1. Drastic action' needed on Ebola
This week, Ebola made
headlines once again as the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history. The current outbreak is reported to have
killed 367 people and infected about 600 so far across Guinea, Sierra Leona and
Liberia. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-28033027
Here’s
a WHO fact sheet on the virus. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/
2. Technology allows quadriplegic man to move hand
A micro chip implanted into the brain of a disabled man
allows him to move his hand with his mind. Check it out http://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-technology-allows-disabled-man-to-move-paralized-hand/
3. ‘Shoebox IVF' hope for infertile couples
Infertility is a sore subject for couples going through the ordeal
especially where the cost of IVF makes any hope of conceiving your own child bleak.
A new method has been developed which
drastically reduces the cost of one IVF cycle from £399 to £159. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-27814124
4. UK Clinics Import Overseas Sperm Due to Shortage of
'High-Quality' British Semen
Still on the subject of fertility, the UK highlights the
need for a national sperm bank. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/uk-clinics-import-overseas-sperm-due-shortage-high-100032346.html#82R7PTQ
5. Lab Grown "Mini Hearts" Help Battle Heart
Disease
I’ve always found the subject of growing organs from stem
cells fascinating. Scientists at Abertay University have grown mini hearts to be
used in place of animals for research into heart disease and the model looks
promising. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/278906.php
6. Science communication
degree offers 50 free places
With increasing desire for scientist to engage with the
public, science communication has been a recent area of interest and has been
added to the choice of university subjects at a few institutions. A German
University is offering 50 free places to international students. This is a
great initiative especially as the science communication wave has not caught on
to many countries.
7. U.K. researchers call
for more teacher power to improve education
If we are going to be encouraging more pupils to take up
STEM subjects we need good STEM teachers to stimulate and maintain interest.
But how do you solve the problem of a lack of STEM teachers. http://news.sciencemag.org/education/2014/06/u-k-researchers-call-more-teacher-power-improve-education
8. How to win £10
million with your research
The fight against antibiotic resistance continues. The UK
has announced a £10 million prize award for whomever can "create a
cost-effective, accurate, rapid and easy-to-use test for bacterial infections
that will allow health professionals worldwide to administer the right
antibiotics at the right time." http://news.sciencemag.org/europe/2014/06/how-win-10-million-your-research
9. Proof-of-concept for host-directed tuberculosis therapy
established by researchers
Current treatment for TB requires taking antibiotic drugs
for at least six months and sometimes up to two years. With the problem of
bacteria resistance to antibiotics, host-directed TB therapy means that TB
patients who develop resistance to antibiotic treatment will now have an
alternative form of treatment. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/06/140627095153.htm
10. What's eating Luis Suarez: the psychology of biting?
Saved the best for
last. So after the Suarez saga during the Uruguay game with Italy, I said to a
friend, “I’m sure my scientist can diagnose his condition and give it a fancy
name.” Not quite a diagnosis but here you go… http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25789-whats-eating-luis-suarez-the-psychology-of-biting.html#.U66c6_ldWSo
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