The Science Media Centre is not restricted to reacting to the headlines, and has helped scientists to more proactively set the agenda by bringing new science or evidence to journalists. This comes from our regular briefings, which take a variety of forms and cover a wide range of topics. Many are background briefings introducing journalists to the best experts and science on controversial issues like nuclear waste, nanotechnology, emerging diseases, or animal research, for example. They may also be news briefings where the SMC works with scientists to give the national media a new story on developments within science, whether it’s a report on climate change, a paper on stem cells being published in a leading journal, or science funding cuts in the latest budget. In addition, the SMC encourages leading experts to ‘speak out’ to the media about developments they believe may pose a threat to scientific research – not something science has been renowned for.
We gathered another panel of scientists to answer journalists questions about the coronavirus outbreak. Journalists came to the SMC to … read more
Cystic fibrosis treatment has been in the news recently with the battle to get Orkambi and Symkevi licensed on the … read more
In developed nations, 30-40% of males are convicted of non-traffic related crimes, yet decades of research have shown that only … read more
With numbers of cases of the novel coronavirus still increasing in China, cases now having been reported in at least … read more
It is claimed that the opioid crisis in the US has caused over 70,000 drug overdose deaths and many more … read more
A new study in The Lancet Public Health provides the first estimate of the economic cost of violence perpetrated by … read more
We rely on nature and biodiversity for food production and our prosperity. Managing the land well can ensure clean water … read more
Should we be reaching net zero by 2025, 2030 or 2050? Are these targets a useful driver to deliver the … read more
With increasing numbers of confirmed cases of this new coronavirus virus both in China as well as other nearby countries, … read more
The dangers of illegal drugs are well known and rarely disputed, but how harmful are alcohol and tobacco by comparison? … read more
Do we know how much climate change affects the likelihood or frequency of wildfires like those currently happening in Australia? … read more
Veganism seems to have become more popular than ever over the past year. Most supermarkets now have a vegan section … read more
A Wellcome Trust, BBSRC and Defra funded analysis of bovine Tuberculosis in cattle and badgers has exploited over fifteen years … read more
A team of 96 polar scientists from 50 international organisations have produced the most complete picture of Greenland ice loss … read more
The annual update on global carbon emissions and carbon sinks is being released by The Global Carbon Project. The report … read more
The most comprehensive analysis of its kind looking at whether there is a link between non-HDL cholesterol levels and long-term … read more
Over the last year the finger has been pointed at meat production and dairy farming as major causes of global … read more
Engineering biology (including synthetic biology) applies rigorous engineering principles to designing biological systems, with potentially ground-breaking applications across a host … read more
A new prospective clinical trial, funded by the British Heart Foundation and carried out by researchers at the University of … read more
The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change is an annual examination of the impact of climate change on human … read more
