Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert reaction to Stephen Hawking’s statements on the creation of the universe
Prof Hawking claimed in his latest book that there is no requirement for God in models of the origins of the universe. read more
stem cell tourism – unproven therapies, patient optimism and predatory clinicians
Although stem cells are widely believed to offer tremendous hope for treatments in the future, so far no stem cell medical treatments have received market authorisation. Leading scientists are alarmed that a growing number of patients are spending large sums of money going abroad to access unregulated and unproven stem cell treatments which offer little or no benefit and at worst can be detrimental to health. read more
expert reaction to research into bisphenol A to be published in Environmental Health Perspectives
The paper shows a possible association between exposure to bisphenol-A, a chemical widely used in food and drinks packaging, and hormonal changes in men. read more
prevention of drug and alcohol use in teenagers
Researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London have pioneered a new approach to reduce problematic drinking and drug abuse in secondary school children. Their research showed that teaching teenagers coping skills based on personality traits such as anxiety, negative thinking and impulsivity, reduced the amount of alcohol consumed and binge drinking, and that a similar approach also reduced cocaine use. read more
expert reaction to PNAS study on virus sequences found in blood of chronic fatigue syndrome patients
This research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences purports to find a link between a virus and chronic fatigue syndrome, although this is not the same virus as that implicated in similar recent discoveries. read more
expert reaction to research investigating subsurface oil from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, to be published in ScienceXpress
The paper addresses the possibility of oil accumulating below the surface of water in the Gulf of Mexico as a result of the recent oil spill. read more
expert reaction to new research on drug-resistant bacteria, as published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases
This paper looked at the development of a new class of drug resistant bacteria. read more
expert reaction to study to diagnose autism in adults using brain scans
Researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London have developed at simple brain scan that they say can be used to detect autism in adults with 90% accuracy. read more
expert reaction to research linking temperature with heart attacks, to be published in the BMJ
A study of hospital admissions data across England and Wales suggested that a drop in temperature is associated with an increased rate of heart attacks. read more
expert reaction to news that three quarters of the oil spilled in the Gulf has been dispersed/removed
Several months after the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in one of the biggest oil spills in US history, much of the oil has apparently been either removed or dispersed through natural means. read more
expert reaction to further coverage of cloned cow
In further developments on the cloned cow story, it has emerged that meat from the offspring of cloned cows has been sold and eaten in the UK. read more
gorilla in the midst
The Zoological Society of London has been facing a difficult decision over whether to introduce a new male gorilla to its group. The death of the previous male left three females, one pregnant, whose welfare may suffer in the absence of a male. However, with the introduction of a new male comes a risk of infanticide for the pregnant female’s offspring. Experts from ZSL came to the SMC to announce the result of their decision. read more
expert reaction to announcement on milk from the offspring of a cloned cow
Reports have emerged that milk from a cow that was bred from a clone has been on sale in the UK. read more
the state of the climate
The 2009 State of the Climate report was published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Wednesday 28 July. As part of this report, climate scientists at the Met Office Hadley Centre compiled data from multiple independent analyses directly related to surface temperature. The scientists came to the SMC to discuss trends revealed by the data. read more
animals scientific procedures inspectorate: annual report and statistical report
In what is now an annual event, the SMC invited the Home Office to announce the numbers of animals used in research in 2009 and to publish their inspection report, while leading scientists who use animals in their research reacted to the figures and put them into the context of scientific developments. read more
is anyone normal? mental health and diagnosis
A new edition of the diagnostic ‘bible’ for mental health medicine is a highly anticipated event, but with the latest draft guidelines expanded to now include temper tantrums among toddlers and heartache over a lost spouse, some experts are asking whether anyone can now be classified as normal. The authors of a special issue of the Journal of Mental Health came to the SMC to discuss these concerns. read more
the media on UEA: guilty as charged?
At the press briefing in the SMC for the third and final inquiry into the UEA emails, Sir Muir Russell, Chair of the review, … read more
expert encounter with the head of NICE
With the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) currently the subject of much media interest, the SMC invited its Chief Executive, Andrew Dillon, to answer journalists’ questions and explain what NICE really do, and why they do it. read more
expert reaction to two papers on ‘epigenetic memory’ in induced pluripotent and embryonic stem cells, as published in Nature & Nature Biotechnology
Two new research papers show that induced pluripotent stem cells, which are equivalent to embryonic stem cells and can be obtained from adult tissues, can retain some of the characteristics of the cells from which they were formed. read more
smart meters and smart grids
In this background briefing, UK experts on engineering, security, data protection and consumer engagement discussed smart meters and grids as a means of managing supply and demand of electricity in the UK, in the context of government plans to “establish a smart grid and roll out smart meters.” read more