Until now, it was thought that the risk of heat-related death in Spain had decreased among older people. But what if we take into account the increase in longevity? Has it decreased as much as the studies suggested? In this case it is useful to use the concept of prospective age, i.e. the years we hypothetically have left to live, rather than the years we have lived.
Every week, the Science Media Centre Spain team reads hundreds of headlines and news alerts for potential news to cover. Our specialty is to generate useful content on science topics that ignite public debate; therefore, we take great care in the selection of stories and spend a good proportion of our time debating what we should and should not give. To end the year, we wanted to tell you part of our intrahistory.
Behind any study that hits the media with eye-catching headlines there are usually numbers to back it up. Analysing the statistics of a study is one of the greatest challenges in communicating any finding with rigour.
The Ibero-American Day of Science takes place on 28 November; it was launched last year during a meeting of science ministers within the framework of the Ibero-American Summit. On this occasion, we have compiled below several guides and databases maintained by universities, research centres and other science organisations that aim to help journalists in search of expert sources. Of course, this list is not comprehensive; if you have suggestions for other guides and sources—whether from Spain, Portugal or Latin America—that we could add, please don't hesitate to contact us so that we can continue to expand this resource.
Synthetic embryos, artificial placentas, genome editing... Advances in biology and medicine keep bringing up thorny ethical questions. Here's an overview of Spain’s many bioethics committees, which can be useful resources for journalists.
Floods in Libya and Greece, fires in Australia or earthquakes in Morocco. Disasters are on the rise, partly because climate change is affecting the frequency and intensity of some of them. The media often use the term 'natural disaster' to describe them, something a team of crisis and disaster specialists is trying to change.
Every time there is a heat wave, a DANA or a flooding episode, the question arises: is it the fault of climate change? Attribution studies try to find out the relationship between a particular phenomenon and global warming as a result of human action.
Every February 28 or 29, World Rare Disease Day is celebrated, an initiative that aims to raise awareness about rare diseases in order to improve access to diagnosis and treatment and achieve a better quality of life among those who suffer from them. Here are some frequently asked questions about the most important concepts, their current situation and the main complaints that affected individuals and families continue to have.
11 February marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, proclaimed by the UN in 2015. It aims to "promote the full and equal participation" of women and girls in education, employment and decision-making. This document, which is open to suggestions from journalists and the research community, compiles resources to cover women and girls in science, on this day and throughout the year.
Studies on risks, especially those related to health, generate headlines because they are of concern to the public. A good understanding of risk is crucial for making decisions such as getting vaccinated, taking care of one's diet, choosing a contraceptive method or changing consumer habits. However, it is difficult: it is a statistical concept that is often identified with danger and provokes feelings, so its perception is subjective. This guide, accompanied by an infographic, brings together seven recommendations for risk information from the expert María del Carmen Climént.