Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert reaction to study of suicide in young men
The second of two papers in the Lancet examined another under-investigated area of suicide research. After reviewing research published over the last decade, they found strikingly few studies distinguishing the factors which identify those young men (aged 19 – 30) at greatest risk of suicide, and very few studies determining which suicide prevention interventions are effective in young men. read more
expert reaction to study of self-harm and suicide in adolescents
Globally, suicide is the most common cause of death in female adolescents, and the third most common cause of death in male adolescents. A paper in the Lancet examined existing research to look at the connections between self-harm and suicide in young people. read more
expert reaction to trial of Anders Breivik
Prosecutors in the trial of Anders Breivik, who killed 77 people in Norway on the 22 July 2011, decided to ask that he to be sent to a mental institution not prison. read more
Prof Sir David King on resource scarcity and subsidies
Sir David King, former Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government is co-directing ReSource 2012, a new forum taking place in Oxford this July to tackle global resource scarcity.
read more
reaction to the death of Lesley Brown, mother of the first IVF baby
The mother of the first baby born via IVF died after a short illness. read more
expert reaction to publication of H5N1 papers
The publication of two papers on the mutation of the H5N1 flu virus in ferrets, one in Science and one in Nature, have been the cause of some controversy after a US government advisory board asked the two journals to delay publication. On the eventual publication of the Science paper, the SMC sent out quotes, having previously held a briefing and reacted to various developments in the story (here, here and here). read more
Prof Sir David King on resource scarcity and subsidies
Sir David King, former Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government is co-directing ReSource 2012, a new forum taking place in Oxford this July to tackle global resource scarcity.
read more
air pollution in the UK
A new Defra-commissioned report from the NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, the Review of Transboundary Air Pollution (RoTAP), examines the trends in emission, concentration and deposition of the main atmospheric pollutants, focusing on the environmental effects rather than the human health implications.
read more
the Finch report into academic publishing
The Finch Report, produced by an independent working group chaired by Dame Janet Finch, tackles the important question of how to achieve better, faster access to research findings for anyone who wants to read or use them.
read more
expert reaction to Finch report into research publishing
Experts in scientific publishing commented on the findings of a report, chaired by Dame Janet Finch, tackling the important question of how to achieve better, faster access to research findings for anyone who wants to read or use them. A briefing was also held at the SMC to announce the report’s conclusions. read more
expert reaction to study of GM cotton, insecticide use and biodiversity
A report in Nature shows that in addition to reducing the need for pesticide use, transgenic crops that produce a bacterial insecticide can boost populations of beneficial pest-controlling predators. Evidence from the study of Bt Cotton suggests that this effect may spill over to neighbouring non-transgenic crops. read more
novel techniques for the prevention of inherited mitochondrial DNA disorders: an ethical review
Following a 6-month inquiry, the Nuffield Council on Bioethics published a report on the ethics of new techniques that aim to prevent the transmission of inherited mitochondrial DNA disorders.
read more
expert reaction to Nuffield Council on Bioethics review of inherited mitochondrial DNA disorders
The Nuffield Council on Bioethics produced a report on the ethical issues surrounding the proposition to legalise techniques which would allow mitochondrial DNA from female donors to replace the faulty DNA of mothers who could pass disease on to their children. A briefing was held at the SMC to announce the findings of the report. read more
expert encounter with Professor Sebastian Seung
Professor Sebastian Seung came to the SMC before speaking at the Cheltenham Festival and giving a public lecture at LSE later, to tell journalists about his new book Connectome. As an upcoming name in neuroscience – Professor of Computational Neuroscience at MIT and an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute – his book describes his team’s efforts to map all the neural connections in the brain, with the hypothesis that he basis of our identity lies not in our genes but in this network between our brain cells. read more
expert reaction to study of dental plaque and cancer mortality
An observational study in the journal BMJ Open linked persistent dental plaque with an increased risk of dying early from cancer.
read more
expert reaction to study of mindfulness meditation and white matter structure in the brain
Researchers writing in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggested that a form of mindfulness meditation might be used to prevent or treat some mental conditions, after 4 weeks of participation in the technique induced changes in white matter in a brain region implicated in self-regulation. read more
expert reaction to study linking IVF with relapse in MS patients
A small study published online in The Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry suggested in vitro fertilisation (IVF) was linked to an increased rate of relapse among women with multiple sclerosis (MS). read more
scientific publishing – in depth backgrounder
George Monbiot has described scientific publishers as ‘the most ruthless capitalists in the western world’ who make ‘Walmart look like a corner shop’. Mild mannered physicists are organising boycotts of Elsevier and in the US scientist have started an on-line petition to urge Obama to back a move to Open Access.
read more
expert reaction to new research into radiation from CT scans in childhood and subsequent risk of leukaemia and brain tumours
The Lancet published a study showing radiation exposure received from 2 to 3 CT scans of the head in childhood could triple the risk of later developing brain cancer, while around 5 to 10 such scans could triple the risk of developing leukaemia. read more
expert reaction to study of Varroa mites and deformed wing virus in honey bees
A paper in Science identified the virus from a parasitic mite that has helped wipe out billions of honey bee colonies globally. The paper explained colony collapse was partially due to the Deformed Wing Virus (DWV), transmitted by the Varroa mite. read more