Science in Society

POSTS FROM 2023

The ‘low threshold high ceiling’ approach to nurturing young mathematicians Ems Lord reviews NRICH, the University of Cambridge's website of mathematical school resources that are both challenging and accessible Monday, 29 May 2023

POSTS FROM 2022

The Toys That Made Us Maria Julia Maristany delves into how toys make us who we are Sunday, 25 September 2022

Pro-Science? Fight Anti-Science Compassionately Naomi van den Berg explains how guarding against misinformation helps us fight imminent crises more effectively Friday, 23 September 2022

Sticking to the Science? The Role of Climate and Conservation Scientists in a Polarised Political World James Ball explores the delicate boundaries that delineate research, advocacy, and activism in the scientific community Thursday, 22 September 2022

Pavilion: the Eye of the Beholder Laia Serratosa walks along the fuzzy, dreamlike borders between science and everything else Wednesday, 21 September 2022

Acculturation in the Life of an International Student Manuel Morales Alvarado shares his experience of acculturation in four different countries during his four years of postgraduate study Thursday, 1 September 2022

Exploring the Zooniverse Julie Tang discusses how citizen science facilitates scientific research and has potential benefits for both citizen scientists and professionals Tuesday, 30 August 2022

Seeds of Change: A Diverse History of Agricultural Practices in the UK Tim Birkle delves into the history of crop rotations in the UK, modern farming practices, and the role of collective action in allowing important changes to take root Thursday, 23 June 2022

The Power of Statistics: A Myth of Objectivity Charlotte Hutchings asks if statistics really makes science objective Thursday, 5 May 2022

Flexibility or Restriction: Five Ways Fixed-Term Contracts Reduce Diversity Bethan Charles explores the dominance of temporary contacts in academia and what this means for diversity Tuesday, 19 April 2022

Crash Course Big History – CrashCourse Sarah Lindsay reviews a science communication YouTube channel Thursday, 7 April 2022

The Codebreaker – Walter Isaacson Hazel Walker reviews a book by Walter Isaacson Thursday, 31 March 2022

Nipponium: An Element Lost in Time Anthony Phung explores the story of a Japanese chemist’s lost element Wednesday, 30 March 2022

What cooperation in climate conservation looks like Donovan Sim discusses the need for scientific and political unity for climate action Thursday, 3 February 2022

The popularisation of science Chloe Li weighs up the implications of differing views on simplifying and disseminating scientific findings Thursday, 27 January 2022

Decolonising Natural History Museums Daniel Lim showcases stories from the colonial origins of the Natural History Museum collections Thursday, 6 January 2022

Hidden Figures: The Erasure of Scientific Labour and the Hope of Decolonisation For the FOCUS article of Issue 52, Gianamar Giovanetti-Singh, Rory Kent, and Swathi Nachiar Manivannan discuss who is excluded from the narratives surrounding scientific practice - and who benefits from this exclusion. Tuesday, 4 January 2022

POSTS FROM 2021

Following the Science What do we mean by evidence-based decision making? Andrea Chlebikova tackles misconceptions about the phrase. Thursday, 23 December 2021

The ‘Leaky Pipeline’: Is Diverse Representation in STEM a Pipe Dream? Lizzie Knight discusses diversity in STEM and how the metaphor itself might perpetuate problems Thursday, 16 December 2021

Science ‘Walks on Two Legs’ in Maoist China Eugene Chia explains how the popular narrative of science under Mao brushes over a complex relationship between science and politics Thursday, 9 December 2021

What Have We Learnt by Searching for "Gay Genes"? Chay Graham argues that research into the DNA ancestry of gay sex is really a study of the relationship between LGBT+people, STEM and profit. Thursday, 2 December 2021

The Myth of Objectivity Zak Lakota-Baldwin questions whether objective science is possible, or even desireable Thursday, 25 November 2021

The People in the Trees - Hanya Yanagihara Bethan Clark reviews The People in the Trees Thursday, 18 November 2021

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Susanne Mesoy reviews the book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Thursday, 4 November 2021

The Ties that Bind the Mind: Exploring the Limitations of Thought Tom Wilkins discusses seeing the forest for the trees Tuesday, 24 August 2021

Visualising Science Bethan Clark tackles the problems and pitfalls of data visualisation Tuesday, 17 August 2021

Pavilion: Seeing the Supernatural? Grace Exley explores how photography helped to expose a war-time witch Tuesday, 27 July 2021

Collapsing Ecosystems and Melting Permafrost in a Warming World: Is This The Future We Choose? Mahlaqua Noor discusses the effect of climate change on permafrost ecosystems Tuesday, 29 June 2021

Nature Live Online, Natural History Museum Nature Live Online — bringing science to your home Tuesday, 8 June 2021

Southern Reach Trilogy William Guo reviews the popular science fiction trilogy - and is left pondering some big questions Tuesday, 1 June 2021

Kiss the Ground How agriculture can help with the climate crisis Tuesday, 25 May 2021

Winter Birds, Lars Jonsson Kate Howlett tells us all why we need a copy of Winter Birds Thursday, 18 March 2021

A Life on Our Planet Narrated by Sir David Attenborough Dean Ashley reiterates an emotive and hard-hitting message from Sir David Attenborough Thursday, 11 March 2021

Healing medicine from its gender bias Sofia Weiss Goitiandia tells us about a new initiative, "Medical Herstories", that aims to rid medicine of its gender bias Thursday, 4 March 2021

Investing in scientific diversity: Why theoretical arguments aren’t enough Charlotte Zemmel, Section Editor at Bluesci and co-editor of the Minorities in Science Series, explores why theoretical arguments for diversifying science aren't enough Monday, 15 February 2021

Stalin and the Scientists Tom Wilkins gives an in depth review of Stalin and the Scientists written by Simon Ings Thursday, 11 February 2021

Reflecting on a year of pandemic for women in academia Julia Maristany, co-editor of the Minorities in Science series, explores the impact COVID-19 has had on women in academia Thursday, 11 February 2021

Primates, BBC One Kate Howlett reviews Primates on BBC Tuesday, 9 February 2021

The Value of Being Precautious? Charlotte Zemmel discusses the precautionary principle and how it shaped the UK response to COVID-19 Thursday, 21 January 2021

A Vaccine for Your Mind Joanna Lada and Jake Rose look at the increasing prevalence of ‘fake news’ and discuss ways to combat misinformation with inoculation theory Thursday, 14 January 2021

Science at Speed: Publishing Amidst a Pandemic Juliana Cudini speaks with Nature Editor-in-Chief Magdalena Skipper and eLife Deputy Editors Anna Akhmanova and Detlef Weigel about the rapidly rising tide of COVID-19 publications Thursday, 7 January 2021

POSTS FROM 2020

Pangolins, Pigs, and Pets: A Recipe for Another Pandemic Tatjana Baleta, Hazel Walker, and Anna Tran discuss the biorisk due to zoonotic diseases originating from the dependence of humans on animals, and how these can be sustained in light of their impacts on socioeconomic stability and public health Thursday, 24 December 2020

Pavilion: Bacterial Art Pauline Kerekes interviews Dr Berkmen about his vision of art and science Thursday, 17 December 2020

Green Space and Public Health Kate Howlett highlights how access to the great outdoors is key to mitigating the health inequalities produced by COVID-19 Tuesday, 8 December 2020

Schrödinger, biology and incredible wit: A physicist’s influential ponderings on life itself Savanna Leboff reviews Schrödinger's book Tuesday, 10 November 2020

Dying of Ignorance: The History of British Public Health Campaigns Jessica Knight looks at the long history of mass media public health campaigns, comparing our current representation of COVID-19 to public health crises since World War I and beyond Tuesday, 20 October 2020

Pavilion: Be Better, Not Banned ‘Ladies and Gentlemen-’ No. Scrap that. See how easy it is to just throw something away. See how quickly those... Tuesday, 13 October 2020

From pandemic to syndemic: have we been thinking about coronavirus in the wrong way? As we enter a possible second wave of COVID-19, Richard Horton of The Lancet encourages us to think beyond pure... Thursday, 1 October 2020

Science Fact, or Fiction? Liam Ives investigates the spread of fake science Tuesday, 22 September 2020

The Undercover Hero of the Sea Ellie Wilding explores how seagrass can help to fight climate change Tuesday, 15 September 2020

In2Science: The Student's Perspective Students Aleena Paul, Matthew Kwok, and Autumn Goddard discuss their experience of the programme Thursday, 27 August 2020

In2Science: Navigating the next step Susannah McLaren and Anna Yakovleva discuss their experiences as in2science mentors Tuesday, 25 August 2020

Cut-Throat Science: The Less Documented Cases of Scientific Malpractice Anonymous anecdotes reveal harassment, bullying and sabotage in academia Friday, 14 August 2020

A Career in Science; Living the Dream? Lucy Hart explores research culture and its impact on the wellbeing of academics Tuesday, 11 August 2020

Fire and Water on a Warming Planet Evan Wroe and Annika Schlemm explore the links between climate change and extreme weather events around the world Tuesday, 28 July 2020

Big Data in Psychology Gnothi seauton – know thyself. Whether it is for us as a species, or for ourselves as individuals, the imperative echoes through the centuries and many academic fields Monday, 22 June 2020

Helping on the homefront: homemade face masks and how to make them better Jago Strong-Wright considers the key factors in what makes an effective homemade face mask Wednesday, 17 June 2020

Turning Over an Old Leaf Bryony Yates discusses the value of herbaria with Dr. Lauren Gardiner, Curator of Cambridge University Herbarium Monday, 15 June 2020

Seeds of Change Alice McDowell discusses Wangari Maathai and the Green Belt Movement Monday, 25 May 2020

How to Avoid Promoting COVID-19 Misinformation When Trying to Debunk It Itamar Shatz explains why misinformation is so abundant and what could be done to avoid it Thursday, 14 May 2020

Mushrooms, Modern Therapeutics and the Psychedelic Renaissance Jonathon Turnbull and Andrew Malcolm discuss the history and potential of psilocybin from the cultural to the medicinal Thursday, 14 May 2020

To Do "No Harm"? the Rise of Paternalism in the Era of a Pandemic Charlotte Zemmel explores the concepts of paternalism vs autonomy in combating COVID-19, but warns that it may give greater power to governing states in dictating the actions of its people Friday, 24 April 2020

How the Cambridge Philosophical Society Shaped Modern Science Zak Lakota-Baldwin discusses the history of the Cambridge Philosophical Society and its role in shaping modern science. Thursday, 9 April 2020

The Other in Science Fiction Alex Bates and Billy Gyngell ask why we see too many hominids in science fiction. Thursday, 26 March 2020

Charting the Skies, Land and Seas James Craig reviews the history of map making. Thursday, 19 March 2020

Trash talk: Tackling Waste in Science Ruby Coates discusses the issue of plastic waste in science, with Martin Howes. Monday, 16 March 2020

A Look at the Modern Interactions between Humans and Crops Eleanor McCartney highlights the importance of agrobiodiversity in our changing world. Thursday, 12 March 2020

Reviewing the Narrative of Dr. Rosalind Franklin From a female scientist to a scientist who was female - explored by Hannah Kossowska-Peck. Sunday, 8 March 2020

En Clair - Adam Rodman Abigail Dutton shares an interesting podcast on forensic linguistics. Thursday, 5 March 2020

Gender, Race and Power in Science - Angela Saini Shanice Bailey outlines the key messages from Angela Saini's lecture on why it is important to avoid bias in scientific research. Monday, 2 March 2020

The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells - A Review Is climate change just about the bees? Let David Wallace-Wells convince you otherwise, says Hazel Walker Friday, 28 February 2020

POSTS FROM 2019

FOCUS: The Earth as a Natural Living Laboratory BlueSci presents three perspectives on how scientists have expanded our understanding of science using the greatest laboratory of all – planet Earth. Thursday, 4 July 2019

Review: Chemistry “Under various pressures the American-Chinese narrator quits her chemistry PhD and struggles with her long-term relationship...” Thursday, 30 May 2019

Review: Adventures in the Anthropocene “For many of us, the effects of the Anthropocene may feel far off, but as human activity continues unabated, this book is an important journey we all should take“ Thursday, 16 May 2019

Let's Talk About Soil Kasparas Vasiliauskas looks under our feet at some of the Earth's most overlooked material. Thursday, 9 May 2019

POSTS FROM 2018

Pharmaceutical Companies Unite to Advance Nucleotide-Based Medicines Scientists work together to create more effective medicines Wednesday, 24 October 2018

Review: Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy “... reveals the insidious impact that Big Data algorithms – in her words, ‘Weapons of Math Destruction’ - have on our society“ Thursday, 13 September 2018

Charting the Unknown: Crowdsourcing the Maps for Overlooked Villages Cara Louise Woods discusses how we are putting places on the map using technology and the power of people, with Dr Bjoern Hassler Monday, 20 August 2018

The BlueSci Mental Wellbeing Survey: Interview with Geraldine Dufour, Head of the University Counseling Service Through Lent term and Easter 2018, BlueSci conducted a survey on mental wellbeing at the University of Cambridge. Our aim... Sunday, 27 May 2018

The BlueSci Mental Wellbeing Survey: Interview with Keir Murison Through Lent term and Easter 2018, BlueSci conducted a survey on mental wellbeing at the University of Cambridge. Our aim... Sunday, 27 May 2018

Cambridge Science Centre: Science For All Emma Werner discusses the Cambridge Science Centre and its role in inspiring a new generation of scientists with Lisa-Marie Cahill Sunday, 27 May 2018

The BlueSci Mental Wellbeing Survey Through Lent term and Easter 2018, BlueSci conducted a survey on mental wellbeing at the University of Cambridge. Our aim... Sunday, 27 May 2018

A Laser Game Controller for the Cambridge Science Festival James Macdonald describes designing a system to control video games with lasers. Tuesday, 13 February 2018

Regulation and Foresight Harry Lloyd ponders our duty to think ahead of technological progress Sunday, 11 February 2018

Is the Evolution of Language all Talk? Steve Samuel ponders whether it is worth tackling the central question of how language has come to be Sunday, 11 February 2018

Judged by your Genes Katherine Dudman introduces genetic discrimination, the sly cousin of racism and sexism Sunday, 11 February 2018

No Time for Hot Air Lauren Broadfield reflects on the state of climate change policies in an increasingly hostile political environment Sunday, 11 February 2018

Just Your Cup of Tea Sophie Protheroe examines the global history of tea and its effect on our health Sunday, 11 February 2018

Why care about the Polar Bear? Rachael Beasley reveals how there is more to polar bears than meets the eye Sunday, 11 February 2018

Ambling in the Arctic: a geological expedition in remote Greenland Victoria Honour discusses Arctic camping, bear alarms, and the solidification of magma on her recent expedition to the Skaergaard intrusion Sunday, 11 February 2018

POSTS FROM 2017

A Look Behind the Ice Sheet: The Polar Museum's Greenland Exhibit Uummannaq: A Century of Exploration Thursday, 23 November 2017

Nobel Prize in Physics Awarded for Detection of Gravitational Waves Theo Steele explores the science behind this year's Nobel Prize Wednesday, 18 October 2017

Cambridge’s Latest Nobel Prize Max Wilkinson explores the science behind this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry Wednesday, 11 October 2017

FOCUS: Speak More, Act More With ongoing political and public apathy surrounding sustainability and development, Kelsey Reichenbach and Paul Cohen ask the experts Professor Simon Schaffer,... Friday, 7 July 2017

Standing on the Gene: an interview with Professor Wolf Reik Jiali Gao and Salvador Buse discuss the emerging field of epigenetic modification, and ask Professor Wolf Reik where it might take us. Friday, 7 July 2017

Lord Martin Rees: the Future and Catastrophe Lord Martin Rees is a former Master of Trinity College and an accomplished cosmologist and astrophysicist. He has been Astronomer Royal since 1995, and was President of the Royal Society between 2005 and 2010. Lord Rees spoke to Gabija Maršalkaite and Deyan Mihaylov. Friday, 7 July 2017

Planting Ideas: an Interview with Professor Beverly Glover Ramya Gurunathan and Caitlin Walker talk to Professor Beverly Glover about communication, collaboration, and botanical research. Tuesday, 4 July 2017

Understanding the Irrational Laura Nunez-Mulder discusses psychiatry's future with Professor Paul Fletcher Tuesday, 4 July 2017

Food for Thought: Fake News and the Diet Industry Zi Ran Shen talks fad diets and pseudoscience with Cambridge's Dr Giles Yeo. Tuesday, 4 July 2017

Shakes and the City Seán Thór Herron talks to Dr Emily So about preparing for earthquakes in urban areas Sunday, 18 June 2017

The Last Lunar Explorer: An interview with Gene Cernan, the last man to walk on the Moon Jackson Howarth (from LUUSci at the University of Leeds) chats with Gene Cernan Tuesday, 11 April 2017

The World Is What We Eat Jacob Ashton tackles one of the biggest challenges facing mankind. Tuesday, 21 March 2017

Come Flu with Me Holly Giles tracks the spread of post-World War II collaborations within international research communities Sunday, 19 March 2017

No Time for Hot Air Lauren Broadfield reflects on the state of climate change policies in an increasingly hostile political environment Sunday, 19 March 2017

Big Bucks for Big Bugs Zoë Carter considers the role of commercial research in the global fight against antibiotic resistance Sunday, 19 March 2017

Science, Fiction Hannah Thorne reveals the alchemy between science and literature Saturday, 18 March 2017

When Citizen Science Works Kimberley Wiggins gives us the story of an email that led to a medical breakthrough Saturday, 18 March 2017

Engineering in Time Martha Dillon discusses why civil engineers should care about the past Tuesday, 14 March 2017

POSTS FROM 2016

The world’s worst 2 for 1 deal: Co-extinction Have you ever seen a crayfish with tentacles as well as pincers? Well your opportunity to do so is slowly slipping away, as is the very existence of Australia’s magnificent Mountain Spiny Crayfish along with it’s flatworm symbionts, temnocephalan. Saturday, 28 May 2016

Making a Difference in Conservation Why do we do conservation research? Is it purely for scientific publication or to save species (including our own)? Although... Sunday, 17 April 2016

Interview: Survival International Conservation, the effort of protecting other species and ecosystems from over-exploitation, is almost universally considered a necessity. Far less accepted,... Monday, 11 April 2016

Interview: Ed Miliband & George Monbiot on Climate Change A well-known defender of the natural world, George Monbiot has championed such scientific initiatives as ‘re-wilding‘ and the de-carbonisation of... Friday, 1 April 2016

Interview: Prof. Tim Benton Global Food Security (GFS) Champion Tim Benton is both a governmental policy advisor and interdisciplinary researcher in agriculture-environment interactions. In... Thursday, 24 March 2016

POSTS FROM 2015

Postcards from Pluto: Blue skies, red water ice, and more If we ever travel to Pluto, we might be greeted by blue skies. (This is, of course, assuming we came... Thursday, 22 October 2015

Is our marine food chain collapsing? A first-time global analysis looking into the way ocean habitats respond to projected effects of climate change finds that marine... Friday, 16 October 2015

Scientists call for measures to improve research quality Cases of scientific misconduct and unreplicable results, such as the infamous study (now debunked) linking MMR vaccines to autism, have... Thursday, 2 July 2015

Earth organisms survive under low-pressure Martian conditions Methanogens are among the oldest and simplest organisms on earth having evolved approximately 3.5 billion years ago. They are highly resilient microbes... Monday, 15 June 2015

POSTS FROM 2014

Jim Al Khalili – The Edge of Life Professor Jim Al Khalili, science communicator and voice of BBC’s The Life Scientific makes the case for quantum biology in his lecture Life on the Edge, part of the Cambridge Festival of Ideas. Wednesday, 29 October 2014

Arts and Science: The Dolphin Whisperer Joanna-Marie Howes talks with director Christopher Riley about his latest documentary Monday, 13 October 2014

Science and Policy: The Pint is Right Robin Lamboll debates whether the price of alcohol should be raised Monday, 13 October 2014

Focus: GM crops: Feeding the nine billion BlueSci explores the debate surrounding GM crops and whether current legislation hinders progress Sunday, 12 October 2014

Westminster versus the Lab Evidence-based policy sounds like a common sense idea which no-one could object to, yet the reality of translating research into... Thursday, 22 May 2014

What is science for? Part II: Making sure we fund the right science How is public funding structured so as to achieve the best net outcome? Thursday, 22 May 2014

Science and Policy: Stem Cells: with great power comes great responsibility Alessandro Bertero discusses the controversy behind stem cell therapies Tuesday, 20 May 2014

New metal-eating plant discovered in the Philippines Researchers from the University of the Philippines, Los Banos, have discovered a new plant species that accumulates enormous amounts of... Tuesday, 13 May 2014

What is science for? Part 1: The economic argument Clearly that's a bit of a simplistic question with a multitude of possible and valid answers. But I'm thinking here... Monday, 7 April 2014

Why write about science policy? Science is sometimes portrayed as a rational scepticism, its practitioners as Doubting Thomases who constantly question and seek more evidence... Wednesday, 2 April 2014

Perspective: Cost and Conservation Martha Stokes discusses why it pays to conserve biodiversity Monday, 3 February 2014

Arts and Science: Counting Out Loud Matthew Dunstan explores the complex interplay between language and numbers Monday, 3 February 2014

Science and Policy: Designer Babies Maria Mascerenhas discusses the issues surrounding Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis Monday, 3 February 2014

Feature: Tapping into New Water Sources Digory Smith discusses the issue of water shortage and the technology employed to meet demand Monday, 3 February 2014

POSTS FROM 2013

Arts and Science: Game (R)evolution Matthew Dunstan examines how science has impacted the development of gaming Monday, 25 November 2013

Science and Policy: The Bee All and End All Greg Mellers analyses the background and consequences of the neonicotinoid ban Monday, 25 November 2013

Initiatives: The End of Extinction? Emily Pycroft summarises decisions of the CITES meeting on animal trading practices Monday, 25 November 2013

Focus: Whatever the Weather BlueSci explores the origins of the ever- changing weather and how it affects us Monday, 25 November 2013

New theory to propagate seeds of life in asteroids A new look at the early Solar System has introduced an alternative to the long-taught and accepted theory that explains... Friday, 22 November 2013

Life on Earth has 1.75 billion years left on the clock. Our home planet will remain habitable for a further 1.75 billion years new research suggests. During this time, Earth will... Wednesday, 25 September 2013

Solar panels as affordable as paint? Solar panels have been hailed as one of the best ways of harnessing renewable energy in homes but purchasing, installing,... Tuesday, 25 June 2013

Extensive glacial retreat in the Mount Everest region Researchers from the University of Milan have found that glaciers in the Mount Everest region are shrinking. Glaciers are large... Friday, 24 May 2013

Arts and Science: On a Scientific Note Christoforos Tsantoulas explores the relationship between music and science Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Science and Policy: Waste of Research Maja Choma discusses the environmental impact of biomedical research Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Feature: Commemorating a Commission Felicity Davies celebrates the centenary of the Medical Research Council Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Feature: The Myriad Genes Chin-Chin Chen discusses the implications of a Supreme Court ruling on BRCA cancer gene patents Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Feature: Have You Heard the Northern Lights? Shane McCorristine examines the eerie sounds made by the glowing sky Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Supermarkets seriously misinforming customers about health risks In an open letter to ten supermarket CEOs, early career researchers have called on supermarkets to stop misleading customers about health risks. They accuse the supermarkets of playing on unfounded fears about health effects from GM, MSG, parabens and aspartame. Wednesday, 1 May 2013

BlueSci Film: How to Look Inside a Volcano Cambridge University volcanology PhD student Tehnuka Ilanko takes us to the top of Mount Erebus volcano in Antarctica where studies on plume gases are helping scientists understand what goes on beneath the crater's surface. Friday, 1 March 2013

A sea of possibilities for new antibiotics The collaborative project PharmaSea aims to combat the growing problem of antibiotic resistance by looking for new drugs in our ocean trenches. Friday, 15 February 2013

History: HMS Challenger Amelia Penny explores the expedition of the HMS Challenger which marked the beginning of oceanography Friday, 25 January 2013

Science and Policy: Anything but Elementary Matthew Dunstan looks back at the history of the naming of elements Friday, 25 January 2013

Feature: Digging for Dinosaurs Amelia Penny discusses the importance of the fossil record, and the impact of fossil-hunters on our historical knowledge Friday, 25 January 2013

The world beneath our feet Ecologists have used a state of the art technique known as ‘metagenomic sequencing’ to unlock the genetic secrets of the microbial underworld that lies within the world’s soils. Tuesday, 22 January 2013

POSTS FROM 2012

Discovery of a geological ‘sombrero’ on the Earth’s surface Magma is a mixture of molten rock, found beneath the Earth’s surface and which often collects in chambers to feed... Wednesday, 31 October 2012

‘Super- Earth’ likely to be made from diamonds A planet twice the size of Earth orbiting a sun-like star, 55 Cancri e has been described by researchers at... Thursday, 25 October 2012

Oxygen and Ice – how geochemistry revolutionised life on Earth The evolution of multicellular animals, or metazoans, was made possible by a huge increase in oxygen levels after a major global warming episode, a new study suggests. Tuesday, 16 October 2012

Perspective: Science for All Leila Haghighat discusses the recent revolution in academic publishing Wednesday, 3 October 2012

Initiatives: Big Issues in Science – UKCSJ Ian Le Guillou reports from the 2012 UK Conference of Science Journalists Wednesday, 3 October 2012

Science and Policy: Minority Report Vicki Moignard examines exactly where scientific information is coming from. Wednesday, 3 October 2012

Issue 25 Specials: [POPULAR Science] Helen Gaffney discusses BlueSci’s series of science communication talks. Wednesday, 3 October 2012

Feature: Whose Training is it Anyway? David Kent wonders whether doctorates have gone stale. Wednesday, 3 October 2012

Do dry soils attract rain? New research indicates that rain storms are more likely to form over drier than wetter soils. Friday, 14 September 2012

X-Rays shed new light on mantle plumes New studies using highly focused X-Rays have moved one step closer to explaining hotspot volcanism by investigating how huge plumes of hot mantle rock could form deep inside the Earth. Tuesday, 4 September 2012

Reaffirming Rio Rio+20 marked 20 years since the Rio Earth Summit of 1992, which made early progress in recognising climate change and... Tuesday, 14 August 2012

Nuclear weapons give climate change research a helping hand Testing nuclear weapons and researching climate change seem to be at opposite sides of the scientific spectrum; the former seeks... Friday, 10 August 2012

Fool’s Gold- not such a fool after all? Researchers have found that Fool’s Gold plays an important role in governing atmospheric oxygen concentrations. Wednesday, 25 July 2012

Lichen can survive in space Lichens can survive journeys through space – even when exposed to potentially lethal radiation levels and temperature changes. Friday, 29 June 2012

Arctic warming linked to Antarctic ice New findings suggest that the Arctic may be subject to very warm ‘super-interglacials’ linked to the loss of the Antarctic ice sheet on the other side of the world. Monday, 25 June 2012

Plastic-eating fungus discovered in the Amazon Undergraduate students from Yale University have discovered a fungus capable of degrading the common plastic polyurethane. With low costs and high demand, the volume of plastics produced overwhelms waste management systems and threatens ecosystems and human welfare globally. Thursday, 21 June 2012

Gates Foundation and Big Pharma unite to combat neglected tropical diseases The largest yet collaborative effort towards the elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) was unveiled in London earlier this year.... Friday, 8 June 2012

Away from the Bench: Science on Ice Hugo Schmidt talks to Pierre Dutrieux and Paul Holland about science at the South Pole. Friday, 27 April 2012

Science & Policy: Preparing for the Unknown Tim Middleton examines risk and uncertainty in policy-making. Friday, 27 April 2012

News: Issue 24 Promising Alzheimer’s Treatment Friday, 27 April 2012

Feature: Powering East Africa from below Tom Bishop explores the potential of geothermal energy in Africa. Sunday, 18 March 2012

DNA analysis may be open to interpretation The genetic sequence encoded within the double helical strands of an individual’s DNA has long been considered decisive evidence for... Tuesday, 21 February 2012

A human wind turbine At 12 noon on Friday 10th February, Cambridge University students gathered on Parker’s Piece to rally for renewable energy. Thursday, 16 February 2012

Energising Cambridge A new student campaign, Energise Cambridge (http://www.energisecambridge.org/), has been launched to try and persuade the University of Cambridge to buy a larger proportion of its energy from renewable suppliers. Friday, 3 February 2012

A Day in the Life: The Science Diplomat Ian Le Guillou interviews David Clary Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Behind the Science: Computers, Codes and Cyanide Jordan Ramsey explores the persecuted genius of computing pioneer Alan Turing Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Science & Policy: The Race to the Edge Beth Venus discusses the future of manned space missions Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Perspective: Capturing Change Tom Bishop discusses carbon dioxide capture as one solution to climate change Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Feature: Neglecting Vets Peter Moore explores the importance of Veterinary Medicine for mankind Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Reviews The God Species - Mark Lynas Wednesday, 18 January 2012

POSTS FROM 2011

Genetically engineered E. coli could be used to make biofuels In a discovery that pushes the dream of worldwide implementation of renewable energy towards reality, researchers at the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) in Berkeley, California have synthesised three advanced biofuels using genetically engineered Escherichia coli (E. coli). Friday, 23 December 2011

Interview: Dr Rupert Soar - Fungus Farming to Freeform Construction. Nick Crumpton talks to Rupert Soar about termite-inspired buildings, sustainable architecture and the future of construction. Tuesday, 20 December 2011

Review: The First Chief Scientific Adviser in the Foreign office Government and Science. The two often have an interesting relationship; long term predications and concerns, such as those associated with... Sunday, 4 December 2011

Interview: Filming Frozen Planet - Capturing the Public Imagination Frozen Planet director Adam Scott talks to Nick Crumpton about one of the most extreme environments on Earth. Wednesday, 30 November 2011

Review: Parasite Rex (Carl Zimmer) Sleeping sickness, leishmaniasis and hundreds of other parasitic diseases plague millions of people across the world. We have no clear... Monday, 14 November 2011

Review: Ten Top Tips for Televisual Triumph Why do journalists often get their facts wrong when they report on science stories? Thursday, 10 November 2011

Feature: Life on Air - Listening in on Natural Science Some sort of bubbled ‘moo’: that’s what I assumed manatees were going to sound like. A muffled Chewbacca would have... Wednesday, 9 November 2011

Review: The Future - A Mini-retreat Where does the Future lie for PostDocs and Graduate Students? This was the focus of the 2011 Biochemistry Mini-Retreat organised... Thursday, 3 November 2011

Review: Virtual Water (Tony Allan) How much water do you need to make a cup of coffee? According to Tony Allan, Professor of Geography at... Monday, 24 October 2011

Feature: Conference - Threats to the University In recent years, despite generating an historic amount of research in fields barely imaginable a generation ago, science has hit... Wednesday, 12 October 2011

Away from the Bench: Skeletons and Flame Tornadoes Aaron Barker explains how certain types of CHaOS can be fun and informative Monday, 3 October 2011

Science & Policy: Reactive Politics Rose Spear analyses the varying global stances on nuclear energy Monday, 3 October 2011

Perspective: Colliding at Colossal Costs Richard Thomson gives his opinion on whether the Large Hadron Collider is worth its substantial investment Monday, 3 October 2011

History: Science in Print Helen Gaffney explores the rise of popular science magazines Monday, 3 October 2011

Behind the Science: The Father of Forecasting Lindsey Nield reflects on the life and voyages of Admiral Robert Fitzroy Monday, 3 October 2011

Focus: Beneath the Surface BlueSci looks at an endlessly fascinating and increasingly useful world deep below Monday, 3 October 2011

Feature: A Bolt from the Blue Simon Page reveals the colourful side of one of chemistry’s more dangerous reactions Monday, 3 October 2011

Feature: The Age of Endeavour Vicki Moignard recalls the captivating history of the Space Shuttle Monday, 3 October 2011

Reviews Cool It - Bjorn Lomborg Monday, 3 October 2011

iGEM 2011: Squid to E. coli - Bactiridescence Squids and octopi (cephalopods) are renowned for their stunning ability to change their skin colour, as a means of camouflage... Monday, 19 September 2011

A man-made mountain in the Netherlands? A Dutch journalist has proposed the idea of creating a mountain in the Netherlands, believing it will benefit the nation’s athletes and become a top attraction. Thursday, 8 September 2011

Rivers of ice discovered in the Antarctic The ice flow of the Antarctic ice sheet has been mapped in high resolution for the first time. Thursday, 1 September 2011

BlueSci gets Creative The BlueSci committee are pleased to announce that from now on we will be placing all material published by BlueSci,... Saturday, 30 July 2011

Symptoms of climate change become apparent in European oceans A species of plankton, Neodenticula seminae, has returned to the North Atlantic for the first time since going extinct 8 million years ago. This is the latest example of how changing climate conditions cause species to move or change their behaviour. Tuesday, 26 July 2011

Fjords revealed under Antarctic ice sheet Recent surveying of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet reveals a landscape of mountains and fjords, with dynamic ice sheet configurations. Saturday, 4 June 2011

A new method to harness solar energy Scientists reporting in Nature Materials have built a prototype to show that the thermoelectric effect might provide an alternative way to generate electricity from sunlight. Saturday, 21 May 2011

Atlas of the stars An amateur astrophotographer has travelled over 60,000 miles to capture images of the stars and produce a stunning interactive atlas of the night sky. Thursday, 19 May 2011

BlueSciFilm: Understanding ocean currents BlueSciFilm interview Natalie Roberts, PhD student in the Department of Earth Sciences at Cambridge University, about her work as a paleoceanographer, studying circulation of water around the Atlantic and its association with climate change. Monday, 9 May 2011

Away from the Bench: Medical Writing Andy Shepherd talks to Richard Thompson about working at Caudex Medical Saturday, 7 May 2011

Technology: Computationally Challenged? Anders Aufderhorst-Roberts examines the demands of the digital economy Saturday, 7 May 2011

History: Immortal Hearts and Henrietta Nicola Stead looks back at the beginnings of cell culture Saturday, 7 May 2011

Perspective: Common Knowledge Tim Middleton gives his perspective on access to data and the recent scandals Saturday, 7 May 2011

Behind the Science: Women Who Led the Way Jessica Robinson uncovers some of the pioneering female scientists Saturday, 7 May 2011

Feature: Bird’s Eye View Ian Le Guillou finds out about the ‘biological compass’ of cows, crocodiles and migrating birds Saturday, 7 May 2011

Feature: The Challenge of Chocolate Rachel Berkowitz looks at the science that will allow us to make chocolate better: healthier, cheaper and as tasty as before Saturday, 7 May 2011

Feature: Mountains - Go with the Flow Alex Copley explains how fluid dynamics can help us understand geology Saturday, 7 May 2011

News: Issue 21 The Sun as we’ve never seen it before Saturday, 7 May 2011

Feature: The ‘Map of Life’ Further to our recent news story, Tim Middleton interviews creators of the new ‘Map of Life’ website ((http://www.mapoflife.org/index/)) and looks into the apparent absurdities and controversies of convergent evolution. Monday, 18 April 2011

Puddingstone film In this short film, Dr Bryan Lovell, President of the Geological Society of London, tells us about his favourite rock:... Sunday, 17 April 2011

Earliest non-marine multicellular life seen in Scottish fossils Large populations of diverse microfossils from lochs in the northwest of Scotland indicate that the evolution of multi-cellular organisms may have commenced on land far earlier than previously thought. Saturday, 16 April 2011

New maps of Earth's gravity unveiled Models illustrating the most accurate measurements ever recorded of the variation in gravity across the Earth have been unveiled at an international conference at the Technische Universitat in Munich, Germany. Monday, 4 April 2011

Mass extinction imminent? A mass extinction on a scale only witnessed five times in the last 540 million years could be just around the corner, scientists warn. Tuesday, 15 March 2011

Eggs show arctic mercury cycling may be linked to ice cover A team of researchers has used seabird eggs to suggest that the level of mercury cycling in the flora and fauna of the Arctic is related to the amount of ice cover. Sunday, 13 February 2011

Away from the Bench: In the Driving Seat Rosie Robison recounts her experience working at the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology Saturday, 29 January 2011

History: The Great Trigonometrical Survey Tim Middleton explores how India was mapped and the world’s tallest mountain named Saturday, 29 January 2011

Perspective: Test Tube Babies Sara Lejon gives her perspective on Nobel prize winning in vitro fertilisation technology Saturday, 29 January 2011

Focus: Life Will Find a Way Worlds on worlds are rolling ever Saturday, 29 January 2011

Cover: Of Minerals and Meteorites Richard Thomson looks into the story behind this issue’s cover image Saturday, 29 January 2011

Feature: Bringing Science and Politics Together Nina Klein reveals what she learnt as an intern with the Centre for Science and Policy Wednesday, 26 January 2011

Small-scale earthquakes hit Britain Mention earthquakes and most people will think of places such as Japan and California, where major damaging earthquakes happen once... Wednesday, 26 January 2011

Tsunami warning systems Six years have passed since the Boxing Day tsunami disaster which claimed 5,400 victims and devastated coastlines of Thailand, Indian,... Sunday, 23 January 2011

Hope in the water 2010 was a year for extreme weather including some of the strongest illustrations of the global environmental crisis. As the country recovers from the “big freeze” it is reassuring that, at least in small ways, we are improving the world around us. Thursday, 6 January 2011

Scientific balloons launched from Antarctica NASA and the National Science Foundation of the United States are launching a series of large high-altitude scientific balloons on... Tuesday, 4 January 2011

POSTS FROM 2010

How many lightbulbs? Cambridge University physicist, David Mackay, offers a passionate yet simple, quantitative analysis of the energy crisis in the UK. The film is based on his book "Sustainable Energy without the hot air", which is available free on his website. Friday, 31 December 2010

A sustainable Christmas? Tucking into second helpings of turkey? Why not treat yourself to another glass of Chardonnay and turn the thermostat up... Sunday, 26 December 2010

Space observations show warming of Earth’s lakes Scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory have used satellite nighttime thermal infrared imagery to measure the surface temperature of inland lakes over the period 1985 to 2009. The data show an average rate of warming of 0.045oC per year. Monday, 6 December 2010

Oldest known salt mine found in Azerbaijan Rock salt deposits at Duzdagi, in the Araxes basin in Azerbaijan, have been found to have been exploited as early... Thursday, 2 December 2010

Perspective: Saving Species Imogen Ogilvie gives her perspective on conservation and asks whether it is worth trying to conserve species at all Sunday, 7 November 2010

Feature: The Transformation of Archaeology Maggie Jack digs into the techniques of archaeology, how they are evolving and how this may help us to answer questions like “who killed King Tut?” Sunday, 7 November 2010

Feature: Ocean Acidification Matthew Humphreys examines the impact of carbon dioxide on the oceans Sunday, 7 November 2010

Icy Mars mystery - solved? Scientists believe that they have finally found a theory to explain the phenomena of disappearing ice on Mars, also shedding light on the planet's water cycle. Monday, 11 October 2010

New mathematical model to aid biodiversity conservation A new theory of species diversity has been developed that predicts the number of species in an ecological community by mathematically accounting for the interdependent properties of individual species as well as those of the environment. Thursday, 30 September 2010

A break-down in communications Climate change. Nuclear power. GM crops. Vaccines. Why is it that the general public is so often divided on issues that scientific experts largely agree on? Tuesday, 28 September 2010

Song of a distant star could solve mysteries close to home By eavesdropping on far-away stars, scientists hope to better understand the Sun's magnetic properties and its influence on our lives. Monday, 13 September 2010

The Environmentalist's Paradox: Why are we still doing so well? Humankind is responsible for causing considerable damage to many of the planet's ecosystems. According to environmentalists, this degradation should also be having a negative effect on our own well-being. But it's not. What's going on? Thursday, 9 September 2010

Global CO₂ emissions on the decline Recent measures show the global financial crisis leading to this decade's first drop in carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel consumption. Tuesday, 7 September 2010

Sun + Plastic Sheet = Energy Researchers from the University of Cambridge have developed a major improvement for organic solar cells, reporting their results in the... Tuesday, 31 August 2010

Species in the Soil Research in the Panamanian rainforest shows that soil-dwelling organisms promote local species richness and keep the rare trees rare. Sunday, 15 August 2010

Carbonate rocks and life on Mars? Scientists writing in Earth and Planetary Science Letters ((Adrian J. Brown et al., “Hydrothermal formation of Clay-Carbonate alteration assemblages in... Tuesday, 10 August 2010

Pigeons carry harmful pathogens Feral pigeons could be asymptomatic or subclinical carriers of the pathogens Chlamydophila psittaci and Campylobacter jejuni, responsible for acute diarrhea in humans. Tuesday, 29 June 2010

Natural selection in favour of specialisation Despite outliving the Ice Age, the Hundsheim rhinoceros rapidly disappeared without any effective changes to its environment, becoming foe to... Monday, 21 June 2010

Life on Mars? New evidence reinvigorates old questions. High-levels of carbonate minerals suggest a more favourable environment for life in the Red Planet's past. Friday, 18 June 2010

Call for citizen scientists An international team with researchers fthe UK, Australia and China consider how our views of biodiversity can be distorted by the data we look at. Monday, 7 June 2010

How nature's colours could cut bank fraud Scientists have discovered a way of mimicking the stunningly bright and beautiful colours found on the wings of tropical butterflies. The findings could have important applications in the security printing industry, helping to make bank notes and credit cards harder to forge. Monday, 31 May 2010

Letters Your questions answered by Dr I.M. Derisive Monday, 3 May 2010

Book Reviews Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth Monday, 3 May 2010

History: Increasing the Yield Alex Jenkin looks at the past, present and future of agriculture Monday, 3 May 2010

Away from the Bench: Fluids and Foggaras Djuke Veldhuis descends into the watering holes of the ancient Garamantes Monday, 3 May 2010

Perspective: Funding in Crisis? Gemma Thornton gives her perspective on the future of scientific funding Monday, 3 May 2010

Feature: I Think, Therefore I Am? Rupak Doshi investigates how scientists hope to find an answer to an ancient philosophical debate Monday, 3 May 2010

Feature: The High Stakes of Earthquakes Owen Weller reports on the devastation of seismic activity and the work invested in preparing for the fallout Monday, 3 May 2010

News: Issue 18 Morphogenesis on a tight leash Monday, 3 May 2010

Letters Your questions answered by Dr I M Derisive Monday, 4 January 2010

Book Reviews Why We Disagree About Climate Change Monday, 4 January 2010

History: The Nature of the Beast Lindsey Nield traces the contributions and controversies in the history of animal research Monday, 4 January 2010

Away from the Bench: An Ancestor's Tools Kathelijne Koops roams the African rainforest to study chimpanzee culture Monday, 4 January 2010

Perspective: Faith in Science Ian Fyfe gives his perspective on why rejecting religion is bad for science Monday, 4 January 2010

Focus: The End of Ageing? BlueSci looks at the biology of ageing, how research is helping us to understand and overcome it and the impact on society if we could live longer. Monday, 4 January 2010

Feature: Have We Got a Pill For You? Warren Hochfeld explores the inadequacies of prescription drugs Monday, 4 January 2010

News: Issue 17 The fall of the Nazcas Monday, 4 January 2010

Cover: Habitat Hopping Katherine Thomas examines how frogs are responding to conservation efforts Monday, 4 January 2010

POSTS FROM 2009

Focus: The Manhattan Project As the UK government continues discussion on the renewal of Trident, our missile-based nuclear weapons arsenal, Bluesci looks back on the only two bombs ever to be used in war and Britain’s role as a nuclear power. Thursday, 1 October 2009

News: Issue 16 Cambridge designed solar car unveiled Thursday, 1 October 2009

POSTS FROM 2007

Museums and Galleries month Cambridge offers the chance to discover some of its hidden gems this National Museums and Galleries month Friday, 11 May 2007

POSTS FROM 2006

Indecisive River The course of the River Nile changes more than previously thought, sweeping rapidly across its valley at rates of up... Friday, 6 October 2006

It's Official: Cambridge People are Swots Cambridge scientists were celebrating this week, with both students and academics winning awards for excellence in research Friday, 6 October 2006