Category: Grace Laws

By Grace Laws

Scroll through your Facebook newsfeed and you will encounter many clickbait headlines, inevitably some of which are completely untrue. Fake news has been credited to play a role in influencing how people vote in referendums and presidential elections. The pandemic of fake news has long been in ‘scientific news’, with misleading reports such as ‘‘vaccines linked to autism”. More recently a nonsense physics paper written by IOS autocomplete was accepted for a conference. It is so easy for false information to be absorbed as truth, leading scientists to ask the question- how can we decipher fact from fiction?

Understanding the process of vaccination and applying it to fake news could offer insight. The MMR vaccine, although not responsible for autism, is effective in protecting us from measles, mumps and rubella through a process called immunisation. Immmunisation works by exposing the body to a weakened version of the disease (a vaccine), allowing the immune system to build up antibodies against it. If you then come into contact with the disease later in life, the immune system will immediately produce the antibodies needed to fight the disease and this prevents you from becoming ill. A group of researchers at Cambridge University have exploited the process of vaccination to determine whether we can inoculate against false facts on climate change.

In a recent study, researchers compared reactions to the accurate statement “97% of scientists agree on man-made climate change” to the false statement that there is no general consensus. Participants were asked to guess the percentage of consensus between scientists on the issue. In a group that was presented with the false statement after the accurate statement, there was no shift in participants initial opinions about the consensus- suggesting the lie cancelled out the truth. When participants were warned with a specific or general ‘inoculation’ against fake facts, the misinformation presented had less influence on the participants’ estimation of a consensus. By providing a warning against misinformation the researchers effectively protected against fake facts. Maybe we should take note of this warning to avoid falling susceptible to fake facts, and be wary of believing every ‘fact’ we read.

By Grace Laws

Are you passionate about sharing the latest research? If there is a concept in science, maths, engineering or technology you can share on stage in just three minutes then FameLab is for you. FameLab is an international competition and a fantastic, exciting way to communicate research. Previous finalists have tackled curiosities such as “Can we stop ageing?” and “The science of love”. Since 2005, FameLab has been offering a snapshot into the world of science and the 2017 competition is about to begin!

UK competitors have the chance to win a weekend Master Class alongside media & communication skills experts. Successful competitors will be given the opportunity to appear in the FameLab International Final at the Cheltenham Science Festival in June 2017.

If you are currently working in science, technology, engineering or maths and over the age of 21 then you are eligible to join in. More details can be found on the website:  http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/about/famelab/eligibility/

For those based in Newcastle, the Newcastle heats are taking place at the Centre for Life on the 27th January 2017. This heat will be part of the Friday Night Life adult event at the science centre.

By Grace Laws

How do dolphins not drown when they’re sleeping? What does loneliness to do our brain? Why do polar bear pups and penguins melt our hearts? These questions may seem unlinked- but they all have a key component at play: neurons. Neurons are the building blocks of our nervous system, nerve cells that weave intricate networks in our brain and communicate with one another via electrical signals. Networks of neurons work together to convey information about what we are doing, how we feel and where we are. But how can what we know about neurons and the brain shed light on any of the aforementioned curiosities?

PhD and postdoctoral researchers at Knowing Neurons have created a website dedicated to all things brain-related. Knowing Neurons is an educational tool to pique the public interest in neuroscience. The team of young neuroscientists produce a variety of resources on the latest advances in neuroscience- through infographics, videos, blog posts and interviews with leading scientists. They even review popular literature on the brain. The Knowing Neurons team have done an exceptional job on making neuroscience accessible to anyone who is interested. Earlier this year, they won the Society for Neuroscience Next Generation Award for their outstanding contribution to public communication and education of neuroscience. Explore the fascinating world of the brain at: http://knowingneurons.com/

By Grace Laws

Building upon the enormous success of the Bodyworlds exhibition, Dr Gunther von Hagens and Dr Angelina Whalley have brought to life the intricate features of animal physiology in their latest exhibition, Animal Inside Out. Aptly described as an “anatomical safari” with more than 100 plastinates on display, the exhibition enables an expedition of anatomy through the animal kingdom.

Plastinates in this exhibition have been created by the technique invented by Dr Gunther von Hagens. Plastination itself brings decomposition to a standstill, resulting in a completely sterile and durable specimen. The process begins by injecting formalin into the body, preserving it in the short-term and delaying the onset of rigor mortis. Dissections of the skin and connecting tissues allow for preparation of the anatomical structures. Next, liquids and soluble fats are immersed in a solvent bath. The solvent, e.g. acetone, replaces all of the liquids and fats that are otherwise problematic for preservation.  To replace the acetone in the body, a second exchange is carried out by vacuum impregnation with a reactive polymer. Following this, the body is positioned for display and hardened with gas, light or heat to finish the process. The total process is lengthy, with the average time for one plastination equal to a full year of work.

Addressing the rather large African elephant within the room, those interested in viewing the exhibition can rest assured that no animals were killed for the purpose of this exhibition. Animals have been donated through University veterinary programmes, zoos and animal groups. Although the prospect of plastination may be gut wrenching to some, the educational value of exhibits has enabled the acceptance of plastination in today’s society. The aim of Animal Inside Out is to encourage admiration and understanding of nature’s wonders. Fascinating evolutionary deviations of anatomy and organ function are highlighted, such as the powerful 11kg giraffe heart that is required to pump blood up its 1.8m long neck to the brain.  Organs from various species presented side by side allow an interactive comparison of physiology. The exhibition successfully and innovatively reveals the sophistication of anatomy to anyone interested.Animal Inside Out can be viewed in addition to on-going exhibitions at the renowned Centre for Life. A trip is definitely recommended. For more information on Animal Inside Out please visit: http://www.life.org.uk/whats-on/animal-inside-out For more information on Plastination please visit: http://isp.plastination.org/about.html