Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert comments and background information before Mars Curiosity rover landing
NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover, the latest spacecraft to be sent to our neighbouring planet, was due to land around 6.30am UK time Monday 6 August 2012. read more
expert reaction to Bradley Wiggins’ comments on bicycle helmets
Following a cyclists’ death from being struck by an official Olympics bus, gold medallist Bradley Wiggins was reported to have said he thought it should be compulsory under the law to wear a cycling helmet. read more
do the best treatments for CFS cost more?
Authors of a follow up paper to a 2011 study, that demonstrated that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Graded Exercise Therapy (GET) were the most effective therapies for CFS, came to the SMC to discuss a new paper which explores whether therapies that are most effective at treating CFS also the most cost-effective. read more
expert reaction to poor mental health link to reduced life expectancy
A paper in the BMJ found people with symptoms of anxiety or depression had an increased risk of death from several major causes. read more
expert reaction to astonishment at performance of Chinese swimmer Ye Shiwen in the women’s 400m medley
Sixteen year-old chinese swimmer Ye Shiwen swam the Olympic women’s 400m medley in record time, beating the fastest men over the last 100m and leading to accusations of doping by American coaches. read more
expert reaction to HPA’s announcement that the whooping cough outbreak continues
The Health Protection Authority announced that cases of whooping cough, a childhood disease that has been all but eradicated, were still increasing rapidly in the UK. read more
treating mental illness via the internet and mobile phones
Authors behind studies in a special edition of the Journal of Mental Health came to the SMC to discuss the ground-breaking projects that aim to provide access to mental health services through the internet, both on computers and mobile phones. read more
expert reaction to plans for seasonal flu vaccinations to be offered to all children
The government announced plans for all children between 2 and 17 to be given annual flu vaccinations. The children will be immunised using a nasal spray, starting in 2014 at the earliest. read more
expert reaction to Lords report on science education
Lords report on state of science education
The authors of a House of Lords Science and Technology Committee report on Higher Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) came to the SMC to announce the report’s recommendations. read more
expert reaction to BUAV criticism of Cardiff research on cats
The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) condemned research at Cardiff University looking into the causes of amblyopia, or lazy eye, in which newborn kittens had one eyelid sewn shut.
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Paul Nurse tells us the latest on the Crick Institute
The Francis Crick Institute, which will open in 2015, will be the largest biomedical research building in Europe and will have a strong focus on innovation and collaboration.
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what exactly is “well-being”?
Well-being’ is a term that’s been much used by Government over the last few years. But is well-being a meaningful term in the sphere of mental health?
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expert reaction to BMJ/BBC study on lack of evidence for claims made for sports products
A joint investigation by the BMJ and BBC Panorama found “a striking lack of evidence” to support claims about improved performance and recovery for many sports products like drinks, trainers and protein shakes. read more
expert reaction to new research on iron fertilisation
Nature published a paper suggesting carbon could potentially be transported to the bottom of the ocean, and stored there, by sinking microscopic phytoplankton following iron fertilization. read more
expert reaction to study of binge drinking and cognitive decline
A study presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2012 (AAIC 2012) in Vancouver suggested consistent heavy drinking appeared to have a negative impact on cognitive decline. read more
expert reaction to health effects of Fukushima
A study in the journal Energy & Environmental Science suggested thousands of people could potentially still die as a result of the Fukushima nuclear accident. read more
drugs in sport
The Olympics and performance-enhancing drugs seem inseparable. We regularly find and punish drug cheats, yet some athletes persist in using banned substances and science is locked in an arms race with the next generation of performance-enhancing methods.
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expert reaction to government/RCUK response to the Finch report on scientific publishing
The government announced plans to make publicly funded scientific research available for anyone to read for free by 2014, following publication of a report by Dame Janet Finch into academic publishing. read more