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.
Studies, published in The Lancet, report on the initial cases of the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak in china. Prof Paul Hunter, … read more
Last night the World Health Organisation (WHO) emergency committee re convened and decided not to declare the China coronavirus outbreak … read more
A study of Pakistani women, published in the journal PLOS ONE, reports that vitamin D deficiency may be associated with … read more
Two studies, published in JAMA Network Open, report on the impact of antibiotics on the relationship between antibiotic exposure in … read more
The World Health Organisation (WHO) have run a Q&A via their website on electronic cigarettes. Dr Nick Hopkinson, Reader … read more
Research, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, reports that the HPV vaccine has reduced the cancer … read more
Research, published in Nature Communications, reports that lead from some solar cells is more likely to be absorbed by plants … read more
A study, published in JAMA, reports on the absorption of chemicals found in sunscreen into the users blood. Dr Jérôme … read more
Research, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, reports on the connection between low-fat and low-carb diets and risk of death. … read more
A study, published in BMC Biotechnology, reports on a new vaccine production method which may make storage and transport easier. … read more
An analysis, published in the Journal of Medical Ethics, argues that sperm donation after death, to a stranger, should be allowed … read more
Research, published in Nature Immunology, reports the discovery of a new type of T-cell in mice, which could theoretically be … read more
continued reaction to the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China. This reaction was accompanied by an SMC Briefing. Thursday … read more
A perspective piece, published in the New England Journal of Medicene (NEJM), comments on the EVALI (e-cigarette or vaping product … read more
Research, published in JAMA Network Open, reports that fish oil supplements may have a positive impact on young men’s testicular function. … read more
Research, published in PLOS Genetics, reports that low doses of radiation used in medical imaging may lead to mutations in cell cultures. … read more
Research, published by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), reports on global temperature trends. Dr Colin Morice of the Met Office … read more
A literature review, published on ScienceBrief.org by UEA and the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, considers all peer-reviewed studies … read more
It has been announced that a collaboration between the NHS and the company Novartis will see the drug inclisiran will … read more
Research, published in PLOS Genetics, report that some phthalates can negatively affect and egg production in nematodes. Dr Oliver Jones, … read more
