Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert reaction to research on moderate drinking and heart conditions
A new population-based cohort study published in the The BMJ investigates the association between moderate alcohol consumption and cardiovascular disease. read more
expert reaction to study reporting no weekend effect on mortality in emergency surgery
A paper published in the British Journal of Surgery suggests that there is no difference in short or long-term mortality following emergency general surgery at the weekend compared to mid-week. read more
expert reaction to genetic markers for predicting risk of Alzheimer’s
Researchers publishing in PLOS Medicine have developed a polygenic hazard score (PHS) as a possible way of quantifying the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease. read more
expert reaction to how receiving navigation directions impacts on the brain
Publishing in Nature Communications scientists from UCL explore the potential effects a satellite navigation system could have on the brain. read more
expert reaction to the World Meteorological Organisation’s State of the Global Climate in 2016 report
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has published their State of the Global Climate in 2016 report. read more
expert reaction to diabetes and rising temperatures
Researchers published in Open Diabetes Research & Care claim that the diabetes incidence rate in the USA and prevalence of glucose intolerance worldwide increase with higher outdoor temperature. read more
Expert reaction to study looking at health of arteries of the Tsimane group in South American
A new cross-sectional cohort study published in The Lancet reports the Tsimane, a forager-horticulturalist population of the Bolivian Amazon with few coronary artery disease risk factors, have the lowest reported levels of coronary artery disease of any population recorded to date.
nuff said about “Fake News”
I don’t know of a single fake news story in science or health. Not one – or not in national news media anyway. Yet everywhere I go people are discussing this new scourge, even in science and media circles where fake news is a non-issue. read more
expert reaction to news that the HFEA has approved a licence application for Newcastle University to use mitochondrial donation therapy
The HFEA has approved a licence application for Newcastle University to use mitochondrial donation therapy in treating mitochondrial disease. read more
expert reaction to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) Committee for Risk Assessment not classifying glyphosate as a carcinogen
Glyphosate has not been classified as a carcinogen by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). read more
Natural flood management – how effective is it?
Floods are costly and traumatic for the people whose homes and livelihoods are damaged or destroyed. In the UK, they are expected to become more frequent and severe with climate change. read more
expert reaction to research on natural climate variability and Arctic summer sea ice
New research published in Nature Climate Change estimates to what extent changes in atmospheric circulation explain the observed sea-ice loss of the past few decades. read more
expert reaction to five new artificial yeast chromosomes
Researchers publishing in Science have created five new synthetic yeast chromosomes with DNA from chemicals in a lab. read more
expert reaction to letter about science funding, efficiency and waste
A letter published in the Lancet asks what funders are doing to minimise waste in research. read more
expert reaction to the Spring Budget
The Chancellor Philip Hammond, has announced the spring budget. read more
Media roundtable on sharing patient data for health, care and research
The purpose of the meeting was primarily to introduce science and health reporters to a brand new organization called Understanding Patient Data which is supported by much of the medical research community in the UK. read more
European Perceptions of Climate Change
How worried about climate change are people in the UK, Germany, France and Norway and how do they view its … read more
Brain Prize 2017 – announcement of winners
Three neuroscientists from UK institutions were awarded the world’s most valuable prize for brain research. read more
expert reaction to White House proposed budget cut to NOAA
The White House is proposing to cut the budget of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a leading government agency on climate science, by a reported 17 percent.
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Can we make cannabis safer?
In a Personal View article to be published in the Lancet Psychiatry, the authors explain that increasingly liberal cannabis laws in some countries and the increasing potency of cannabis worldwide mean that we need to think about whether and how cannabis can be made safer.