Author Archives: Science Media Centre
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
expert reaction to the death of a teenage girl following a dose of Cervarix
The girl, aged 14, died after receiving the cervarix vaccine, which protects against the human papilloma virus (HPV), the cause of a large number of cases of cervical cancer. So far, however, no link has been proved between the two events. read more
expert reaction to DEFRA Soil Strategy report
The report looks into the safeguarding of the soil of UK land, preserving its quality and defending against soil erosion and other such threats. read more
expert reaction to water on the moon
More water has been found on the moon than was previously thought to be there, raising more questions over the likelihood of life. read more
experts react to news of an HIV vaccine
A trial carried out in Thailand found that a combination of two vaccines lowered the risk of contracting HIV by 31.2%. This is the first significant evidence for a preventative vaccine for HIV, though experts remained cautious over the results’ interpretation. read more
cybersecurity
This briefing marked the opening of the Centre for Information Technologies (CSIT), based at Queen’s University Belfast. The centre addresses cybercrime issues as well as developing AI applications for tackling conventional crime. Issues under discussion included the real time analysis of internet traffic to identify and stop threatening behaviour, AI technology to analyse CCTV footage, and high-speed data processors to combat internet malware. read more
expert reaction to evidence review of the association between influenza and heart attacks, as published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases
The review concluded that influenza can be a risk factor for heart attacks and cardiovascular death, but that this risk is reduced by influenza vaccination. read more
expert reaction to new research on hormone replacement therapy, as published in The Lancet
The research found a link between use of a form of HRT and higher mortality rates in lung cancer, adding to concerns over the potential health impacts of HRT use. read more
Q&A on swine ‘flu vaccination’
The SMC brought together a number of the UK’s top experts on all aspects of vaccination to answer questions on areas including the science of vaccines, the manufacture of vaccines, safety testing, and public health issues associated with vaccination during the current flu pandemic. read more
expert reaction to E. coli outbreak
Experts offer their reactions to an outbreak of E coli on a farm in Surrey, which has led to the hospitalisation of several children. read more
SAGE – pandemic ‘flu
The SMC invited journalists at this year’s British Science Festival in Guildford to come and hear about the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) which was set up to advise the UK government on pandemic influenza, from the group’s co-chair, government Chief Scientific Adviser Prof John Beddington. The briefing also saw the launch of a new Swine Flu Glossary of terms for writers and editors. read more
discovery of new genes for Alzheimer’s
This briefing, run in collaboration with Nature, announced the significant discovery of three new genes associated with late onset Alzheimer’s, the first such discovery in 15 years, and advancing the possibility of new treatments. The study was published in Nature Genetics. read more
epigenetics: past, present and future
It is 25 years since scientists first determined that there might be heritable biological information separate from DNA – that there might be another inheritance ‘code’ in addition to what we understand within classical genetics. As the field of ‘epigenetics’ matures, research in this area is fundamentally changing the way we think about normal development and disease. The SMC invited two leading experts in this field to brief the media, in advance of an international meeting being held in Cambridge on 4-6th September, addressing questions including how the field of epigenetics has developed since the original discoveries of 1984, and what breakthroughs we can expect in the future. read more
expert reaction to announcement of baby born using new egg screening technique
The world’s first baby has been born after being conceived using a new screening technique, which screens eggs for abnormalities before fertilisation, and allows selection of the best quality eggs for fertility treatment. read more
geoengineering: giving us time to act
A new report from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) investigates the unchartered area of geoengineering: the large scale manipulation of the environment to counteract global warming. Experts involved in the report gave their views on areas including how engineering can combat global warming, a 100-year roadmap for implementation and costing for geoengineering initiatives. read more
expert comments on new research into mitochondrial DNA transfer in monkeys, as published in Nature
Scientists in the US have created monkeys whose mitochondrial DNA (DNA in the ‘powerhouses’ of the cells, separate from nuclear DNA) was swapped, replacing the mDNA from the mother with that of a donor cell. This technique raises the potential of treatments for genetic diseases caused by damage to mDNA. read more
experts comment on research concerning the vaccination of healthcare workers in Hong Kong against swine flu, as published in the British Medical Journal
Surveys of healthcare workers in Hong Kong reveal that a majority would refuse the vaccination, raising questions about the status of front line health workers in this country. read more
autonomous systems
Autonomous systems are likely to emerge in a number of areas over the coming decades. From unmanned vehicles to autonomous robotic surgery devices, applications for technologies that can operate without human control, learn as they function and effectively make decisions, are growing. These technologies can promise great benefits, replacing humans in tasks that are mundane, dangerous and dirty, or detailed and precise. They also have potential in allowing the remote performance of various functions, from defusing bombs to monitoring the ill or housebound. However, these technologies also raise a number of social , ethical and legal issues, some of which were addressed in this briefing, run in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Engineering. read more
comments on research into the health effects of burning candles, as presented at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society
The research suggests that exposure to burning candles may increase the risk of cancer, as well as other ailments. However, scientists urged caution, saying that romantic candlelit dinners are not about to cause serious damage to your health. read more
an expert comments on new research on dark energy
A new research paper has shed doubt on the origins and nature of dark energy, which is already a mystery in itself. read more