Science News Digest 19th April 2010
In the science news this week, we take a look at new research that's getting a frosty reception from Europe, more good news for the CRU, the averted rebellion at the RI, good news for florists and finally.... how jealously can literally turn women blind.
The cold light of day.
For those hoping the harshness and length of the last winter was just a one off- look away now.
Research led by the University of Reading has identified that the UK and continental Europe could have many more cold winters like the one just gone because of ‘low solar activity’.
Apparently there is a link between fewer sunspots and atmospheric conditions and the lack of warm westerly winds reaching Europe.
To check this trend, researchers at the University of Reading compared previous data on solar activity with the Central England Temperature (CET) record that dates back 351 years.
According to this record there was a period at the end of the 17th Century called the ‘Maunder Minimum’ where Europe suffered a series of harsh winters that tallied with a prolonged period of very low activity on the Sun that went on for 50 years.
Professor Lockwood, who led the study said ‘Solar activity has been in decline since 1985’
In contrast to the rest of the world, despite the fact that this winter was the UK's 14th coldest in 160 years, global figures listed it as the fifth warmest.
Professor Lockwood and his team are now planning to examine the influence of low solar activity on European weather during the summer months.
Read the full story in the BBC
-----------------------------------
Weathering the storm
Finally some good news for the scientists at the heart of the ‘Climategate’ storm. An independent enquiry into the affair has ruled that they were ‘disorganised but did not fudge their results’ according to the Guardian.
Led by Lord Oxburgh, he said that there was"absolutely no evidence of any impropriety whatsoever" and he went even further to scorn those claiming there is a case for scientific misconduct by saying that the fuss has been ampliefied by people "who do not like the implications of some the conclusions" reached by the climate experts.
In light of the fact that if proven true the allegations made against scientists at the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia could have ended their careers, he highlighted the fact that "Whatever was said in the emails, the basic science seems to have been done fairly and properly." And gave the scientific processes at CRU "a clean bill of health".
However, one area that was recommended for improvement was the CRU’s record keeping after the review described it as ‘patchy’.
The report last month by the Commons Science and Technology Select Committee also cleared the scientists involved of wrongdoing and a third enquiry, led by Sir Muir Russell, is due to report next month.
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Panic over?
The RI can finally start getting some closure on what could have been one of the biggest upsets in the history of modern British science after the controversy surrounding the dismissal of Baroness Greenfield following a rebellion by her supporters failed to overthrow the sitting council.
The vote taken at a Special General Meeting sent a clear message that enough is enough with the whole debacle, with 521 members backing the trustees responsible for dismissing Lady Greenfield and only 121 voting to oust them.
If the vote was the other way round, the dissident members could have sacked the entire board of trustees at the RI and replaced them with a council made entirely of Baroness Greenfield’s allies, as well as giving her old job back.
In spite of this victory for the management, Baroness Greenfield is still pursuing her legal action claiming alleged unfair dismissal and sex discrimination.
According to the Times she said “I have no alternative, this is a protective measure, it’s not my fault if I was unfairly dismissed.”
With the crisis now looking like it’s passed the worst of it, there are a number of financial backers reported to be willing to help the RI out of its financial situation that has seen it left with a £1.87m defit in 2009 and a current operating loss of £100,000 per month
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Blooming Marvellous!
Saying it with flowers could mean a lot more if new research reported in the Telegraph this week proves accurate.
Scientists at the University of California have developed a synthetic compound that mirrors the properties of the naturally occurring plant compound cytokinin.
The chemical known as thidiazuron or TDZ has been shown to facilitate a significantly longer lifespan for potted plants that were treated with it.
This new research could have a widespread commercial application and soothe the worries of florists and brides around the globe.
Dr Cai-Zhong Jiang, of the University of California said "Spraying low concentrations of a compound known as thidiazuron (TDZ) has significant, sometimes spectacular effects in extending the life of potted plants' leaves and flowers,"
Despite the research being carried out on potted plants, the effects on cut flowers also ‘seems promising’ according to Dr Jiang.
-----------------------------------
And finally.....
Love is blind
A study from Delaware University published by the American Psychological Association has shown that women in relationships are literally blinded by jealously if they think their partner is looking at another woman.
To test this, the researchers asked young couples to sit separately with the men rating the attractiveness of landscape pictures on computer screen and the women looking to spot pictures of landscapes within a rapid stream of images.
However, when the pictures the men were being asked to rate for attractiveness began to have pictures of women to rate inserted periodically, some of the women began missing the targets they were supposed to be spotting.
In an interview after the study, the women who admitted that they were jealous were also the ones who had failed to spot the targets.
They suffered an 'emotion-induced blindness', said psychology professors Steven Most and Jean-Philippe Laurenceau, from Delaware University.
The nest step for this research is to see how men fare when the tables are turned…
Read the full story in the Daily Mail
The cold light of day.
For those hoping the harshness and length of the last winter was just a one off- look away now.
Research led by the University of Reading has identified that the UK and continental Europe could have many more cold winters like the one just gone because of ‘low solar activity’.
Apparently there is a link between fewer sunspots and atmospheric conditions and the lack of warm westerly winds reaching Europe.
To check this trend, researchers at the University of Reading compared previous data on solar activity with the Central England Temperature (CET) record that dates back 351 years.
According to this record there was a period at the end of the 17th Century called the ‘Maunder Minimum’ where Europe suffered a series of harsh winters that tallied with a prolonged period of very low activity on the Sun that went on for 50 years.
Professor Lockwood, who led the study said ‘Solar activity has been in decline since 1985’
In contrast to the rest of the world, despite the fact that this winter was the UK's 14th coldest in 160 years, global figures listed it as the fifth warmest.
Professor Lockwood and his team are now planning to examine the influence of low solar activity on European weather during the summer months.
Read the full story in the BBC
-----------------------------------
Weathering the storm
Finally some good news for the scientists at the heart of the ‘Climategate’ storm. An independent enquiry into the affair has ruled that they were ‘disorganised but did not fudge their results’ according to the Guardian.
Led by Lord Oxburgh, he said that there was"absolutely no evidence of any impropriety whatsoever" and he went even further to scorn those claiming there is a case for scientific misconduct by saying that the fuss has been ampliefied by people "who do not like the implications of some the conclusions" reached by the climate experts.
In light of the fact that if proven true the allegations made against scientists at the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia could have ended their careers, he highlighted the fact that "Whatever was said in the emails, the basic science seems to have been done fairly and properly." And gave the scientific processes at CRU "a clean bill of health".
However, one area that was recommended for improvement was the CRU’s record keeping after the review described it as ‘patchy’.
The report last month by the Commons Science and Technology Select Committee also cleared the scientists involved of wrongdoing and a third enquiry, led by Sir Muir Russell, is due to report next month.
----------------------------------------
Panic over?
The RI can finally start getting some closure on what could have been one of the biggest upsets in the history of modern British science after the controversy surrounding the dismissal of Baroness Greenfield following a rebellion by her supporters failed to overthrow the sitting council.
The vote taken at a Special General Meeting sent a clear message that enough is enough with the whole debacle, with 521 members backing the trustees responsible for dismissing Lady Greenfield and only 121 voting to oust them.
If the vote was the other way round, the dissident members could have sacked the entire board of trustees at the RI and replaced them with a council made entirely of Baroness Greenfield’s allies, as well as giving her old job back.
In spite of this victory for the management, Baroness Greenfield is still pursuing her legal action claiming alleged unfair dismissal and sex discrimination.
According to the Times she said “I have no alternative, this is a protective measure, it’s not my fault if I was unfairly dismissed.”
With the crisis now looking like it’s passed the worst of it, there are a number of financial backers reported to be willing to help the RI out of its financial situation that has seen it left with a £1.87m defit in 2009 and a current operating loss of £100,000 per month
------------------------------------
Blooming Marvellous!
Saying it with flowers could mean a lot more if new research reported in the Telegraph this week proves accurate.
Scientists at the University of California have developed a synthetic compound that mirrors the properties of the naturally occurring plant compound cytokinin.
The chemical known as thidiazuron or TDZ has been shown to facilitate a significantly longer lifespan for potted plants that were treated with it.
This new research could have a widespread commercial application and soothe the worries of florists and brides around the globe.
Dr Cai-Zhong Jiang, of the University of California said "Spraying low concentrations of a compound known as thidiazuron (TDZ) has significant, sometimes spectacular effects in extending the life of potted plants' leaves and flowers,"
Despite the research being carried out on potted plants, the effects on cut flowers also ‘seems promising’ according to Dr Jiang.
-----------------------------------
And finally.....
Love is blind
A study from Delaware University published by the American Psychological Association has shown that women in relationships are literally blinded by jealously if they think their partner is looking at another woman.
To test this, the researchers asked young couples to sit separately with the men rating the attractiveness of landscape pictures on computer screen and the women looking to spot pictures of landscapes within a rapid stream of images.
However, when the pictures the men were being asked to rate for attractiveness began to have pictures of women to rate inserted periodically, some of the women began missing the targets they were supposed to be spotting.
In an interview after the study, the women who admitted that they were jealous were also the ones who had failed to spot the targets.
They suffered an 'emotion-induced blindness', said psychology professors Steven Most and Jean-Philippe Laurenceau, from Delaware University.
The nest step for this research is to see how men fare when the tables are turned…
Read the full story in the Daily Mail
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