Author Archives: Science Media Centre
a lesson from the last 10 years: ‘take courage’
When a House of Lords Inquiry on science recommended a new initiative to sit on the ‘front line’ between science and the … read more
expert reaction to new research into hypoallergenic milk from a GM cow
Researchers writing in PNAS* used RNA interference, a process that inhibits the expression of certain genes, to engineer a dairy cow capable of producing high-protein milk with hypoallergenic qualities. read more
expert reaction to threatened closure of British Antarctic Survey
Growing concern was expressed over the merging of the British Antarctic Survey with the National Oceanography Centre. read more
expert reaction to whooping cough vaccine for pregnant mothers
The Department of Health announced that the vaccine for whooping cough would be offered to all pregnant mothers. read more
bloodhound: start your engines
On 3rd October 2012, the hybrid rocket at the heart of the Bloodhound land speed record attempt will be fired at a site near Newquay airport. This is the biggest rocket test in Britain for 20 years and marks a milestone in the building of the vehicle which will attempt to reach a speed of 1000mph in 2014. read more
consultation report
Following the founding of the Advisory Council of the SMC, a panel recruited Fiona Fox to lead the Centre along … read more
expert reaction to new coronavirus identified in UK patient
A patient flown from Qatar to the UK, suffering from acute respiratory illness, was found to have contracted a new SARS-like coronavirus. read more
expert reaction to bisphenol A and reproductive health in monkeys
Pregnant rhesus monkeys exposed to the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) during the equivalent of the human third trimester developed altered mammary glands, according to a study in PNAS. read more
MMR report
The controversy over the MMR vaccine was in full swing during the founding of the Science Media Centre. Despite the overwhelming … read more
mental health consultation report
In May 2010 the SMC recruited a new press officer dedicated to mental health. A consultation into mental health research … read more
10 best practice guidelines for reporting science & health stories
Following Fiona Fox’s written and oral evidence to the Leveson Inquiry, the Science Media Centre was challenged to act on the assertion … read more
evidence to the Leveson Inquiry
From our unique position between science and the media, the SMC was well placed to submit evidence from the science community’s perspective … read more
why 3,000 middle-aged men die by suicide each year
In 2010 Samaritans identified that men in their 30s, 40s, and 50s – particularly from disadvantaged backgrounds – are at higher risk of dying by suicide. Figures released on 10 September 2012 appeared to confirm these findings. But so far the reasons for these men being so vulnerable have been unknown. read more
GM maize and tumours in rats
A toxicology study in Food and Chemical Toxicology into the health impact of a GM tolerant maize crop and the herbicide Roundup suggested lab rats developed mammary tumours and were more likely to die prematurely. read more
expert reaction to GM maize and tumours in rats
A study published in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology purported to show that rats fed on GM maize were more likely to develop cancerous tumours and to die prematurely. read more
expert reaction to self-harm and risk of premature death
People who have a history of self-harm are more than three times as likely to die prematurely as the general population, with the risk also much higher for individuals living in socially deprived areas, according to a UK study published in The Lancet. read more
expert reaction to bisphenol A and childhood obesity
A study in JAMA showed children who had higher concentrations of urinary bisphenol A (BPA), a manufactured chemical found in consumer products, had significantly increased odds of being obese. read more
Alzheimer’s disease: causes, treatments, diagnosis, prevention
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) poses a great challenge both to society and the scientific community. Recent stage III clinical trials have returned negative results. Despite hundreds of papers studying AD, it can feel like to we are not getting anywhere – but researchers disagree. read more
HFEA launch of the public consultation – Medical Frontiers: Debating Mitochondrial Replacement
On Monday 17 September the HFEA launched a public consultation to gather people’s views about the social and ethical impact of new IVF-based techniques to avoid mitochondrial disease being passed down the maternal line. read more