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SMC Heads-Up to 11 August
SMC Heads-Up to 11 August: Top 5 best science coverage, ESR tests reaffirmed, impacts on deep-sea
Highs and lows of science media coverage
Last night, TVNZ's Media 7 aired a special programme on science, which included Sciblogs' readers picks for the best and worst of media coverage of science stories over the past year.
Peter Griffin has posted a summary of reader responses and top 5 picks on his blog Griffin's Gadgets. High points included careful treatment of conflicting research conclusions on vitamin D, vaccination, the teaching of climate change and earthquake prediction.
The Media 7 episode also featured interviews with Sir Peter Gluckman and British science communicator Lord Robert Winston, who toured the country on a speaking tour this week.
You can watch the episode in full here.
Tests did find prescription drug in legal high
ESR scientists are rejecting false statements about their testing of synthetic cannabis products and the presence of the controlled substance phenazepam.
The claims were made in a press release issued today by a pro-cannabis political party.
A new temporary ban on all products containing synthetic cannabinoids was passed into law yesterday.
Dr Keith Bedford, General Manager -
Forensics, ESR contacted the Science Media Centre with the
following statement:
"Contrary to certain recent
reports, ESR reaffirms that testing undertaken by ESR
established the presence of phenazepam 'contamination' in
samples of two branded synthetic cannabis products being
sold in NZ, including 'Kronic Pineapple Express'.
"ESR
testing has also shown that the active, synthetic additives
in such products, including those found in 'Kronic Pineapple
Express', can be variable. Other batches of 'Kronic
Pineapple Express' do not necessarily contain phenazepam and
may contain a different mix of active ingredients which is
one of the issues of concern with such products"
Quoted: Business Day - (DomPost)
"As
reporters, we should not ignore [challenging views], but we
should be careful of crossing the line into dangerous
territory. We don't want to put uncertainty into readers'
minds when the science is clear or make radical views appear
to be mainstream."
Jon Morgan, agricultural reporter for the Dominion Post
New from the SMC
In the News:
Kiwi scientists at
forefront of cancer fight - Coverage of recent research advances published by
New Zealand cancer researchers.
Report stirs up
freshwater debate - A report from the Cawthron
Institute, commissioned by Fish & Game, compares the recent
National Policy Statement (NPS) on
Freshwater Management against recommendations from the
Land and Water Forum and a previous board of
inquiry.
Reflections on Science:
Why scientists won't debate Lord
Monckton - The New Zealand Herald has published online a
strongly-worded editorial from Australian cognitive
scientist Stephan Lewandowsky on the nature of scientific debate and those who refuse
to partake.
Experts Respond:
Most vulnerable deep sea habitats - A new synthesis report from experts involved in the Census of Marine Life's deep-sea projects (including two New Zealand co-authors) has highlighted man-made impacts on the last great wilderness: the deep sea. Additional comment here.
Asthma and exposure to magnetic fields - A new study has suggested that exposure to magnetic fields during pregnancy may be linked to asthma in children. However, experts are urging caution in the interpretation of the research.
Sciblogs highlights
Some of the highlights from this week's posts include:
Leighton Smith, Monckton melt down over
climate - NewstalkZB host Leighton Smith welcomes
the cliamte sceptic onto his show and rants at the media who
wouldn't do likewise.
Griffin's Gadgets
The reality of scientific research -
The scientific process is well documented and laid out. But
what's it like in reality? This is a pretty good
representation
Open Parachute
Mining the moon - There's platinum
in them lunar hills. What are the chances for mining the
moon for precious metals?
Mis.cience
The worst results of human behaviour
- Forensic scientist Anna Sandiford explains why she
undertakes her work.
Forensic
Scientist
The salt debate continues -
Nutritionist Amanda Johnson looks at the simmering
disagreement among scientists over the benefits of lowering
salt intake.
Food Stuff
Research highlights
Please note: hyperlinks point, where possible, to the relevant abstract or paper.
Remembering the imagined future: Brain
scanning research from New Zealand psychologists has offered
insight into how we encode memories. fMRI data from
participants imagining future events revealed activation of
a brain region well known for its involvement in memory
formation - the hippocampus. The researchers found that
different areas of the hippocampus were involved in storing
and recalling memories of imagined events, providing a
better understanding not only of memory, but also of the
potential effects of brain damage on memory.
Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences
Tree bug examined: A new
review highlights the mechanism of action of
Phytophthora, tree parasites known to infect New
Zealand trees. Although there a several possible ways in
which the microbe is predicted to kill trees, the most
likely mode of attack seems to be by blocking the xylem, or
veins, of a tree, leading to death. The review lays out
future research that can be undertaken to better understand
the pathogen and protect trees.
New
Zealand Journal of Forestry Research
Smokers indulge more after taking vitamins:
New research shows that individuals smoke more after
engaging in 'healthy activities'. Researchers administered
placebo "multivitamins" to smokers and found it increased
subsequent smoking when compared with a group of control
smokers.
Addiction
'Poison rat' has
unique defense mechanism:
Dogs have been known to
die after biting the curious African Rat Lophiomys.
New research reveals that this creature sports a striking
crest made of hollow hairs that store the animal's spittle,
which is applied after chewing the deadly poison-arrow plant
Acokanthera. Any inquisitive and naïve predator, be
it jackal or lion, is then presented with a powerful display
and invitation to bite the crest. A powerful lesson is
learned, with the rat hopefully escaping alive and well
enough to see another day.
Proceedings of the
Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Ocean acidification threatens calcium
phytoplankton: The environmentally important,
carbon-fixing phytoplankton called coccolithophores are
sensitive to ocean acidification, new research suggests. The
single-celled organisms, which are covered in calcium
carbonate, are responsible for a large part of modern
oceanic carbonate production, yet their response to ocean
acidification has been unclear. Now researchers have shown
that an increase in dissolved carbon dioxide causes a
decrease in calcification and coccolith mass.
Nature
New test
improves prostate cancer screening: A new urine test has
been developed for use in screening for prostate cancer. The
test supplements an elevated prostate specific antigen, or
PSA, screening result, and could help some men delay or
avoid a needle biopsy while pointing out men at highest risk
for clinically significant prostate cancer. The research is
highly relevant after last week's decision from the Health
Select Committee here in New Zealand to reject a national
screening programme - as the PSA test was not accurate
enough.
Science Translational
Medicine
Policy updates
Some of the highlights of this week's policy news:
Synthetic cannabis banned - An immediate temporary ban on supply of all products containing synthetic cannabinoids will come into effect next week.
First annual ETS report released - An assessment of the Emissions Trading Scheme one year after its introduction concludes a carbon price has "successfully entered the NZ economy". The full report is available on the MfE website.
Improvements in air quality highlighted - The Environment Minister has welcomed improvements to air quality in the latest PM 10 monitoring data and released a new compliance strategy.
Youth blood alcohol limit
lowered - The legal limit for blood alcohol
concentration for drivers under 20 will be reduced to zero from Sunday.
Upcoming sci-tech events
NZ Plant Protection Society
conference - Includes a session on Psa disease
in kiwifruit - 8-11 August, Rotorua.
Clinical Research: Mission
Possible - 7th Annual conference of the NZ
Association of Clinical Research - 8-9 August, Auckland.
A soupçon of science: Creativity at the
interface of chemistry and cuisine - 9 August,
Hamilton. 10 August, Wellington.
Out of Africa: The Allan Wilson Legacy - lecture from Professor Rebecca Cann - 8 August, Auckland.
The Mysterious Maya - 2011 RSNZ Aronui Lecture tour - Public lecture by Prof Norman Hammond - 11 August, Auckland. 12 August, Hamilton.
Myths, molecules and 5% magic- Public talk with Master Chef Simon Gault, Dr Bryony James and fine dining accompaniment - 11 August, Auckland.
For these and more upcoming events, and more details about them, visit the SMC's Events Calendar.
Science Media Centre NZ
Our aim is to promote accurate, evidence-based reporting on science and technology by helping the media work more closely with the scientific community.
The Science Media Centre is New Zealand's only trusted, independent source of information for the media on all issues related to science. Thousands of news stories providing context from and quoting New Zealand researchers have been published as a direct result of our work.
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