Rapid Reactions: responding to breaking news. The demands of the 24-hour media machine mean that news journalists often don’t have the luxury of time to track down the best scientists when a science story lands on their desks, so availability can sometimes win out over expertise. This is where the Science Media Centre steps in. When a story breaks – whether it’s the latest flu epidemic, health scare or a potential nuclear crisis – the SMC persuades leading experts to drop everything and engage with the story, then contacts journalists at all the major news outlets to offer those experts for interviews or immediate comment.
Roundups: putting new research into context. One of the other ways the SMC ensures that the media have easy access to scientists and their views is by offering journalists a variety of comments from scientists reacting to the latest research. This service differs from our ‘Rapid Reactions’ as scientists have time to react before new research is announced, rather than in response to breaking news.
With access to embargoed journals before publication, we can pick stories of most interest to journalists, asking third party experts to provide comments and information to put research into context before it appears in the media. The SMC’s unique Roundups help busy journalists critically analyse the strengths and weaknesses of new research, and highlight when studies are very preliminary or display a correlation that should not be read as causation. Equally, when leading scientists are excited about a significant study this can reassure journalists that the study should feature strongly in their coverage.
A study published in Science looks at doubling of Siberian methane emissions. Prof Neil Ross, Professor of Polar Science and Environmental Geophysics … read more
A study published in Science looks at generative design of bacteriophages using genome language models. Dr Simon Clarke, Associate Professor in … read more
Scientists comment on a report in the times on the number of deaths associated with obesity drugs. Prof Barbara … read more
A study published in Frontiers in Plant Science looks at growing myoglobin protein fibres in plant chloroplasts. Prof Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro, … read more
A review published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews looks at preparation techniques prior to embryo transfer in IVF. Prof … read more
Results of a phase 1 trial published in eClinicalMedicine looks at the safety and tolerability of a tetanus-diphtheria vaccine. Prof Linda … read more
Scientists comment on a House of Lords environment and climate change committee report on pet parasite medications. Prof Oliver … read more
A study published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine looks at occupational exposure to pesticides and Motor Neurone Disease (MND) risk. Martin … read more
Scientists comment on a Cyclospora outbreak in the US and Mexico. Dr Brian Rice, Infectious Disease Epidemiologist and Senior … read more
A study published in the British Journal of Cancer compares the NICE criteria with the BOADICEA risk model for breast cancer risk … read more
A cohort study published in JAMA Network Open looks at screen use and emotional, behavioural and social development in children. Prof … read more
A study published in Nature Human Behaviour looks at early social media use and standardised test scores in schoolchildren. Dr Simon … read more
Experts comment on news that the High Court have rejected a challenge to the PATHWAYS clinical trial for puberty suppressing … read more
A review paper published in Cell Press Blue looks at protein intake, ageing and longevity in humans, rodents and insects. Prof … read more
Scientists comment on a Word Weather Attribution (WWA) analysis on human-induced climate change, extreme weather and wildfires in Spain and … read more
An analysis published in Scientific Reports looks at recent changes in fire risk across Europe. COMMENTS FROM OUR FRIENDS AT … read more
Scientists comment on wildfires close to a nuclear power plant in Suffolk. Dr Imma Oliveras Menor, Research Director at … read more
Scientists comment on the Environment Agency declaring droughts in parts of England. Dr Pauline Scheelbeek, Associate Professor in Planetary … read more
A study published in Royal Society Open Science looks at the environmental impact of welfare-driven changes in UK egg production. On … read more
An unpublished study presented at Nutrition 2026 looks at diet quality and food processing levels. Dr Beverley O’Hara, Lecturer in Public … read more
