272 posts · 289,552 views
I am a freelance science writer based in Cambridge, England, I trained as a chemist and am a chartered member of the Royal Society of Chemistry. Currently, I write for several magazines and websites on science, technology and medicine, covering everything from astronomy to zoology, with a special focus on all things chemical, which includes materials, pharma, nano, analytical sciences.
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- March 8, 2011
- 02:00 PM
- 1,384 views
Building a better Google
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
Search engines are big business so it’s perhaps no surprise that the companies running them expend so much energy trying to make their search engine results pages (SERPs) as good as possible. Superficially, this is done for their users, but given that the business models rely on good results generating good advertising revenues it’s also [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkBuilding a better Google
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Qu, G., & Wu, H. (2011) A weighted-graph-based approach for diversifying search results. International Journal of Knowledge and Web Intelligence, 2(1), 15. DOI: 10.1504/IJKWI.2011.038626
- February 22, 2011
- 12:00 PM
- 1,287 views
10 ways to make your web site more accessible
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
Researchers in Hungary have developed a tool that allowed them to assess the accessibility of hundreds of web sites around the world. 500 sites in 18 countries were tested with XValid in all. They were then able to analyze the data they accrued and to work out ten minimal guidelines for making web sites more [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech Talk10 ways to make your web site more accessible
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Cecília Sik Lányi, Nóra Czank, & András Sik. (1011) Testing the accessibility of websites. Int. J. Knowledge and Web Intelligence, 2(1), 87-98. info:/
- February 17, 2011
- 12:00 PM
- 1,008 views
Can we count on journal metrics?
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
How do you rank science, how do you rate scientists, what kudos do you give their papers and what metrics do you attach to the impact of a paper? They’re questions as old as the scientific literature itself. But, no one has resolved them. Independent organisations and publishers have attempted with the likes of the [...]Can we count on journal metrics? is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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Larsen, P., & Ins, M. (2010) The rate of growth in scientific publication and the decline in coverage provided by Science Citation Index. Scientometrics, 84(3), 575-603. DOI: 10.1007/s11192-010-0202-z
Segalla, M. (2008) Publishing in the right place or publishing the right thing: journal targeting and citations' strategies for promotion and tenure committees. European J. of International Management, 2(2), 122. DOI: 10.1504/EJIM.2008.017765
- February 10, 2011
- 08:00 AM
- 910 views
Breaking down technology transfer barriers
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
Breaking down the technical and legal barriers are essential if technology transfer from academia to industry is to be done efficiently and effectively, according to researchers in Spain. Antonio Hidalgo, Professor of Technology Strategy at the Technical University of Madrid and José Albors, Professor of Business Administration at the Technical University of Valencia explain that [...]Breaking down technology transfer barriers is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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Antonio Hidalgo, & José Albors. (2011) University-industry technology transfer models: an empirical analysis. Int. J. Innovation and Learning, 9(2), 204-223. info:/
- February 3, 2011
- 01:00 PM
- 1,300 views
The IF, THEN and WHY of Web use
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
Analyzing user statistics across Web sites is an issue that often comes under scrutiny from privacy advocates worried that marketing companies are exploiting their personal data to track their behavior and target them with advertising. The issue is, of course, a double-edged sword. Many of us would prefer that our online behavior is not being [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkThe IF, THEN and WHY of Web use
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Dong Li, Anne Laurent, & Pascal Poncelet. (2011) WebUser: mining unexpected web usage. Int. J. Business Intelligence and Data Mining, 6(1), 90-111. info:/
- February 2, 2011
- 07:00 AM
- 944 views
Use and abuse on the web
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
Analysing user statistics across websites is an issue that often comes under scrutiny from privacy advocates worried that marketing companies are exploiting their personal data to track their behaviour and target them with advertising. The issue is, of course, a double-edged sword. Many of us would prefer that our online behaviour is not being monitored [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkUse and abuse on the web
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Dong Li, Anne Laurent, & Pascal Poncelet. (2011) WebUser: mining unexpected web usage. Int. J. Business Intelligence and Data Mining, 6(1), 90-111. info:/
- February 1, 2011
- 02:00 PM
- 1,000 views
The trouble with encryption
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
Lots of us encrypt files using the likes of AxCrypt and TrueCrypt. If there’s a risk of losing a device carrying sensitive information such as contacts, email, bank statements, invoices etc, then it is worth using such a tool. The ease with which a file, folder or even complete hard drive or USB device can [...]The trouble with encryption is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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George R.S. Weir, & Michael Morran. (2010) Hiding the hidden message: approaches to textual steganography. Int. J. Electronic Security and Digital Forensics, 3(3), 223-233. info:/
- January 25, 2011
- 07:00 AM
- 1,109 views
Does it matter what kind of online networker you are?
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
According to a new study in Europe there are just five types of social network user. Indeed, the types apply equally as well to any social networking site, these are: Sporadics, Lurkers, Socializers, Debaters, and Actives. As social networking sites become more and more prevalent and more and more a part of our daily lives (viz 600 million Facebook users [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkDoes it matter what kind of online networker you are?
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Petter Bae Brandtzæg, & Jan Heim. (2011) A typology of social networking sites users. Int. J. Web Based Communities, 7(1), 28-51. info:/
- January 20, 2011
- 07:00 AM
- 1,204 views
LG’s lucky break and rebooting your brand
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
LG is a strong brand. Life’s good, isn’t it? They build high-quality gadgets, mobile phones and white goods. LG is all slick websites and vast 3D TVs, viral and vital ads and green tech. Aren’t they? Well…they are today, but it doesn’t take a degree in ancient history to see that LG was once a [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkLG’s lucky break and rebooting your brand
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Khan, B. (2011) Reinventing the LG brand: a manifesto for corporate brand management. J. for International Business and Entrepreneurship Development, 5(3), 199. DOI: 10.1504/JIBED.2011.038030
- January 13, 2011
- 09:08 AM
- 555 views
Third-hand tobacco smoke
by David Bradley in SciScoop Science Forum
Smokers, primarily, put their own health at risk with their habit, but their second-hand smoke puts others at risk too. New research now suggests that there are risks from so-called “thirdhand smoke”, toxic particles and aerosols released from surfaces that have previously been exposed to tobacco smoke. Now, I hate tobacco smoke as much as [...]Third-hand tobacco smoke is a post from: SciScoop Science News
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Lauren M. Petrick, Alona Svidovsky, & Yael Dubowski. (2011) Thirdhand Smoke: Heterogeneous Oxidation of Nicotine and Secondary Aerosol Formation in the Indoor Environment. Environ Sci Tech, 45(1), 328-333. info:/10.1021/es10206
- January 11, 2011
- 07:00 AM
- 912 views
What music do you listen to when you’re feeling sad?
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
They tell you when you’re feeling blue to put on a sad song. But, new research published in the International Journal of Arts and Technology suggests that the music we choose to listen to is guided more by familiarity than whether we are in a happy or sad mood and whether or not a particular [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkWhat music do you listen to when you’re feeling sad?
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Jiyoun Kim. (2011) Affective states, familiarity and music selection: power of familiarity. Int. J. Arts and Technology, 4(1), 74-89. info:/
- January 5, 2011
- 02:45 AM
- 891 views
Invisible hairs cause baldness
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
A topic close to my scalp: male-pattern baldness. Regular readers will be aware of my long, wavy locks from teenage years. But, as I got older, it all waved goodbye (my Dad’s joke! He’s even less than cranially hirsute too). Now, scientists in Pennsylvania reckon they have shown that faulty stem cells in the scalp [...]Invisible hairs cause baldness is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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Garza, L., Yang, C., Zhao, T., Blatt, H., Lee, M., He, H., Stanton, D., Carrasco, L., Spiegel, J., Tobias, J.... (2011) Bald scalp in men with androgenetic alopecia retains hair follicle stem cells but lacks CD200-rich and CD34-positive hair follicle progenitor cells. Journal of Clinical Investigation. DOI: 10.1172/JCI44478
- December 28, 2010
- 07:00 AM
- 1,131 views
Completely Automated Public Turing-test-to-tell Computers and Humans Apart
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
Web sites, services, and apps everywhere often require a user login before you can use the service and even once you’re logged in, there’s often an additional step you must take to prove that you are human, rather than a spam bot or other computer script up to mischief. The device is commonly known as [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkCompletely Automated Public Turing-test-to-tell Computers and Humans Apart
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Brian M. Powell, Adam C. Day, Richa Singh, Mayank Vatsa, & Afzel Noore. (2010) Image-based face detection CAPTCHA for improved security. Int. J. Multimedia Intelligence and Security, 1(3), 269-284. info:/
- December 9, 2010
- 05:00 AM
- 791 views
A few facts about asbestos
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
Today, medical journal The Lancet has publicly criticised the Canadian government for its attitude towards asbestos, saying that although Canada will not expose its own citizens to asbestos, it will continue exporting the deadly substance to developing nations [Canada accused of hypocrisy, Lancet]. A few facts about asbestos All forms of asbestos are proven human [...]A few facts about asbestos is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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Collegium Ramazzini. (2010) Asbestos is still with us: repeat call for a universal ban. International Journal of Environment and Health, 4(4), 380-388. info:/
- December 6, 2010
- 08:00 AM
- 788 views
Searching for scientific abbreviations
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
Ambiguous abbreviations and acronyms are annoyances when it comes to text search and data mining. As a writer-editor, I was always taught to spell out the long form (LF) of a short form (SF) at first mention in a document so that the reader would know that when I mentioned EBV I was referring to [...]Searching for scientific abbreviations is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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Min Song. (2010) LFXtractor: Text chunking for long form detection from biomedical text. International Journal of Functional Informatics and Personalised Medicine, 3(2), 89-102. info:/
- November 29, 2010
- 12:00 PM
- 880 views
Climate change and digital music
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
Information technology has a carbon footprint, that’s beyond doubt. Now, writing in a special issue of the Journal of Industrial Ecology, Christopher Weber, Jonathan Koomey and Scott Matthews in the US in work supported by grants from Microsoft Corporation and Intel Corporation have calculated that purchasing music digitally reduces the energy and carbon dioxide emissions [...]Climate change and digital music is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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Weber, C., Koomey, J., & Matthews, H. (2010) The Energy and Climate Change Implications of Different Music Delivery Methods. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 14(5), 754-769. DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-9290.2010.00269.x
- November 24, 2010
- 12:00 PM
- 667 views
Pharma industry could thrive in open
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
The pharmaceutical industry is facing tough times. The patents for many of the billion-dollar blockbuster drugs have expired, generics have taken market share. Health insurance companies and national health services are under increasing pressure to cut costs. Manufacturers and governments in the developing world are either ignoring intellectual property rights totally and producing generics for [...]Pharma industry could thrive in open is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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Ram Subramanian, Jeffrey H. Toney, & C. Jayachandran. (2011) The evolution of research and development in the pharmaceutical industry: toward the open innovation model – can pharma reinvent itself?. Int. J. Business Innovation and Research, 5(1), 63-74. info:/
- November 23, 2010
- 08:00 AM
- 565 views
Reconcile Einstein and Schroedinger by ditching Al
by David Bradley in SciScoop Science Forum
SciScoop contact Nykolai Bilaniuk brought an intriguing paper to our attention recently, that at first glance looks like a typical cracked conjecture of the kind SciScoop has reported in the past, but, says Bilaniuk, this one has a certain credibility. The idea is that of UC Berkeley’s Petr Horava, Bilaniuk tells us, and it’s one [...]Reconcile Einstein and Schroedinger by ditching Al is a post from: SciScoop Science News
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Hořava, P. (2009) Quantum gravity at a Lifshitz point. Physical Review D, 79(8). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.79.084008
- November 23, 2010
- 08:00 AM
- 447 views
Reconciling Einstein and Schroedinger
by David Bradley in SciScoop Science Forum
SciScoop contact Nykolai Bilaniuk brought an intriguing paper to our attention recently, that at first glance looks like a typical cracked conjecture of the kind SciScoop has reported in the past, but, says Bilaniuk, this one has a certain credibility. The idea is that of UC Berkeley’s Petr Horava, Bilaniuk tells us, and it’s one [...]Reconciling Einstein and Schroedinger is a post from: SciScoop Science News
... Read more »
Hořava, P. (2009) Quantum gravity at a Lifshitz point. Physical Review D, 79(8). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.79.084008
- November 17, 2010
- 07:00 AM
- 1,267 views
Social networking extends battery life
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
A new approach to social networking for mobile devices, such as tablet PCs and smart phones could improve the user experience as well as making connecting with contacts more efficient. The approach could also boost battery life by up to 70% by making use of shared data between users that are in the same location. [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkSocial networking extends battery life
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Rebeka Belavic, Marko Basuga, Vedran Podobnik, Ana Petric, & Ignac Lovrek. (2010) Agent-based social networking for mobile user. Int. J. Intelligent Information and Database Systems, 4(6), 599-628. info:/
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