Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert reaction to news about abolition of post of CSA to European Commission
The role of chief scientific advisor to the president of the European Commission has been scrapped. Anne Glover was the first holder of the post which was based within the Bureau of European Policy Advisers, a body which will cease to exist. read more
expert reaction to recall of 22,000 dental patients following dentist malpractice
Thousands of dental patients of a Nottinghamshire dentist have been called for tests following concerns over infection control, although the risk of infection is thought to be low. read more
expert reaction to the comet landing mission
The European Space Agency is attempting to land a spacecraft, Philae, on the surface of a comet. A successful landing would be a first for space exploration. read more
The future of gas
The UK Energy Research Centre is publishing a new report on the use of gas as a bridge to a low-carbon future. In ‘Gas by Design’, researchers examine the future role of gas in our energy mix if we are to prevent global temperatures from rising above 2C by 2100, and how much longer we can keep burning gas without widespread use of carbon capture. read more
Hepatitis E – what is it and how do we get it?
Hepatitis E is a liver disease caused by infection with the hepatitis E virus, and leads to jaundice, abdominal pain, vomiting and fever, as well as more serious complications in certain groups. It was previously thought to be a problem only in the developing world, where infection occurs via contaminated drinking water. However, more recent research suggests it may be contracted in the UK and other European countries by eating under-cooked pork or by receiving transfusions of infected blood. read more
expert reaction to research on the hypothetical release of a greenhouse gas to mitigate a future volcanic eruption
A paper published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters has examined the potential for emission of short-lived greenhouse gases to be used to counteract the effect of future volcanic eruptions. The authors look at the possible effects on a regional and larger scale, and also at practical, financial and ethical questions. read more
expert reaction to the government’s National Pollinator Strategy
The government has announced a national strategy with the aim of supporting pollinators such as bees in their fertilisation of plants and crops. read more
expert reaction to type 2 diabetes drug showing neuroprotective effects in mice
A study published in the journal Neuropharmacology has looked at the effects of drugs currently used to treat type 2 diabetes on brain function in mice, particularly with respect to Alzheimer’s disease, finding that both may be potential treatments. read more
expert reaction to height and dementia risk
Researchers publishing in the The British Journal of Psychiatry have reported a link between a person’s height and their likelihood of developing dementia, especially in males. read more
expert reaction to the IPCC AR5 Synthesis Report
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) of the UN has released its fifth assessment report on the current scientific knowledge around climate change. read more
expert reaction to recreational drug use during pregnancy
A paper published in the journal PLOS One has analysed the use of recreational drugs in women with normal pregnancies and those with foetal abnormalities. In a small sample size, they reported an increased incidence of foetuses with gastroschisis born to younger mothers, and an increase in abnormalities of the central nervous system in foetuses born to mothers who used recreational drugs before conception. read more
expert reaction to genetic influence on Ebola outcome in mice
Researchers writing in the journal Science have published the characterisation of a mouse model which displays human-relevant disease phenotypes when infected with a mouse-adapted Ebola virus. A range of effects from resistance to severe symptoms and death were seen, and these depended on the genetic background of the mice. read more
expert reaction to modelling paper looking at interventions needed to contain Ebola in West Africa
A study modelling the effects of different types of interventions attempting to control Ebola in West Africa has been published in the journal Science. The researchers suggest that a number of practises already being implemented can be effective in limiting the spread of the disease, but that they would have been more effective at earlier stages of the outbreak. read more
expert reaction to study of air pollution around oil and gas wells in the US
Research published in the journal Environmental Health has found the levels of some chemicals in the air around oil and gas drilling sites in the US to be higher than allowed by law. read more
expert reaction to milk consumption, fractures and mortality
A paper published in The BMJ reported an association between higher intake of milk and higher mortality in cohorts of men and women. In the cohort of women, they also observed a higher incidence of fractures with higher milk intake. The researchers recommend cautious interpretation of the data due to it being an observational study, and possible confounding effects. read more
expert reaction to genes for violence
A study published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry has reported an increased expression of certain genes within Finnish prisoners with a history of violence. read more
supercomputing, weather forecasting and climate science
Weather and climate predictions are inherently difficult because of the sheer amount of data which must be processed. If the science of prediction is to be ever more accurate it will need powerful computers backing it up. Scientists came to the SMC to discuss the future of forecasting, what high-powered computers can and can’t do, and how the extra information can be used in future. At this briefing, science minister Greg Clark announced the funding of a £97m computer dedicated to weather and climate science. read more
expert reaction to cocoa and cognition
Researchers have published their findings in the journal Nature Neuroscience that diets high in flavanols, such as those found in cocoa, have beneficial effects in terms of neurology. In a small trial, they found that participants on a high flavanol diet performed better in cognitive tests, and were observed to have improved hippocampi as measured by fMRI. read more
expert reaction to new study on Arctic sea ice and colder winters in Europe and Asia
A paper published in the journal Nature Geosciences has explored the link between declining sea-ice in the Arctic, and colder Eurasian winters. Loss of sea-ice can disrupt patterns of air flow of different temperatures at high altitudes leading to changes in weather, but the researchers’ models predicted that these colder winters were unlikely to continue with further increases in global temperatures. read more