Ahead of the British Neuroscience Association’s Christmas Symposium, the SMC invited several leading experts into the Centre to brief the media on their respective areas of research, including the evolutionary and neural mechanisms that govern our need for social activity. read more
The SMC hosted the Lancet for this briefing on a recent study which found that taking a daily low-dose of aspirin may significantly reduce the risk of developing several cancers. read more
The World Health Organisation asked leading science and health experts to assess the science and impact of a new tabletop kit that can provide an accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis in just over one hour. read more
Against the backdrop of a vigorous year of questioning of climate science and the IPCC, the Met Office presented a review of its science and the evidence that climate change remains an active threat. read more
Two of the scientists responsible for the development of a new vaccine for meningitis to be launched in Burkina Faso came to the SMC to brief journalists on the vaccine and its potential to rid sub-Saharan Africa of the disease. read more
With around a quarter of the food we grow being lost to pests and diseases, BBSRC-funded scientists explained their attempts to combat blight resistance and the implications for food security. read more
Scientists from Oxitech Ltd., a UK company, recently field-tested a novel solution for the control of the mosquito that carries Dengue fever, using genetically modified sterile mosquitoes. The authors discussed the results of the first field trial and and their hopes for the future of this approach. read more
Specialists from secure mental health facilities such as Broadmoor Hospital briefed journalists on aspects of their work, including how they admit people, what treatments they offer, how long is the average stay, and what happens when someone leaves. read more
Dr Norbert Riedel is Corporate Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Baxter International Inc., a leading worldwide healthcare company. At this briefing he gave his take on ‘Medical innovation in a cost constrained environment’ and gave his answers to some of the big questions facing those in R&D in international science based companies. read more
Two speakers from the Geological Society conference ‘Past Carbon Isotopic Events and Future Ecologies’ came to the SMC to discuss climate clues from the geological record and what they can tell us about present and future changes to the climate. read more
In response to the government’s announcement of the spending review, the Science Minister David Willetts came to the SMC to answer journalists’ questions on what it means for UK science. read more
Former project leader of the Large Hadron Collider Dr Lyn Evans came to the SMC to reflect on the fundamental questions that the LHC is addressing and the novel design that makes it such an engineering marvel. read more
The SMC hosted the Nuffield Council on Bioethics for this briefing to launch their report Medical profiling and online medicine: the ethics of ‘personalised healthcare’ in a consumer age. read more
The lead authors of a paper in Nature describing unexpected changes in the sun’s spectrum came into the SMC to discuss their findings and the implications for the effects of solar variability on climate. read more
The authors of new research published in the Lancet came to the Science Media Centre to brief journalists about their latest research into genetics and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). read more
Scientists from the British Geological Survey (BGS) discussed recent discoveries in the fields of Icelandic volcano ash particles, metals and evidence that ancient tourists from across Europe visited Stonehenge. read more
This briefing launched a UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) report on the cost of offshore wind relative to other means of electricity generation, examining recent rises and likely future costs. read more
In the light of expected budget cuts to science, the President of the Royal Society and the heads of six major universities gathered to put the case for continued strong science funding. read more
The authors of new guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of sexual disorders came to the SMC to brief reporters on their concerns and recommendations. read more
In light of spending cuts and concern over the UK’s ability to translate world-class stem cell research into therapies to help treat disease, the SMC invited the Science Minster and several top stem cell scientists to brief journalists on the state of the sector. read more
