|
Saturday, 10 February 2007 |
|
Welcome to the first BlueSci of 2007! |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Saturday, 10 February 2007 |
|
Mental illness is estimated to affect 450 million people worldwide. The effects for patients and their families can be devastating. The economic cost of treatment, rehabilitation and lost income is £18 billion per year in the UK alone. Even the most ardent supporter of the current mental health services would struggle to argue that the system provides satisfactory patient care. Many patients are misdiagnosed or remain undiagnosed for a long period, psychological therapy is not always readily available, and the existing medication is often ineffective and can give rise to significant side effects. Hannah Critchlow, Peter Davenport and Michael Marshall spoke to a panel of four leading researchers in neuropsychiatry and bring you exciting new research on the diagnosis and treatment of disorders such as schizophrenia and depression. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Saturday, 10 February 2007 |
|
Charles Darwin gave biology its central dogma: the concept of natural selection. He believed that those organisms best suited to their environment would survive and reproduce. Scientists such as Professor Jeremy Sanders from the University of Cambridge are currently asking if this principle can be applied to the development of new chemicals. Professor Sanders’ philosophy is simple: why not let nature do the work for us? |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Saturday, 10 February 2007 |
|
Information provided by our genes defines how our cells function from development to death. It is therefore no surprise that changes in our genes can have serious effects. Disease can arise from genes being switched on at the wrong time, being on for too long, or being present in a modified form. In the past, we have had very limited methods of controlling gene expression, both in vivo and in vitro. However, a recently discovered technique called RNA interference (RNAi) has expanded our ability to turn off genes to reveal their function, and has the potential to facilitate the treatment of some diseases. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Saturday, 10 February 2007 |
|
The principles of evolution suggest that humans are nothing more than another animal species. Yet, we have always had the tendency to identify ourselves as different, in some way special and separate from the rest of the animal kingdom. Among the main differences between humans and other animal species are our use of technology and our highly complex societies, which display a division of labour unmatched in any other animal group. But, why are humans, and not other species, able to develop technology and complex societies? |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Saturday, 10 February 2007 |
|
The use of mathematical equations to model complex patterns plays a vital role in science, physics and economics. However, there are also dangers in putting too much trust in one simplified formula. Occasionally these dangers become a dreadful reality, as happened in 1987, when stock markets worldwide suffered one of the biggest financial crashes of the century. More recently, in 1998, thousands of investors in the Long-Term Capital Management (LTCM) hedge fund saw their monies disappear, as LTCM lost over $4.6 billion in less than four months. Who was to blame for these disastrous losses? |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Saturday, 10 February 2007 |
Three authors debate the benefits and risks of furthering biowarfare researchOctober 2001 saw the first real example of a new kind of biological attack.The notorious ‘anthrax letters’ incident in the US caused panic and confusion. Biological and chemical weapons are not new phenomena, but this was. Bioterror, the suggestion that threats to national security by terrorists could be perpetrated by the use of so-called bioagents, was born. Since then, the perceived threat of bioterrorism has increased.This is especially so since Kamel Bourgass was caught plotting to use ricin, a lethal toxin that can be extracted from castor bean oil, as a bioagent in the UK. Governments have responded by increasing biodefence spending. Most notably, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) increased biodefence spending from $50 million in 2001 to $1.6 billion dollars in 2005.The question is, can our current strategy keep us safe from bioterror? Collette Johnson, James Shepherd and Rebecca Arkell all believe ‘no’—but for very different reasons. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Saturday, 10 February 2007 |
|
Mathematics hit the headlines in May 2006 with the awarding and subsequent rejection of the Fields Medal, the ‘Nobel Prize of Maths’, for a proof of the Poincaré conjecture. Named as one of seven Millennium Prize Problems, proof of the Poincaré conjecture has remained elusive for almost 100 years, although spurious proofs have frequently been announced. The mathematician Grigori Perelman was awarded the coveted prize for his apparent proof of the Poincaré conjecture. The unprecedented drama that unfolded following the announcement has largely overshadowed Perelman’s achievement in conquering one of mathematics’ most significant unsolved problems. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Saturday, 10 February 2007 |
|
The development and delivery of drugs for ‘diseases of poverty’ could be revolutionized by a new patent scheme, according to the economist and philosopher Professor Thomas Pogge from Columbia University in New York City. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Saturday, 10 February 2007 |
|
A new research project called MESSAGE will use cyclists and pedestrians wearing environmental sensors to track pollution levels. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Saturday, 10 February 2007 |
|
Around one trillion US dollars were spent on clothing last year alone. However, a recent study from the Cambridge Institute for Manufacturing may have prompted a pause for thought in the fashion industry. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Saturday, 10 February 2007 |
|
Cambridge scientists report that the development of an artificial pancreas for children with Type 1 diabetes is underway. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Saturday, 10 February 2007 |
|
The Scientific Society has several high-profile speakers lined up for Lent Term. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Saturday, 10 February 2007 |
|
How many academic scientists have wondered what it is like to work for a big pharmaceutical company? As an insider, Matthew Thomas agreed to share his experiences with us. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Saturday, 10 February 2007 |
|
This time last year, I was idly flicking through the pages of Physics World wondering what I should do when, or if, I finished my PhD. A career in industry? Or perhaps in finance? To be honest, neither option really appealed. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Saturday, 10 February 2007 |
|
Cambridge has a strong tradition of world-leading achievements in neuroscience research, or the study of the functioning of the brain and the nervous system in health and disease. Despite a strong history of excellence in the field, current neuroscience research is less renowned as a Cambridge strength. To tackle this problem, several recent efforts aim to achieve ‘one voice’ that will raise the profile of Cambridge neuroscience research and create an international centre of excellence. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Saturday, 10 February 2007 |
|
It was the Grand Orrery that caught my attention on my first visit to the Whipple Museum, and it continues to captivate me now. This fascinating contraption, with its arching metal ribbons and tiny rotating planets, is a centre- piece of the Museum’s extensive collection of scientific instruments, which ranks among the most important in the world. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Saturday, 10 February 2007 |
|
Film festivals are well known events, whereas science film festivals are less so. However, there are various science film festivals taking place around the world, screening science education films that raise awareness about scientific and environmental issues. One example is SCINEMA in Sydney, which incorporates a variety of films and also organizes discussions about scientific film. These events are intended to serve as a tool for communication between scientists and the public. SCINEMA is a travelling film festival, screening some of its films in different cities, even countries. In 2006, SCINEMA made it to Cambridge. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Saturday, 10 February 2007 |
|
Until recently, science seemed to occupy a rather sober and well-defined place in television, in the genre of science documentaries. Although fictional films have occasionally drawn inspiration from science, for the most part they have avoided it as a main topic. However, a recent boom in featurelength science documentaries intended for the big-screen has catapulted science into a somewhat different domain of popular interest, one that blends emotional narrative with scientific investigation. The two main examples of this phenomenon, March of the Penguins and The Besieged Fortress, may leave some viewers wondering whether this cinematic popularization of science comes at the cost of sacrificing scientific rigour. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Saturday, 10 February 2007 |
|
Please email your queries to drhypothesis@bluesci.org for your chance to win a £10 book voucher |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
