Journalists

Journalists

Covering current events in science, the environment, technology and health requires a context and reliable sources that respond quickly.

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When science hits the headlines, we publish reactions, explanations, and in-depth analysis from reliable sources, capturing both the evidence and the debates. Our library of science journalism resources and the briefings may be of use to you. Consult our directory of research centres.

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We are on the lookout for any controversial information about science (embargoed or not), in order to react with the agility the media needs. Sign up to receive our embargoed contents, all under the Creative Commons licence. Find out more about how we work here.

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Reactions: Study estimates that replacing red meat consumption with sardines or anchovies could prevent up to 750,000 deaths by 2050

Switching some of the world's red meat consumption to forage fish - such as sardines, herring or anchovies - would reduce the number of deaths by between 500,000 and 750,000 by 2050, according to a study published in BMJ Global Health. The authors used data projections for that year for both red meat consumption and forage fish catches in 137 countries, substituting one for the other without exceeding the supply limit for the latter. The research estimates that sardines, herring and anchovies could replace 8% of the world's red meat, which would also serve to reduce the prevalence of diet-related diseases.

Reactions to Peter Higgs' death

The 'father' of the Higgs boson, British physicist Peter Higgs, died on Monday at the age of 94 at his home in Edinburgh (UK), according to a statement released today by the University of Edinburgh. Higgs was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2013, along with François Englert, for having predicted in 1964 the existence of a new particle, the so-called Higgs boson. This particle was confirmed almost half a century later by experiments at CERN's Large Hadron Collider.

Reaction: physical contact improves physical and mental health, meta-analysis of studies shows

A review and meta-analysis of 212 studies shows that physical contact is associated with both physical and mental improvement in areas such as anxiety, depression and weight gain in newborns. The benefits were especially true if the contact was with another person, but also with items such as robots. The results are published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour.

Reaction: Pregnancy is associated with an increase in biological age

Un estudio analizó la edad biológica de más de 1.700 participantes utilizando seis relojes epigenéticos diferentes. Los resultados mostraban que cada embarazo individual reportado por una mujer se correlacionaba con un envejecimiento biológico adicional de dos a tres meses. Estos efectos persistían incluso cuando se tenían en cuenta el estatus socioeconómico, el tabaquismo, la variación genética y la urbanidad del entorno de los participantes. El estudio se publica en PNAS

Reactions: Study warns of PFAS contamination in global water systems

A "large fraction" of groundwater samples are contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and would be considered unacceptable for drinking water, a study claims. The analysis, published by Nature Geoscience, brings together data from 273 studies of surface and groundwater samples from around the world since 2004. The exact proportion of samples exceeding the thresholds varies according to the standards considered. For example, 69% of groundwater samples with no known source of contamination exceed the Canadian threshold, but the figure is only 6% if the EU criterion for the sum of all PFASs is considered.

Reaction to study proposing new mechanism to explain asthma attacks

An international team of researchers, with Spanish participation, has proposed in the journal Science a new mechanism to explain asthma attacks more fully. According to their hypothesis, the mechanical forces that occur during these episodes cause cells to accumulate in excess, leading to a process of elimination called "cell extrusion". As a result, the tissue is damaged, loses its barrier function and increases the risk of successive attacks. Inhibitors of this mechanism improved damage and inflammation in laboratory mice. 

Reaction: covid-19 replaced stroke as second leading cause of death globally in 2021

In 2021, covid-19 replaced stroke as the second leading age-standardised cause of death, with 94 deaths per 100,000 people, says a study published in The Lancet. The pandemic changed the ranking of the five leading causes of death that had remained stable since 1990, according to the study, which is based on data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study. The study found that life expectancy since 1990 increased by 6.2 years, an increase that slowed during the pandemic.  

Reactions to phase 2 clinical trial testing an oral antidiabetic as a treatment for Parkinson's disease

A phase 2 clinical trial in France has examined whether taking an oral anti-diabetic drug called lixisenatide - a GLP1 receptor analogue, similar to those also used for weight loss - also has an effect on the progression of Parkinson's disease. The results indicate that there is a modest but significant decrease in the progression of motor symptoms of the disease, although side effects were also observed. The results are published in the journal NEJM