University of Plymouth PEARL https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk

Faculty of Science and Engineering School of Biological and Marine Sciences

2002-06-01 Saving Europe's coral reefs

Hall-Spencer, JM http://hdl.handle.net/10026.1/1410

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MANAGING RADIOACTIVE WASTE P2 LOOMING SCIENCE SKILLS CRISIS P4 UK’S SCIENCE HERITAGE GOES ONLINE P9 42 NEW FELLOWS ELECTED SUPPLEMENT

Science in action A preview of the Summer Science Exhibition 2002 pages 6 & 7 2 EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE

Funds needed for new Managing schemes

THE Royal Society is seeking government funding for new radioactive waste initiatives to boost the careers of women scientists and to THE management of existing of waste for long-term storage. encourage overseas researchers radioactive waste from nuclear In the short term, technologies that to pursue their work in the UK, power stations and military activities are already available should be the House of Commons is a serious and urgent problem that adopted in order to improve Science and Technology must be dealt with. This is the management practices. The response Committee has heard. message the Royal Society has given notes that the UK's capability in this In its evidence to the to the government in its recent area of science and technology has Committee’s inquiry into the response to a consultation by the dramatically decreased in recent Government funding of the Department of Environment, Food years. The response also urges learned bodies, the Society and Rural Affairs. international collaboration on revealed details of its bid for research on disposal methods and additional money under the The response was prepared by a recommends an urgent safety review Spending Review, the results of working group chaired by Professor The storage of radioactive waste with respect to possible terrorist which will be announced in Geoff Boulton. The working group needs to be improved. threats, following the events of July. Extra funds have been concluded that new institutions are with the public and give technical September 11. The full document sought for: needed in which the public have confidence, to take forward policy advice for the formation of a waste is available at www.royalsoc.ac.uk/ a new relocation fellowship disposal policy, with a separate resource.cfm?rs173 scheme to allow couples of for the long-term management of executive body to implement researchers to move together wastes. The response recommends For further information contact the policy. if only one post is available at that the government set up two new Marisa Goulden at a new host institution; independent bodies: a Waste Fundamental research is required to [email protected] Management Commission to consult provide solutions for the treatment the Athena project aiming to promote the careers of women scientists in academe; an extension of the Society’s fellowship scheme to bring Dancing on pinheads post-doctoral researchers from the USA to the UK; new fellowship schemes to attract post-doctoral researchers to the UK from India and China; the European Academies’ Science Advisory Council, the secretariat of which is based at the Society; and a programme of regional events to be held outside London. If the spending review bid is successful, the Society’s THE Royal Society joined forces with one of London’s and winner of the Royal Society’s 2001 Faraday Parliamentary Grant-in-Aid premier arts organisations, the Institute of Contemporary Award for communicating science; botanist turned would rise from £28.8m in Arts, to host Dancing on pinheads, a panel discussion on award-winning science fiction novelist Paul J McAuley; 2002-3 to £35.9m in 2005-6. nanotechnology. Dr Michael Gross, honorary science writer in residence at The written evidence submitted The event was held at the ICA on 15 April and addressed Birkbeck College, London and author of Travels to to the Committee’s inquiry is the implications of the nanotechnology revolution. Nanoworld and microbiologist, Professor Judy Armitage posted on the Society’s web of the University of Oxford. site. The inquiry’s report will be The panel speakers are pictured above from left to right: published later in the year. Professor Harry Kroto, 1996 Nobel Laureate for Chemistry

The Royal Society www.royalsoc.ac.uk NEWS 3

news briefs

Croonian Lecture Nobel minds PROFESSOR Kim Nasmyth delivered the Croonian Lecture on 1 May at University College London. His lecture focused on the discovery of a multi-subunit complex called cohesin that mediates sister chromatid cohesion. Mistakes in chromosome segregation cause cells to gain or lose chromatids, which may have an important role in the evolution of tumour cells and is the cause of Down’s syndrome.

Climate levy or not? SHOULD the government introduce new economic measures such as a carbon tax to tackle climate change? This The Guardian’s science editor Tim Radford (left) interviewed Nobel laureates Sir Paul Nurse (right) and Dr Tim Hunt is what the Royal Society hopes (centre) about their passion for science and what it was like to receive a Nobel Prize, before an audience at the to answer in an investigation it IMAX Theatre, Science Museum. The event was a Royal Society collaboration with the Science Musem’s Naked has launched recently. Science Project. The study has been set up because the Society believes the government’s current energy policy, including the Climate Change Levy, is failing to reduce UK universities attract adequately carbon dioxide emissions. As part of this study the working group, chaired by more leading scientists Sir Eric Ash, will meet with policy makers from other European countries to discuss the economic MORE UK universities have received a significant boost to Under the scheme, which aims to help institutions attract measures that have been their bids to attract the best researchers from abroad and to or retain in the UK researchers of outstanding introduced in their countries. retain them here. achievement or potential, each recipient receives an For further details please award for salary enhancement and research expenses on Six outstanding scientists have been selected in the third contact Richard Heap or top of the current wage that they receive from their round of the Royal Society-Wolfson Research Merit Marisa Goulden e-mail: host UK university. The average award for this round is Awards scheme, bringing to 26 the total number of [email protected] senior researchers who have won the award since the approximately £40,000. programme was first launched last year. These awards are jointly funded by the Wolfson Your views are One of them, Professor Peter Buneman, will leave a Foundation and the Office of Science and Technology prominent post at the University of Pennsylvania in the and administered by the Royal Society. Initial funding welcome If you have any comments USA to take up a permanent post at the University of available for the awards totals some £20 million over about an article or would five years. Edinburgh’s Division of Informatics. like to contribute to a future It is anticipated that a further 30 awards will be made For more information, please contact Keith Wylde on issue of Excellence in Science, please email a this year and around 40 next year when the scheme will [email protected] 200-word synopsis to be reviewed. [email protected] 4 EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE

Academic A SKILLS SHORTAGE IN SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS IS LOOMING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM UNLESS SALARIES OF MATHEMATICIANS, SCIENTISTS freedom AND ENGINEERS WORKING IN UNIVERSITIES ARE IMPROVED. THE House of Commons are to vote on measures to protect academic freedom following a House of Lords defeat for the government. Voting 150 to 108, Looming science peers approved an amendment to the Export Control Bill which prevents the legislation from being used to stop academics communicating information skills crisis during teaching or research. The Photo courtesy of Salters Chemistry Camps government had tried to impose THIS was the warning aired in a controls over academic research report by Sir Gareth Roberts on the that would limit the ability of supply of people with science, dangerous regimes to obtain technology, engineering and British technology for military use. mathematics skills. Welcoming the publication of the Awards, honours and prizes Roberts report, Professor Patrick Royal Society Prizes Bateson, Vice-President of the Royal THE following were given Society, said the crisis in the supply medals and awards this year of scientists and engineers had been by the Society’s Council: building up over many years. Professor John Pople “We must reverse the decline in the Copley Medal numbers of young people pursuing Fewer and fewer young people take up careers in science, maths and engineering. Professor David King chemistry, physics, mathematics and Rumford Medal engineering qualifications if the UK raising the profile of scientists and need for additional government Professor Neil Bartlett is to be economically competitive in Davy Medal engineers in schools and funding funding to raise PhD grants and the future. more than 370 of the country’s best the salaries of science teachers, Professor Peter Grant and Dr Rosemary Grant "The Royal Society is already working post-doctoral researchers….we hope post-doctoral researchers and Darwin Medal to tackle this problem by actively the Treasury will look seriously at the university lecturers,” he said. Professor Michael Waterfield Buchanan Medal Professor Alex Dalgarno Hughes Medal Professor Nicholas Handy Fellows speak out on Leverhulme Medal

Dr Julie Macpherson, a Royal Society University teaching of evolution Research Fellow, has been named the ‘Charles N. Reilley Young Investigator 2003’ by SIXTEEN bishops and scientists, disciplines. It can be refined, religious studies are properly the Society of Electroanalytical eight of them Fellows, have confirmed and even radically altered respected.” Chemistry in the USA expressed concern about the by attention to evidence. It is not, as The signatories to the letter included teaching of science in the spokesmen for the college maintain, Fellows Lord May, the Society’s Deaths Emmanuel City Technology College a ‘faith position’ in the same President; Sir David Attenborough in Gateshead. category as the biblical account of and Sir Martin Rees, the Astronomer THE Royal Society very much In a letter sent to the Prime Minister creation which has a different Royal. The bishops included regrets to record the death of the function and purpose.” following Fellows: at the end of March, the group said: The Rt Revd Richard Harries, Bishop Dr Cesar Milstein CH ”Evolution is a scientific theory of The group noted that the curricula of Oxford; the Rt Revd Christopher died 24 March 2002. great explanatory power, able to in such schools “need to be strictly Herbert, Bishop of St Albans and Professor Barry Johnson account for a wide range of monitored in order that the the Rt Revd John Oliver, Bishop died 5 May 2002. phenomena in a number of respective disciplines of science and of Hereford.

The Royal Society www.royalsoc.ac.uk NEWS 5

news briefs

Society receives funding boost

THE Royal Society has recently received two major grants from the Gatsby Charitable Foundation. The grants, totalling over £600,000, will fund the appointment of a University Research Fellow (URF) and support the Society’s programme of education policy advice. Speaking at the announcement of the grants, the Society’s President, Lord May of Oxford, said “Grants of this nature are vital to the work of the Society and I am delighted that the Gatsby Charitable Foundation has been able to offer such Is science more sympathetic to religion than literature? This was the topic of a panel discussion on 8 May hosted by generous funding. In addition the Society and the Royal Society of Literature (RSL). Pictured from left to right: Philip Pullman; RSL Chairman Ronald to providing the opportunity Harwood; broadcaster Joan Bakewell; Professor Richard Dawkins; Professor Jocelyn Bell Burnell and Baroness James for another talented young of Holland Park. Joan Bakewell’s insights on the event can be read on p8. scientist to benefit from our prestigious URF scheme, the funds will be a tremendous boost for our work in education, allowing us to Senior Research Fellows continue to provide independent advice to SEVEN senior research fellows in The new Senior Research Evolutionary Biology, University of government in this most fields ranging from evolutionary Fellows are: St Andrews, to work for one year crucial of areas.” biology to heteroborane chemistry Professor I David Abrahams, on evolution and conservation of have been appointed thanks to Department of Mathematics, biological diversity in freshwater fish. funding from the Leverhulme Trust. University of Manchester, to work Professor Andrew M Stuart, 21st century The fellowships represent for one year on elastic, acoustic and Mathematics Institute, University science a valuable opportunity for electromagnetic wave propagation of Warwick, to work for one year THE Royal Society has been mid-career scientists to be relieved in inhomogeneous media. on algorithms for extracting of all teaching and administrative helping the Qualifications and Professor Alison M Gurney, effective macroscopic dynamics: duties to do full-time research for Curriculum Authority (QCA) Department of Physiology & analysis and development. a period of between one academic develop a pilot for a new GCSE Pharmacology, University of Professor Matthew F Thirlwall, term and one year. The scheme aimed at keeping school science Strathclyde, to work for one year on Department of Geology, Royal has been recently extended up to in step with the 21st century. molecular and cellular studies of ion Holloway University of London, to 2006. It was launched in 1990 Views were sought from some channels in the pulmonary circulation. work for one year on origins of and a total of 88 fellowships have of the Society’s University Dr Sarah Gurr, Department of OIB and arc magma sources using been awarded to date. All take up Research Fellows in developing Plant Sciences, University of Pb-O-Th-Hf isotopes. their post from 1 October except a proposal for a qualification Oxford, to work for one year on Professor Alan J Welch, for Professor Matthew Thirlwall giving greater emphasis to gene silencing in an obligate plant Department of Chemistry, who starts on 16 September. science for public understanding pathogenic fungus. Heriot-Watt University, to work and concepts such as risk and for one year on new opportunities Professor Anne E Magurran, certainty, linked to contexts in heteroborane chemistry. Division of Environmental & relevant for young people. 6 EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE

Science in action

Do you want to see cutting-edge science up Universes to order noticeable effects. However, when the close? The Royal Society’s Summer Science The make-up of the Universe is one of universe was young, it expanded very Exhibition on 2-4 July 2002 offers an the great unresolved mysteries in rapidly and bursts of energy did not excellent opportunity to do just that. science. Carlos Frenk, Professor of have time to disappear: instead they Astronomy at Durham University, became incorporated into the universe This annual exhibition, the Society’s largest heads a team that is using new as small imperfections. “We set up the public event, showcases some of the best of technology to come up with the simulator with these small the UK’s science, engineering and answers. “In recent years,” he says, imperfections,” he explains “and then technology research. But what makes this “astronomers have come to realise we programme a number of event unique is that visitors get the chance that gravity, the force that holds the possibilities for the dark matter. The to meet and talk to the scientists who universe together, comes primarily only rules are the effects of gravity. are doing the research. from something we can’t see. Then we say to the computer ‘Give me Something called dark matter, but we a universe!’” Using this approach, The Exhibition features 20 hands-on, haven’t got a clue what it is.” Professor Frenk and his colleagues have made a whole array of virtual universes, informative and interactive exhibits that But if you can’t see dark matter, how all with subtly different dark matter. have many applications in the real world. can you be so sure that it exists? Taking a jab at malaria Here’s a preview of just three exhibits Professor Frenk contends it’s merely a Scientists at the University of Oxford the visitors will enjoy this year: matter of arithmetic. “The sums don’t add up,” he insists. “The amount of have developed a promising new gravity that the visible part of a galaxy approach to controlling malaria, the produces couldn’t keep a galaxy in biggest infectious killer of children in place. So it must come from another the world. source, something that doesn’t shine”. Traditional vaccines tried to fight the Professor Frenk and his team are using disease, with limited success, by computer simulations to work out the increasing the number of antibodies characteristics of dark matter. They are against malaria in the blood. This constructing different universes time, Professor Adrian Hill and his WHAT MAKES THIS EVENT colleagues have used a new approach UNIQUE IS THAT VISITORS containing slightly different dark matter and comparing them to what’s which stimulates the white blood cell GET THE CHANCE TO MEET (or killer T cell) response – to attack AND TALK TO THE around us. In our universe small packets of energy appear and the parasites while they are inside the SCIENTISTS WHO ARE liver cells, before they have a chance DOING THE RESEARCH disappear very quickly without

The Royal Society www.royalsoc.ac.uk FOCUS ON: SUMMER SCIENCE EXHIBITION 7

The other exhibits are:

How to genetically engineer a rainbow Developing proteins that light up chemical reactions within cells.

Needle in the haystack: cognitive visual search strategies Measuring the visual knowledge needed to scan images.

Biological invasions and global change Helping make decisions about threats to biodiversity.

The carbon trap Exploring how plants and rocks might help deal with global warming.

Chasing the high-flyers: uncovering the ecology of the skies with radar Revealing the mysteries of insect migration.

What’s in a name? Trust on the internet New ways with cryptography to make e-commerce secure.

Tethered space propulsion to multiply and start causing Project, an international collaboration Using a sling-shot to get to Mars. symptoms in the blood. aimed at unlocking the secrets of Magnetic chips with everything So far the team have vaccinated over the deep. Putting magnetic brains into computer chips using 100 people in Oxford and West Africa They do this by deploying specially nanotechnology. with one of two new vaccines, then designed floats in the world’s oceans, deliberately infected them with which then transmit information by Non-toxic toxins malaria to see if the vaccine protects satellite to an onshore base. The data Making use of toxins to understand human them against the disease. Initial results from the floats are used to build cells and disease. are promising, with one of the computer simulations of the ocean’s Putting the fizz into chemistry vaccines giving some people complete movements, temperature and salinity. Leading a green revolution in cleaner chemical reactions. protection against the disease, and the By comparing these temperatures to Optical micro-rotator other killing 70-80% of the parasites. previous measurements taken from The potential of laser beams to probe DNA damage. “Malaria isn’t just a health care boats, scientists on the Argo project Human plumes and optical thermometers problem, it’s an economic problem,” can build up a picture of global sea Using physics for sustainable building design. says Professor Hill, “it costs a huge temperatures, and how they are amount to control and is a huge changing, for example during the Make me a molecule burden on economic development. weather phenomenon El Niño. Synthesising valuable chemicals in the cleanest way. Integrating this information with If you could control malaria it would Knights in shining armour: immunity in action deep-sea currents, and in the future certainly help relieve poverty in Africa. Harnessing the body’s natural defences in the fight observations of surface currents, the It’s ambitious,” he admits, “but it’s against HIV and melanoma. becoming realistic”. scientists hope to be able to make long-term predictions about the The underground pulse Sentinels of the sea Earth’s climate. Unearthing the truth about soil fungi and their strange Meteorological records tell us that air underground networks. temperatures are increasing under global warming, but very little is The Exhibition is free to attend Out of sight, out of mind: the weird and and open to all. If you would known about the mean sea wonderful life of a mitochondrion like further information please temperature, or the movements of the An innovative technique for examining the email Froniga Lambert at currents beneath the surface. Now powerhouse of the cell. [email protected] scientists from the Southampton Paul Dirac (1902-1984): a centenary celebration Tues 2 July 12.00 to 16.30 Oceanography Centre, Proudman Celebrating one of the greatest theoretical physicists Wed 3 July 10.00 to 16.30 Oceanographic Laboratory and the Thurs 4 July 10.00 to 16.30 of all time. Met Office are involved in the Argo 8 IN MY VIEW

Science, religion literature...

Joan Bakewell (centre) chairing the t was a sell-out event and comfortable with the idea. Certainly panel discussion at the Royal not surprisingly so. Here in my no one banged the table and insisted Society. The other speakers were, were four very diverse, theirs was the one true story. from left: Philip Pullman, Professor “I Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Baroness intelligent and fluent people coming view Indeed, Professor Jocelyn Bell Burnell, James of Holland Park and together to debate what is currently, the astronomer who discovered Professor Richard Dawkins for all disciplines a hot question – Is Joan Bakewell pulsars, who is herself a Quaker, gave science more sympathetic to religion an exposition shining with clarity “PERHAPS, A than literature? What is ‘hot’ is not about how being a scientist and a the literature or the science but the MEMBER OF THE drama and the Islamic Koran. Richard Quaker makes perfect sense. This was matter of religion. There was a time AUDIENCE Dawkins began with a flourishing an occasion, rare in modern culture, in the late 20th century when SUGGESTED, reading of a text that in fine lyrical in which scientists talked with artists, religion’s time seemed all but spent. SCIENCE, LITERATURE writing attacked religion only to not in confrontational mode, but in a Declining church attendances, the AND RELIGION ARE reveal it was from one of his own genuine spirit of enquiry. But the abandonment of daily, religious SIMPLY TELLING books. He is, incidentally, the only difference in their imaginative assemblies, and limp religious DIFFERENT STORIES” speaker to be a member of both The sensibilities was nicely pointed out by teaching in schools, seemed to be Royal Society, and The Royal Society Philip Pullman who reckoned it marking its demise. But religion has of Literature which came together to would be hard to write about staged a spectacular come-back and create the event. Dawkins spelled out electrons being in love, or a gang of in ways we didn’t anticipate. After the spectrum of belief from fanatical galaxies getting together to rob a the events of September 11th, even fundamentalists, through to casino. But, I don’t know. I think the the most avowed atheist must hardened atheists, implicitly inviting panel could make a good attempt. examine what is the hold, what is us to place ourselves along the scale. Joan Bakewell is a well-known broadcaster the loyalty that religion commands But he came into his own when and writer. in the lives of so many men and expounding his view that religious women? We all need to know. The views expressed here are the author’s belief is like a virus that we pick up and do not necessarily reflect Royal Society The panel was not lined up for a from our parents whom evolutionary policy. If you would like to comment on these debate: two scientists versus two survival requires us to believe views or write an article for a future writers, nor two believers against two implicitly, and that as adults we don’t In my view, please email non-believers. The current discourse need it anymore. Philip Pullman, [email protected] doesn’t move in that way. Those who whose trilogy ‘His Dark Materials’ wanted a debate and a motion reads as an allegory of primal carried would have been struggle, introduced the concept of We regret that the last issue of Excellence in Science carried an edited disappointed. What happened was stories, stories which we tell each version of Rachel Flecker’s article, far more interesting than that. other without always being aware ‘Improving life for contract researchers’, P.D. James led with the claim that of their import. Perhaps, a member which did not accurately reflect her views. The correct version, ‘Who speaks much of literature is, in itself, of the audience suggested, science, for contract researchers?’, is available at religious, citing the King James Bible literature and religion are simply www.royalsoc.ac.uk/news/excellence and Cranmer’s Book of Common telling different stories. Everyone, in 0402flecker.pdf Prayer., the rituals of ancient Greek their own terms, seemed to feel

The Royal Society www.royalsoc.ac.uk SPECIAL REPORT 9 UK’s science heritage goes online A TREASURE TROVE OF RARE RECORDS AND HAND-WRITTEN NOTES BELONGING TO SOME OF THE WORLD’S MOST OUTSTANDING SCIENTISTS IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THE INTERNET. Paul Dirac

OWARD FLOREY’S notes on Society collections included are those form, the Society’s extensive archives, The ongoing redevelopment of his ground-breaking of John Smeaton, the first civil engineer which date back to 1660. Although Carlton House Terrace also offers Hexperiments with penicillin and architect of the Eddystone this mammoth task is estimated to opportunities to promote and and John Herschel’s correspondence Lighthouse; Edward Sabine, take a number of years, the collections celebrate the Society’s unique relating to pioneering attempts at geophysicist specialising in terrestrial for Howard Florey, Alfred Egerton, historical resources. Of international colour photography are among the magnetism and Robert Boyle, natural Charles Wilson and Arthur Tansley plus significance, these items include collection details now available philosopher, chemist and founder details of all the portraits paintings scientific papers, manuscripts, online documenting the best of the member of the Royal Society. and sculpture, are already available correspondence, portraits and UK’s science heritage under the Partnership projects are one of online. Updated monthly, this artefacts, which the Library plans newly-completed Web of Science the ways that the Library and catalogue will continue to expand. to put on display around the History project. Archives of the Royal Society is Transcription of election certificates building as new dedicated exhibition Led by the Royal Society’s Library, the achieving its primary objective to from 1731 to 1951 is nearing spaces are created. project provides electronic access to increase public access to the completion and will be followed by An example can be seen at the 19 of the Society’s collections as well collections. Open to the public, digitised copies of the election Summer Science Exhibition on 2-4 as personal papers deposited in eight the Library is used by researchers certificates being attached to July 2002 when the Library display other national scientific institutions. The from all over the world. However, biographical records, which are will be dedicated to Paul Dirac, one project, which is funded by the for those unable to visit, the Library already available through the Web. of the greatest British theoretical Heritage Lottery Fund, is available catalogue is available online through The Library is actively exploring physicists of all time and winner of online via the Access to Archives (A2A) the Royal Society web site funding opportunities to support the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1933. website http://www.a2a.pro.gov.uk, www.royalsoc.ac.uk/library a digitisation programme for the For more information, the English strand of the UK national This year, the Library started a 6,000 portraits of Fellows that are in please contact Karen Peters on archives network hosted by the Public programme to catalogue, in electronic the form of paintings, photography karen.peters@ royalsoc.ac.uk Record Office. Among the 19 Royal and etchings.

A sample of the Royal Society’s artefacts from left: a bronze maquette for Charles Darwin’s statue at Shrewsbury School; Isaac Newton’s death mask and a circular cameo glass plate portrait of Lord Kelvin. 10 RESEARCH PROFILE Saving Europe’s coral reefs DR JASON HALL-SPENCER’S DISCOVERY OF WIDESPREAD DAMAGE IN EUROPE’S ANCIENT CORAL REEFS, WHICH WAS WIDELY REPORTED IN THE MEDIA, HAS FLAGGED UP AN ECOLOGICAL DISASTER.

r Jason Hall-Spencer, a Shetland as this is a critical researcher at Millport research deep-water gateway between the DMarine Biological Station in Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. “In the Scotland, is studying fluctuations profile meantime, these early results point in the direction and strength of the to an urgent need for the Redfish is a species sought Dr Jason Hall-Spencer by trawlers. North Atlantic Drift, the current that Department for Environment Food profoundly affects climate and and Rural Affairs, government coastal ecosystems in northern conservation agencies and the EC Europe. Much of his first year as a Fisheries Department to work closely oil surveys over the past five years Royal Society University Research with the fishing industry to minimise have located large, diverse coral Fellow has been spent on fishing long-term environmental damage to reefs along the oceanic margin off boats collecting the skeletons of deep-sea habitats,” Dr Hall-Spencer Europe. These reefs have yet to be obscure sea creatures such as points out. It is widely thought that studied in detail, yet seabed coralline algae and cold-water deep-water habitats occur too far photographs and an analysis of corals. These skeletons incorporate offshore for us to be able to manage commercial trawls show that chemical signatures from the water their exploitation but Dr Hall-Spencer unregulated deep-water fishing is that they grow in. These signatures argues that we now have the causing wide-scale damage to these can be used to reveal information technology to protect fragile deep- ancient coral habitats. The fishers do about the long-term pulse of the water corals and ensure sustainable not deliberately damage coral as it Atlantic, just as tree rings tell us exploitation of the long-lived fish tears their nets and reduces the about climate change on land. This that they attract. “In the wake quality of their catch. Dr Hall-Spencer information will feed into a major of hostilities between the fishing explains that “collapses in shallow international research programme fleets of Canada and Spain a Dr Hall-Spencer monitoring coral water stocks such as cod have aimed at predicting and planning satellite-based vessel-monitoring and algae habitat. forced the largest trawlers to target for climate change. scheme has been introduced ever deeper habitats where wildlife Initial analyses of the trawled throughout the North Atlantic. has been virtually undisturbed since skeletons are providing worrying This scheme now offers an excellent the last ice age”. The Norwegians results. Working with scientists in means with which to protect estimate that 50% of their coral France and Norway, Dr Hall-Spencer deep-water coral provinces and at reefs have been damaged by has found that poorly known the same time help fishermen avoid trawling – the extent of the problem European coral reefs, radiocarbon damage to their nets,” he says. off EU countries has not been dated to more than 4550 years old, assessed. Over the next year the are being inadvertently smashed to Dr Hall-Spencer’s research was collections of deep-water corals will pieces by bottom-trawl fishing. Deep featured in the 7 March issue be used to address fundamental waters were once thought to be of the Society’s journal questions regarding the link Proceedings B. If you would “UNREGULATED barren and it still surprises many between climate change and like to submit research for DEEP-WATER FISHING that the grey North-East Atlantic ocean circulation. publication to Proceedings B IS CAUSING harbours spectacular coral reefs. Particular attention will be paid to or any of the Society’s WIDESCALE DAMAGE Most associate corals with warm, historical changes in the flow of journals, please visit TO THESE ANCIENT well-lit waters off tropical coasts but www.pubs.royalsoc.ac.uk CORAL HABITATS” water between the Faroes and

The Royal Society www.royalsoc.ac.uk RESEARCH PROFILE 11

DR SUSAN HOWSON, A DOROTHY HODGKIN RESEARCH FELLOW AT NOTTINGHAM UNIVERSITY, HAS BEEN AWARDED THE ADAMS PRIZE, A PRESTIGIOUS AWARD MADE ANNUALLY FOR YOUNG, UK-BASED MATHEMATICIANS. Blue skies mathematics

r Susan Howson is Theory has already proven itself an in this manner and there are now one of the youngest pure extremely powerful method for studying research about ten mathematicians world- Dmathematicians working in elliptic curves, and the aim of wide, with Dr Howson among them, Number Theory, a field that can lay Dr Howson’s research is to strengthen profile working collaboratively in this field. claim to being one of the oldest in the theory sufficiently so that it applies Although it is not the focus of mathematics. One of the main to a vastly enlarged range of situations. Dr Susan Howson Dr Howson’s own work, elliptic motivating problems in the subject is Many of the most powerful and curves have very important practical the study of Diophantine equations. elegant ideas in pure mathematics applications in cryptography. For “Attempts to solve particular come out of discovering, often “MANY OF THE example, when one sends a credit Diophantine problems have led to surprising, relationships between MOST POWERFUL card number over a secure Internet perhaps some of the deepest and apparently different mathematical AND ELEGANT connection the computer may well most beautiful mathematics yet objects. Associated to an elliptic curve IDEAS IN PURE be using an algorithm based on the created,” she says. is a function called the L-function of MATHEMATICS arithmetic of elliptic curves. Her particular interest is in the class of the curve. Iwasawa Theory constructs COME OUT OF “At present, it appears that elliptic equations that give so-called elliptic a second, algebraically defined, DISCOVERING curves possess just enough structure curves. In mathematical language, object associated to the curve and OFTEN SURPRISING to allow one to construct the codes, elliptic curves are ‘smooth projective conjectures a precise relationship RELATIONSHIPS but not enough spare structure left curves of genus 1’, which means that between the two. Through this, one BETWEEN over with which to try and attack the solutions to the equation form a is able to prove deep theorems about APPARENTLY (i.e. decode) them, and it is this surface the shape of the surface of a the arithmetic of the curve. DIFFERENT apparent property which makes them doughnut. The ‘genus 1’ part of the So far, the techniques have only MATHEMATICAL so valuable. But no one has actually mathematical definition corresponds been developed to apply these ideas OBJECTS” proven this to be the case, and one to the fact that a doughnut has one in the commutative setting. An can never predict what applications, hole and this is the really important operation is called commutative to this or other practical problems, property which makes elliptic curves if it does not matter in what order apparently pure, blue skies research particularly interesting and rich it is applied. Dr Howson is working on elliptic curves may have in the in structure. on extending this to certain future,” she says. More precisely, her research project aims non-commutative situations. Dr Susan Howson is a Royal Society to extend a range of techniques known Professor John Coates of Cambridge Dorothy Hodgkin Fellow at as Iwasawa Theory, after the Japanese University, Dr. Howson’s former PhD Nottingham University. Mathematician Kenkichi Iwasawa who supervisor, principally introduced the first introduced these ideas. Iwasawa idea of generalising Iwasawa Theory 12 THE ROYAL SOCIETY

diary the last dates word Stephen Cox Public Events Executive Secretary Tuesday 2, Wednesday 3 and Thursday 4 July The election of 42 new Fellows has The Royal Society’s Summer just taken place, a culmination of Science Exhibition over six months hard work by many The Royal Society’s annual Summer existing Fellows, but particularly by Science Exhibition is a showcase for two Vice-Presidents: Patrick Bateson scientific innovation. Each year 20 of and John Enderby, who oversee the the UK’s top science, engineering and whole process. The innovations technology research teams are introduced this year into the selected by the Royal Society to stage The Royal Society’s a public demonstration of their work. nominations process to attract more Summer Science Exhibition 2002 Admission is free and open to all. women and more candidates from Open: emerging disciplines or from Tues 12.00 to 16.30 institutions outside the golden Wed 10.00 to 16.30 triangle have had an immediate Thurs 10.00 to 16.30 Surfing the wood wide web effect with several of the new Fellows being identified in this way. Tuesday 3 September at 18.00 Four of the new Fellows are women: Clifford Paterson Lecture: still too few but this reflects the Computer Security? small number of women in science By Professor Roger Needham FRS at professorial level in Britain and The technical aspects of computer we are of course addressing this security have fascinated researchers issue in imaginative ways. (including the lecturer) for decades. mitochondrial components now molecular dynamics in biology It is, however, beginning to appear reside in the cell nucleus. So why (eg protein folding), entanglement- Our new Fellows will interest the that the challenging problems are to did some genes move, while others dominated systems House of Commons Select do with people, rather than with did not? (eg polymer melts) and dynamics mathematics or electronics. of self-assembly. Committee who questioned the President, Professor Julia Higgins Wednesday 25 and Scientific Meetings Thursday 26 September Wednesday 16 and and myself the day before the and Conferences Slow Dynamics in Soft Matter Thursday 17 October elections took place. The Society Glycolipids in cell biology Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 June Organised by Professor Mike Cates, gave a robust account of itself and medicine Chloroplasts and mitochondria – Professor Julia Higgins CBE FRS, during the session and I await with functional genomics and Professor Tom McLeish and Organised by Dr Terry Butters, interest the select committee report evolution Dr Peter Olmsted Professor Timothy Cox, Professor which is due in the summer. In the Raymond Dwek FRS and Organised by Professor John Allen The meeting will cover a range of meantime it will be interesting to related topics in experiment and Dr Fran Platt and Professor John Raven FRS see if the committee will also tackle theory of Soft Condensed Matter Glycolipids are key cellular Chloroplasts and mitochondria are (fluids and semi-solids of polymers, components and inherited defects in the research councils who receive energy-converting organelles of liquid crystals, surfactants, colloids). their metabolism cause disabling over 98% of the science budget, eukaryotic cells. They also contain Focussing on slow dynamical diseases. Novel therapies, based on an compared to our own 1.5%. small, specialised, functional processes, potential discussions will understanding of cellular genomes. While their genetic and cover: transitions from metastable biochemistry, have advanced to Another Summer Science Exhibition energy-converting systems are states (eg colloidal crystallisation), clinical trials. All aspects of basic is upon us with the usual exciting flow-induced phase transitions and applied glycolipid science will evidently bacterial in origin, most exhibits and a varied programme genes for chloroplast and (eg banded states in micellar fluids), be discussed. aimed at bringing scientists and the public together to talk about cutting edge research. I hope to see many For further information on any of you at the exhibition which runs contact of the subjects covered in this from 2 to 4 July here at Carlton issue, please contact the editorial team at House Terrace. information Email: [email protected]

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