstdogonthemoon.bsky.social is giving FAR TOO MUCH AWAY about the dark inner workings of the @australia.theguardian.com bird of the year poll. FAR. TOO. MUCH.

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Exploring Copenhagen - perfect walking weather 2/2

Two lovely days exploring Copenhagen- lots of walking, interrupted by coffee, pastries, smorrebrod. 1/2

Calling all hands on deck for oral health, to address “dull and uninspiring” draft framework Oral health advocate Tan Nguyen has urged the public health community to engage urgently with the development of a framework

www.croakey.org/calling-all-...

New @bmj.com study finds that women who don’t turn up for their first breast screening appointment face a 40% higher long term risk of dying from breast cancer, mainly due to delayed detection

www.bmj.com/content/390/...

Copenhagen - where they know what a flat white is!
Just AU$10 for a regular size!
But it was excellent.

25 September 2025 Many products used to protect healthcare workers during covid weren’t up to scratch 3 minute read COVID-19 Public Health TGA Workforce By Lincoln Tracy A post-market review of disposable face masks and respirator products revealed one in four samples failed to properly filter out small, aerosolised particles.

Australia: "Many products used to protect healthcare workers during COVID weren’t up to scratch"

The TGA has tightened rules for face masks and respirators on the ARTG after a review found many products added early in the pandemic didn’t meet safety or quality standards.

Source: archive.md/2j4O6

Icecream
Copenhagen
A long line
Delicious

Golden fall glory in Colorado.

Photo posted by @mkvackay.bsky.social over on that other SM place

🤣

She had a broken arm, no insurance — and a $97,000 bill As soon as she fell, Deborah Buttgereit knew she couldn’t avoid going to the hospital. “I could hear the bones moving around in my elbow,” Buttgereit said.

She had a broken arm, no insurance — and a $97,000 bill

This is how the medical system and costs currently work for many in US and thanks to Trump & GOP it will get worse.

Grateful we are better (if imperfectly) protected from such costs in Australia.

www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/202...

Celebrating a fine end to our #OsterlenWay hike.

#OsterlenWay Day 4 Lots of magnificent trees today and acres of apples and pears. Expecting cider with dinner tonight as we celebrate sn amazing 90km hike.
Back to Copenhagen tomorrow. 3/