Royal Society of Biology
Stand up for science
By Paul Richards, BBSRC Policy Fellow at the Society of Biology No doubt many scientists, especially young researchers, would approach dealing with the media with at least a little apprehension and distrust. We’ve all come across news articles which appear to sensationalise, or misrepresent science; some of us may have heard about, or had, negative … Continue reading
The H5N1 influenza controversy: information is power, sharing information is powerful
By Professor Wendy Barclay, Chair in Influenza Virology, Imperial College London. Wendy spoke at last week’s Society of Biology Policy Lates debate on dual-use bioscience. The debate is summarised in a Storify. H5N1 is a worrisome strain of bird flu that currently does not spread between us because of the ‘species barrier’ created by virus-host … Continue reading
Sometimes opposites attract: science and security communities can work well together
By Dr Piers Millet, Deputy Head, UN Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit. Piers will be speaking at this Thursdays’ Policy Lates debate on dual-use bioscience (#policylates). I guess I am living embodiment that the title of this article is true. I trained originally as a microbiologist and am still a Chartered member of the … Continue reading
Looking Good – the value of beauty in science
Guest blog by Anthony Lewis, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, who discusses the importance of aesthetics to scientific research. Science is about hard, cold facts, right? Data laid out in black and white, the information speaks for itself, no frills or fancies needed. Who would want distracting colours, eye-catching graphics, and big photographs cluttering up our … Continue reading
Help us name the House Spider Survey app
Each autumn there’s a sudden increase in the number of house spiders we see indoors, and this year we are developing an app to record their arrival. We now need your help to name the app. All suggestions are gratefully received in the comments below or vote in the poll. [yop_poll id=”2″]
Is crowdfunding a conundrum?
By Zoe Martin, Education Policy Officer at the Society of Biology Everyone has ideas. I have them every day. Sometimes people think really hard about something and come up with an idea to make that something better. Many of these people are scientists. I am sure most readers are aware it normally takes more than … Continue reading
The misuse of research – join the debate
Malcolm Dando (right), Professor of International Security at the University of Bradford, is Chair of our upcoming Policy Lates debate on research which has the potential to be misuse. People can come to a discussion on the problem of dual-use scientific work with very different perspectives. So there is good reason to expect a lively … Continue reading
Species of the week: celebrating the original Pacman
By Jenni Lacey, Marketing Assistant at the Society of Biology Ornate horned frogs (Ceratophrys ornata) are affectionately known as the Pacman frog due to their characteristic wide mouth and large rotund stomach. They are sedentary amphibians and notorious for their gluttonous eating habits. Their behaviour echoes the 80’s arcade game they take this nick-name from: … Continue reading
Using British Sign Language (BSL) in science education
Guest blog by Jon Hickman, teacher – science teacher at Ferndown Upper School in Dorset I have been using British Sign Language (BSL) as a visual learning tool in my science classes for the past year. As a kinaesthetic process it is excellent for visual and tactile learners to reinforce key concepts. The majority of … Continue reading
Feeding Life – Photography Competition 2013
Jenni Lacey from the Society of Biology explores inspiration for this year’s photography competition Like most people my taste and eating habits have dramatically changed over the years. Influenced first by family habit, tradition and what was put in front of me, and later by new surroundings, culture and choice, I’ve thankfully now developed a … Continue reading