Author Archives: Science Media Centre
The increased need for cooling at +1.5 °C vs +2.0 °C
The chances of limiting global mean temperature rise to 1.5°C are decreasing. A new modelling paper published in Nature Sustainability … read more
expert reaction to the annual statistics on the use of animals in scientific procedures in the UK for 2022
The statistics of scientific procedures on living animals in Great Britain for 2022 have been published by the Home Office. … read more
expert reaction to current heatwave conditions in mainland Europe
We’ve had a few questions from journalists about the current European heatwave, so here are some comments from scientists in … read more
expert reaction to study presenting Med-PaLM, a large language model (LLM) for answering medical questions, and a benchmark for assessing how well LLMs can answer medical questions
A study published in Nature looks at the use of large language models (LLMs) for medical question-answering. Prof Maria … read more
expert reaction to the Anthropocene Working Group choosing Crawford Lake as the primary marker to identify the start of the Anthropocene epoch
The Anthropocene Work Group have proposed that Crawford Lake in Canada serve as a reference site for studying the Anthropocene … read more
expert reaction to SACN (Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition) statement on processed foods and health
The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) have published their report providing an overview of the current available evidence on processed … read more
expert reaction to study suggesting hairdressers, beauticians, and accountants may be at heightened risk of ovarian cancer
A study published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine looks at occupational environment and ovarian cancer risk. Prof Paul Pharoah, … read more
expert reaction to study of heat related deaths in Europe during summer 2022
A study published in Nature Medicine looks at heat-related mortality in Europe during the summer of 2022. Dr Raquel … read more
expert reaction to GSK press release saying the MHRA has authorised Arexvy (GSK’s RSV vaccine) for prevention of lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV in adults over 60
A press release from GSK states that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has authorised Arexvy, the first … read more
expert reaction to FDA approving lecanemab to treat adult patients with Alzheimer’s Disease
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has converted lecanemab from an accelerated approval to a traditional approval for the … read more
expert reaction to trends in psychological distress in adults in England between 2020 and 2022
Trends in psychological distress among adults in England from 2020 to 2022 have been published in JAMA Network Open. … read more
expert reaction to study on the time of year of egg collection and number of babies born via IVF
A study published in Human Reproduction looks at season at the time of oocyte collection and frozen embryo transfer outcomes. … read more
expert reaction to report from Volodymyr Zelenskyy that ‘objects resembling explosives’ have been placed on the roof of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
According to reports, Ukraine has claimed “explosive devices” were placed on the roof of the plant’s third and fourth reactors … read more
expert reaction to reports suggesting that U.K. and EU negotiators have agreed a draft deal on Britain’s re-entry into the Horizon Europe research programme
There have been reports that Britain and EU have agreed on a draft Horizon deal. Professor Lord Krebs , … read more
expert reaction to SACN report on feeding young children aged 1 to 5 years
An independent report from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) covers feeding young children aged 1 to 5 years. … read more
expert reaction to IAEA safety review and report on Japan’s plans to release treated water into the sea
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have stated that their report finds Japan’s plans to release treated water stored at … read more
expert reaction to study of Klotho improving memory in aging monkeys
A study published in Nature Aging suggests that the longevity factor klotho may enhance cognition in aged monkeys. Dr … read more
expert reaction to press release from the Met Office about June temperature record and whether it’s attributable to climate change
The Met Office press release states that it was the hottest UK June on record. Dr Richard Hodgkins, Senior … read more
expert reaction to study using motion tacking data from smart watches and identifying Parkinson’s disease
A study published in Nature Medicine looks at the use of wearable movement-tracking data to identify Parkinson’s disease years before … read more