Author Archives: admin
TEF vs. REF: are teaching and research now adversaries?
By Henry Lovett, policy & public affairs officer, The Physiological Society At the recent Labour, Conservative and SNP party conferences, The Physiological Society asked policy makers to consider an important question: ‘TEF vs. REF: Are Teaching and Research Now Adversaries?’ The successful fringe events discussed how the Government’s development of a Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) … Continue reading
Otter magic
By Pete Cooper, postgraduate student at The University of Exeter. Read blogs about the other mammals in the #UKMammalPoll and vote for your Favourite UK Mammal. Why are otters so endearing? This may seem obvious, what with their ‘cute’ charismatic appeal, prevalence in our culture from Wind in the Willows to Tarka and resemblance to … Continue reading
Decorating the dolphin: why a marine mammal deserves the crown
Opinion piece by Billy Mills – Biology Week intern at the Royal Society of Biology. Read blogs about the other mammals in the #UKMammalPoll and vote for your Favourite UK Mammal. While helping create the UK Mammal Poll, I noticed that many people seem to be unaware of the diversity of mammals that live in … Continue reading
Soprano pipistrelle: A love song in the key of 55kHz
By David Urry MRSB, science communicator at The Natural History Museum. Read blogs about the other mammals in the #UKMammalPoll and vote for your Favourite UK Mammal. The soprano pipistrelle, one of three pipistrelle species in the UK, is named due to the frequency of its echolocation: slightly higher than the closely related common pipistrelle. … Continue reading
Giving the hedgehog a helping hand
By Fay Vass, chief executive of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society. Read blogs about the other mammals in the #UKMammalPoll and vote for your Favourite UK Mammal. The argument in favour of hedgehogs could be won simply on their cuteness. However, there is far more about this amazing mammal that could swing the vote. Hedgehogs … Continue reading
New journal to grow awareness of emerging areas of life sciences
by Emma Pettengale, Portland Press Biology Week is an annual celebration of life science with events all over the UK and beyond for everyone from children to professional scientists. The week helps to inspire future generations of biologists. With more and more opportunities for interdisciplinary collaborations and chances to switch fields, regardless of whether you … Continue reading
Why I’m nuts for red squirrels
By Joe Woodman, wildlife photographer and student at Magdalen College School. Read blogs about the other mammals in the #UKMammalPoll and vote for your Favourite UK Mammal. The red squirrel is perhaps one of the most iconic British mammals. These little red rodents can be seen hopping from branch to branch in pockets of select … Continue reading
Homeopathy – What is it and does it work?
Opinion piece by Professor Nigel Brown FRSB, President of the Microbiology Society. The principle of homeopathy is that ‘like is treated with like’. The symptoms are treated with high dilutions of a material that would cause those symptoms in large amounts. For example, treatment with magnesium carbonate, known by homeopaths as Magnesia Carbonica, can be … Continue reading
So you want to be a life scientist?
By Amelia Perry, Biology Week Intern at the Royal Society of Biology An impressive elephant skeleton took centre stage in the middle of the Life Science Careers Conference, surrounded by exhibitors representing careers in all avenues of biology, from teaching, to research, to conservation to science communication and more. The atmosphere at the Royal Veterinary College was that … Continue reading
Why should we vaccinate our children?
By Professor Nigel Brown FRSB, President of the Microbiology Society. Since 1998 there has been a lot of debate about the safety of vaccination. This originated with a paper that argued that the triple Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccination in infants is related to autism. There have also been statements that vaccines contain toxic compounds and that … Continue reading