Welcome to Signal Boost, our weekly roundup of blog posts over the past week.
A new paper out last week argued that there is a consensus among media researchers, parents and pediatricians on whether violent video games cause aggression. However, as Pete Etchells and Chris Chambers point out, the reality of the situation is a bit more complex than that.
Last week, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills held a conference to look at improving science communication. Russell Grossman explains the reasoning behind the meeting.
Wind and waves on Windermere. Jon Butterworthshares some more pictures from life as a physicist.
Radio 4 broadcast a programme last week to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Dorothy Hodgkin’s Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Stephen Curry provides a brilliant homage to an excellent scientist.
What happens when fashion and science collide? Esther Baena highlights a new project bringing cancer research onto the fashion runway.
Are the rules on animal welfare put in place by the Home Office inadequate? Michelle Thew, the chief executive of the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection, responds to Fiona Fox’s recent article on the effectiveness of animal rights exposés.
October 14 was Ada Lovelace Day, a day to celebrate female role models in science, technology, engineering and maths. Suzi Gage marks the occasion by throwing the spotlight on Professor Jean Golding, the visionary scientist behind the Children of the 90s project.
Brian Cox’s new show Human Universe aired for the first time last week. Henry Gee argues why he thinks it presents a flawed view of human evolution.
Scientists, gird your loins and prepare to fight for the future of UK science. Stephen Curry highlights recent briefings published by the Campaign for Science and Engineering, which emphasise important science policy issues that need to factor in next year’s election.
New research published this week shows how a chemical signal might be involved in giving a go signal for cancer cells to spread. Nick Peel explains the findings, and the potential implications for future research into melanomas.
In the UK, doctors are being put under increasing pressure to improve diagnosis rates for dementia. But Martin Brunet argues that the prevalence estimates on which targets are based aren’t as trustworthy as we would like them to be.
Nick and Tesla’s Super-Cyborg Gadget Glove might just be the best book title we’ve ever heard of. Grrlscientist reviews the latest instalment in the Nick and Tesla ‘science mysteries’ series.
Lots of people experience social anxiety; a severe nervous response in seemingly innocuous situations. But why does it happen? Dean Burnett takes a thoughtful look at a debilitating disorder.
Exposure therapy is incredibly useful when it comes to treating certain types of phobias. But for others, like a fear of public speaking, it’s impractical in its traditional form. However, as David Cox points out, virtual reality might offer a way to overcome this problem.
A new study published this week is an academic tour de force in taking down pervasive myths about the brain. Pete Etchells explains why every teacher should be given access to the paper.
