Belinda Smith
Belinda Smith is the online science reporter in the ABC Science and RN. Her work's appeared in the Best Australian Science Writing 2016, 2018 and 2023.
Latest by Belinda Smith
Sunscreen prevents skin cancer and premature ageing — but are you doing it right?
For decades, we've known sunscreen dramatically lowers a person's risk of developing skin cancer, with some of the first evidence coming from (aptly) the Sunshine State. This is how it works.
What's so special about Retro the cloned rhesus monkey? Five quick questions answered
Scientists report cloning a monkey using a technique that most famously gave us Dolly the sheep in 1996. So what's new about this study, and what does it mean for humans?
The story of 'Giganto', the world's largest ape, and why it disappeared forever
For two million years, Gigantopithecus blacki roamed the forests of what is now southern China. A new study claims to discover when — and why — it went extinct.
Kelp and sponge make mighty fine hats — or at least whales, dolphins and crabs seem to think so
Broad-brimmed, legionnaire, sombrero — whatever your choice, even moderate UV days call for sun protection atop your noggin. But we're not the only hat-wearers in the animal kingdom.
Forget salt and vinegar, did you know there are 1,400 bona fide flavours of chips? This is how they're created
The humble bag of chips has come a long way, with flavours like cheeseburger, curry, and cucumber now available. To get the flavours right involves a bit of technology — and a whole lot of noses.
'How is penetration possible?': Scientists unravel the mystery behind tiny bat's oversized penis
Researchers watched hours of video footage of a common bat species doing the deed to discover they use their massive penis like an arm to reproduce via "contact mating" instead of penetration, making them the first-known mammal to use this method.
For the first time, scientists have found evidence of menopause in wild chimpanzees
Urine samples collected from wild chimpanzees in Uganda over decades have revealed older female chimps undergo hormonal changes much like those in menopausal humans.
How an airport runway, carved coconut trunks and an underground lens keep this Pacific nation hydrated
The Marshall Islands are surrounded by seawater, but fresh water is in short supply. As the Pacific nation stares down the barrel of climate change, people are working to help mitigate what's to come.
'A huge puzzle': Antimatter falls just like ordinary matter, leaving the Universe's biggest mystery unsolved
Attempts to understand why there is much more matter in the Universe than antimatter have been dealt a blow with an experiment ruling out one of the major explanations.
WA's pink diamonds may be a symbol of love, but it took a violent split a billion years ago to bring them to light
The famous Argyle diamond deposit was created some 1.3 billion years ago, when a chunk of an ancient supercontinent started splitting apart, violently blasting hot rock carrying the precious stones to the surface, new research suggests.
Cats evolved to eat meat, but a new study claims kitties on a vegan diet are healthier. So which is best?
Cats fed vegan diets tended to be healthier than their meat-fed counterparts, according to a new study. But, experts warn, the evidence for vegan kitties is not that clear-cut.
We knew the Tongan volcanic eruption was massive. Now we know what happened on the sea floor
In January 2022, a mega explosion from the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano generated a coast-battering tsunami and vivid sunsets. Now we know the extent of the eruption's devastation below the waves.
Faced with rising sea levels, the Marshall Islands are decarbonising ocean transport
As the world's shipping industry decarbonises at a glacial pace, the Marshall Islands has a plan to wean its fleets off fossil fuels completely by 2050.
In ancient Pangaea, the forests were quiet. Then, somehow, animals found their voices
Wind back the clock a few hundred million years, and landscapes were completely silent of any truly meaningful communication through sound. So when did animals first find their voice, so to speak, and why?
A 'golden spike' in Canada could mark the beginning of the Anthropocene Epoch
A small lake near the Canada-US border has been chosen as the site that may define the start of a new geological epoch called the Anthropocene.
Every day for 21 years, Mary got a vaginal test. Her 'generosity' helped save 'millions of lives'
The next time you book yourself in for a cervical screen, spare a thought for the woman who endured a similar procedure every day for 21 years.
Were finger marks etched into a cave wall around 57,000 years ago made by Neanderthals?
More than 57,000 years ago, a human traced their fingertips along the chalky wall of a French cave, leaving shallow, parallel furrows behind. But what species were they?
As Townsville slept, a giant 'plasma bubble' triggered by a distant volcano eruption hovered overhead
The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano eruption last year was so powerful it created a "super plasma bubble" in the upper atmosphere over northern Australia, likely disrupting precise GPS for hours.
Menopause can affect how we think and feel — but we're only just beginning to understand how it changes the brain
Menopause marks the end of a woman's reproductive stage, but it can also spell the beginning of changes in the way we think and feel. So how does oestrogen affect the brain?
Who wore this ancient pendant? DNA reveals it was a woman who lived 20,000 years ago
Scraps of ancient DNA coaxed out of a deer tooth pendant show it likely hung around the neck of a woman or girl around 20,000 years ago.
What stops mozzie bites itching? Our science reporter looked into all the evidence so you don't have to
When it comes to alleviating the annoying itchiness of a mosquito bite, there are all sorts of remedies people swear by. But what does science say?
These Nobel laureates changed our understanding of immunology. Here's what they say COVID has in store
In 1996, Peter Doherty and Rolf Zinkernagel won a Nobel Prize for virus research, but their 25-year anniversary was thwarted by COVID-19. Here's what they predict lies ahead.
What's the best way to keep cool this summer? Scientists have done the experiment
As power prices rise alongside the mercury, and the world continues to pump carbon emissions into the atmosphere, what can we do to stay cool at home?
Snakes have had a clitoris all this time — but no-one thought to look
Humans have one. So do ostriches. Dolphins have a really big one. And now we know snakes have a clitoris too.
The underlying causes of long COVID remain elusive — but here's the list of possibilities
It's a question that's tantalised researchers since the first reports of "long haulers" back in 2020: what causes long COVID?