Media mentions
4 April 2012
Cosmic weather forecast
The Guardian, 8.3.2012
Scientists predict that we will see more solar storms over the coming months. As an active area of the Sun continues to generate solar flares, charged particles are ejected into space, which have the potential to cause geomagnetic storms as they crash into Earth’s magnetic field. These could potentially cause disruption to satellites and even the national grid. The active area of the sun first rotated into Earth’s view on 3 March. Speaking at the time, Dr Jonathan Eastwood (Physics) said: “At the moment, the Earth’s magnetic field is trying to deflect the solar material around the Earth, and scientists in the UK and around the world are monitoring the situation to see if our magnetic shield will hold up.”
One year on
Los Angeles Times, 11.3.2012
Twelve months after the Fukushima nuclear incident concerns over radiation exposure continue. However Imperial Visiting Professor Robert Gale (Medicine), together with radiation risk expert Owen Hoffman from SENES Oak Ridge Inc, says fears over an increase in cancer since the incident are unwarranted: “Humans are exposed to radiation every day. About 50 per cent comes from natural sources. The other 50 per cent is from manmade sources. When it comes to exposures like at Fukushima, the question is: what is the relative magnitude of the increased risk from Fukushima compared to our baseline cancer risk? Despite our fears, it is quite small.”
Size isn’t everything
Wired, 15.3.2012
A meteorite believed to be the UK’s largest is currently on display at a Royal Society exhibition. Size, however, is not enough to impress the scientists who examine meteorites for clues to the solar system’s past. Speaking to Wired, Dr Zita Martins (Earth Science and Engineering) says the most important thing for her is what is under the surface: “The meteorites I’m interested in are the stony ones, specifically carbonaceous chondrites. Those are very rich in carbon, and I’m interested in them because they have lots of organic molecules.” These molecules are the building blocks of life and central to theories suggesting life evolved on earth thanks to the delivery of such key ingredients by meteorites.
Brain boost
BBC news, 21.3.2012
Researchers claim to have identified the mechanism by which electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) – a psychiatric treatment in which seizures are electrically induced in anesthetised patients for therapeutic effect works for people suffering from severe depression. The scientists conducted a study involving severely depressed patients, taking MRI brain scans before and after treatment using ECT. The research suggests that ECT effectively reduces overactive connection strength between parts of the brain. Professor David Nutt (Medicine) said: “These findings make a lot of sense. This is why my research group is progressing psilocybin – which also disrupts this network,– as a treatment for depression.”
Tags: Earth Science and Engineering, Media Mentions, Medicine, Phys
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