Author Archives: Science Media Centre
response to a study on second-hand smoke and cognitive impairment, as published in the BMJ
The study found an association between exposure to second-hand smoke and the risk of developing symptoms of cognitive impairment associated with dementia. read more
climate change: adapting to the inevitable?
This briefing launched a new report from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) which argues that the Kyoto protocol has been a near total failure, with emissions levels continuing to rise substantially. The report addresses the question of whether we should be putting resources into adapting to the inevitable effects of climate change, rather than attempting to curb emissions. read more
expert reactions to the DECC heat and energy strategy
The government’s Department of Energy and Climate Change has introduced a strategy to address carbon emissions from UK domestic heating – this includes strategies to make heating air and water dependent on renewable sources of energy. read more
scientists comment on research into breast cancer rates and HRT
The research, from Cancer Research UK and published in the European Journal of Cancer, showed an association between a drop in breast cancer rates and a fall in HRT use. read more
experts comment on ecstasy report
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs has recommended that ecstacy should be reclassified from Class A to Class B, though this advice was rejected by government. read more
experts comment on the Australian wildfires
The wildfires swept through the Australian state of Victoria, causing significant damage and loss of life. read more
expert encounter – coal and carbon capture: is China the problem or the solution?
With China frequently seen as the world’s leading threat to global climate, the potential for the country to lead the way in tackling climate change often risks being overlooked. One of China’s leading experts on petroleum geology and CO2 storage stopped in at the SMC to present his work to journalists and to discuss the results obtained so far on the Near Zero Emissions Coal in China project (NZEC) to research carbon capture and storage technologies. read more
expert responses to the HPA figures on measles for 2008
Figures released by the Health Protection Agency show an increase in measles cases compared to the previous year. read more
vitamin D and Multiple Sclerosis: New research published in PLoS Genetics
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex neurological disease that is thought to affect around 85,000 people in the UK. There is a strong genetic component to MS, but it is also thought that the environment plays a key role. In particular, vitamin D has been proposed as one environmental factor that might influence the risk of MS. The authors of new research in this area descibe their work examining the interaction between vitamin D and a particular gene associated with MS, which is published in the journal
expert comment on research suggesting that fertility drugs do not increase the risk of ovarian cancer, as published in the BMJ
Prof Hani Gabra, Director of the Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, Imperial College London, said: “This large scale study supports … read more
experts comment on research examining the interaction between Vitamin D and a susceptibility ‘gene’ in MS, as published in PLoS Genetics
The research found evidence of an environmental link between vitamin D levels and a gene linked with susceptibility to multiple sclerosis. read more
Fiona creates a buzz at the World Conference of Science Journalists 2009 Programme Launch Party, London
If the Science Media Centre were to close down tomorrow the most important lesson I would have learned in my six years … read more
experts comment on a report in Nature showing that countries are not complying with the UN code of conduct for responsible fisheries
Prof Michel J. Kaiser D.Sc., Chair in Marine Conservation Ecology at Bangor University, said: “This report clearly indicates that some … read more
experts comment on research suggesting resting heart rate can predict heart attacks in women, as published in the BMJ
The study suggested that having an elevated resting heart rate may be a predictive factor for heart attacks and similar coronary events in women. read more
experts comment on research into hybrid embryos, as published in the journal Cloning and Stem Cells
The paper claimed to call into question the effectiveness of human-animal hybrid embryos as an avenue of research, and suggested that it could be more difficult than previously thought, or even impossible, to derive significant quantities of embroynic stem cells that would be viable for research and treatments. read more
so if it’s supposed to be getting warmer, how come it’s snowing? – experts put the weather in the context of climate change
This question was inevitably asked following the recent bout of extreme weather across the UK. Some leading climate experts take on the issue. read more
experts comment on the study of PFCs and women’s fertility, as published in Human Reproduction
The research found a link between blood levels of perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), a class of chemicals commonly found in a wide range of products including food packaging and cookware, and the length of time taken for women to become pregnant. read more
the hygiene hypothesis – fact or fiction?
Four of the world’s leading experts were invited to the SMC to discuss whether increases in the incidence of allergies and autoimmune diseases in recent times are attributable to changes in modern hygiene practices, and whether the fact that we now live more hygienically has somehow dysregulated our immunity. Issues under discussion included how the immune system has evolved, how it has changed in recent years, and the interplay between infections and autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 diabetes. read more
experts comment on new research on iron fertilisation of oceans to reduce atmospheric CO2, as published in Nature
Prof Peter Burkill, Director of the Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science in Plymouth, said: “This is … read more
next generation biofuels
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) has announced the UK’s biggest ever public investment in sustainable biofuels with the launch of the BBSRC Sustainable Bionergy Centre. To mark this launch, the UK’s Science Minister joined scientists from the Bioenergy Centre to brief the media on the energy challenges we face, the potential of bioenergy and the research effort being funded by BBSRC. read more