the-BA : Science News Digest

External link to Doctor Who website (Copyright: BBC)

In the news this week, the government misses its target on carbon dioxide emissions and Scotland goes smoke free. Plus, the science of hiding behind the sofa...

The government this week announced that it will miss a key target for reducing carbon dioxide emissions. It had set a target of a 20% cut in levels compared to 1990, but environment secretary Margaret Beckett conceded that levels are likely to have fallen between 15-18%. As the Guardian, scientists, environmental campaigners and opposition politicians called the results of an 18-month review of climate change policies "pitiful" and accused ministers of lacking the political will to tackle global warming.

The Environment Agency warned this week that parts of Britain are facing their worst drought in a century, following the driest 16-month period in more than 70 years. As the somewhat unkind headline on National Geographic’s website puts it: “Record Drought Throws Wet Towel on UK's Soggy Image”.

Scotland became the first place in the UK to introduce a smoking ban in public places, which came into effect on Sunday. The ban seems to be having a positive effect – the Scotsman reports that it has triggered a fourfold increase in calls to a national helpline by people wanting to quit.

If you’re one of the people trying to give up smoking, but failing, New Scientist offered a novel excuse this week...

‘People who take up smoking may do so because they are getting up too early. That's just one symptom of a permanently misaligned body clock, a condition dubbed "social jetlag" that could affect more than half of us.’

The Daily Telegraph reported comments made this week by a leading economist, Professor Debora Spar, of the Harvard Business School at the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's annual conference.

According to the Telegraph, ‘[Professor Spar warned that] access to fertility treatment will increasingly be the preserve of the rich because the laws governing how clinics operate and what treatment is publicly funded are inadequate.’

Media watchdog Ofcom this week announced plans aimed at curbing the rising levels of childhood obesity amongst the nation’s children. As the Mirror reports, junk food firms may be banned from screening adverts during children’s TV. The plans could also see the end of celebrity endorsements from stars such as Gary Lineker for campaigns that target children.

And if you’re looking for a healthier alternative to junk food, you could do worse that a tin of Pedigree Chum. According to the Sun (but no, this story wasn’t restricted to the tabloids): ‘Tins of pet food are better for you than many fast food meals, boffins have discovered. Loads of pet food brands scored better than dishes served by High Street chains in research to measure fat, salt and sugar levels.’

(I particularly liked the line at the end of the Sun’s online article: ‘Have you lived on dog food? Call The Sun on 020 7782 4266. We’ll call you straight back.’)

Swiss researchers this week revealed that they have developed a treatment for people with phobias. As Nature reports, the hormone therapy ‘could one day help sufferers to face their fear simply by popping a pill before facing a stressful situation’.

One person who could clearly benefit from this pill is Louise Arnold, who, as the Mirror reported last week, ‘is left frozen with fear by a bizarre phobia - of peas’. (Headline: ‘I’m Pea-trified’)

And finally, in just over two weeks’ time, my favourite programme returns to the screen. Yes, as this is my final Science News Digest, I’m being unashamedly, self-indulgently geeky here – it’s Doctor Who. The second season will see the return of K9 and the Cybermen, and the first episode is believed to touch on the themes of MRSA and animal testing.

To coincide with its return, the Daily Telegraph this week ran an article looking at the science behind the series – time travel, sonic screwdrivers and even why we enjoy hiding behind the sofa...

"Television provides excellent sensory experience of fear stimuli - the visuals, the amazing music - which triggers all the amygdala-limbic responses," says psychologist Prof Julie Suhr, of Ohio University. "But we enjoy it because the frontal lobes are aware of the larger context - it isn't real - and so we do this for entertainment."

Maybe I need to get myself an "emotion sensor". According to BBC News Online, scientists are developing this technology to show if someone is finding your conversation interesting or not.

I think I know what it would say.

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