SMC Heads-Up: Oklahoma's twister, GM, Science Challenges

SMC Heads-Up: Oklahoma's twister, GM claims rejected, Science Challenges debate

Issue 232 24 - 30 May 2013

Devastation in Tornado Alley
Scientists are analysing the data their sensors gathered during a series of tornadoes that tore through the US state.

At least 24 fatalities have been reported and some 350 people were injured in the strongest tornado, which cut a 27km swathe through the city of Moore and surrounding areas on Tuesday morning (NZT).

The tornado was rated as EF5, the highest category on the scale used by the US National Weather Service, and created winds travelling at an estimated 340km/h.

Meteorologists contacted by the Associated Press estimated that the energy released by the storm could have been more than 8 times greater than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

Tornadoes are common in the central US -- colloquially known as tornado alley -- where warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico meets cold, dry air from the Rocky Mountains and Canada, creating intense, tornado-producing thunderstorms.

NIWA's Dr Richard Turner explained to the New Zealand Herald how tornadoes are generated as the warm air rises up through a layer of colder air, sucking in more air from the surface as it begins to rotate and form a vortex.

"It's almost like a giant upside down model of water going out of a bathtub," said Dr Turner.

Tornadoes and Climate Change?

As with most extreme weather events of late, the issue of climate change was raised in the media. What role, if any, did global warming play?

Dr Matt Watson, Lecturer in Natural Hazards at the University of Bristol, downplayed any link when speaking to the UK SMC.

"Springtime in Oklahoma is pretty much prime time and place for tornadoes, therefore sadly this is not particularly unusual," he said.

"It is virtually impossible to attribute single events like this to climate change."

You can read more UK and Australian expert commentary on the tornado here.
On the science radar this week...
Foot fungi, top ten new critters, literal carbon footprints, ancient teeth and 3D printers a medical life-saver.
Regulator defends GM technology
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has responded to criticism alleging products relying on a new gene silencing technology are entering the food supply without adequate scrutiny.
Earlier this year, a review published in Environment International raised concerns that a type of gene 'silencing' or suppressing molecule (dsRNA) in GM crops could pose a risk to human health.

The paper's authors, including University of Canterbury's Prof Jack Heinemann, called on regulators to require experimental evaluations - including bioinformatic sequencing, in vitro tests, animal feeding trials and potentially even clinical trials - before approving any genetically modified foods using the technology.

FSANZ has now released a report responding point-by-point to the concerns raised, concluding:

"The weight of scientific evidence published to date does not support the view that small dsRNAs in food are likely to have adverse consequences for humans."

The report noted that Heinemann et al's argument hinged on one contentious and as yet un-replicated article suggesting dsRNA in non-GM rice may alter gene function in humans.

The response from FSANZ also highlighted the extensive research from medical scientists attempting -- unsuccessfully -- to use unaltered dsRNAs in humans as therapeutic agents.

However, FSANZ did state they will continue to monitor the scientific literature for any new developments which may be relevant to GM food safety assessment.

The Science Media Centre gathered reaction from New Zealand experts:

Assoc Prof Peter Dearden, Director, Genetics Otago, University of Otago, commented:

"My opinion is that FSANZ have got it right. Their assessment is that the risk to human health of double stranded RNA constructs used in GM plants is negligible, and I agree. I do, however, think that one of Prof Heinemann's suggestions, that bioinformatic examination of potential human targets of the RNAs made in GM plants should be carried out to ensure that such RNAs cannot affect human genes, is worth doing.

Prof Jack Heinemann, Lecturer in Genetic, University of Canterbury (co-author of the original paper), responded to the report:

"When FSANZ says it is not 'likely' that small dsRNAs in foods will harm humans, it effectively acknowledges this is still possible, and so a risk. Yet it proposes not even testing for that risk until the 'weight of evidence' suggests it is doing harm. We say consumer protection should be forward looking - do the tests now: don't wait for harm to be proven."

Further commentary, as well as more background and comments on the original paper, is available on the Science Media Centre website.

Quoted: New Zealand Herald

"Seabird colonies on inshore islands are the last remnants of how New Zealand used to be."


Conservation scientist Don Neale on an newly discovered Fairy Prion colony off Cape Foulwind

Sci Challenges, funding stir debate
It's always encouraging when the country's newspapers devote their precious editorial space to science.

This week we've seen the editorial columns of the Waikato Times and the New Zealand Herald given over to science-related issues - and generate a fair bit of discussion in the process.

That's a good thing. It is, after all, the whole point of newspaper editorials and the issues under discussion - how science fared in the Budget and the recently announced National Science Challenges, deserve some decent attention.

In the Waikato Times Tuesday editorial titled "A tad unconvincing", the paper criticised the Budget allocations for science and innovation but, according to Science and Innnovation Minister Steven Joyce, got its sums wrong.

He tweeted: @waikatotimes spent last 2 hrs refusing 2 fix error up in tomorrow's paper despite having time to b4 deadline #poorjournalism

Raising the minister's ire, presumably, was the Waikato Times observation that "... $73.5 million over four years for the 10 'National Science Challenges' boils down to a miserly $1.84m a year for each of them".

The editorial column failed to mention the $60 million previously allocated to the project, bringing the funding available over four years to $133.5 million - or $3.3m a year each if the funds were distributed evenly between them. "Here's hoping Mr. Joyce can do better next year," the Times concluded.

Black holes and funding revelations

The tone in the New Zealand Herald was more upbeat with the paper concluding that "the national science challenge should encourage co-ordinated research and give all projects a sharper focus".

But the editorial's rather flippant opening line: "science has been a black hole for taxpayers' money", sparked a strong response from Professor Shaun Hendy, President of the New Zealand Association of Scientists: "Any metaphor that compares public investment in science to a black hole is at best ill-informed and at worst dangerously naive," he wrote in a press release.

Another Herald feature fleshed out Prof Hendy's concerns about the make-up of the Challenges, while Sir Peter Gluckman, who convened the panel of experts that examined the proposals for the Challenges, said that the benefits of the project would be "much, much bigger than people realise".

Science New Zealand CEO, Anthony Scott contributed a Herald opinion piece suggesting that the Challenges "do not have the same Kennedy-esque ring" as President Kennedy's 1961 pledge to put Americans on the moon within that decade, "but are as ambitious for New Zealand".

Royal Society President Professor Sir David Skegg will continue the commentary tomorrow when he appears on Kim Hill's Radio New Zealand Saturday morning show to discuss the National Science Challenges.
Last chance for SAVVY applications!

Applications for the Wellington Science Media SAVVY media training programme are closing today! Don't miss out!

The Science Media SAVVY two-day course designed to give scientists and researchers the confidence and skills they need to engage effectively with the wider public through broadcast, print and social media.

Participants gain practical techniques to improve their communication, deal with nerves, adapt their message to their audience, capture attention, influence headlines, and respond effectively when an interview becomes challenging.

You can read more about the workshop and what past participants have to say about it here.

The Wellington workshop will be held at the Royal Society buildings on the 20-22, June.
Apply here

New from the SMC

Experts Respond:

Gene regulation: Food safety regulator FSANZ has responded to research calling into question its stance on 'gene silencing' technologies. Read reaction here.

Tornadoes: UK and Australian experts offer insights into the science be hind the devastating Oklahoma tornado.

SIDS: Experts talk about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in the wake of a study examining 1,500 SIDS cases across Europe, the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

Climate outlook: Climate scientists respond to a new study revising climate prediction to more narrow band of outcomes.
In the News:

Sneeze safe: NZ virus experts speak to the NZ Herald about slipping hygiene standards.

Reflections on Science:

Stem cell errors: Nature News reports on several errors in the stem cell breakthrough published last week.

National Science Challenges: An editorial in the NZ Herald takes an over-arching look at the Governments new initiative.

Sciblogs highlights

Some of the highlights from this week's posts:

A great synopsis of evolution? No, I don't think so - Alison Campbell lays a biology smackdown on Fat Boy Slim's version of evolution.
Bio Blog

New way to spread the word - John Pickering takes blogging to the next level with a user-made flipboard magazine interface.
Kidney Punch

It's a publication! A new article has Brendan Moyle examining the American alligator conservation.
Cthonic wildlife ramblings

The value of outreach - Eric crampton highlights the case of a relatively uncontroversial economics podcast being cast as "right wing" propaganda.
Dismal Science

Research highlights

Please note: hyperlinks point, where possible, to the relevant abstract or paper.

Bed sharing SIDS risk: Bed sharing with parents is linked to a fivefold increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) according to new research. The study is the the largest of it kind and includes data from almost 1,500 SIDS cases across Europe, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. The authors conclude: "88% of the deaths that occurred while bed sharing would probably not have occurred had the baby been placed on its back in a cot by the parents' bed."
BMJ Open

New ear for NZ bigeye: Hearing underwater is difficult for humans at the best of times, but certain species of fish have developed specialised 'ears' for the purpose. Researchers from the University of Auckland have discovered an new hearing mechanism in the New Zealand bigeye which uses a special ligament acting as a 'tensioned string' carrying vibrations from the swimbladder to the sensory nerves.
Biology Letters

Dog owning homes microbially different: Man's best friend brings a host of microbial hitch-hikers into the home, according to new research. In the study, citizen scientists swabbed surfaces in their homes, collecting bacterial samples for analysis. While the presence of cats, and the number of people in a home had minimal impact on bacterial communities, dog-owning houses almost invariably contained tell-tale strains of bacteria not usually found in canine-free homes.
PLOS One

The end of itching? Researchers have discovered a key molecule -- Nppb -- that all 'itch receptor' cells need in order to communicate with both the brain and the neural circuit required for itch-signaling. They were able to show that mice lacking the gene for the Nppb do not experience itching of any kind. The authors say finding ways to block Nppb could lead to more specific treatments for chronic itching diseases like eczema or psoriasis.
Science
23 MAY: Flu vaccine 2.0: A new type of influenza vaccine outperforms the current commercial equivalent in animal tests, according to new research. The new vaccine fuses viral proteins with a ferritin protein nanoparticle and works by stimulating the production of antibodies that latch on to parts of the virus that are common to different strains - a step towards the realisation of a much sought-after universal vaccine that won't be thwarted by rapidly mutating strains.
Nature

Policy updates

Some of the policy highlights from this week:

Denniston mine go ahead: Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith today announced approval for an open cast mine access on the Denniston Plateau, near Westport.

Drugs bill expedited: Assoc Health Minister Peter Dunne wants to push the Psychoactive Substances Bill through faster than planned, aiming of having the legislation in place in July.

Meaty issue resolved: New export certificates are being issued to release containers of meat products held up at the Chinese border, the Ministry for Primary Industries said this week.

Upcoming sci-tech events

• Improving human well-being on a resource-limited planet - can we do it? Public lecture from Sir David King (UK) - 27 May, Wellington; 28 May, Palmerston North; 29 May, Auckland.

• Geothermal energy - Is there enough? - cafe Scientifique - 20 May, Lower Hutt.

• Writing for Science - VUW two day writing course course - 28-29 May, Wellington.
For these and more upcoming events, and more details about them, visit the SMC's Events Calendar.

ENDS

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