The Cambridge University science magazine from

Michaelmas 2012 Issue 25 Cambridge University science magazine www.bluesci.co.uk

FOCUS Academic Spring . Sleep Deprivation Armchair Experimentation Astrobiology . Neil deGrasse Tyson BlueSci was established in 2004 to provide a student forum for science communication. As the longest running science magazine in Cambridge, BlueSci publishes the best science writing from across the University each term. We combine high quality writing with stunning images to provide fascinating yet accessible science to everyone. But BlueSci does not stop there. At www.bluesci.co.uk, we have extra articles, regular news stories, podcasts and science films to inform and entertain between print issues. Produced entirely by members of the University, the diversity of expertise and talent combine to produce a unique science experience. Michaelmas 2012 Issue 25

Cambridge University science magazine Contents

Features Regulars

6 We Look Like You A History of Making History 3 Nick Crumpton looks at the stereotype of the News 4 scientist Reviews 5

8 Such Stuff as Dreams are Made on Behind the Science 30 Leila Haghighat nds out what we really know Matthew Dunstan explores the life of about our dreams controversial physicist Neil deGrasse Tyson

10 Whose Training is it Anyway? Science and Policy 32 David Kent wonders whether doctorate training has Vicki Moignard examines exactly where scienti c gone stale information is coming from

12 Through the Looking Glass Initiatives 34 Jonathan Lawson re ects on the two faces of Ian Le Guillou reports from the 2012 UK handedness Conference of Science Journalists

14 Balm or Burden? History 36 Isaac Elliot nds out how sleep deprivation can Hugo Schmidt reveals the advances made in the affect our mood eld of astrobiology

24 Perspective 38 FOCUS Leila Haighighat discusses the recent revolution in academic publishing Armchair Experimentation BlueSci reveals how Weird and Wonderful 40 technology has made science more accessible Issue 25 Specials GSLS Image Competition 16 About Us... Committee Not-Sci 18 BlueSci was established in 2004 to provide a student President: Jonathan Lawson ...... [email protected] BlueSci news 19

WE’RE CELEBRATING THE 25th issue of BlueSci with this special collection of articles describing some of the other forum for science communication. As the longest Managing Editor: Tom Bishop ...... [email protected] activities and events that BlueSci is involved in. All of these projects are organised and run by members of the University and we’re always happy for new members to get involved and learn new skills. Visit www.bluesci.co.uk to nd out more. BlueSci News Louisa Lyon talks about the fast-paced world of science news

Not-Sci online content, learning to think about how to attract and keep a reader despite in nite competition, Sita Dinanauth reveals why it is important to ght against bad science shorter attention spans and busier lives is paramount. If you’re at all tempted by a career in science communication, or you’d simply like to develop FOR YEARS, MAINSTREAM media has held sway over neurology, Lawrence Krauss with physics, Vilayanur writing and editing skills to help in your thesis or Bad Science by our lives, directing the opinions of the public and Ramachnadran with neuroscience Ben Goladacre when publishing papers, then preparing an online Ben Goldacre biasing their views on the issue of the day.  ere have with medicine and David Attenborough with nature. news story is an excellent way to get started without provided the been several high-pro le cases where the media driven Science writing is not about ‘dumbing down,’ nor is having to commit a huge amount of time.  e skills inspiration for opinion has clashed with scienti c advancements and it about ltering out the complicated parts of peer- that you can acquire at BlueSci are particularly highly Not-Sci generally science has lost out. As a result, the majority reviewed publications.  e best science writers assume valued by the publishing industry but also equip you of bench scientists I have come across, believe that that what applies to all other media disciplines applies to be successful in academia and industry. when it comes to the reporting of science stories, to science: your readers are intelligent enough to want I decided to get involved with BlueSci whilst I was sensation is what captures the non-scientist’s attention to nd sources, view your argument from several, working as a post-doctoral researcher, having realised and what sells newspapers. As one biochemist put it, balanced angles and decide whether they believe the that I did not want to be an academic for the rest of “when you consider the media from the perspective evidence supporting the facts.  ey don’t need to be my career I decided to try out some alternatives. After of a scientist, whose mind is quietly calmed by facts told what to think. only a short time working on BlueSci News, I was and detailed technical descriptions while being A new emerging challenge in the modern world of BlueSci News HOW MANY GENERATIONS would it take a mouse- able to leave my research and took on a new role as equally repulsed by emotive opinion and polarised smartphones, social media and the Internet, is the articles can be sized animal to evolve into an elephant-sized one? Is sub-editor at Nature. I now work on the ‘front half’ arguments, you see why many are reluctant to hunt for the truth. When it comes to science in found near the a malaria vaccine in sight? And what exactly is dark of the magazine, helping to hammer non-research interact with a machine they consider sensationalist, a society like this how can we ensure that people front of every matter? copy (editorials and “news & views” type things) into issue and online unbalanced and inaccurate.”As the very public are exposed to informed opinions and hear truths In articles just a few hundred words long and shape before Tuesday’s weekly press deadline. My new interrogation of the Murdochs and the libel reform supported by research and evidence? In a world suitable for a general reader, BlueSci News covers job means that I make constant use of the abilities campaign demonstrate the mainstream media are where everyone has a voice, who do we listen to? the entire spectrum of science, from immunology to that I developed and honed at BlueSci. BlueSci Film 20 now being held accountable for their tactics and their Now that the public are able to challenge the media astrophysics. During my interview at Nature Publishing Group ability to report on correct information. However, and blogging and social media have opened up more Being able to take complex information – perhaps (NPG), it quickly became clear that my answers to biased reporting and sensationalism continue to be avenues for communicating than ever before, it is a on a topic that you previously knew little about — most of the questions, for example, “What should a problem when it comes to the reporting of science great time to produce an opinion or voice backed up and transform it into clear and readable prose is a a news reporter keep in mind when they prepare a stories. by logic. skill valued in many elds, both inside and outside story?”, “Can you give an example of when you’ve One of the greatest barriers between academic science But in an endless sea of voices, the voice of scienti c science. Especially if you also need to get it done had to work to deadlines?”, “What about when you’ve and the general public is the restriction on access reason and logic can only be heard if all scientists whilst the story is still relevant and interesting and worked in a team?”, “How do you decide whether a to peer reviewed publications. In Cambridge, those get more involved in public communication.  is is you have to juggle a whole bunch of other pressures, a story is newsworthy?”, revolved around the experience not employed by the University can expect to pay why Not-Sci was founded. To give young scientists in Cambridge degree for example. I’d gained working with BlueSci, and particularly with around ten pounds for a copy of this months Nature Cambridge a strong and reliable voice that can stand Perhaps the greatest challenge is nding a the news section. And that experience does seem to magazine, or a similarly in ated amount to access against unsupported claims, false treatments and worthwhile story, new scienti c papers are published have helped out over the past few months, too. Most articles online. empty promises and share the joys of good science all the time and each one is a potential story but of the principles are the same no matter what the Until access to science journals is changed, with everyone. nding one with high public interest and impact magazine – it’s just the scale and the pace that can scienti cally accurate, engaging reporting in factors is a much more intricate procedure. Often d i  e r ! paramount. Science writers act as an interpreter news stories don’t come from the title of a paper, relaying rst hand published data to the masses, sometimes they are found buried in the discussion BlueSci news articles can be written about any so it is important that present data in an accurate, or one of the experiments, it takes an inventive and science story and can be sent to the news editor for balanced way.  e aim is to translate something fairly Not-Sci is written by BlueSci members for Varsity. You dedicated writer to nd these hidden gems and build online publication. Articles are typically 300-400 words technical to a non-specialist audience but not to just can nd them all on the Varsity Veri ed blog online them into a story. so are very quick and easy to write even if you have a recycle facts or impress the reader with extensive at http://blogs.varsity.co.uk/veri ed. Contact us at Furthermore, it’s not just about the text. Whenever busy schedule. BlueSci News is now run by Joanna- vocabulary and colourful metaphors. Brilliant [email protected] to get involved. you scan a website or  ick through a magazine, Marie Howes, contact her on [email protected] to get science writers are able to marry the passionate it’s the headline and the images that pull you in. involved in news writing or editing. curiosity that made them interested in science in Sita Dinanauth is nishing her PhD in the Department Giving an article a catchy title and making it look Louisa Lyon was a post-doctoral researcher in the the rst place with theory and vivid explanations of Biochemistry. She created Not-Sci in 2009 and was appealing on the page are key considerations and Department of Experimental Psychology and edited running science magazine in Cambridge, BlueSci Secretary: Lizzie Bateman ...... [email protected] about the fundamentals. Oliver Sacks does this with Head of BlueSci Film until 2011. vital skills if you want to get your message across. As BlueSci News during 2011/12. She is now a sub-editor the publishing industry moves increasingly towards at Nature.

18 BlueSci Special Michaelmas 2012 Michaelmas 2012 BlueSci Special19 publishes the best science writing from across the Treasurer: Tim Hearn ...... [email protected] BlueSci Radio 21 University each term. We combine high quality writing Film Editors: Nick Crumpton & Alex Fragniere ...... fi [email protected] with stunning images to provide fascinating yet Radio: Anand Jagatia...... [email protected] BlueSci Events 22 accessible science to everyone. But BlueSci does Webmaster: ...... [email protected] not stop there. At www.bluesci.co.uk, we have extra Advertising Manager: Fiona Docherty ...... [email protected] articles, regular news stories, podcasts and science Events & Publicity Offi cer: Jordan Ramsey ...... [email protected] fi lms to inform and entertain between print issues. News Editor: Joanna-Marie Howes ...... [email protected] Produced entirely by members of the University, the Web Editor: Vicki Moignard ...... [email protected] diversity of expertise and talent combine to produce a unique science experience.

Contents 1 Issue 25: Michaelmas 2012 Editor: Nicola Love Managing Editor: Tom Bishop Let’s talk science Business Manager: Michael Derringer

Second Editors: Keren Carss, Fiona Docherty, Matt Dunstan, Leila Haghighat, adults in the uk spend around 45 per cent of their Jonathan Lawson, Vicki Moignard, Jannis Meents, Hugo Schmidt, Jordan Ramsey, waking life in front of screens. We are constantly watching Lou Woodley TV, browsing the Internet and playing with Smartphones. The Internet has revolutionised the way we socialise, shop and Sub-Editors: Joanna-Marie Howes, do business, and as this issue of BlueSci discusses, the way we Jonathan Lawson, Laura Pearce, Alua communicate science. Suleinienova Modern technology has opened up the world of science and made it more accessible. The public has not been this involved News Editor: Joanna-Marie Howes in research since the days before science became confined News Team: Mrinalini Dey, Nicola Hodson, to the ivory tower of academia, when wealthy amateur Jannis Meents ‘Gentleman Scientists’ like Darwin pursued scientific discovery as a leisurely pastime. Reviews: Fiona Docherty, Ali Ghareeb, In this, our 25th edition of BlueSci, we focus on how Jonathan Lawson the digital age has changed science. From the revolution in Focus Team: Nick Crumpton, Luke Maishman, Jordan Ramsey, academic publishing which started with a single blog post to Weird and Wonderful: Keren Carss, the use of the internet in citizen science projects which enable Mrinalini Dey, Jannis Meents the public to actually get involved with research, we discuss the role technology has played in popularising science. Pictures Team: Matt Dunstan, Jonathan Although an increase in the public’s interest in science is Lawson, Luke Maishman, Laura Pearce never a bad thing, the explosion in science communication Production Team: Matt Dunstan, Jonathan Lawson, Luke Maishman, has not been without its drawbacks. The Internet has allowed Laura Pearce amateur scientists to share their work with the world but it has also allowed an abundance of pseudoscience, incorrect Illustrators: Alex Hahn, Cristos Panayi claims and hype to enter the public domain. The need for good, accurate scientific reporting has never been more apparent, or more in demand. ISSN 1748-6920 BlueSci has been at the forefront of student science journalism for the past 8 years. We have inspired a number of other science magazines, including three new magazines launched just this month. Although print journalism is as popular as ever, science journalism is increasingly becoming an online medium, in no small part due to the popularity of blogging. Here at BlueSci we have diversified to keep up with the latest technology; we can be found online on our website, Facebook page and Twitter feed. Our films produced by BlueSci film are available on our YouTube channel and our radio show is available as a podcast download. The future of science communication looks promising, and at BlueSci we are looking forward to producing the next 25 issues of ‘BlueSci’ and to using the Internet to communicate science in new and exciting ways. Now has never been a Varsity Publications Ltd Old Examination Hall better time to get involved in science communication, so if Free School Lane anything in this issue inspires you to get involved we would Cambridge, CB2 3RF Tel: 01223 337575 love to hear from you! www.varsity.co.uk [email protected]

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License (unless marked by a ©, in which case the copyright remains with the original rights holder). To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Nicola Love Commons, 444 Castro Street, Suite 900, Mountain View, Issue 25 Editor California, 94041, USA.

2 Editorial Michaelmas 2012 A History of Making History Jonathan Lawson recounts the story of BlueSci from the beginning

The Cambridge University science magazine from back in 2003, a series of discussions between a view of science communication and the standard of Michaelmas 2012 Issue 25 Cambridge University science magazine www.bluesci.co.uk small group of like-minded Cambridge scientists and popular science writing and broadcasting. We are science students resulted in the idea of producing happy to have been able to meet up with our sister a termly science magazine. Reflecting a growing magazines recently at a conference organised by the feeling that conversations about science and scientific Association of British Science Writers (ABSW) and events deserved more attention, this group hoped hope to have inspired additional new student science to explore the potential of science communication magazines in other universities across the UK. within the university. At a similar time, Cambridge I am still astounded to be writing in our 25th University Science Publications (CUSP) had been set Issue, having first encountered Issue 3 of BlueSci

FOCUS Academic Spring . Sleep Deprivation up for Cambridge scientists interested in talking to as a prospective applicant in 2005. For the current Armchair Experimentation Astrobiology . Neil deGrasse Tyson the public about their work and science in general. generation of science students in Cambridge, BlueSci The two groups combined forces, and friendships, to has been ever present in tearooms and combination create BlueSci. rooms throughout the university. Yet, even after Originally, CUSP’s focus was on creating short more than eight years, BlueSci only comes together science films and producing a show on Cambridge each term through the hard work and dedication of a University radio. With the creation of BlueSci, and fantastic team of volunteers; our writers, editors and the enthusiastic team that quickly grew up around producers. In particular, many thanks are owed to the magazine, its main activities shifted to the printed Managing Editor, Tom Bishop, who’s vision has been form. At this time, CUSPs goals were two-fold. integral to BlueSci throughout the last year. He and Firstly, the magazine provided a regular forum for Issue Editor, Nicola Love, have brought together a connecting those interested in science and science fantastic celebratory issue bringing featuring some old events in Cambridge, countering the isolation elements that haven’t been seen in BlueSci for several sometimes caused by the college and departmental issues, as well as some brand new sections especially systems. Secondly, BlueSci and CUSP afforded for the 25th Issue. anyone interested in gaining practical experience Without the much appreciated help of Varsity of science communication an opportunity to write, Publications it would have been much harder edit and learn the tasks involved in putting together for BlueSci to get started and we are still proud regular content. to be a part of the student newspaper group that BlueSci was the first university-based, student-run first reported such significant discoveries as the popular science magazine. Since the first issue went structure of DNA in 1953. Finally, the support of out in Michaelmas 2004 there have been a series of our numerous financial supporters including the A lot has evolutionary changes: BlueSci is now the common university schools & departments, CSaP (Centre changed since name for all CUSP ventures which, in addition to for Science and Policy), Science, Nature Publishing Issue 1 in this magazine, now includes an active web presence as Group and Equinox Graphics ensure that we can Michaelmas well as events, and a revival of radio and filmmaking continue to produce BlueSci in the full colour, high 2004 activities. Yet one thing remains unchanged; we are quality form for which it is known. still dedicated to sharing science in an exciting and I hope you will enjoy this exciting new issue engaging way with as large an audience as possible, and will feel inspired to get involved in science offering online editions and subscriptions for those communications. outside Cambridge. BlueSci is proud to have built a strong reputation amongst science journalists and journal editors, with a history of producing experienced and enthusiastic alumni. We have also been involved in spreading the word and helping to start similar groups at Jonathan Lawson other universities including EUSci in Edinburgh. BlueSci President 2012 Students are now contributing to science magazines at institutions all around the world and are excited On the cover of Issue 25 is a montage of the by the changes that this has brought to the academic covers from the previous 24 issues of BlueSci

Michaelmas 2012 A History of Making History 3 News Microbes Help Immune Cells Function How to Bend it Like Beckham

today we live in fear of bacteria; from microbe- scientists busting hand gels to antibacterial surface wipes and at the sprays, we are on a mission to rid our lives of these University microscopic life forms. However, as a new study of Leicester published in the journal have come Science shows, not all up with a bacteria are to be banished formula that and a few of them could could help MaN77 do with a long-awaited anyone score thank you. a goal like Beckham or Rooney. The researchers, four The research, carried Masters students in the Department of Physics and out by a team of scientists Astronomy, have created an equation which explains EquINOx GRapHICs © EquINOx at the National Institute how the amount of spin a footballer puts on a ball of Health (NIH), found that the millions of bacteria affects it’s direction. which live on the largest organ in the body, the skin, Spinning objects create a kind of whirlpool of have the ability to communicate with immune cells to airflow that results in different velocities of air at protect us against harmful microorganisms. the upper and lower side of the object. This causes a The investigators found that “germ-free” mice, which pressure difference resulting in a force known as the had been raised in a sterile environment and therefore Magnus force, which causes the spinning object to Check out contained no bacteria, were unable to fight off the curl sideways. www.bluesci.co.uk skin parasite Leishmania major. However, when they The group found that the amount a ball bends as or @BlueSci were colonised with the “good bacteria” Staphylococcus a result of the Magnus force depends on the ball’s on Twitter epidermidis, their immune cells were able to produce radius, the density of air, the ball’s spin, it’s velocity, for regular a signalling molecule called interleukin-1 that enabled it’s mass and the distance travelled by the ball in the science news them to defeat the pathogen. direction it was kicked. and updates This research gives us new insights into the protective Following the scientists equation, if a player role of skin bacteria and demonstrates their ability to standing just outside the penalty box would kick communicate with the immune system. The authors an average football with a velocity of 35 metres per suggest that with further research they’ll be able to second and a spin of 10 revolutions per second, the determine whether skin disorders such as eczema ball would bend approximately 6 metres towards the may be caused by an imbalance of the skin’s resident goal. jm bacteria. nh https://physics.le.ac.uk/journals/index.php/pst/article/ Doi: 10.1126/science.1225152 viewArticle/458

Meditation Reduces Inflammation

yoga has been shown to decrease stress levels in carried out meditative yoga. caregivers for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. Now, When constantly activated, the thanks to a new study by researchers at University of inflammatory response can lead California Los Angeles, it is known what causes this to stress related chronic health calming effect. problems such as heart disease The study, published in the journal and depression. It is encouraging Psychoneuroendocrinology, randomized 45 carers into to know that something as two groups. One group practiced a form of chanting simple as yoga meditation could yoga meditation for 12 minutes a day for eight weeks, provide some relief for these whereas a second group listened to a relaxation CD individuals who work tirelessly LONGTREKHOME for the same amount of time. Blood samples taken at to maintain and improve the the start and end of the study showed that 68 genes wellbeing of those in their care. md responded to reduce inflammation in the group who Doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.06.011

4 News Michaelmas 2012 Reviews Successful Science Communication - David J Bennett & Richard C Jennings IN 1985 THE Royal Society produced a report on the Public Understanding of Science. It marked a signi cant turning point in the interaction between scientists and the public. Successful Science Communication explores the repercussions of this report over the last 25 years; the careers that it has nurtured, the challenges that have been faced and the debates that rage on.  rough case studies of science media events, particularly around Cambridge, and discussions of the evolving nature of the world press, it introduces scientists to the rest of the world, and provides numerous means by which any modern researcher can share their interests with the public. Each chapter is individual, free standing and carefully structured, making this a useful reference for anyone new to making science accessible, although this can mean that similar points are covered many times throughout the book as a whole. Most importantly, Successful Science Communication investigates the way that people interact with science and the information that they most desire from scientists. Science communication is not about presenting basic scienti c knowledge and expecting people to use it. It is a dialogue CUP, 2011, £27.99 that highlights the relevance of science to society and provides a deeper understanding of the scienti c method. JL

Aping Mankind – Raymond Tallis IN HIS NEURO-PHILOSOPHY piece Aping Mankind, Raymond Tallis is not afraid to speak out against the ideology which pervades modern thought on human consciousness. Taking a non- deterministic view, he launches a crusade against the phenomenon he calls neuromania: using neuroscience to explain every aspect of human nature. He attacks enterprises such as neuro- economics and neuro-politics as well as basic neuroscience for their overzealous use of brain imaging to explain what we are thinking and why. Without having to reach to theology for support, Tallis points out many of the classical problems of a deterministic view on consciousness. For this reason, the book is an excellent starting point for anyone interested in neuro-philosophy. Tallis argues that primate intelligence has been greatly exaggerated and that there is a huge and unexplained gap between the abilities of humans and animals.Boldly, he goes further and suggests his own ideas about how human consciousness may have evolved. Whether or not you buy into all of Tallis’ ideas, he shows that there are troublesome issues with the way science approaches human nature. Being both a clinician and philosopher, Raymond Tallis presents his Acumen, 2011, £15.00 case in an elegant manner, while being tenacious and sharp in his arguments. AG

The Geek Manifesto: Why Science Matters - Mark Henderson THE GEEK MANIFESTO begins as a wry commentary on the way the British Government handles science policy, but then transitions into a passionate rallying of the troops. As Henderson suggests “it is time for the geeks of the world to unite.” Citing numerous (and often hilarious) examples of times when policy has let scientists down, Henderson argues that it is not just the fault of politicians that the government has failed to keep up with the advances of science. Scientists have always shied away from involvement in politics. We live in a country where only one of our 650 MPs is a scientist and even at the undergraduate level, arts students dominate student politics. Henderson proposes that it is now time to redress this balance and for scientists to take action and stand up for the issues that matter to them. e Geek Manifesto is a refreshing take on an important issue, and Henderson makes a compelling argument; it is time that scientists stopped complaining about the state of science policy in the UK and decided to do something about it. Not bad considering Henderson himself has a degree in history. FD Bantam Press, 2011, £18.99

Michaelmas 2012 Reviews 5 Christos Panayi We Look Like You Nick Crumpton looks at the stereotype of the scientist

the flaming lips nailed it. Thes cientists racing The mad for ‘the good of all mankind’ on the opening track scientist meme Race for the Prize in 1999’s album The Soft Bulletin is largely based capture that fear of being beaten to discovery (‘the on Einstein, shown here in an cure that is the prize’). Not only does the track extremely life- encapsulate the fevered obsession that accompanies like tattoo specialisation (‘both of them side by side, so determined’), but Wayne Coyne also screeches that the academics in Race for the Prize aren’t superheroes. After all, “they’re just humans, with wives and children.” Type ‘scientist’ into Google image search and you’ll realise that The Flaming Lips had a rather uniquely well informed idea of what a scientist is. The stereotype of the bespectacled, chemical-wielding maniac still abounds. Brian Cox resembles a rockstar

in comparison. Scientists, according to search ViD CorDEN engines, aren’t normal: they’re brains wrapped up in Da lab coats. borrowed mine about three years ago from a rather Those pristine gowns have, time and time again, petite girl in Bristol and never gave it back. But I When picturing been the most highly cited publicly perceived don’t have to wear it all the time: I’m lucky in that a scientist accessory of the scientist; in Argentina it even forms I don’t work in a ‘wet lab’ which means I don’t have most people the national symbol of learning. Clinicians however, to dodge acids, alcohols or fluorocarbons. Neither imagine a white, although identified most strongly with the white coat, did Einstein, and yet the modern crazy-haired mad bespectacled only began wearing them towards the end of the 19th scientist meme is sadly based largely on him. Indeed, man in a lab coat century in an effort to portray themselves as scientists while the coat is regarded publicly as the uniform of and to distance themselves from the mysticism of the scientist, throughout my time spent in academia quackery. Early photographic evidence traces late I’ve learnt that this is a fallacy. In fact, the closest 19th century doctors moving from beige coats to thing scientists have in terms of a uniform is a pair white, and wearing a black form of the coat, reserved of headphones; no matter what specialisation you’ve for dissecting cadavers, less and less. Whether the chosen, all forms of science require at least a little white coats were chosen specifically to unite medicine mindless data entry, repetition and nail-biting, finger- with science, to announce a change in hospitals crossing interludes whilst something does something from buildings in which one was admitted to die, to to something else. Why not listen to Bjork whilst that clinics of healing, or to act as a cloak of purity when happens? engaging intimately with patients’ bodies, the coat The isolation of scientists away from society, stuck. Only in 2007 was the white coat phased out within laboratories, may have helped contribute by the NHS in the UK. A fear of spreading infectious to the meme’s persistence. The ‘Draw a Scientist diseases was cited for the adoption of scrubs in place Task’ devised by David Chambers in the 1980s of white coats, despite that being among the reasons asked participants to sketch their interpretation of for their original adoption. a scientist before and after meeting one. Almost PENN VET I don’t particularly mind my lab coat. Actually, I universally the participants first drew a bearded,

6 We Look Like You Michaelmas 2012 white, spectacled man in a lab coat. e same task was later adopted by the ‘Who’s A Scientist project,’ in which seventh graders were introduced to physicists at the Fermilab high-energy accelerator in the US. After this meeting, all of the children engaged in the project realized their mistakes and the subsequent drawings and descriptions illustrated ‘normal’ men and women who were, oddly, pretty

interesting. URCOMUNICACION at was 10 years ago, but earlier this year the internet hummed with news of a similar project: unnatural obsession, or just a necessary passion for science communicator Allie Wilkinson’s is Is What their work? Underneath their coats, the geologists in A Scientist Looks Like blog. As a collection of real-life Zimmer’s book have geological logs (which really are It’s easy to spot scientists’ mug shots, the contrast to Google’s image beautiful) painted on their backs, the biochemists scientists in the search is stark. Yes, at least one of the images belongs have equations, and the conservationists have bees. lab, but would you on Awkward Family Portraits and yes, there are way Surely the sight of an Osprey on the leg of an notice them on the bus? too many ‘hilarious’ fancy dress costumes, but most ornithologist is a sign of sincerity in their work, a are, to plagiarize Douglas Adams, “just these guys, permanent mark that reminds us of how deep their you know?” commitment to their subject really goes? Maybe this In his 1882 e Physician Himself and What He is what we really want in our scientists? Should Add to the Strictly Scienti c, D. W. Cathell So while ‘ is Is What A Scientist Looks Like’ is an recommended that the physician should “[avoid] enjoyable romp through a hitherto hidden diversity, forcing on everybody the conclusion that you are, the #IAmScience hashtag that paraded around after all, but an ordinary person.” Any uniform can Twitter was much more informative. In describing be a wall to understanding and the proliferation of how scientists began their careers it generated a e Scientist meme proves that the public still view collection of vastly di erent experiences and inspiring scientists as out of the ordinary, maintaining the stories; people who pursued science at the expense 19th century mythology that medics constructed for of anything outside its realm, be it childhoods, themselves. friendships or relationships. Perhaps we might But those who seek to counter the public’s (largely conclude that, actually, scientists are a cut above the erroneous) idea of what e Scientist is should be rest, believing more than most in their ability to make aware: the  ght for the recognition of normality a di erence and improve society, life, and the world. can back re. e person who feels comfortable But then I remember their fondness for wearing uploading a picture of themselves onto a publicly conference t-shirts and I despair. available tumblr blog also, one would imagine, likes ey’re nothing out of the ordinary, there’s no to put themselves out there generally, as is more than such thing as a mad scientist, and none of them are evident in the amount of links to blogs and twitter superheroes. As e Flaming Lips put it, “they’re just accounts that accompany the photographs. And so humans.” the balance tips towards the extrovert. Carl Zimmer’s latest book is a perfect example of this. Science Ink gathers together images Zimmer had amassed on his blog after calling for scientists who had work-linked tattoos to forward photographs to him. I won’t pretend it’s not a fun book, and as I studied for my undergrad with one of the legs showcased, I can’t be too mean-spirited. But is an anatomically accurate Darwin’s tree tattoo of a chloroplast really that normal? Well maybe of life decorates it isn’t. Let’s return to the Lips. the leg of one Race for the Prize’s heroes were obsessive. e song scientist, while  nishes with the lament ‘ eirs is to win. It will kill another sports an them’. No matter how ‘normal’ scientists are, there’s Archeoptyrx fossil always a hint of addiction and the very act of science tattoo on his arm DAVID CORDEN DAVID itself is time (if not all-) consuming, and dependent LUKE MCLEOD on repetition, thoroughness and compulsion. Without a willingness to sacri ce at least a little time others can spend in the pub, the scientist is doomed Nick Crumpton is a 3rd year PhD student in the to fail. So perhaps I’m being too harsh. Is theirs an Department of Zoology

Michaelmas 2012 We Look Like You 7 www.aLexHaHniLLuStratOr.cOM Such Stuff as Dreams are Made On Leila Haghighat finds out what we really know about our dreams

dreaming pervades our lives, even when the unconscious mind to act out these, often socially we’re not tucked beneath the covers, fast asleep. unacceptable wishes. According to Freud, the taboo In philosophy, for example, it regularly enters subject matter of dreams explains why we remember discussions about the meaning of life. The ‘dream so few of them. In fact, on average we forget 50 per argument’ holds that what we call ‘reality’ may, in cent of our dreams five minutes after waking. Freud’s fact, be a dream because it relies on sensory input protégé Carl Jung believed dreams allowed a synthesis that cannot be trusted. Shakespeare propagated this of the day’s event by permitting us to reflect on philosophy through his literature. “We are such stuff ourselves and solve our problems by taking the time as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded to reflect on them. with a sleep”, he wrote in The Tempest. In more recent But to understand why we dream, scientists realised years, dreaming has also entered political discourse. they first needed to better understand what exactly Martin Luther King, Jr., for example, delivered a dream is. As a result, physiological studies of the a riveting appeal to end racial segregation with a 1950s formed the beginnings of Oneirology; the speech entitled “I Have a Dream.” But why is it that formal scientific study of dreams. A major milestone we dream, often several times each night and for an in the field was the discovery of rapid eye movement average of six years of our lives? Scientists are still (REM) sleep. Two researchers at the University struggling to find an explanation, but they do have Dreams some theories. often seem random but Before the 20th century there was no formal it is thought approach to studying the science behind dreaming. they allow the The first written record of dream interpretation dates brain to make back to 1275 BC, a time when the Mesopotamians sense of new and Egyptians believed that dreams were a medium experiences for delivering divine messages. The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus abandoned this religious take on dreams and suggested, instead, that dreams were created by individuals within their own minds. A few centuries later, Aristotle also discarded the notion that dreams were an externally driven phenomenon. In his treatise On Dreams, he posited that residual sensations from waking hours course through the bloodstream and stimulate the heart, producing dreams as a result. The heyday of psychoanalysis at the end of the 19th century saw the study of dreams become more scientific. With the publication of The Interpretation of Dreams, Sigmund Freud popularised the understanding of dreams as expressions of repressed desires. Freud linked symbols in dreams to specific Frank BOniLLa sexual desires and maintained that dreams allowed

8 Such Stuff as Dreams are Made On Michaelmas 2012 of Chicago, Eugene Aserinksy and his supervisor Nathaniel Kleitman, serendipitously discovered REM after a physicist published a paper in Nature claiming that he could identify the onset of sleep in his fellow train passengers by the rate at which their eyelids twitched. Most dreaming occurs during REM; the last of the five sleep stages which comprises a single cycle beginning approximately 90 minutes after first falling asleep. Each dream usually lasts between five and 20 minutes. A good night’s sleep comprises multiple sleeping cycles with progressively longer periods of time spent in REM. During REM, heart rate and breathing quicken, blood pressure rises and body temperature varies much more considerably. This image of In addition, the body enters a momentary state Sigmund Freud of paralysis in order to pre-empt any physical and was taken potentially dangerous enactment of a dream. This soon after the condition, known as REM atonia, involves the release publication of of an amino acid called glycine from the brain onto The Interpretation of Dreams the neurons that innervate muscles. PD-ArT Having established the physiology behind the dreaming process, scientists in the second half of the size of this part of the brain is comparatively reduced 20th century started to study the neurobiology of in insomniacs. Such neurobiological studies have led dreams. In 1977, Harvard psychiatrists John Allan to a new hypothesis that attempts to explain why we Hobson and Robert McCarley proposed that dreams dream by postulating that dreams are necessary for arise from random electrical impulses generated by the maintenance of ‘synaptic homeostasis.’ Constant the brain during sleep. According to Hobson and stimulation of our brain during the day leads to many McCarley’s ‘activation-synthesis hypothesis’, the connections being made between different brain waking mind’s attempt to make sense of this imagery cells. Dreaming may be a means of sifting through results in the stories that form the plots of our these connections, strengthening the ones that are dreams. They found that brain wave patterns can be important and weakening the ones that are not. used to differentiate between subjects experiencing Much attention has also been directed to the REM versus non-REM sleep. Different brain waves relationship between dreams, eating disorders and emit electrical voltage at different rates and are a slew of mood disorders including depression, individually referred to as alpha, beta, delta and bipolar disorder, suicide and post-traumatic stress theta waves. During REM sleep, brain waves are disorder, which have all been linked to abnormal desynchronous, whilst non-REM sleep comprises dreaming habits. Individuals with these conditions more synchronous patterns of the four distinct types tend to recall fewer or less detailed dreams than the of brain waves. By this point in time, scientists could norm. Currently, these relationships are being further apply at least three parameters to identify REM explored for their potential use in diagnosing and sleep: The electro-oculogram, which measures eye predicting the outcome of patients with psychological movement, the electromyogram, which measures disorders. muscle tone, and the electroencephalogram, which The fact that similar motifs reappear in everyone’s measures brain activity. dreams—from being naked in public to falling down, Nowadays, scientists have even more advanced being chased, sitting or forgetting to arrive for an technology for studying dreams, such as functional exam, flying, running without purpose or having magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machines that teeth fall out—suggests that there is an underlying detect blood flow in the brain. With this equipment, biological purpose for the dreaming process. Scientists they have been able to map specific features of may still not have fully wrapped their minds around dreams to different regions of the brain. The occipito- what that purpose is, but much progress has been temporal cortex, for example, is believed to be made in the field of Oneirology, as dreams have now responsible for visual imagery, whilst the amygdala entered the domain of science. allows us to experience emotions and the prefrontal cortex introduces logic into our dreams. Structural Leila Haghighat is an MPhil student in the integrity of the hippocampus is also important, as the Department of Medicine

Michaelmas 2012 Such Stuff as Dreams are Made On 9 Whose Training is it Anyway? Christos Panayi

David Kent wonders whether doctorates have gone stale

as long as the world has complex problems In countries where the length of PhD programmes to solve, we need to pursue creative and clever is flexible, times to graduation have been pushed solutions. A doctoral education equips people with further and further back. Currently, over 13 per the knowledge and critical thinking skills necessary cent of PhD projects in the US take over ten years to to imagine solutions, but there appears to be an complete. This represents an enormous investment acute sense of despair amongst graduate students of one’s early career. Consequently, students in three when it comes to their training and prospective or four year programmes find themselves several years career options. This dissatisfaction is precipitated (and papers) behind, and they are often forced to by two major trends that threaten to destabilize the undertake substantially more post-doctoral training to foundation of good academic science. The first is that get to the same stage in an academic career. This has researchers begin their independent careers later in a particular impact on those applying for fellowships life and the second is the increase in cookie-cutter with a ‘number of years post-PhD’ maximum, as is projects, that is, projects in which an established the case for many UK-based awards. Furthermore, method is applied in a slightly different context to the average age to independence has been pushed anything that has been done before. The cookie back by the glut of highly trained candidates applying cutter approach is an easy way to do research but it is for academic jobs. Again, US data are a worrisome without the revolutionary innovation that used to be beacon with the reported average age for obtaining a the trademark of a doctoral degree. These trends are grant to start a lab being 42. particularly evident in the biomedical sciences, where Along with increased age comes an increased the number of people involved and funding levels number of PhD students and postdoctoral fellows have risen sharply in the wake of major advances who are parents, own houses and are generally less in genomics, stem cells and regenerative medicine. movable. A 2009 survey of over 1200 Canadian Universities and policymakers would do well to take postdocs reported that 80 per cent were over the age note of these trends and try to address them sooner of 30, about half had a spouse, and nearly one-third rather than later. had children. This restricts possibilities even once one is able to gain independence. PhD students In 1998, Professor Sir Ken Robinson of Warwick need to be able University famously accused the UK school system to assess the of killing creativity, leading to a reduction in literature and invention and innovative thought. Is this occurring identify work in universities as well? If so, keeping graduate that will impact the field students and postdoctoral fellows in a training stage for longer may make them less creative, less risky and less productive due to too many years underneath someone else’s wing. A successful academic career relies on designing

UjjvAl PAnChAl UjjvAl experiments to answer novel questions about the particular system being studied and interpreting

10 Whose Training is it Anyway? Michaelmas 2012 effort into training the next generation, not just teaching them to do experiments but equipping them with the skills to invent their own. There needs to be better recognition for supervisors who invest heavily into training their students and a significant reconsideration of the way in which PhD Whose Training is it programmes are implemented. Teaching and training are often under-recognized Creative qualities that have a huge impact on the future of experimentation science, and it seems that the best positions are given was once the to those who have opted to be a publication machine trademark of a Anyway? doctoral degree Ron SmiTh Ron first and a teacher later. This attracts the best students who will often find themselves in what is the results of those experiments, something that affectionately known as a ‘sink or swim’ environment. is missing from ‘cookie-cutter’ projects. Many It is important for people to realise that no single Universities do not have formal requirements or supervisor produces work that eclipses the sum of metrics for measuring such skills, making it difficult the work of their trainees, and each student shipped to determine, from publication history, which out reflects (poorly or otherwise) the supervisor’s graduates possess these skills and which projects ability to train. The rewards should be evident for are just part of a standard batch that was already supervisors: future collaborations, good international guaranteed to work. A PhD is meant to teach the reputation and more productive students are among philosophy of a discipline. This means not only the benefits that make good training well worth the being able to carry out experimental procedures, investment. but also being trained to assess the literature and Many fields, especially the biomedical sciences, identify research that will impact the field. Some have created permanent positions for grant professors take this job very seriously, but others see facilitators, project managers, human resources the PhD student as someone who simply carries out managers and accountants as essential components of experiments. the research enterprise. But where are the scientists? While a PhD in the sciences should involve long Respectable, well-compensated positions for PhDs hours and a certain amount of struggle, it needs who love bench work need to be created for those to be focused on the question that is being asked who love exploring new ideas and love academic and why it is being asked – in other words, it needs lab environments but are simply not going to run to be hypothesis-driven research. Far too many their own lab. This would leave postdoctoral fellow PhD students do what their supervisor tells them positions for those who are explicitly involved in a to do without asking whether or not it is the best temporary training experience with the intention to approach. PhD students should be given ample time move on to start their own group. To drive projects for figuring out where the field is going and what that fall outside of a technician’s role, hire a scientist, the ‘big questions’ are. A PhD is not a box checking pay them well, keep them happy and watch the exercise of ‘did I complete the requisite number benefits roll in. Much thought must go into how of experiments?’, but rather it is an assessment of universities can best equip the majority of trainees critical thinking ability and the ability to have a for non-academic careers and have them leave the philosophical discussion about the field. All too often academy as motivated young scientists. This means young researchers are pushed to feel like it is late refraining from demonizing non-academic careers, evening and they just have to finish that last paper or such as industry, law and journalism, and identifying last experiment. good candidates for these alternatives early so that The undeniable reality is that there are many they can avoid suffering postdoctoral fellow apathy. more thousands of people undertaking PhDs than It is important to grapple with the reality of these ever before. In the United States alone, a steady trends instead of trying to reverse them. By climb between 1999 and 2009 resulted in a 17 redeveloping academic training, providing well per cent increase in the number of PhDs awarded thought-out projects and accepting the reality of (41,100 to 49,554, according to the National alternative career paths we can improve the quality of Science Foundation). While academic job posts have scientific research as a whole and ensure that nobody grown in number, they have been far outstripped gets a PhD that’s half baked. by PhD production. If we hope to tackle the big issues facing society we still need more graduate David Kent is a Postdoctoral fellow at the students, not fewer. However, we need to put more Cambridge Institute for Medical Research

Michaelmas 2012 Whose Training is it Anyway? 11 Through the christos Panayi Looking Glass

Jonathan Lawson reflects on the two faces of handedness

issues of handedness are a common feature attachments can be organised in two different of human societies, throughout history it has been ways – one a mirror image of the other – and these used to judge people. Even the terms associated with molecules are known as optical isomers of each other. ‘right’ (dextrous) are perceived as good and correct Optical isomers were first identified in the early whilst ‘left’ (sinister) has darker implications. In 19th century from their differential interactions with many societies left-handedness has been punished certain types of polarised light. Based on how the and conformism to the ‘right’ way has been enforced. molecule is arranged, the two forms can be named However, on the atomic level, handedness becomes as the R-isomer (Rectus/Right) or the S-isomer even more sinister. Many chemicals also have (Sinister/Left) or, in biology, as D and L respectively. handedness and for us this handedness can be the Molecules that can have distinct optical isomers are difference between life and death. called chiral molecules. In some chemicals, atoms are joined together in In most cases, optical arrangement doesn’t have any specific conformations to form molecules. These can effect and it can be very difficult to tell the difference

be small and simple such as water (H2O) – consisting between the two isomers without very specific tests. of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen – or they However, a chiral molecule will interact with other can be unimaginably large such as DNA, which can chiral molecules in specific ways depending on their be up to two metres long and includes millions of handedness. This may not seem very important, until individual atoms of many different types. you consider that many of the molecules in your body Mirror image molecules occur whenever one are chiral. Understanding chiral molecules is crucial atom in a molecule is directly attached to four to understanding illnesses and helps to develop new or more different parts of that molecule. These medical technologies. A normal ‘right- Many important molecules in living things are handed’ DNA chiral, including sugars, proteins and DNA. In all helix (right) and of these cases one isomer of any chiral molecule is its unnatural mirror image strongly favoured over the other and the same one (left). is favoured in all life on Earth. For example, almost all of the sugars in your body are the R (D)-isomer. Conversely, amino acids, the basic building blocks of proteins are predominantly S (L)-isomers and form left-handed proteins. The processes that release energy from sugars and build amino acids into proteins are highly sensitive to chiral arrangements and are typically unable to make use of the mirror images. The cellular components that drive these processes have evolved to recognise just one optical isomer and cannot process the mirror image because it has a different arrangement that cannot be identified. 3Dscience The implications of chirality in the human body

12 Through the Looking Glass Michaelmas 2012 vary from the innocent and entertaining to the life Thalidomide threateningly severe. Smells provide some great taken during examples of this. The sense of smell is the result pregnancy resulted in babies of specialised cells in your nose interacting with born with defects molecules in the air that you breathe in. One of these such as extra molecules is called limonene. As the name suggests fingers and toes limonene is an important part of the smell of lemons and other citrus fruits, if it is the D-enantiomer. However L-limonene has a fragrance similar to FiLip em pine trees. The difference in aroma between D-limonene and L-limonene is the result of how they interact with the per cent of the affected children before their first smell receptor cells in your nose. Each cell is covered birthday, were shown to be directly due to use of in only one of 900 scent receptor proteins and each thalidomide by mothers during pregnancy. Although protein has a pocket that recognises specific parts Thalidomide was thoroughly tested for side effects of molecules in the air. Since the different parts of prior to release and was found to have no obvious D- and L-limonene are arranged differently relative toxic effects directly on the patients treated, it was to each other they fit into the pockets of different never tested on pregnant women. receptor proteins, activate different cells and so cause The birth defects caused by Thalidomide were you to react differently. You recognise that smell as linked to how much of the drug was taken and either citrus fruit or pine. when during the pregnancy it was used. Defects Whilst limonene is an innocuous example, there could be minor and relatively superficial including are other cases where mistaken identity of isomers loss of gain of fingers and toes, although more has had in tragic and deadly outcomes across commonly babies had completely underdeveloped the developed world. Many drugs have different limbs, known as phocomelia. In the most severe enantiomers and generally this is relatively harmless: cases babies had fatal defects such as restricted lung not so in the case of thalidomide. Thalidomide is growth, underdeveloped hearts, nerve dysfunction or a very simple chemical and a chiral molecule. It intestinal defects. was developed in the 1950s after being discovered In the case of Thalidomide the isomers live up to accidentally whilst searching for antibiotics. their names; the R (right)-enantiomer has health Originally marketed as a sedative, Thalidomide benefits, whereas the S (sinister)-enantiomer is became known as a wonder drug that could be used responsible for causing birth defects. Sadly, it is not to treat a wide range of ailments. One of its most possible to have the beneficial drug without having popular applications was as a treatment of morning its evil twin. Even though R-Thalidomide can be sickness during pregnancy. made without the S-isomer and given to patients, After less than five years on the market once inside the human body it is possible for Thalidomide was withdrawn from over 50 countries. S-thalidomide to be made from R-thalidomide in a In just a few years over 10 000 children were born process called racemisation. Despite this thalidomide across Europe and Africa with severe developmental continues to prove itself a wonder drug with many defects. These defects, which killed around 40 new applications still being uncovered. After all, thalidomide is still harmless for use by anyone who is The scent of not currently pregnant. lemon and the In the modern age handedness may seem like a scent of pine are trivial issue – we no longer beat our children for mirror images showing left-handed tendencies – but when it comes to molecules in chemical reactions a left-handed molecule and its right-handed counterpart, in the right context, may still be polar opposites. One chemical can either give life, or it can take it away. Of course in most cases the difference between optical isomers is much less severe and is simply an amusing scientific curiosity: the difference between lemon and pine.

Jonathan Lawson is a 2nd year PhD student in the Department of Genetics KLaus HoFFmeier, KeNpei & HaNs HiLLewaerT HoFFmeier, KLaus

Michaelmas 2012 Through the Looking Glass 13 Christos Panayi Christos Balm or Burden? isaac Elliot finds out how sleep deprivation influences our mood

people with depression should sleep less, We use this time to consolidate memories, express evidence suggests. Research complied over the last 40 subconscious creativity, and in the early stages of life, years suggests reduction or complete deprivation of a to drive brain development and repair. It is notable specific phase of sleep, known as rapid eye movement that newborns and infants may spend more than 80% (REM) sleep may have an effect similar to Prozac, of their sleep in REM phases whilst REM often takes acting as a powerful anti-depressant. For many people up less than a quarter of an adult sleep pattern. in the 21st century sleep deprivation may seem more There is a well established connection between like a way of life than a condition. Most Cambridge depression and sleep patterns. Noticeably, untreated students are certainly more than familiar with, depression patients typically have longer periods sleepless nights cramming, are just part of the course. of REM sleep and shorter intervals between them, The side effects of sleep deprivation are well know meaning that in any 24 hour period, depressed to us all; fatigue, weakness, lack of intellectual focus, patients tend to spend more time in REM sleep. irritability and a propensity for emotional outbursts. Significantly one of the most commonly noticed side We are told continually that getting enough sleep effects of antidepressant drugs is their suppression of is an imperative part of life and that, in the long REM sleep. In experiments where a patient is denied term, lack of sleep can be severely damaging to our a night of sleep, some studies have reported up to health. In fact, the body is capable of surviving longer 60% effectiveness in reducing signs of depression without food than without sleep. So you could be (antidepressants typically have a similar efficacy). forgiven for showing surprise upon being told that In 1971, a group of researchers led by Dr Burkhard there is some scientific evidence to suggest that Pflug deprived patients of REM-sleep either by reduced sleep could actually be good for you. stopping the patient from sleeping at all or by It is well documented that sleeping is not just selectively waking the patients when they entered one constant thing, the way or body and mind acts REM phases. The scientists found that depriving and reacts changes through a series of well defined people of a single night of REM-sleep demonstrated phases as we sleep. The different parts of these cycles some improvement in mood and future outlook, are recognised by differing degrees of wakefulness. apparently illustrating an antidepressant effect that the deeper stages of Non-REM sleep correspond Depressed to greatly reduced brain activity and are linked to patients tend to more restful sleeping with much less body motion, spend more time including eye movements. In contrast, during REM in REM sleep sleep, brain activity is at a very similar level to being awake, although your mind remains isolated from the real world. During these phases high brain activity results in vivid dreaming. REM is so called because someone in REM sleep clearly shows a lot of eye movement, appearing to look all around them, whilst they sleep. As with so much of cognitive neuroscience, the definitive role of REM sleep is still unknown, but researchers believe that REM is Wiki/UsEr:sPongE when our brains are able to catch up with themselves.

14 Balm or Burden? Michaelmas 2012 has been supported by several follow-up studies. By contrast, long-term deprivation of an entire night’s sleep is both hazardous for your health and highly unsustainable. It has been suggested that REM sleep plays a When denied crucial role in the function of neurons (brain cells). sleep studies Neurons process and transmit information by have reported electrical and chemical signals. Communication up to 60% between neurons occurs when chemicals released Mark seBastian effectiveness in from one neuron cross a small gap known as the reducing signs of Balm or Burden? synapse and cause a response in a second neuron, depression this is how your thoughts occur, how you control your body, how you learn new skills and store ways: using psychological interventions, such as the memories. There are a specific group of chemical extremely effective cognitive behavioural therapy, or signals, called monoamines, which are closely linked pharmacological interventions which tend to target to how your brain processes feelings and emotions. monoamines. When monoamines are transmitted to a new brain Similarly REM sleep deprivation has been found cell they initiate new electrical signals which go on in certain studies to stimulate the regeneration of to spread messages throughout the brain. The new small populations of neurons in the hippocampus, a cell can’t make these signals indefinitely so it slowly region of the brain involved in memory formation, ‘desensitises’ and stops responding to the chemical a finding duplicated in trials of pharmacological signal. antidepressants. Whilst the importance and When chemicals, like monoamines, are used to mechanism by which this hippocampal neurogenesis carry messages between neurons they get used up and affects the course of depression is currently unknown, it takes time for those chemicals to be regenerated. it is further indication that REM sleep deprivation A key role of REM sleep is to help replace these interacts with similar pathways to antidepressant chemicals whilst the brain is at rest. It has been medications. The effects of REM sleep deprivation suggested that this also allows the neurons affected are also very short lived as there is a strong drive by chemical signals to recover from their effects and to undergo ‘catch up’ rebound sleep (which can return to normal, a process called resensitisation. be put off by forcing the patient to only have light The theory, termed the monoamine hypothesis, sleep afterwards) in a way mirroring the tendency of states that some forms of depression are caused by antidepressants to decline in efficacy over time. chemical imbalances in the brain. Many drugs use Numerous questions still surround this area this hypothesis for the basis of their activities and a of research. The prevailing opinion is that the lot of therapeutics – as well as several illegal mind- biochemical changes which occur in depression altering substances – closely resemble the chemicals result in sleep disorders as a side effect. A potential found in the key mood centres of the brain. There explanation of the research on REM sleep would be are several lines of evidence that have been found that the extended duration of REM sleep in depressed to support this viewpoint based around different patients results in excessive removal of monoamines medical interventions. The drug Reserpine lowers from the synapse, meaning that depressed patients blood pressure by suppressing monoamines, as a side have a lower circulating level of monoamines. On effect it has been known to cause severe depression a simplistic level, a person’s emotional response suggesting monoamines prevent depression. Euphoric is dependent on the monoamines, meaning this effects from amphetamines and cocaine increase imbalance might result in the ‘lack of pleasure’ the response to monoamines. Finally, the first characteristic of depression, suggesting that the REM antidepressant drugs also generally act by increasing sleep imbalances may be compounding the effects of monoamine concentrations. depression. There are multiple theories of how depression If this is true then modifications to patients’ sleep develops, including purely cognitive, behavioural, cycles, either using new drugs or alarm clocks, when anatomical and biochemical interpretations. combined with current pharmaceutical therapy to However, as responsiveness to treatments varies from stabilise the effects, might be able to improve the case to case, it seems likely that there are many causes treatment of depression for the low cost of the loss of that can lead to the development of depression, with a bit of shut-eye. chemical disturbances being just one possibility. However, monoamine imbalance is crucial in the Isaac Elliot is a 3rd Year Undergraduate studying consideration of our current treatment of depressed Medicine patients, as they are mainly treated in one of two

Michaelmas 2012 Balm or Burden? 15 first place Bats Are the Best Dorit Hockman impressed the judges with this collection of black mastiff bat embryos (right). Each shows a more advanced stage of development, with noticeably longer wings and larger ears.

Dorit Hockman Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience

second PlAce not What You Think Whilst Paola Cognigni’s image (left) is very plant- like it actually shows part of an adult fruit fly. Sugar from food is stored as fats in the structures highlighted in gold.

Paola Cogigni Department of Zoology

16 Pavilion Michaelmas 2012 Celebrating Life

t h e g r a d u a t e s c h o o l of Life Sciences (GSLS) image competition is a celebration of the variety of biological research that is ongoing here in Cambridge, from the investigation of the social behaviour and ecology of living things to the detailed study of individual cells. Towards the end of lent term each year, submitted images are displayed in the Muesum of Zoology at an open event, during which they are judged by a panel of scientists, science communicators and representatives of the general public. The competition is open to all MPhil, PhD and post-doctoral members currently working in the Life Sciences at Cambridge. To find out more, visit the GSLS website.

t h i r d p l a c e Two Heads are Better Than One Yoan Coudert’s image (below) shows an unusual branched moss on the left of the image. Natural variants like this may have been the earliest evolutionary precursors of modern plants and trees.

Yoan Coudert Department of Plant Sciences

Michaelmas 2012 Pavilion17 we’re celebrating the 25th issue of BlueSci with this special collection of articles describing some of the other activities and events that BlueSci is involved in. All of these projects are organised and run by members of the University and we’re always happy for new members to get involved and learn new skills. Visit www.bluesci.co.uk to find out more. Not-Sci Sita Dinanauth reveals why it is important to fight against bad science

for years, mainstream media has held sway over neurology, Lawrence Krauss with physics, Vilayanur Bad Science by our lives, directing the opinions of the public and Ramachnadran with neuroscience Ben Goladacre Ben Goldacre biasing their views on the issue of the day. There have with medicine and David Attenborough with nature. provided the been several high-profile cases where the media driven Science writing is not about ‘dumbing down,’ nor inspiration for opinion has clashed with scientific advancements and is it about filtering out the complicated parts of peer- Not-Sci generally science has lost out. As a result, the majority reviewed publications. The best science writers assume of bench scientists I have come across, believe that that what applies to all other media disciplines applies when it comes to the reporting of science stories, to science: your readers are intelligent enough to want sensation is what captures the non-scientist’s attention to find sources, view your argument from several, and what sells newspapers. As one biochemist put it, balanced angles and decide whether they believe the “when you consider the media from the perspective evidence supporting the facts. They don’t need to be

Equinox GraphicS © Equinox of a scientist, whose mind is quietly calmed by facts told what to think. and detailed technical descriptions while being A new emerging challenge in the modern world equally repulsed by emotive opinion and polarised of smartphones, social media and the Internet, is arguments, you see why many are reluctant to the hunt for the truth. When it comes to science interact with a machine they consider sensationalist, in a society like this how can we ensure that people unbalanced and inaccurate.”As the very public are exposed to informed opinions and hear truths interrogation of the Murdochs and the libel reform supported by research and evidence? In a world campaign demonstrate the mainstream media are where everyone has a voice, who do we listen to? now being held accountable for their tactics and their Now that the public are able to challenge the media ability to report on correct information. However, and blogging and social media have opened up more biased reporting and sensationalism continue to be avenues for communicating than ever before, it is a a problem when it comes to the reporting of science great time to produce an opinion or voice backed up stories. by logic. One of the greatest barriers between academic But in an endless sea of voices, the voice of science and the general public is the restriction on scientific reason and logic can only be heard access to peer reviewed publications. In Cambridge, if all scientists get more involved in public those not employed by the University can expect to communication. This is why Not-Sci was founded. pay around ten pounds for a copy of this months To give young scientists in Cambridge a strong and Nature magazine, or a similarly inflated amount to reliable voice that can stand against unsupported access articles online. claims, false treatments and empty promises and share Until access to science journals is changed, the joys of good science with everyone. scientifically accurate, engaging reporting in paramount. Science writers act as an interpreter relaying first hand published data to the masses, so it is important that present data in an accurate, balanced way. The aim is to translate something fairly Not-Sci is written by BlueSci members for Varsity. You technical to a non-specialist audience but not to just can find them all on the Varsity blog online at varsity. recycle facts or impress the reader with extensive co.uk. Contact us at [email protected] to get vocabulary and colourful metaphors. Brilliant involved. science writers are able to marry the passionate curiosity that made them interested in science in Sita Dinanauth is finishing her PhD in the Department the first place with theory and vivid explanations of Biochemistry. She created Not-Sci in 2009 and was about the fundamentals. Oliver Sacks does this with Head of BlueSci Film until 2011.

18 BlueSci Special Michaelmas 2012 BlueSci News Louisa Lyon talks about the fast-paced world of science news

online content, learning to think about how to attract and keep a reader despite in nite competition, shorter attention spans and busier lives is paramount. If you’re at all tempted by a career in science communication, or you’d simply like to develop writing and editing skills to help in your thesis or when publishing papers, then preparing an online news story is an excellent way to get started without having to commit a huge amount of time.  e skills that you can acquire at BlueSci are particularly highly valued by the publishing industry but also equip you to be successful in academia and industry. I decided to get involved with BlueSci whilst I was working as a post-doctoral researcher, having realised that I did not want to be an academic for the rest of my career I decided to try out some alternatives. After only a short time working on BlueSci News, I was BlueSci News HOW MANY GENERATIONS would it take a mouse- able to leave my research and took on a new role as articles can be sized animal to evolve into an elephant-sized one? Is sub-editor at Nature. I now work on the ‘front half’ found near the a malaria vaccine in sight? And what exactly is dark of the magazine, helping to hammer non-research front of every matter? copy (editorials and “news & views” type things) into issue and online In articles just a few hundred words long and shape before Tuesday’s weekly press deadline. My new suitable for a general reader, BlueSci News covers job means that I make constant use of the abilities the entire spectrum of science, from immunology to that I developed and honed at BlueSci. astrophysics. During my interview at Nature Publishing Group Being able to take complex information – perhaps (NPG), it quickly became clear that my answers to on a topic that you previously knew little about — most of the questions, for example, “What should and transform it into clear and readable prose is a a news reporter keep in mind when they prepare a skill valued in many elds, both inside and outside story?”, “Can you give an example of when you’ve science. Especially if you also need to get it done had to work to deadlines?”, “What about when you’ve whilst the story is still relevant and interesting and worked in a team?”, “How do you decide whether a you have to juggle a whole bunch of other pressures, a story is newsworthy?”, revolved around the experience Cambridge degree for example. I’d gained working with BlueSci, and particularly with Perhaps the greatest challenge is nding a the news section. And that experience does seem to worthwhile story, new scienti c papers are published have helped out over the past few months, too. Most all the time and each one is a potential story but of the principles are the same no matter what the nding one with high public interest and impact magazine – it’s just the scale and the pace that can factors is a much more intricate procedure. Often di er! news stories don’t come from the title of a paper, sometimes they are found buried in the discussion BlueSci news articles can be written about any science or one of the experiments, it takes an inventive and story and can be sent to the news editor for online dedicated writer to nd these hidden gems and build publication. Articles are typically 300-400 words so them into a story. are very quick and easy to write – even if you have a Furthermore, it’s not just about the text. Whenever busy schedule. BlueSci News is now run by Joanna- you scan a website or  ick through a magazine, Marie Howes, contact her on [email protected] to get it’s the headline and the images that pull you in. involved in news writing or editing. Giving an article a catchy title and making it look Louisa Lyon was a post-doctoral researcher in the appealing on the page are key considerations and Department of Experimental Psychology and edited vital skills if you want to get your message across. As BlueSci News during 2011/12. She is now a sub-editor the publishing industry moves increasingly towards at Nature.

Michaelmas 2012 BlueSci Special 19 BlueSci Film Nick Crumpton explores the past, present and future of science documentary making

the 2010 Wildscreen awards, is an independently produced, free to download feature, created by an ‘ordinary citizen trying to protect the rainforest’. In introducing concepts such as deforestation and palm oil production whilst dispensing with narration, the Policy making for high impact, film succeeds in posing questions, not answering low probability them. Rather than explaining a concept to the events can be audience, it asks them to consider the implications a risky business of an action. In a way, it asks them to think - to be scientific, rather than acting as a visual anchor for hand-holding narration.

Core While Green might be an indication of just where

N avi long-form science documentary making is heading, thanks to the Internet, scientific documentary making as a whole seems to be moving in another direction. in 1981 it turned out that it didn’t take a lot to Short visual-heavy infographic films are giving make a really great science film. The team behind the difficult to understand science topics a helping hand. BBC’s Horizon took a gamble and found that one Take for instance the eight minute long animation on person sitting in chair, talking candidly to an off- the Higgs Boson by Jorge Cham, the creator of the camera interviewer, could produce one of the finest Piled Higher and Deeper comics or the number-heavy pieces of television about science. It helped that the issues surrounding fishing quotas which become interviewee was Nobel Prize winner and world-class obvious (and appalling) to anyone watching the raconteur Richard Feynman, an extraordinary lecturer thirteen computer generated jumbo-jets flying into who knew how to communicate to non-scientists. a single trawling net in Uli Henrik Streckenback’s But the fact that his opening monologue has been animated infographic Ending Overfishing. watched around 200,000 times on Youtube says a In the future I’m foreseeing a schism in science lot for the role television can play in popularizing documentary making between mediums, with more science. poetic representations of reality on one hand, and As a zoologist, I’m drawn to Natural History the fact-heavy five to ten minute long infographics reportage, a historically softer form of science pervading Vimeo and YouTube on the other. The documentary, but one of western society’s most latter are what we’re linking to on our blogs and important sources of information about the natural retweeting, from Wired and BlueSci.co.uk: it’s already world. happening. Whether we’re bound to carry on down The genre has altered significantly over the years, this route, I’m not sure. as clearly demonstrated by the work of David Attenborough. In 1984, his series The Living Planet BlueSci Film produces short films explaining new consisted of hour-long lectures whilst the Natural scientific discoveries and advances, as well as showcasing History Unit’s footage acted as a slideshow for him some of Cambridge’s brightest and best science researchers to talk over. When Bluesci was first published, the and communicators. most expensive science documentary ever made, Our films can be found at bluesci.co.uk or at the the cinematic Planet Earth, was still two years away BlueSciFilm youtube channel. If you are interested in from being broadcast, and today Attenborough is, getting involved with film making, or if you have an generally, a presenter of beauty, no longer a writer of idea for a film, contact the Film Editors Nick Crumpton explanations. & Alexandra Fragniere at [email protected] Recently, film makers are moving away from Attenborough’s traditional style of film making, highlighting how used to the documentary “formula” we’ve all become. Green, an extended portrait of a Nick Crumpton is a PhD student in the Department of Zoology. He is currently co-editor of BlueSci Films. dying female orang-utan and the overall winner of

20 BlueSci Special Michaelmas 2012 BlueSci Radio Anand Jagatia discusses the benefits of communicating science over the airwaves the first bluesci talk I attended sticks out in my mind for two reasons. One reason is that I got to meet Brian Leith, the executive producer of Human Planet, and hear some of the amazing stories behind the footage and people that were featured on the programme which made it such a success. The second is that after meeting the BlueSci President for the first time, to my complete surprise, he agreed to let me have my own radio show. At the time I hadn’t even finished my radio training at CamFM, so I had no idea how I was going to gather enough material to even fill one hour, let alone

create anything that people would actually want to Stone DAniel listen to. But, as with most things, I was thrown in at the deep end, and before I even had a single nearly all of the shows were broadcast live, and when show under my belt I was faced with the prospect of you don’t have a script in front of you the only choice interviewing Dr Stuart Clark, Fellow of the Royal is to adopt an almost conversational tone with your Astronomical Society and now the author of a series co-host - and the listeners too. That, at least, is what I of historical fiction novels about the lives of scientists hoped people would think when they listened to one such as Newton and Galileo. Although I was nervous of our shows; that it wasn’t a lecture or presentation at first, by the end it was hard to stop the torrent of about science, but an animated chat that they could questions that kept popping into my head, and a free be a part of. copy of a book is always nice. This year, the show will be bigger and even better Since then, we’ve done ten shows and three than before. If you haven’t listened to any of our past special features on all manner of fascinating science, programmes then do download our podcasts from the from synaesthesia to using video games in nature BlueSci website. If you would like to get involved in conservation. I have had the privilege to talk to any aspect of the show, from research to presenting to people from all sides of the scientific community, producing, than please don’t hesitate to get in touch - work with some wonderful co-hosts and learn even no matter how much you hate the sound of your own more about what I find most interesting in the world. voice. One of the highlights of the year was the talk I had with Dr Helen Scales, a marine biologist and diving BlueSci Radio is broadcast live on CamFM, Tuesdays explorer, about the secret lives of seahorses and 16:00-17:00. Tune in to 97.2 FM, or log on to the mysteries of the deep. When I look back on all www.camfm.co.uk to listen online. Join us to hear we’ve done this past year, from attending seminars about our feature of the week, get the latest science news to interviews and competitions, I can’t believe how and reviews and keep up to date with science events much fun it’s all been. The BlueSci Radio Show has happening in Cambridge. Previous episodes of the show genuinely been one of the most rewarding things are available to download from bluesci.org. If you have a that has happened to me at University, and if science science question you want answered live on air or if you communication is something that you’ve thought would like to get involved with radio production email about pursuing then I can’t recommend radio as a the radio editor and BlueSci radio show host Anand platform for it more highly. Jagatia at [email protected]. The thing about radio is that it’s so much more personal than television. Staring at a camera to present a television show now seems so artificial compared to talking into a mic, and I think radio Anand Jagatia is a 3rd year Undergraduatate studying achieves a much more natural feel to its output than Neuroscience. He has been the presenter and editor of the BlueSci radio show since October 2011. TV or the written word. Towards the end of last year,

Michaelmas 2012 BlueSci Special 21 [POPULAR Science] Helen Gaffney discusses BlueSci’s series of science communication talks

the scientific celebrity is not a new phenomenon, the media between delivering scientific reporting that is but as ever more scientists are spending time telling the representative of the scientific consensus and capturing public about their work, questions about what popular the imagination of the general public, something that was scientific reporting should offer have become increasingly discussed by BBC journalist Vivienne Parry in her talk last prescient. How strictly should scientific comment year. be regulated? Where is the correctly balance between One thing all of our speakers agreed on was that providing information and offering entertainment? And the most important thing to think about when perhaps most importantly, what does good scientific communicating science is what makes a good story. reporting look like? In order to find answers to these You need to capture the readers attention with a strong questions the BlueSci committee decided to launch the headline and then retain their interest by thinking [POPULAR science] series of talks. carefully about the most interesting way to present the Upload your CV at Our previous speakers have come from a broad range relevant scientific facts and findings. of areas within science communication, and talked about Naturejobs for a chance to a wide variety of subjects. Our first speaker Tim Radford, BlueSci organises the [POPULAR Science] series of talks former science editor for the Guardian, described his which explore the importance of direct communication win a MacBook Pro!* experience of the shift toward online journalism and the between the academic community and the general public in resulting accelerated pace of reporting. Gareth Mitchell modern society. Talks are open to everyone. Information about provided us with an insight into the challenges of radio upcoming talks can be found on the BlueSci website (BlueSci. Ready to take your career sky high? Upload broadcasting, while presenter and BlueSci alumnus Greg co.uk). You can also keep up to date with the latest BlueSci your CV and cover letter at the new improved Foot shared with us his journey up the rungs of the events on Twitter (@BlueSci) or on our Facebook page. Naturejobs and take full advantage of the television broadcasting ladder. As well as providing advice on how to communicate Helen Gaffney was BlueSci’s Events and Publicity officer world’s largest science jobs board. Your saved from 2010-2011. The current officer is Jordan Ramsey. information will be immediately available, science the talks are also a forum to debate problems with She can be contacted at [email protected]. science journalism. Often there seems to be a trade off in so you can quickly and easily apply for one of the 10,000+ science vacancies found at naturejobs.com.

Upload your CV before 5.00pm (GMT) on 31st October 2012 and you’ll be entered into a prize draw.

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Applicants should have or expect to obtain a first class degree in physics, engineering, chemistry, materials Follow us on: or applied mathematics. Apply now for entry in October 2013. For further details visit

22 BlueSci Specials Michaelmas 2012

23729-20_NJ_Database_launch_Ad_Update.indd 1 06/09/2012 16:24 Upload your CV at Naturejobs for a chance to win a MacBook Pro!*

Ready to take your career sky high? Upload your CV and cover letter at the new improved Naturejobs and take full advantage of the world’s largest science jobs board. Your saved information will be immediately available, so you can quickly and easily apply for one of the 10,000+ science vacancies found at naturejobs.com.

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Michaelmas 2012 Away from the Bench 23

23729-20_NJ_Database_launch_Ad_Update.indd 1 06/09/2012 16:24 Armchair Experimentation FOCUS BlueSci reveals how technology has made science more accessible

“eureka! boffins find Higgs Boson” ran the headline on The Daily Star website. News of the Cern report on the 4thJuly 2012 was echoed by all of the major British newspapers and news channels, while Twitter and Facebook were lighting up with the announcement before the press conference in Geneva had even concluded. While this public acclaim reflects the importance of the finding, it also represents the interest that ordinary people have in scientific discoveries today. Non-scientists are invading the stereotypical world of spotty teenage nerds and ancient fumbling bespectacled professors, and finding that they like it. Could it be that science is becoming cool? The statistics certainly point that way. A series of surveys on public attitudes to science in the UK found that interest in science has been continuously increasing since 2000. These surveys also show a recent increase in the number of people attending science-related activities. In 2011 a third of participants had attended a science museum (or centre) in the last year, up from a fifth in 2008. Examples abound of entertainment activities and events with a science spin, from the Guerrilla Scientists setting up entertaining science demonstrations at popular music festivals, to the ever-popular, adult-orientated ‘Lates’ at the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum in London. Rachel Inglis is a PhD student at the University of Cambridge and a regular volunteer at the Science Museum Lates. She thinks that they are perceived as “a different and fun way to spend an evening out with friends.” Apart from the more obvious lures of wine, speed dating and a silent disco, Rachel believes that guests are attracted by the easy to understand Christmas lecture-style talks, and leave “more interested in, and excited by, science.” We are all surrounded by science. It’s on our Armchair computer screens, televisions, radios and in our newspapers. TV shows, particularly those combining science with comedy have done a lot to draw in broader audiences, as has the rise of the science- cliFF entertainment celebrity. The success of Robin Experimentation TrEy rAT Ince and Professor Brian Cox’s ‘Monkey Cage’

Focus 25 The London Science Museum makes a great family day out JknighT1603

phenomenon is an excellent example of this . Both understand science. the BBC Radio 4 show The Infinite Monkey Cage With the popularisation of science, rapid evolution and the ‘Uncaged Monkeys’ live tour combine of technologies and widespread use of the Internet, light-hearted comedy with real scientific issues, the motivation and means for a brand new way for from cryogenic freezing to statistical bias in the the public to get involved with science has come pharmaceutical industry. Although this particular about. ‘Citizen Scientists’ are members of the blend of science with chatty comedy is not without public—often with no scientific training—who, its critics, such as New Scientist reporter Jacob Aron through their own curiosity or interest in science, on his Just a Theory blog, by and large it has been an are helping scientists analyse data by observing, extremely popular mix, as testified by the radio show’s measuring or allowing researchers to use the Gold Award in the Sony Radio Awards 2011 (and the computing power of home computers. audiences of thousands that turn up to watch the live The participation of non-scientists in scientific performances). research is novel for our generation but old news to It is likely that the ubiquity of science in science. Historically, modern science was often an mainstream entertainment increases our interest amateur endeavour explored as a hobby by wealthy in science, while continuing to be driven by it. ‘gentlemen of science’, with some entire fields Producers only make science shows because they of science largely self-funded until the mid-20th judge them likely to draw an audience; yet the century. Northern pubs in the 18th century saw successful shows ignite an interest in science taxonomical debates of plant and animal species topics even in the uncommitted audience member by working men as part of Linnean societies, and or channel-surfer. As a result, public scientific Charles Darwin strongly encouraged hobbyists to enthusiasm is increasing and scientists are becoming contribute to his work, receiving and replying to more creative in encouraging people to enjoy and letters from amateur scientists around the world. SETi@home allows anyone Nowadays the Internet has helped to transform to get involved citizen science, uniting amateurs and scientists with a in the search for common interest and feeding back into society to fuel extra-terrestrial a passion and awareness for scientific endeavour. intelligence, Citizen science projects have begun to pop up all (right) over the Internet in a broad range of scientific fields. Distributed computing projects like SETI@home, which analyses radio signals from outer space for signs of extra-terrestrials, are a popular means for non-scientists to get involved. They work by taking advantage of your home computer’s downtime to allow researchers to harness a bit of extra computing

SETi@homE power for their project. SETi@homE

26 Focus Michaelmas 2012 FOCUS

Distributed computing projects help out concerns over the validity of volunteer-generated researchers considerably, but have minimal data. The worry is that without scientific training opportunity for active citizen involvement. Stardust@ citizen scientists may not accurately collect data and Ashington home was one of the first distributed thinking may introduce bias into the results. Simple projects, projects to focus on engaging its citizen scientists like counting the number of animals in an area, leave in the research task. In this project, volunteers sift little room for error, however as projects increase in through 1.6 million images of a synthetic porous complexity, such as identifying the species of animal material called an aerogel that had been exposed to in the area, the risk of inaccuracy also increases, with interstellar dust during NASA’s Stardust mission. one study suggesting that volunteers are only just over Its goal is to find stardust in this vast collection of 10 per cent more accurate at identifying species than UniveRsity oF W ReseARch LABs, AnimAtion pictures, a task estimated to take about a century random guessing. Foldit seduces for an individual. By crowdsourcing the problem, So how do scientists insure the validity of results users by however, a pair of interstellar particles was found generated by citizen science projects? Zooniverse, presenting within four years of releasing the images taken by the largest citizen science website, and home of protein folding as Bruce Hudson, a former groundskeeper from Canada, Galaxy Zoo, regularly carries out spot checks on a game whose right side had been paralysed by a stroke. citizen science data and claims users do pick out Galaxy Zoo, another popular distributed thinking good matches that tally with data collected by project, gets its users to classify galaxies. Participants professionals. Other small-scale projects ensure have made impressive discoveries, finding images of trained scientists verify all data, something completely unusual astronomical phenomena like quasar mirrors unfeasible for large projects generating massive and ‘green pea’ galaxies that would otherwise be lost amounts of information. These larger, mostly online, in an impossibly large heap of data. projects try to limit error by encouraging volunteers Online communities have sprung up from citizen to ‘leave it out if in doubt’ and use scientist-led science projects like Galaxy Zoo, with chat rooms, discussion boards and forums to allow citizen message boards and wikis for users to engage in scientists to discuss their questions and concerns with research even further by communicating with experts. scientists and fellow citizen scientists. In fact, though Scientists need to know that volunteer generated most citizen scientists volunteering for Galaxy Zoo data can be trusted as more and more researchers are report a wish to contribute to research as their main turning to citizen scientists to aid analysis as current reason for participating in the project, others list the methods of data collection continue to spit out sense of community as a top reason for taking part. information at an alarming rate. Increased demand Researchers heading crowdsourcing projects count on for their help will mean that volunteers will be able this kind of motivation to keep members active and to pick and choose which projects are worthy of recruit new participants. their time and effort. One project, evolved from a Despite its increasing popularity citizen science is distributed computing project, may hold the key to not without its critics, with some scientists expressing attracting users. Professor Brian Cox (left), classifying galaxy’s seen from the Hubble space telescope is a mammoth task esAhUBBLe & nAsA BoB Lee

Michaelmas 2012 Focus 27 Bats and redwoods are just some of the species being studied using citizen

science Strange OneS (matt) Foldit requires participants to come up with new it is often hard to track them down. It’s incredibly and innovative ways of folding a protein in order important to know that a species on the verge of to minimise its energy state, potentially reflecting extinction can still be found in a particular area its natural shape. It seduces users by turning this so action can be taken. We can collect real time important scientific problem into a game, with levels information and conservationists can act quickly to and ranks, collaboration and competition. One of conserve species in the wild.” the most successful citizen science projects, Foldit Over a century after The National Geographic represents an important example of the direction in first published trail photographs from the camera which this new area of science is heading, toward trap pioneer George Shiras’, Instant Wild now sends greater involvement of its users such that they get camera trap photographs from ecosystems of the back at least as much as they contribute to research user’s choice straight to their pocket for identification. projects. Davies goes on to say that “Instant Wild aims At the 2012 Cambridge Conservation Forum’s to save conservationists thousands of hours by summer symposium, Professor Kate Jones of the empowering the general public to help sort the live Zoological Society of London (ZSL) questioned images by species group enabling scientists to analyse where the majority of new citizen science data was the data much faster and make informed conservation going to come from. Before introducing her iBats actions instantly due to the live feedback and data application for bat monitoring with smart phones collected by the app users.” (which has so far collected data on 30 species from It’s not just endangered animal research that over 48,000 square kilometres, thanks to over 1,000 has benefited from this technology. Interested volunteers), she asked, “How can we get more data in in Redwood tree dispersal? Download Redwood smarter, better ways?.” Watch. Want to help NASA keep track of meteors? In more economically developed nations, the Download Meteor Counter. No matter what your ubiquitousness of smart phones, their portability and interest is, there’s an app for that, and anyone (with a complete integration into even the most intimate smartphone) can help the scientists of their choice. arenas of our personal lives (according to Ofcom, But the prerequisite interest of a phone owner in 47 per cent of teenagers use their smartphones in that subject might be a stumbling block. Citizen the toilet) has led to an explosion in citizen science science might beat trawling through Facebook in applications, and there is little doubt now that they a spare five minutes waiting for a train, but not are the future medium of citizen science. Developing everyone visits Scientific American to search for applications for smart phones has become easy, even the newest ways to help complete metaprojects. In for coding virgins, through sites such as Epicollect. addition, citizen science projects usually require With just under 90,000 downloads so far, the ZSL’s investments of time and apps need to keep users recent Instant Wild app is a perfect case study. interested. Apple’s AppStore offers over 500,000 apps, “Many endangered animals are found in remote so why would someone download an app, spend the and inhospitable places such as mountainous terrain time to get used to using it, and then keep on using or the depths of the rainforest,” explains the ZSL’s it? The secret for recruiting citizen scientists, it seems, web developer Alasdair Davies. “Traditionally, might lie with game designers. conservationists have used ‘camera traps’ to capture With over 100 million ‘gamers’ in Europe (and the photographs of rare and endangered wildlife where average 21-year-old American having played video

28 Focus Michaelmas 2012 FOCUS

Making life a game is the secret to success for many projects from health to conservation WelSh GoveRnMent Mykl Roventine games for five times as long as the time they’ve spent lost on industry, and gamification has become big reading during their life), ‘gamification’ could be the business. Nike and Weight Watchers are just two key to participation. Although ‘gamers’ have already of the companies that have inserted level ups and proved their worth at working on specific exercises competition against other ‘players’ into their apps. such as FoldIt, even those who don’t play games and Even the Wellcome Trust this year called for scientists aren’t tuned to problem solving could become citizen to gamify their PhDs to raise public awareness. scientists without realizing it and, more importantly, “There are only so many badgers you can identify enjoy it. After all, enjoying games (or, as the before you grow tired of a similar photo appearing philosopher Bernard Suits defined them, ‘voluntary each evening,” said Davies on Instant Wild. “By attempts to overcome unnecessary obstacles’) seems incorporating a game element, such as competitions to be hardwired into humans, and by defining goals, to become the quickest at identifying a species or rules and a feedback system, tasks or even chores identifying the most number of animals, we hope can be turned into activities we enjoy, return back to to include score charts and provide feedback and and try to get the highest score at. This hasn’t been interaction.” Citizen science projects have created a symbiotic Smartphone relationship between the scientific community and apps provide the general public. By harnessing the computing mobile access to power of the general public, scientists are able to citizen science analyse significantly more data and achieve far more projects, as well than they could alone. Meanwhile, the public gains as old favourites like Facebook a greater understanding of science, the excitement of scientific discovery and, as gamification shows, entertainment. From using the Internet to classify galaxies, social media to model pandemics and smartphones to monitor animal populations, new technologies have opened up science research to everyone, something that can only be a good thing for society and science as a whole.

Luke Maishman is a 2nd year PhD student in the Department of Pathology Jordan Ramsey is a PhD student in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology Nick Crumpton is a PhD student in the Department of Zoology Beau GileS Beau

Michaelmas 2012 Focus 29 Written in the Stars Matthew Dunstan explores the life of controversial physicist Neil deGrasse Tyson

neil degrasse tyson is a rare individual. One of or business, but never astrophysics. The colour of the leading astrophysicists in the world and a strong his skin meant that nobody questioned his athletic advocate for the importance of space exploration prowess, but when it came to science, “my academic and scientific ambition in the American cultural failures were expected, and my academic successes landscape, he has also crossed over to the more were attributed to others”. Thankfully, his scientific public sphere to become one of the most recognised talents were more welcomed at Columbia, and after scientists of today, inspiring a whole new generation finishing his PhD, he went on to hold an academic with the wonders of space science. position for three years at Princeton University, before ILL INGALLS

B Much like the stellar bodies he works with, Tyson is moving back to the place where his interest in the seen very differently depending on your point of view. cosmos was first sparked: the Hayden Planetarium. NASA/ He is regarded as a major thorn in the side of the US He has remained there ever since and is currently the Neil deGrasse Senate, due to his continued demands for increased director of the facility, which was renamed the Rose Tyson, one of NASA funding. In popular media, he is a science star, Centre for Earth and Space in 2000. the worlds with numerous appearances on late night talk shows It was during his Directorship that Tyson leading such as The Daily Showwith Jon Stewart or Real was involved in the controversy regarding the astrophysicists Time with Bill Maher. You might even join Sheldon classification of Pluto as a planet. In February 2000, Cooper in The Big Bang Theory by controversially while designing new exhibitions for the Centre, Tyson accusing him of killing Pluto, after he played a key and his team created a system that taught people role in downgrading it from planet to dwarf planet. about the common and distinguishing features of In every case, Tyson is a force to be reckoned with, an each object in the Solar System, not just the planets, eloquent, passionate voice for renewing our love of but all objects that orbit the sun, from moons to “dreaming for tomorrow”. asteroids. Having carefully gathered information from Tyson was born on 5th October 1958 in many leading academics, they designed an exhibition Manhattan, the very same week, in which NASA that classed Pluto with other objects of the Kuiper began operations as a civilian space agency. Tyson Belt (a region extending beyond the orbit of Neptune has been reported as saying that he feels his life and comprised of many small icy bodies) and not as a NASA’s are twinned somehow, tied to the same fate. planet. The reason for this change was the discovery His interest in space and astrophysics was sparked of many new Pluto-like objects in the Kuiper Belt on a family visit to the Hayden Planetarium in making it clear that Pluto is not unique and has Manhattan – of which he is now a Director – when much more in common with these other objects than he was nine years old. Growing up in the Bronx, with the planets. Tyson was never exposed to a night sky full of stars, One year later, the New York Times ran a headline and upon seeing the thousands of lights on the that read “Pluto not a planet…only in New York,” ceiling of the Planetarium he described it as a “nice which drew upon Tyson’s new model and started hoax”. It wasn’t until another family trip took him to a flood of requests from media, academia and the Pennsylvania that his worldview was fatefully altered. public for Tyson to defend his decision. His model Upon seeing the heavens properly for the first time, even incited hate mail from those, outraged at the Tyson was struck by it, saying from then on that it perceived demotion of Pluto. was as if “I had no choice in the matter, the universe Pluto was called me”. believed to be Tyson was soon determined to make astrophysics a planet for 76 his life’s work. He studied Physics at Harvard before years (s hown beginning a Masters course at the University of Texas. here with its He went on to gain a PhD in Astrophysics from first moon, Columbia University in 1991. Charon) Tyson’s journey towards academic success was far from easy – in his PhD Convocation Address at Columbia, Tyson recalls his personal experience at the University of Texas, where colleagues assumed that he had a better chance of a career in basketball

30 Behind the Science Michaelmas 2012 Tyson has even been accused of having some form of personal vendetta against Pluto despite the fact that the decision merely reflected the most up to date scientific wisdom. This conclusion was validated when the International Astronomical Union (IAU) officially reclassified as a Pluto ‘dwarf planet’ in 2006. Pluto became the archetype of this new classification, Tyson is a strong which currently includes five known examples, with supporter of at least another 50 thought to exist within the Solar increasing NASA System. funding to allow In 2001, Tyson began working with NASA more space when he was appointed by President Bush to the missions to the Commission on the Future of the US Aerospace “Moon, Mars and Industry. He subsequently joined the Presidents NASA Beyond” Commission to Implement the US Space Exploration outside their capacity to observe and infer. Policy, which then called for manned and robotic Tyson continues to be an outspoken supporter of missions to the “Moon, Mars and Beyond,” he was increasing funding for NASA. By promising further instrumental in helping to modify this policy and space exploration, he hopes to ignite a new dream in set more practical goals for the near future. More the collective mind of both the US and the rest of the recently he accepted a key role in NASA’s Advisory world. He is fighting an increasingly difficult battle Council, of which he is now the Chairman. In 2011, to remind the public of why NASA is important. Tyson was awarded the NASA Distinguished Public NASA funding is reduced with every passing year, Service Medal, the highest civilian honour bestowed forcing ambitious programs such as manned flights to by NASA, in recognition of his years of work. Mars by 2020 to be abandoned only five years after His prominent academic standing has helped their inception. Tyson therefore calls for a doubling Dr Tyson to develop his interests in science in taxpayer funding, so that NASA can once more communication and outreach. He regularly appears reach for the stars. Crucially, he points out that an on television and radio, and has written several books audacious and visible space program will inspire the targeted at a general audience in addition to his next generation to become scientists and engineers. essays for the Natural History Magazine. His writings One man’s dream of tomorrow, combined with the cover aspects of astrophysics and cosmology, but passion and drive to see these dreams realised may also reflections on the place of science and religion help to secure the foundation for the next great era of in society. He is especially outspoken about the space exploration – the legacy of a life inspired by the danger that the teaching of Intelligent Design could night’s sky itself. have on scientific discovery. He says that he doesn’t want students to be taught that anything they don’t Matthew Dunstan is a 1st year PhD student in the understand is divinely constructed and therefore Department of Chemistry

References Features Such Stuff as Dreams are Made on– http://www.semel.ucla.edu/sites/all/files/files/7/09/08/12/96-rem-discovery- aserinsky.pdf Who’s Training is it anyway? – http://www.universityaffairs.ca/the-black-hole/ Through the Looking Glass – Johnson L., (2005). Asymmetry at the molecular level in biology. European Review, 13, pp 77-95 doi:10.1017/S1062798705000670 Balm or Burden – ‘Sleep Medicine’ Harold R. Smith et al, Cambridge University Press (2008) Regulars Written in the Stars - http://www.haydenplanetarium.org/tyson/ Minority Report - The God Species Mark Lynas HarperCollins (2011) Life on Mars -Strick, J.E. (2004) Creation a Cosmic Discipline: The Crystallization and Consolidation of Exobiology, 1957-1973. Journal of the History of Biology, 37:131-180 Science for All – http://www.researchinfonet.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Finch-Group-report-executive- summary-FINAL-VERSION.pdf

Michaelmas 2012 Behind the Science 31 Minority Report Vicki Moignard examines exactly where scientific information is coming from

Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge’ – Isaac asImov

Greenpeace over the past century, science has achieved protesters more than at any other point in history. From outside the splitting the atom to the invention of smartphones, Brandenburg scientific discovery and innovation have shaped the Gate, Berlin world around us. But in an age in which anyone can publish their opinion through comment sections, Twitter and blogs, we are constantly assaulted with a CONXA RODA barrage of often incorrect and uninformed opinions. From governments, who cherry-pick evidence to suit their manifestos, to religions which deliberately struggling economy may be robbed of some of its suppress scientific teaching, our collective ignorance scientific talent and industry revenue as researchers is being targeted by minorities to bend public policy follow the animals abroad. Effectively, many animals to their will, often with detrimental consequences. may suffer more as a result of PETA’s interference. Earlier this year, it emerged that almost all airlines In a similar fashion, several ‘green’ groups, and ferry operators visiting the UK have ceased to including Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, have carry animals destined for research. At the root of this played on the public’s perception of nuclear power issue lie People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals in order to shut down power plants and abandon (PETA), a UK-based charity dedicated to promoting projects for new ones. Their views are generally based and protecting animal rights. Their interference on grossly overstated claims of the effects of the could have disastrous effects on medical research. Chernobyl nuclear disaster and are bolstered by the Rather than entering into public discourse about the media frenzy surrounding last year’s meltdown at the necessity of using animals in research, PETA have Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. Whether taken an aggressive approach to target transport nuclear power is always the best power source is a companies directly and intimidate them into action. debate for another time, however, the outcome of this Moreover, they focus on individual cases of animals intervention has not been a move towards greener being harmed to canvass support, denying that many power sources. Nuclear power plants have been of today’s lifesaving drugs and treatments would not switched off with no clean alternatives in place and exist without animal experiments. However, blocking as a result, the use of fossil fuels has increased. Under transport routes is unlikely to shut down this research the guise of protecting the planet from the energy altogether. Instead, it may drive it to countries where they have decided is dangerous, these supposedly animal husbandry and experimentation regulations green groups may have inadvertently contributed are not as tight as those imposed in the UK. Our significantly to carbon emissions. PETA has over Perhaps more alarming are the reports of groups, three million who would deny future generations the opportunity members to learn about their world. The battle of evolution involved in vs. creationism that has long been waged in the US, activism has now taken centre stage in South Korea, home to a burgeoning research and biotechnology industry. A recent petition by the Society for Textbook Revise is aiming to remove all traces of the ‘erroneous’ theory of evolution from textbooks, exploiting debates over the origin of some species as evidence that the theory is wrong. The campaign has had surprising success RYAN HULING HULING RYAN and many publishers have revealed their intentions to

32 Science and Policy Michelmas 2012 wearing, bearded eccentrics. Ben Goldacre, a doctor The shutdown and author of the Bad Science newspaper column and of nuclear power book, has been an advocate for good science reporting plants is the in the popular press. He has helped to explain how focus of many research is conducted and to debunk the many environmental adverts that assault us with impressive-sounding, but groups scientifically meaningless, claims. However, many scientists and communicators, including Goldacre, have been sued for libel by large corporations, against which they have spoken in their effort to protect the public from the false scientific claims of their products and practices. In many cases our libel laws have allowed businesses to quash scientific debate and silence critics. The Libel Reform Campaign has recently raised this issue, with the aim of persuading the UK government to amend libel laws to protect free speech and scientific discussion. Meanwhile, in the health and education sectors, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s long standing campaign to get good, healthy food into school canteens has had some success through raising public BJOERN SCHWARZ BJOERN SCHWARZ awareness and lobbying MPs. In Korea, an outcry from evolutionary scientists has led their Ministry produce revised copies of their textbooks, excluding of Education to pledge to set up an expert panel to particular examples of evolution. oversee future amendments to scientific textbooks. Another assault on education comes from The These examples of the exploitation of science Texas Republican Party, who recently stated their are not isolated, neither are the intentions of such opposition for any sex education other than minority groups always bad, though their means can abstinence until marriage. While this is hardly a new be questionable. But policy shouldn’t be down to story in the US, research has repeatedly demonstrated

that this approach doesn’t work. The lack of ATTS education in alternative methods of contraception Amy W Creationists drove rates of teenage pregnancy and sexually believe the theory transmitted diseases skyward over the course of the of evolution is Bush administration, even though millions of dollars wrong and are had been ploughed into the teaching of abstinence. It campaigning for a serves as a powerful reminder of what can be achieved ban on it’s teaching by a few, who place their beliefs above scientific evidence and above the lives of millions of people. The media have a considerable role to play in facilitating the actions of these groups as they provide a public platform for many of them. The BBC’s science coverage came under fire last year following the opinions of a few to fuel personal gain. It should criticism that it gave too much weight to minority be the result of careful consideration of the issues at arguments and opinions. While trying to fulfil their hand and the evidence that surrounds them. There remit of presenting a balanced and impartial account is great need for more openness and discussion to of the news, the BBC was accused of unintentionally prevent the misrepresentation of evidence, and of generating controversy. Neither are we as scientists science as a whole. There is also a need for more effort without blame. We often choose to hide in the safety from the public to engage and question, rather than of our labs to avoid facing societal issues or engaging to merely accept information and be misled. Science with the public in an open dialogue that could is a discipline that invites controversy and opinion. prevent science from being exploited for the gain of But because our world is irrevocably dependent on it a few. to function, good science should be at the centre of Thankfully, it seems that there is light at the end policy. of the tunnel for scientific policy. The likes of Brian Cox have done wonders to raise the profile of science Vicki Moignard is a 2nd year PhD student in the and to dispel the view of scientists as white coat- Department of Haematology

Michelmas 2012 Science and Policy 33 Big Issues in Science – UKCSJ Ian Le Guillou reports from the 2012 UK Conference of Science Journalists

the second “science journalists are worth their weight UKCSJ was held in gold,” pronounced Martin Fewell, deputy editor in the halls of the of Channel 4 News, which would make his science Royal Society in correspondent Tom Clarke worth approximately London £2 million. Unsurprisingly, there was not much disagreement from the audience, considering this was at the UK Conference of Science Journalists organised by the Association of British Science Writers (ABSW). The second such conference, organised following the success of the World Conference of Science Journalists was held in the auspicious halls of the Royal Society and brought together hundreds of journalists, editors, scientists and students to discuss issues and develop their professional skills. Fewell was part of a panel of editors at the conference discussing whether or not science punches TOM MORRIS MORRIS TOM its weight in the newsroom. He saw great benefit in having science-trained reporters not only for the public is interested in science stories, and not just science stories, where they can dig deeper, ask the sensational ones. On the Guardian website nearly as right questions and explain complicated issues to many people read science stories as read about politics the public, but also for other stories where they can or travel despite science having the smallest team contribute a scientific perspective. On the other working on it. In a survey, Guardian readers said they hand, Kenny Campbell, editor of Metro and also part wanted to see more stories about science and foreign of the panel, doesn’t employ any science journalists. news, and fewer stories about celebrity gossip (which He believes it is an advantage to have non-specialists makes you wonder whether they were telling the writing to make it easy for anyone on the Northern truth or not). line at 8am to understand. With 4.8 million readers Later, there was a session focusing on the Leveson to entertain and engage with each day, he plays to the inquiry into media practices and ethics and how it audience and wants “more pictures of mice with ears would affect science journalism. Fiona Fox, director on their backs”. His suggestion to aspiring science of the Science Media Centre, laid out some of the journalists was to become a general journalist first problems she saw with science journalism. She had and find out what the public are interested in, rather previously appeared before the inquiry and from than deciding to focus on science. But, according to her enthusiastic (and rapid) manner it was easy to panellist Ian Katz, deputy editor at The Guardian, see why she had been asked to slow down by Lord Leveson, who was “concerned that smoke seems to be emanating from the shorthand writer.” One of the key points she made was the damage done by journalists seeking to balance opinions. By giving equal airtime to the ‘lone maverick’ and the respected scientist who is representative of 99.9 per cent of the scientists in the field, it presents the idea that Panellists and the scientific community is divided and unsure. She the audience used the reporting of a potential link between the debated the MMR vaccine and autism as an example. While big issues cambrIdGe stry, facing science the small (and later shown to be flawed) study and ochem I journalism its proponents were not taken seriously by the vast majority researchers and GPs, the continuous debate

artment of b I artment presented by the press caused a large change in the de P ILLou

Gu public perception. At the Leveson inquiry, she had e L presented these problems and also a 10-point list of Ian

34 Initiatives Michaelmas 2012 guidelines that had been produced with both scientists only about goals. He suggested that stories are being and journalists. These covered relatively simple but missed where science is not working so well, like the widespread problems in science reporting, such as drop-off in drug discovery. This was echoed by Connie mentioning the size of a study, giving absolute risk as St Louis, president of the ABSW, who said that most well as relative risk (think ‘Cupcakes double risk of science journalists are actually science communicators. cancer’) and distinguishing between correlation and Without a true investigative aspect, it can’t be called causation. journalism and that we need real journalism to The Association of British Science Writers had expose the flaws within science. This was exemplified organised a stand for several student science magazines later in the evening at the ABSW awards, where the to publicise their work between sessions. Alongside award for scientific investigative reporting had only a BlueSci were EUSci (Edinburgh), Bang! (Oxford), single nomination. However, Evan Davis, presenter The GIST (Glasgow), Au Science (Aberdeen) and I of the Today programme, disputed that investigative Science (Imperial). BlueSci is in fact the oldest of the reporting is the highest form of journalism. He blamed bunch, having been around for eight years and 25 the Watergate scandal (and the film All the President’s issues, whereas The GIST had just published its first Men) for stoking journalists’ egos and proposed issue. From talking to other editors it was clear that that communicating is a more important aspect of none of the magazines were struggling for contributors journalism than investigation. In that regard, he or advertising revenues and that student science believed science journalism was healthy. One thing journalism was in good health. the panel did agree on was the danger of being too The day ended with the debate ‘Is science journalism close to sources. Science journalists are usually on very special?’ which led to conflicting views. William close terms with scientists, in a way that would not be Cullerne Brown, founder of Research Fortnight, acceptable for political correspondents. This prevents lambasted science journalism for focusing so much on them from seeing the flaws in the system. The example discoveries, likening it to football journalists writing used by Evan Davis was the economics reporters who failed to foresee the financial crash because they were too close to the experts. In the background throughout all the sessions was the tapping of laptop keyboards and the twitching of thumbs. A few audience members were live-blogging the sessions, but most people were on Twitter, updating 140 characters at a time. While vocal debates were Although emanating from the stage, silent ones were spreading BlueSci was via WiFi, as the room full of science communicators first, a number were doing what they do best. of other UK universities now Recordings of all the sessions, as well as blogs and tweets produce science have been collected together on ukcsj.org magazines

llou Ian Le Guillou is a 4th Year PhD student in the

n le gu I Department of Biochemistry IA

“What i love about story – but editors, too, play important role in telling such stories. communicating science is the opportunity Another great thing about communicating science – and to tell untold stories. Finding an idea, thinking creatively about science journalism in particular – is the opportunity to be how it can make an interesting story and then investigating it involved in such a lively and engaged community of people. gives me a rush of excitement. When I see the final article posted Science journalists have many meetings, discussion groups and or printed it gives me sense of accomplishment, especially when it conferences - like the UKCSJ – where one can air their grievances, provokes comments and e-mails from people who read it. I have learn new skills and meet like-minded people who work on reported on everything from obscure robotics research that may similar projects.” help coordinate disaster rescue, to revealing scientific misconduct. All of these stories matter to people and the public relies on good – Mico Tatalovic, deputy editor at SciDev.net and science journalism to find out about them. As an editor I don’t BlueSci alumnus 2006-2008 always go out and report on such stories myself; sometimes I have an idea and act as a coordinator to enable someone else to write a

Michaelmas 2012 Initiatives 35 Life on Mars Hugo Schmidt reveals the advances made in the field of Astrobiology

democritus, the ancient Greek philosopher, contamination of Earth captured the public famously stated that the world was composed of imagination, with headlines like “Space Academy atoms and empty space. Despite his speculation no Board Warns of Microbe Attack from Space”. further advances were made in atomic theory for The next year, US President Eisenhower signed almost two thousand years until the turn of the 20th the National Aeronautics and Space Administration century when a number of key experiments provided (NASA) into existence, and the year after that, the evidence to prove his assumption. As the field two things happened that mark the birth of of atomic theory shows, without data even a correct astrobiology. The newly formed NASA funded the hypothesis cannot advance. first astrobiology project, a detection instrument for The same is true for astrobiology, the study of extra-terrestrial microbes, and the paper Searching life elsewhere in the Universe. The speculation that for Interstellar Communications was published in the we are not alone in the Universe is as old as human journal Nature. In it, Guiseppe Cocconi and Philip civilization itself, and indeed Democratus himself Morrison addressed a fundamental problem in using believed it to be true. But, while the question of radio to detect life in the Search for Extra-Terrestrial whether life exists on other planets is a verifiable Intelligence (SETI). The number of possible radio hypothesis, it is one that is difficult to test, and frequencies available to an extra-terrestrial intelligence progress in the field has been slow. to broadcast on is vast. Cocconi and Morrison Despite the musings of various authors, identified the most universal of these frequencies, philosophers and film directors on the subject, and the stars to be first searched for communications. astrobiology as a science has only been around since The stars were indeed searched the next year and the the second half of the last century. Three major two men’s standards are still used today. developments prepared its way. The first was the At the time, NASA administrator Dan Goldin development of rocketry, given huge momentum predicted that the addition of biology to astronomy by the Second World War and the Cold War. The would lead to screaming from the physical scientists, second was radio astronomy. The third, and most but biologists were similarly sceptical. G.G. Simpson, important, was the experiment of Stanley Miller and one of the most significant palaeontologists of his Harold Urey. Combining water, methane, hydrogen time, dismissed astrobiology as a haven for ex- and ammonia, and adding a spark, they found biologists. The next two years saw a boom-time, with that amino acids, the building blocks of life, were many Nobel Laureates and Carl Sagan, a prominent formed. Knowing the conditions under which life astrophysicist, joining the field. Without these may have begun on earth allowed the search for those scientists astrobiology might not have begun, as it is the SetI project conditions elsewhere. still often criticised as a “science without a subject,” a scans the Universe In 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1 into criticism first made by Simpson. for radio waves orbit, and the Nobel Laureate Joshua Lederberg went Fuelled by the Cold War, funding poured into in the hope of to Calcutta to visit the evolutionary biologist J.B.S. rocketry. The moon was found to be barren, but detecting extra- Haldane. Discussing the recent Soviet triumph, the Mars was a richer target. The first Viking missions terrestrial life two men agreed that if Sputnik were to land on the carried with them tools to search for microbial life moon, it would carry with it microorganisms from there. While they identified carbon dioxide produced Earth which would irreversibly contaminate the from a nutrient broth, it was later found to be the lunar surface. On his return to the United States, result of a non-biological chemical reaction. Lederberg wrote a series of memos that warned Following this disappointment, astrobiology of possible contamination and the importance of entered a lull phase, having exhausted the available sterilising all possible spacecraft thoroughly. At the sources of data. Yet it was during this lull that the time he suggested that the moon might be covered fundamentals for its renaissance were being put in with organic precipitates of the kind that it was now place by developing new avenues of inquiry. Scientists on clear could give rise to life. Though the possibility of began searching extreme enviroments on Earth in the terrestrial contamination of the moon remained an hope of finding life thriving in conditions similar to S Steve Jurvet academic subject, the possibility of extra-terrestrial those of other planets.

36 History Michaelmas 2012 In 1977, the deep-sea exploration submersible Alvin comets and cosmic dust: hardly unimportant since even found life clustering around volcanoes 2.5 km below our atmosphere-protected planet accumulates between the surface of the ocean, providing a demonstration that fifty and a hundred tonnes of extra-terrestrial matter a day. Life on Mars life can exist in the absence of the sunlight, something Meanwhile the spacecraft Galileo returned suggestions of particular importance when imagining life on the of an ocean of liquid water beneath the ice of Jupiter’s outer planets. Moreover, in the conditions of volcanoes, satellite Europa. The work on undersea life clustering dissolved meteorite could yield some of the building around volcanic hotspots without other sources of heat blocks of life - probably a common occurrence in the and energy took on new significance. The next year a volcano and meteorite rich early history of Earth. Martian meteorite retrieved from Antarctica, ALH 84001, This was further helped by another breakthrough in proved to contain possible nanobacterial fossils, although the search for the origin of life. Up until this point, the this discovery was controversial and many believe that the question of the first molecules had always faced a paradox. bacteria may have origionated on earth. The first molecules could not be proteins, as proteins In the almost two decades since these momentous cannot be formed without the cellular instruction manual, discoveries, two major journals have been founded DNA. Neither could the first molecules have been DNA, dedicated to astrobiology, NASA has unveiled a roadmap as DNA is meaningless without protein to turn its message to cover the next several decades of research, and the into something usable. The answer came in the 1980s, European space agencies have become involved. At each when a new class of RNA molecules, Ribozymes, were stage of the process of emerging from speculation to discovered. Ribozymes have both the ability to carry science, astrobiology has been firmly guided by the data, information, like DNA, but like proteins they can perform and it is on this solid base that it is set to succeed in the chemical reactions. Indeed, investigators studying the future. Further missions are planned with the European origins of life have produced ribozymes that are capable Space Agency’s ExoMars and NASA’s Red Dragon both of self-synthesis. The idea that ribozymes have the ability destined leaving for Mars in 2018. This summer, the rover of both carrying information and acting on it, provided Curiosity landed on Mars, to begin its investigation of the a missing link between the dead world of pure chemicals habitability of Mars. There are already over 800 extra- and the first cells. Work immediately began looking for solar planets discovered, with the rate of finding growing variations that could arise on Earth and in space. ever more rapid. From empty speculation to sound The field was set for a full renaissance, and it got one science, astrobiology’s future is secured. 1995 when 51 Pegasi b, the first planet orbiting a Sun-like star, was found. Further successes followed in short order. In the same year, NASA launched the Infrared Solar Hugo Schmidt is a 4th year PhD student in the Department of Biochemistry Observatory, which has discovered organic molecules in

Michaelmas 2012 History 37 Science for All Leila Haighighat discusses the recent revolution in academic publishing

at the start of 2012, Cambridge mathematician for access to electronic cambridge mathematician Timothy Gowers updated his blog with an entry databases, and, while Timothy Gowers more invective than his previous posts on the cost this cost may appear has publically of academic publishing. Gowers criticised Elsevier’s exorbitantly high, several criticised the practice of keeping journal content behind paywalls major journals argue that cost of academic and declared his intent to sever all ties with the the traditional business publishing major academic publishing company, hoping that model is still the way others would do the same. Since then, a widespread to go. High fees are movement has taken off in favour of free access to necessary, they insist, academic research published online. It is a movement in order to provide for

that has opened up a dialogue amongst academics, in-house editing that can egowers publishers, and it goes by the name of the Academic keep up the quality of TH Spring. content. One of Elsevier’s 2,000 journals, The Lancet, How can research papers be made freely available has a core editorial team of over 40 people. Journals without compromising their quality? Is it morally with restricted access also justify their paywalls by acceptable to charge for access to the results of maintaining that, even if primary scientific literature scientific research, especially when that research is were made free, the majority of the public would paid for by the public? These are key questions that struggle to understand it. Another point made the Academic Spring is attempting to address. The by these journals is that the submission process is name connotes a movement of liberalisation, in the already such a hassle for authors; adding a new set of same vein as the 2011 Arab Spring and the Spring guidelines to ensure open-access would only make the of Nations, a series of populist revolts that occurred process even more cumbersome. According to Kent throughout Europe in 1848. In this politically Anderson, CEO and publisher of The Journal of Bone charged spirit, the Academic Spring regards major and Joint Surgery, the Academic Spring is “shallow journals as the oppressive few withholding papers rhetoric aimed at the wrong target.” from the masses and imposing hefty subscription fees Two novel business models have allowed journals upon the very institutions that provided them with to compromise between earning sufficient revenue their content in the first place. for in-house editing and providing open access to British universities spend £200 million every year content. The first is known as ‘green’ open access. It is a model used by several major publishers, including British Elsevier, Springer and Wiley, which collectively Universities account for 42 per cent of all published research spend over £200 papers. In this model, publishers allow authors to million every self-archive their papers in their own institutional year on journal repositories, making them freely available to the subscriptions public. In contrast, ‘gold’ open access requires authors to submit their papers to an open access journal and pay a few thousand pounds for the article to be made immediately available to the public. The largest open access journal, PLoS ONE, charges authors $1,350 (£867) for each submission, whereas journals with restricted access, including Nature and Science, do not charge a submission fee per se, although authors are expected to pay a few hundred pounds for each coloured figure that is published. Despite the higher y fee of PLoS ONE, the journal is experiencing a cNaLL m massive growth in output, as open access publishing o raysoNH James gains popularity. During its first year in 2007, PLoS

38 Perspective Michaelmas 2012 ONE published close to 1,000 articles; currently, the journal puts out roughly 2,000 articles per month. Even with these models of open access becoming more commonplace, supporters of the Academic Science for All Spring feel that further change is required. They accuse publishing companies of making annual profit margins as high as 35 per cent while simultaneously raising subscription fees by 5-7 per cent. One of the publishing companies’ more unsavoury practices is that of ‘bundling.’ Effectively, if universities want access to a specific journal, the publisher insists that they must to subscribe to a whole set of their journals or receive no access at all. In his blog entry, Gowers calls for ‘reverse bundling’, whereby libraries join together to boycott a publisher’s journals unless the publisher is willing to negotiate subscription costs.

An instance similar to ‘reverse bundling’ occurred ee.Hong in 1962, when the editors of Elsevier’s Topology CH resigned in opposition to high subscription costs. Those behind the Academic Spring also point out that open access would facilitate text mining. entire staff to endorse open access publishing instead. Harvard is A relatively new method, text mining involves By May of this year, over 25,000 Americans signed one influential computers extracting information from plain text and a petition demanding that any papers arising from institution in making relevant associations, such as between a drug taxpayer-funded research be made freely available, a favour of open and its side effects, or a gene and mutations that can number sufficiently high enough to mandate that the access cause disease. In March 2012, the Joint Information White House release an official response. At the time Systems Committee, the UK’s government-funded of writing, the response has yet to be released. body that oversees the use of technology in higher In June 2012, a new business model was pitched education, reported that text mining could potentially by the upcoming scientific journal PeerJ, which provide productivity worth £123-157 million every is based in San Francisco and London. Authors year. pay a one-off fee to secure one of three types of In 2005, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) membership dictating how often they can publish in announced its adoption of the Public Access Policy. the journal. Lifetime membership costs $299 (£192), Any papers that come out of research supported while publishing twice a year costs $199 (£128) and by the NIH, the United States’s largest funding publishing once a year costs $99 (£64). All authors agency, must be deposited in PubMed Central, a of the paper must be paid members. Later in the popular online repository where the papers will be same month, two separate UK reports—one from made freely available after 12 months. Subsequently, the Royal Society and the other written by Professor other funding bodies across the world, including the Dame Jane Finch upon commission by the UK Wellcome Trust and the eight UK Research Councils, government—declared strong support for the ‘gold’ followed suit in insisting upon free public access to model of open access research. However, the Finch their funded research. In December 2011, a new Report cautions that such a policy could cost the UK legislative bill called the Research Works Act was as much as £50-60 million in submission fees every introduced, challenging the NIH’s policy and seeking year. to prohibit any open-access mandate on federally Deciding on how to disseminate research findings funded research. A few months later, in response to without sacrificing quality remains a challenge for widespread public criticism, the bill was rescinded, even the most highly reputed journals. The Academic and publishers, including Elsevier, withdrew their Spring has already caused publishers to move support for it. towards open access, though more dramatic changes By February 2012, a website called the Cost of will need several years to take effect. Nonetheless, Knowledge emerged on the web, inviting researchers its consequences will inevitably impact how every to join Gowers in a commitment to boycott Elsevier publication, including this one, communicates journals. The petition has now amassed over 12,000 science. signatures. In April 2012, the world’s richest university, Harvard, declared the current situation Leila Haghighat is an MPhil student in the with subscription fees ‘untenable’ and encouraged its Department of Medicine

Michaelmas 2012 Perspective 39 Weird and Wonderful A selection of the wackiest research in the world of science

A Weighty Problem quickly evolved from noise into music. After 500-600 ™ generations however, evolution stopped and reached new! Optima WHAT WEIGHS IN at 287 million tonnes, the equilibrium as recombination and mutation became equivalent of more than 5400 Titanics? It is in fact more and more deleterious, breaking up pleasing Heated Circulating Baths & the combined weight of the entire world’s population. combinations that had previously been achieved. Of this weight, 15 million tonnes are derived from Music has constantly evolved over the centuries, and people classed as overweight, and an additional 3.5 as this experiment shows we, the consumers, have Refrigerated Circulators million tonnes from those who are obese. Researchers played a creative role in shaping this. JM at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine believe that such data is a better way of measuring our impact on the planet, rather than just Sexual-Frustration Drives Flies to Drink Accurate temperature control counting people. e team found that North America had the highest average weight, contributing to more RESEARCH HAS SHOWN that sexually deprived male in the range of -50°C to 200°C WWW.ALEXHAHNILLUSTRATOR.COM than a third of global obesity despite comprising only fruit  ies consume more alcohol than those who are 6 per cent of the world’s population. Using 2005 data ful lled. Scientists from the University of California on body mass index (BMI) and average heights from split their unwitting males into two groups. One Ideal for teaching labs - the World Health Organisation, the team calculated group mated with receptive virgins and the other with incubating samples or the average body mass for people in various countries, recently mated females, who promptly reject even then factored in population data to give the total the most persistent of advances. e males were then research labs - temperature weight of adult humans as 287 million tonnes. If all given a choice of food; one laced with ethanol and control of external equipment countries had the BMI distribution of America, the one without. e spurned group showed a signi cant world biomass increase of 58 million tonnes would increase in preference for the ethanol-laced food. TX150 with ST12 equal a population increase of 935 million people ese observations shed light on the interactions tank shown with the energy requirements of 473 million adults. between addictive behaviour and the reward pathways Increasing population BMI could increase world food of the brain. e brain rewards activities such as sex energy demands equivalent to an extra half a billion and eating by releasing “pleasure chemicals” such as people, implying that overconsumption could lead to dopamine, because these actions bene t the survival Easy to use major problems in sustainability. MD of the species. However, these pathways can be hijacked by drugs such as alcohol to give a “high”. In this study, the deprived  ies had lower levels Excellent long term value Evolution Rocks of a molecule called neuropeptide F (NPF) than the ful lled group. is molecule sated the brain’s for money DOES MUSIC UNDERGO Darwinian evolution? reward pathways as a result of their sexual encounters Scientists from Imperial College London show that and so the urge to seek rewards from alcohol was it does, albeit not inde nitely. e group created a diminished. KC Extensive choice of bath sizes Darwinian music engine, called DarwinTunes, which and refrigeration units maintains a population of short audio loops and TC120 and R2 periodically ‘mates’ them in a manner analogous to ready assembled sexual reproduction. During this process, the musical refrigeration ‘genome’ of each loop (which de nes for example kit shown note placement and instrumentation) is randomly combined with that of the partner, mimicking genetic recombination. Just as in biological mutation, the Grant Instruments (Cambridge) Ltd. newly created daughter loops contain new, random genetic material. e daughter loops are then played Tel: 01763 260 811 to a population of website users, who listen to the Shepreth, Cambridgeshire SG8 6GB, UK samples and rate the loops’ aesthetic qualities. ese Email: scientifi[email protected] ratings determine which loops in a given generation will be allowed to mate and reproduce and which have to die. e scientists found that the audio loops www.grantinstruments.com WWW.ALEXHAHNILLUSTRATOR.COM WWW.ALEXHAHNILLUSTRATOR.COM

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Currently, only open airway and the two elements of CPR, breathing 10% of those and compressions. This formed the first demonstrably who suffer a successful resuscitation method, which is still broadly heart attack in public recover in use today. The rescue breaths are proven to be an important feature of CPR, which makes the sudden, well- publicised shift towards compression-only CPR a little odd. However, there is another feature of CPR that had not been previously considered: the person performing it. If the casualty has a heart attack in public, there is a high chance that the person performing CPR on them will be a stranger. Recent

DominiC mCKEnziE guidelines, outlined by the British Heart Foundation, state that many bystanders are put off from Staying Alive performing CPR by the thought of doing mouth-to- time it was only 90 per cent complete and filling in mouth. However, the damage caused by not giving looks at new recommendations for performing CPR the gaps was difficult; however comparing sequences breaths is offset by the chances of no-one performing Beth Richardson and cherries. It will also aid sequencing of commercial with other mammals significantly helped complete CPR at all. The focus has shifted from everyone to keepstrawberries a non-breathing which, patient like many alive crops, is no hasless beencrucial severely it. Today, comparative genomics can suggest a gene’s qThomASBowER knowing the technique of CPR to simply making camera, ex-footballer and now thaninbred it was and centuries possesses ago. several genome copies each— into the function. For example, researchers at the Babraham sure that everyone feels able to do it. staring Earlymaking attempts sequence at resuscitation, assembly evenbefore harder. the anatomy Institute have used genomes from marsupials, which This is not the first time that first aid advice has celebrity Vinnie Jones growls, “You only kiss your of the circulatoryDespite many system readily was fully available understood, plant genomes, crop missus on the lips”. This scene—appearing on a TV have primitive placentas, and compared them to been altered due to the public’s attitude, though rangedbreeding from the has ineffective not been toable the to downright take advantage bizarre. of the barrels, which the victim was rolled over to compress or 4oD screen near you—is not from EastEnders or the human genome to identify factors important in a far less life-threatening situation—St John Resuscitationgenomic in revolution. the Middle Traditionally, Ages was based traits on that the improve in the thegrowth chest, of anda developing even horses, placenta. with manyMoreover, American a reality show. It is part of an advertising campaign Ambulance had to change their guidelines for dealing The Genome Generation correlationcrops of are life difficult with body to heat,breed andin from involved wild varieties, and as manylifeguarding mammals sufferstations from having the theirsame owndiseases horse as to take by the British Heart Foundation, promoting a with strains and sprains, given by the acronym RICE: warmingit can the takepatient up towith 10 blankets,years of crossing hot water, to gain or desired humans,drowning having multiplevictims for genomes a quick to trot compare down willthe beach. new ‘hard and fast’ technique: hands-only CPR Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. Overzealous reveals what we have learnt from a decade of the human genome even heatedtraits andexcrement breed out placed unwanted directly ‘wild’ onto characteristics. the be invaluable.The movement In this light, of the it ishorse hoped did that sometimes the naked succeed Nicola Stead (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). Survival rates bystanders took ‘Compression’ to mean ‘wrap as skin. SurvivalFortunately, was predictably this is set to poor. change In withthe 1530s a recent study mole ratin willforcing help air us into understand the chest ageing. cavity and squashing it after cardiac arrest are woeful; just 10% of those tightly as possible’, which restricts blood flow to the the ‘bellowspublished method’ in Nature was devised Biotechnology as a way. To of speed up the Despiteout again,the perpetrated but the technique “under deliverance” was abandoned of after since the publication of the human who suffer a heart attack in public recover and process, researchers made use of both the rice genome limb and can cause nerve damage. ‘Compression’ is the decade introducing air into a non-breathing casualty, but the HGP,complaints it has still from fuelled the ‘Citizensthe discovery for Clean of more Beaches’ leave hospital. The days of the ‘kiss of life’ being reference, published in 2005, and the new, quicker now instead described as ‘comfortable support’. It is The woolly genome sequence has seen an explosion in the poor understanding of anatomy meant that the than 1,800group. disease As a result,genes andthis overtechnique 2,000 wasgenetic replaced tests by cHee.HoNG recommended for the general population are gone. sequencing techniques. They were able to take a hoped that a similar change to a simpler, more direct mammoth is one sequencing of genomes. Prior to its release in 2001 tongue often blocked the airway and little air was able are available.the more A mapsubdued similar ‘roll to method’ the ‘MutMap’ in 1859, called where the Now, the only instruction for performing this natural rice strain and mutate it, causing random Salt-resistantset of instructions for CPR will mean more people of several extinct only 42 other genomes, mostly of low complexity, to enter the lungs. Despite the problems presented by the ‘HapMap’victim was has rolled also been repeatedly created, back mapping and forth all to alter lifesaving technique is to lock your hands over the changes within the genome that changed the plant’s rice cropswill feel confident enough to administer the first aid species to have had been sequenced, and of these only 4 were non- this method—and the fact that few people had a set humanthe mutations volume ofand the is chest.indispensable in identifying their genome chest and push hard and fast, to the tune of the Bee characteristics. They were able to find exactly where would aidwhich could be life-saving. bacterial. As of 2011 this number is over 60 times of fireplace bellows to hand when out and about— disease-causingAfter several genes. centuriesIn the late of 1980s, trial-and-error the gene methodsand social recovery sequenced Gees’ classic ‘Stayin’ Alive’. the mutations occur by re-sequencing new plants The move towards hands-only CPR has been widely higher, with over 250 non-bacterial genomes now variations of this technique persisted for the next two mutationof resuscitation, associated with the cystic two majorfibrosis techniques took many currently after tsunamis St John This is not the first time that the official CPR and comparing their results to the reference genome. supported. Organisations such as St John Ambulance, available, including dog, mouse and chimpanzee. hundred years. Emphasis continued to be placed on years andrecognised $50 million as effective, to find; nowadaysmouth-to-mouth with the ventilation Ambulance advice has been revised, though most changes They created the ‘MutMap’, which maps mutations London Ambulance Service and American The publicly funded Human Genome Project maintaining the victim’s body heat, as warmth was genomeand and chest ‘HapMap’ compressions, it could were take developedmere months. in the Heart Association have all endorsed the support the do not come with a catchphrase. The history of with different plant features. This aids the tracking (HGP) took 10 years to complete, at a cost of $400 considered to be one of the most important signs of Themid-twentieth first law of technology century. Mouth-to-mouthstates we invariably change, and studies suggest that the new guidelines resuscitation is enormously long and varied. Although of characteristics during breeding and thus reduces million. In 2000, US President Clinton announced life in an unconscious person. overestimatecame first the short-termin the 1950s, impacts with ofthe new new guidelines will increase the adjustments in recent decades tend to be minor breeding times to one year. It is already being used that the publication of the human genome “will The first serious advocacy group for resuscitation technologiesinitial scientificand underestimate articles describingtheir longer-term number of cardiac arrest patients changes in positioning the victim or the ratio of to breed more salt-resistant rice strains for growth in revolutionize the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment was the Society for the Recovery of Drowned Persons. effects.its useThis andis undoubtedlyefficacy appearing true for genomics.in The reaching hospital alive. However, breaths to compressions, this was not always the Japanese paddy fields affected by salt water from the of most, if not all, human diseases.” A year prior to This formed in Amsterdam in 1767 to address the last decade1954. has While perhaps the seenimportance more genomes published most of these groups have also case. Historically, CPR was based on best-guesses 2011 tsunami.

that Dr Francis Collins, who led the public effort,Every second leading cause of death in the city at that time. Their than medicalof getting cures, air butinto the a non- technology and reference stated that they will continue SPUTNIkTILT Plant genomes are not alone in benefiting predicted that within a decade patients would be ablecounts and whatever tools were available at the time. Most genomes gained through international collaboration training first-aiders in full CPR, recommendationsscience and includedsociety. Methods the traditional for handling warming ancient breathing casualty was self- to undertake prophylactic drug regimes basedwhere on CPR is of these methods would definitely not come under will certainly yield huge social and academic benefits of the bodyDNA and through the bellows sequencing method, the pre-historic as well as some woolly evident, cardiac massage—now and those who have up-to-date predictive genetic tests. Understandably, such boldconcerned doctor’s orders today, but the central question of how in the coming decades. innovations.mammoth Inversion helped of with the victimthe sequencing to help the of the considered to be possibly the training in performing rescue claims generated great anticipation and heralded the are we merely embarking on more ‘bubbles’? 2011 fluid drainNeanderthal from their genome, lungs whichwas common, could give as uswas an idea most important feature of breaths should continue to do so. It dawning of a new medical era. ‘fumigation’: blowing tobacco smoke into the mouth Nicola Stead is a PhD student at the Babraham saw the publication of both the wild strawberry and of what it is that makes us human. Other non- effective resuscitation—was not lEol30 is not yet certain that considering the Ten years on and there is a definite feeling of Institute naked mole rat genomes, whilst the genomes of the and rectum.human Although genomes some also helped of their in treatments the two to werethree years formally described until 1960. psychology of the first-aider will improve public disappointment; Matt Ridley, of the Wall woolly mammoth and South American opossum were still aimedfollowing at stimulating the human life-like genome signs publication. in the casualty, At the It was previously thought that this the poor survival rate of cardiac arrest patients Street Journal wrote disparagingly that “genomics other methods such as ventilation of the lungs, References published in 2008 and 2007, respectively. How do was only effective if the heart itself was in public, but compression-only CPR marks yet has always been sold as a medical story, yet it using a bellows or mouth-to-mouth, and applying such obscure genomes benefit society or science? massaged, but new research showed that another change in our understanding and treatment keeps underdelivering useful medical knowledge.” Continued sequencing has driven revolutions manual pressure to the chest, are strikingly similar to even external compressions on the chest were enough Collins has also conceded that the genome has not of emergency incidents. in sequencing technology. When the HGP started resuscitationFeatures methods used today. The society’s ideas to stimulate blood flow. The primary advocates of yet yielded as many clinical successes as predicted. in 1990, traditional techniques could read up to are evidence of a significant shift towards modern these new techniques, anaesthesiologists James Elam A group of researchers in Switzerland even argue Beth Richardson is a 1st year undergraduate studying 25,000 DNA bases—the subunits that make up CPR methods,Staying guided Alive by – aHP better Liss understanding “A history of ofresuscitation” Annand Emerg Peter Med Safar, 15 are (1986) widely 65–72credited with pioneering that in hindsight, the HGP could be described as Natural Sciences our DNA—in a week; at its conclusion this had anatomy Symmetryand circulation. in Science – Dwight E Neuenschwander; “Emmythe modern Noether’s ‘ABC’ Wonderful method. This Theorem” combines all of the an economic ‘social bubble’ where investment far Big Ideas, Small Beginnings – “The view from the top”, IEEE Spectrum (2004) Staying Alive 7 increased to a dramatic 5 million bases. Current next- The principal method of forcing air into and out of components necessary for successful resuscitation: an outstrips any rational expectation of financial return. generation sequencing techniques, which were used the lungs,Type by any ‘L’ means For Love necessary, – Peter continued Todd, Francescointo the Billari and Jorge Simao. “Aggregate Age-at-Marriage Patterns from Individual With severe austerity measures in place globally to assemble the wild strawberry genome, can now DAlo_Pix2 Mate-Search Heuristics.” Demography 42.3 (2005): 559–574 next century. Life-saving aids in the 1800s included Easter 2012 and subsequent science funding cuts, we might ask sequence an astounding 250 billion bases per week Turbocharge Your Mind – if continued genome sequencing is of value—or with a simultaneous 100,000 fold decrease in cost. Easter 2012 However, these developments have brought other Regulars The wild hurdles with them. Assembling an unknown genome – CA Quarini “History of Contraception” Women’s Health Medicine 2(5):28-30 strawberry (left) From Herbs to Hormones – CA Quarini “History of Contraception” Women’s Health Medicine 2(5):28-30 6 Staying Alive is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle without – http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/thought-experiment/ genome will help being able to see the picture on the box. If the HGP Dreaming up Science – http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/thought-experiment/ Simon Winchester; “Bomb, Book and Compass: Joseph Needham and the Great improve commercial From Biochemist to Sinologist – Simon Winchester; “Bomb, Book and Compass: Joseph Needham and the Great strawberry crops was a 100-piece puzzle then the new projects are (right) 1000-piece puzzles – the pieces are more numerous Secrets of China” – and a lot smaller, making it harder to put them The Genome Generation – – together. Naturally, as more genomes are published, Preparing for the Unknown – the easier assembly will become with the availability Persepctive 29 of similar ‘reference genomes’. The wild strawberry

provides a basis for genomes of commercially SIGUSr0

important crops of the same family, including peaches Easter 2012 JAMeS McNALLY JAMeS Easter 2012

28 Perspective

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