272 posts · 286,930 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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- July 1, 2011
- 03:10 AM
- 1,054 views
Scanning for juvenile delinquency
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
Scanning for juvenile delinquency – Impulsiveness in youth is not a criminal offence, although if it reaches into the realm of delinquency it can quickly become so. Researchers in the US are using functional magnetic resonance imaging to see whether the brains of young offenders differ in some behavioural way from those of non-criminals. Seemingly, [...]Scanning for juvenile delinquency is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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Shannon, B., Raichle, M., Snyder, A., Fair, D., Mills, K., Zhang, D., Bache, K., Calhoun, V., Nigg, J., Nagel, B.... (2011) Premotor functional connectivity predicts impulsivity in juvenile offenders. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1108241108
- June 16, 2011
- 12:00 PM
- 960 views
Sharing on the global scale
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
There are obvious differences in quality of life in terms of food availability, access to fresh water, disease prevalence and medicine across many parts of the world. Until recently, the notion of the Third World had a far greater poignancy than the politically correct term “developing world”. While labelling the poorer nations as somehow separate [...]Sharing on the global scale is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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Prem S. Bindraban, & Rudy Rabbinge. (2011) European food and agricultural strategy for 21st century. Int. J. Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, 9(1/2), 80-101. info:/
- June 14, 2011
- 12:00 PM
- 1,339 views
Where in the world? Finding geotagged photos
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
Geotagging is de rigueur on most web 2.0 sites these days, location-based social networking tools such as FourSquare, Facebook Places, Gowalla coupled to a GPS-enabled smart phone or other devices are obligatory for the technorati, while countless uploads from millions of digital cameras automatically add a place, or geotag, to your photos opening up a [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkWhere in the world? Finding geotagged photos
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Davide Carboni, Valentina Marotto, & Pietro Zanarini. (2011) Visualisation of geo-tagged pictures in the web. Int. J. Web Eng. Technol., 6(3), 220-242. info:/
- June 8, 2011
- 12:00 PM
- 1,272 views
What would you pay for digital goods?
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
The advent of digital information goods, whether in ebook or PDF form, existing as a downloadable packet of bits wrapped up in an mp3 file or streamed as an avi movie, has changed our perception of value. Take that mp3…it represents an intangible entity often a free, but illicit download, often of low quality. How [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkWhat would you pay for digital goods?
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Jerald Hughes. (2011) The price of quality in digital information goods: an empirical investigation. Int. J. Services and Standards, 7(1), 35-49. info:/
- June 3, 2011
- 06:59 AM
- 972 views
Seven steps to cure healthcare privacy problems
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
If we have learned anything from the recent hackings – Sony, Google Mail, PBS – in which vast amounts of data for millions of users have been compromised, it is that precious data is rarely entirely secure and certainly barely private. It is time to tighten up. Nowhere is this more important than in healthcare [...]Seven steps to cure healthcare privacy problems is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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Yair Babad, & Avishai Lubitch. (2011) Ethical and legal issues of privacy and patient rights in the application of information healthcare delivery systems. Int. J. Healthcare Technology and Management, 12(3/4), 230-249. info:/
- May 31, 2011
- 12:00 PM
- 1,438 views
How to get the most from Q&A sites
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
Hundreds of millions of people answer questions online, hoping to assist others in need of information, to show off their intellectual prowess, sometimes to point the questioners to their own products and resources and for many other reasons. Sites such as Yahoo Answers, Quora, Aardvark, Answerbag, eHow, Mahalo Answers, Yedda, wikiHow and many other Q&A [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkHow to get the most from Q&A sites
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Jehwan Oh, Ok-Ran Jeong, Eunseok Lee, & Won Kim. (2011) A framework for collective intelligence from internet Q. Int. J. Web and Grid Services, 7(2), 134-146. info:/
- May 24, 2011
- 12:00 PM
- 1,054 views
Size isn’t everything, or is it? Nano or non-nano
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
Is the “nano” label just marketing buzz and PR puff? You might think so given the huge number of products and press releases that exist where this little prefix, from the Greek meaning dwarf, is used instead of a more everyday description. Particles become far more interesting to consumers and grant-awarding peers when they become [...]Size isn’t everything, or is it? Nano or non-nano is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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Simon P. Forster, Sandro Olveira, & Stefan Seeger. (2011) Nanotechnology in the market: promises and realities. Int. J. Nanotechnol., 8(6/7), 592-613. info:/
- May 13, 2011
- 08:00 AM
- 967 views
Why is teaching environmental science so controversial?
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
Environmental science is about as politically charged a discipline you might find, stem cells GMOs, vaccines, and nuclear energy notwithstanding. In some circles, particularly certain sectors of academia and the media, environmental discussions are synonymous with controversial debates. So, asks environmental scientist, Chyrisse Tabone of Argosy University in Pittsburgh, USA, how can educators teach students [...]Why is teaching environmental science so controversial? is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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Chyrisse P. Tabone. (2011) Environmental education under assault: can instructors teach environmental science without fear?. Interdisciplinary Environmental Review, 12(2), 146-153. info:/
- May 11, 2011
- 12:00 PM
- 1,555 views
Staying connected even when you’re offline
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
When you switch off your internet-connected computer, whether laptop, desktop or smartphone, any tasks that you initiated also stop, or at least pause in hibernating memory. Resume the machine and the task might continue where it left off, or it might require a restart. It’s all very frustrating, time consuming and wasteful. But, what if [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkStaying connected even when you’re offline
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Oliver Moreno-Puello, & Manuel Rodriguez-Martinez. (2011) Catalogue manager for metadata dissemination in the NetTraveler middleware system. Int. J. Intelligent Information and Database Systems, 5(3), 271-295. info:/
- May 10, 2011
- 04:40 PM
- 1,504 views
Making fluorine reactions stick
by David Bradley in Reactive Reports Chemistry Blog
Fluorine in organic chemistry is an important topic across the synthetic pharmaceutical, agrochemical and materials areas because switching out hydrogen atoms selectivity for this element allows chemists to tune the reactivity of specific groups within a given molecule. Now, chemists in Switzerland have turned to fluorine to help them make specific carbon-carbon bonds. The formation [...]... Read more »
Allemann, O., Duttwyler, S., Romanato, P., Baldridge, K., & Siegel, J. (2011) Proton-Catalyzed, Silane-Fueled Friedel-Crafts Coupling of Fluoroarenes. Science, 332(6029), 574-577. DOI: 10.1126/science.1202432
- May 5, 2011
- 12:00 PM
- 1,253 views
Just how bad is pollution?
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
Just how bad is pollution? A little head scratching could yield an answer. Ad hoc and non-systematic collection of air and water samples provide some useful information and underpin a wide range of environmental pollution studies. However, scientists have been scratching their heads for years hoping to come up with a better way of monitoring [...]Just how bad is pollution? is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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Zaichick, S., & Zaichick, V. (2011) The scalp hair as a monitor for trace elements in biomonitoring of atmospheric pollution. International Journal of Environment and Health, 5(1/2), 106. DOI: 10.1504/IJENVH.2011.039860
- April 28, 2011
- 12:10 PM
- 1,195 views
10 definitions of junk science
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
“Understanding how the term junk science is used will enhance debates surrounding the science of sustainability. For by better understanding what science is, we will be better positioned to use it optimally and accurately as we seek to plot a sustainable path forward.” That’s the conclusion of US social scientist Michael Carolan of Colorado State [...]10 definitions of junk science is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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Carolan, M. (2011) When does science become 'junk'? An examination of junk science claims in mainstream print media. International Journal of Sustainable Society, 3(2), 116. DOI: 10.1504/IJSSOC.2011.039917
- April 19, 2011
- 12:00 PM
- 1,291 views
Social learning
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
Social networking sites, forums, blogs and wikis are increasingly open, readily available and user friendly and as such have become platforms for human interaction that can foster and promote the development of networks and learning communities. The great potential for unplanned interaction and serendipitous discovery through such tools also seems to have a synergistic effect [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkSocial learning ... Read more »
Margarida Lucas, & António Moreira. (2011) Using social web tools for knowledge construction. Int. J. Technology Enhanced Learning, 3(2), 151-161. info:/
- April 14, 2011
- 12:00 PM
- 1,533 views
Detecting shape-shifting computer viruses
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
Researchers at a software company which makes antivirus and security products have developed a computer tool that can create shape-shifting viruses that elude detection by commercial virus scanners. The aim of the research, published in the current issue of the International Journal of Multimedia Intelligence and Security, is to try to stay one step ahead [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkDetecting shape-shifting computer viruses ... Read more »
Priti Desai, & Mark Stamp. (2011) A highly metamorphic virus generator. Int. J. Multimedia Intelligence and Security, 1(4), 402-407. info:/
- April 12, 2011
- 12:00 PM
- 1,407 views
Forget passwords, tricky sums are more secure
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
Faster, more secure logins for multimedia sites might be possible thanks to a new approach to website and database security. Boolean logins would allow thousands if not millions of users to more quickly access the content to which they are entitled, such as music, video and images. The same approach might also reduce the risk [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkForget passwords, tricky sums are more secure ... Read more »
Nikolaos Bardis, Nikolaos Doukas, & Oleksandr P. Markovskyi. (2011) Fast subscriber identification based on the zero knowledge principle for multimedia content distribution. Int. J. Multimedia Intelligence and Security, 1(4), 363-377. info:/
- April 7, 2011
- 02:00 PM
- 1,387 views
Ethical internet use at work
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
Your boss probably knows all about your misuse of the company internet connection, the IT department will have logged your every Facebook access, registered every viral email you sent, and the dozens of page refreshes you did when you were hoping to snipe that last eBay auction. You might think a good boss would be [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkEthical internet use at work ... Read more »
Sharman Lichtenstein. (2011) Ethical issues for internet use policy: balancing employer and employee perspectives. Int. J. Technology Management, 54(2/3), 288-303. info:/
- March 24, 2011
- 03:00 PM
- 1,520 views
Do you socialize while scrobbling?
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
The Last.fm music website apparently has about 40 million active users around the world. The CBS-owned commercial site (and applications) lets you listen to many different kinds of music and has a music recommendation system called the “Audioscrobbler“. This scrobbling system builds a detailed profile of your musical tastes by recording details of the songs [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkDo you socialize while scrobbling?
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Peter Mechant, & Tom Evens. (2011) Interaction in web-based communities: a case study of Last.fm. Int. J. Web Based Communities, 7(2), 234-249. info:/
- March 22, 2011
- 01:00 PM
- 1,497 views
Technology with attitude
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
You might think that a smartphone is a smartphone the world over or that perceptions of tablet PCs are the same from nation to nation. Internationally, speaking, isn’t a laptop still a laptop regardless of location? A new study by researchers in the US and India suggests otherwise. The authors of the study suggest that [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkTechnology with attitude
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Kallol Bagchi, Purnendu Mandal, & Arunabha Mukhopadhyay. (2011) Attitude towards technology development: a cross-cultural study of India and the USA. Int. J. Information Systems and Change Management, 5(1), 3-21. info:/
- March 17, 2011
- 03:00 PM
- 923 views
Aspartame toxicity. Not.
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
Aspartame is an artificial, non-saccharide, sweetener used as a sugar substitute in some foods and beverages usually so that they can be labelled as “lite” or “diet” products. In the European Union, it is coded as E951. Aspartame is a methyl ester of aspartic acid and phenylalanine, two natural components of proteins found in a [...]Aspartame toxicity. Not. is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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Abhilash, M., Paul, M., Varghese, M., & Nair, R. (2011) Effect of long term intake of aspartame on antioxidant defense status in liver. Food and Chemical Toxicology. DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2011.02.019
- March 15, 2011
- 03:59 PM
- 1,395 views
Samsung CoPS a load of knowledge
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
For a company to be as successful as it possibly can be, one aspect of its ethos must be to acknowledge, nurture, and utilize the vast pool of knowledge held by its individual employees and its teams. One company that is apparently exemplary in this regard is South Korean electronics giant, Samsung Electronics, famed for [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkSamsung CoPS a load of knowledge
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Gyewan Moon. (2011) Effective implementation of Communities of Practices (CoPs) in a knowledge habitat: a case study of Samsung Electronics. Int. J. Services and Operations Management, 8(3), 335-346. info:/
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