Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert comments on new research into climate forcing emissions, as published in Science
The paper, from scientists at the Nasa Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York, concluded that the effects of methane of global warming may have been significantly underestimated, and could contribute much more to the rise in global temperatures than previously thought. read more
expert encounter: Prof Gordon Conway
Few people have had a greater influence on science in the developing world than Professor Gordon Conway, through his work … read more
experts react to Nature paper press released as ‘Stem cells help study of infertility genes’
Scientists at Stanford University in California have successfully created early stage human egg and sperm cells in the laboratory, raising the possibility of treatments for infertility that are currently not possible. However, experts stressed the fact that the work is at an early stage. read more
El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO)
How does the Southern Oscillation affect the weather around the globe? Are we about to enter an El Niño season? And why should we care? This background briefing covered the mechanics of the ENSO cycle, what happens in El Niño and La Niña conditions, and the global impacts of these two very different phenomena. It also explained the current state of the tropical pacific and discuss the current forecast for the coming months, including any implications for the UK and Europe. read more
experts comment on new research into low-dose radiation exposure and cardiovascular disease, as published in PLoS Computational Biology
Researchers from Imperial College London have produced a mathematical model which suggests that the risk of contracting cardiovascular disease rises with increased exposure to low doses of radiation. read more
expert encounter: Prof Robert Langer
Speakers: Prof Robert Langer, David H. Koch Institute Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Prof Robert Langer’s research laboratory at MIT … read more
experts react to Royal Society report ‘Reaping the benefits: Science and the sustainable intensification of global agriculture’
The report sets out issues surrounding the current global status of food security, and what role UK science and technology can play in meeting these challenges. read more
50 active years after 50
50 active years after 50 is a research initiative aimed at increasing the quality of life for older people. It draws together multiple research projects, funded by research councils, charities and industry and led by the Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (iMBE) at the University of Leeds. This briefing featured scientists involved in the initiative talking about how the combined expertise of scientists, engineers, medics and clinicians will lead to the development of new implants, heart valves, tendons and joints that will allow us to remain active in line with increasing life spans. The speakers illustrated their points with the aid of a skeleton on a bike. read more
launch of Declaration on Mental Health
A group of scientists and public figures have launched a Declaration on Mental Health that has been signed by many of the UK’s most influential psychiatrists and mental health experts, and calls on government and other funding agencies to commit to increased investment in mental health research and a ‘re-balancing’ of funding priorities. The SMC invited a panel of leading mental health researchers and scientists to explain why they are supporting the declaration and outline some of the background to the issues. read more
the climate series: the future of flooding
This briefing, held to preview a meeting at the Royal Academy of Engineering, and in association with the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management, examined the UK’s present strategy for dealing with the threat of major flooding events, which are predicted to become more frequent in the future. read more
the climate series: global oil depletion
In the first of a series of climate change-related briefings in the run-up to key negotiations taking place in Copenhagen in December, this briefing marked the publication of a new report by the UK Energy Research Centre on best estimates of when global oil production could peak, and how this can be reconciled with rising demand. read more
comments on the announcement of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2009
The prize was shared between Dr Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, a research fellow at Trinity College Cambridge, Thomas Steitz from Yale University, and Ada Yonath from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, for work on mapping the structure of the ribosome, the protein-manufacturing centre of the cell. read more
new research on asthma
A paper from scientists at the Universities of Brighton and Dundee found that a gene change could make common asthma medication less effective in certain individuals, and could increase the risk of asthma attacks. However the researchers stressed that this was a preliminary finding, and asthma sufferers should not stop using their medication. read more
experts comment on the announcement of the Nobel Prize in Physics 2009
This year’s prize for Physics went to Chinese-born British resident Charles Kao, for his work on the transmission of light over long distances through fibre optic cables. Two Americans, Willard Sterling Boyle and George Smith, shared the other half of the prize for inventing the charged-coupled device, which is today used in products such as digital cameras and surgical instruments. read more
experts comment on new research into asthma as published in the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology
The research, from scientists at the Universities of Brighton and Dundee, found that a gene change could make common asthma medication less effective in certain individuals, and could increase the risk of asthma attacks. However the researchers stressed that this was a preliminary finding, and asthma sufferers should not stop using their medication. read more
the future of medicine: nanotechnology and magnets
Nanotechnology is offering medicine brand new ways of dealing with disease using ideas that would have been only science fiction just a few years ago. The SMC invited journalists to come and hear from some top experts who are using nanotechnology and magnets to potentially both diagnose and treat cancer, and to find out how close these techniques are to reality, how much they might cost, and whether public perception of nanotechnology is likely to be a hurdle. read more
experts comment on the announcement of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2009
This year’s prize was won by three American researchers – Elizabeth Blackburn, Carol Greider and Jack Szostak – for their discovery of how the body protects the genetic code from damage with age – through specialised proteins called telomeres and an associated enzyme, telomerase. read more
expert reaction to Independent story on funding of hybrid research
A front page story in the Independent claims that much-publicized research using human-animal hybrid embryos is in danger of coming to an end due to lack of funding. read more
report on dementia: ethical issues
This Nuffield Council on Bioethics press briefing marked the publication of a new report on the ethical dilemmas faced by people with dementia and those who care for them. The report addresses questions including how to tackle the social stigma of dementia and whether enough resources are being allocated for care and research. read more
expert reaction to events in Sumatra and Samoa
Within a day of each other, a large earthquake struck the Indonesian island of Sumatra while a tsunami triggered another large earthquake which struck the Pacific islands of Samoa and Tonga. The two events are unrelated. read more