Stronger pretend play ability at ages two to three linked to fewer mental health difficulties in early primary school

Links remained after accounting for family income, mother’s mental health, language ability and parent-child attachment

Mental health difficulties affect about 14 percent of Australian children, yet prevention efforts focus on later childhood or adolescence.

A new study has found that diet, gut health, cardiovascular conditions and surgical history are some of the strongest predictors of Alzheimer’s risk, which could lead to better screening through an AI framework and prevention through simple lifestyle changes.

A new study finds that more than half of the new paints tested sold in retail outlets in Mexico contain hazardous concentrations of lead.  The testing also revealed that the country’s failure to regulate the lead content of these products has resulted in the common use of lead chromate pigments. More than 90% of the lead paints purchased in 2025 contained lead chromate pigments. Lead Chromate is a well-known human carcinogen and a lead poisoning hazard. This is the first study documenting the widespread use of lead chromate pigments for multiple paint applications in any country. Given the carcinogenicity of these pigments and the other adverse health effects of lead, workers and the general public are at greater risk due to the presence of lead and hexavalent chromium.