272 posts · 286,800 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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- January 7, 2010
- 08:00 AM
- 634 views
Scientists torn between cash and kudos
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
With ailing banks propped up by billions in taxpayers’ money and nations rolling through the mud of economic recession is it any surprise that we get mightily frustrated to hear of their enormous bonuses and golden pension pots? Of course not… But, here’s a thought…
As the lines drawn between commercial and academic research become increasingly [...]Scientists torn between cash and kudos is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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Rose H.C. Wong, & Robert Westwood. (2010) The public good vs. commercial interest: research scientists in search of an accommodation. Int. J. Learning and Change , 4(1), 77-97. info:/
- December 30, 2009
- 08:00 AM
- 920 views
Computer skills linked to math talent
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
Businesses and the economy as a whole rely increasingly on computing, but many potential users are not entirely confident of the technology. A research study published in January suggests that an individual’s computer self-efficacy is influenced by their competence in mathematics. I asked the author Assistant Professor of Management Information Systems Franklin Morris of The [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkComputer skills linked to math talent
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R. Franklin Morris, Jr., & Evelyn H. Thrasher. (2010) Implications for e-commerce: the influence of math and computer confidence on computer self-efficacy. International Journal of Electronic Marketing and Retailing, 3(1), 15-37. info:/
- December 23, 2009
- 08:00 AM
- 700 views
Five-step plan for green design
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
I recently saw a research paper discussing the lack of tools for designers hoping to make their products greener, more environmentally benign, sustainable even. The paper focused more on the likes of coming up with a green espresso machine and offered a five-step scheme for getting the green credentials booked into a the design and [...]Five-step plan for green design is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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Dominique Millet, Nicolas Tchertchian, & Daniel Brissaud. (2009) How to identify the most promising areas of environmental improvement at the early stages of the design process?. Int. J. Design Engineering, 2(3), 299-319. info:/
- December 15, 2009
- 08:00 AM
- 914 views
Balancing anonymity, privacy and security
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
When it comes to anonymity in cyberspace is there way to balance privacy and security?
The option to remain anonymous on the Internet is critical to the concept of free speech. However, anonymous activity may also represent a security risk given that the tools needed to ensure anonymity might also be used for malicious or criminal [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkBalancing anonymity, privacy and security
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Mohamed Chawki. (2010) Anonymity in cyberspace: finding the balance between privacy and security . Int. J. Technology Transfer and Commercialisation, 9(3), 183-199. info:/
- December 9, 2009
- 08:00 AM
- 586 views
Thinking about electric vehicles
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
Electric vehicles reduce noise and local air pollution, such as nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and ground-level ozone, but do they simply relocate the carbon tire-tracks to fossil-fired power stations or are there benefits on the global scale?
Fundamentally, an electric engine can achieve 85 to 90% energy conversion efficiency, which contrasts starkly with the internal combustion [...]Thinking about electric vehicles is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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Åsgeir Helland. (2009) Well-to-wheel CO2 analysis of electric and ICE vehicles: are global CO2 emission reductions possible?. Int. J. Global Warming, 1(4), 432-442. info:/
- December 2, 2009
- 08:00 AM
- 838 views
Feasting on the web’s conviviality
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
Conviviality – the state of being convivial, occupied with feasting from late Latin convivialis derived from convivium banquet, from com- + vivere to live.
We’re all in this together right, feasting at the same table? Well, some people aren’t as most of us well know after two decades on the net. There are spammers, of course. [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkFeasting on the web’s conviviality
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Patrice Caire. (2010) How to import the concept of conviviality to web communities. Int. J. Web Based Communities, 6(1), 99-113. info:/
- November 19, 2009
- 08:00 AM
- 642 views
Homeopathy really doesn’t work
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
A couple of years ago, I re-posted an old article of mine about homeopathy discussing its ludicrous claims, its feeble attempts to provide a scientific explanation for those claims, and basically pointing out that no solid evidence has ever been found that infinitely diluted solutions of spurious ingredients have any more beneficial effect on a [...]Homeopathy really doesn’t work is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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Jonas WB, Kaptchuk TJ, & Linde K. (2003) A critical overview of homeopathy. Annals of internal medicine, 138(5), 393-9. PMID: 12614092
Baum, M., & Ernst, E. (2009) Should We Maintain an Open Mind about Homeopathy?. The American Journal of Medicine, 122(11), 973-974. DOI: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2009.03.038
- November 18, 2009
- 08:00 AM
- 770 views
Internet against government corruption
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
Can the internet prevent government corruption? You’re probably never going to meet an entirely honest politician, but according to a statistical study by US researchers of 170 countries the internet could provide the tools necessary to reduce corruption significantly.
Martha García-Murillo of the School of Information Studies, at Syracuse University, New York, modeled political, economic and [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkInternet against government corruption
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Martha García-Murillo. (2010) The effect of internet access on government corruption. Electronic Government, An International Journal, 7(1), 22-40. info:/
- November 16, 2009
- 08:00 AM
- 830 views
Water vapor and global warming
by David Bradley in SciScoop Science Forum
With Copenhagen on the horizon, is it time to check over the physics and chemistry behind the climate change debate? SciScoop has spoken to several scientists recently who would say so, some of whom consider the climate change debate nothing more than a hell-on-earth scenario to give governments a taxation stick with which to beat [...]... Read more »
Willett, K., Gillett, N., Jones, P., & Thorne, P. (2007) Attribution of observed surface humidity changes to human influence. Nature, 449(7163), 710-712. DOI: 10.1038/nature06207
- November 13, 2009
- 08:00 AM
- 693 views
Genetically engineered heavy metal fans
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
The wastewater released from industry often contains high levels of toxic heavy metals, which can kill organisms, damage ecosystems, and accumulate in the foodchain. Electroplating, lead smelting, mining, and countless other processes produce enormous volumes of such wastewater.
In a perfect world, remediation would be powered by a renewable energy supply, there would be no solid [...]Genetically engineered heavy metal fans is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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Bhupinder Dhir. (2010) Use of aquatic plants in removing heavy metals from wastewater. Int. J. Environmental Engineering, 2(1/2/3), 185-201. info:/
- November 13, 2009
- 07:00 AM
- 987 views
Mobile malware epidemic on the way
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
A mobile malware epidemic could render phone networks useless within two to three years, if public awareness of the issue and network security experts don’t take control out of the hands of hackers.
If you’re intelligent enough to be reading the Sciencetext blog, then it’s unlikely that you’re going to be taken in by an email [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkMobile malware epidemic on the way
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Juil C. Martin, Legand L. Burge III, Joseph I. Gill, Alicia N. Washington, & Marcus Alfred. (2010) Modelling the spread of mobile malware. Int. J. Computer Aided Engineering and Technology, 2(1), 3-14. info:/
- November 2, 2009
- 01:08 PM
- 800 views
Can a Mediterranean diet beat breast cancer?
by David Bradley in SciScoop Science Forum
Valery Fortie is the National Awareness Coordinator of
Mediterraneanbook.com, a directory of news source focused on healthy
eating habits. The author suggests that the Mediterranean Diet can help ward off many diseases and illnesses.
One of those serious and potentially life threatening diseases is breast
cancer. With a risk of one in seven people developing breast cancer in
their lifetime, [...]... Read more »
Cottet, V., Touvier, M., Fournier, A., Touillaud, M., Lafay, L., Clavel-Chapelon, F., & Boutron-Ruault, M. (2009) Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Risk and Dietary Patterns in the E3N-EPIC Prospective Cohort Study. American Journal of Epidemiology, 170(10), 1257-1267. DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwp257
- November 2, 2009
- 01:05 PM
- 896 views
Socializing online shopping
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
People rarely go shopping together online. Okay, occasionally I’ll show my wife that I can buy some item or other we need cheaper online than at the mall, but that’s usually just to save the car journey.
Online shopping is essentially a solo occupation, as are many other internet activities. Fundamentally, there is none of the [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkSocializing online shopping
... Read more »
Khaled Hassanein, Milena Head, & Chunhua Ju. (2009) A cross-cultural comparison of the impact of Social Presence on website trust, usefulness and enjoyment. Int. J. Electronic Business, 7(6), 625-641. info:/
- October 26, 2009
- 12:00 PM
- 819 views
What’s wrong with copyright?
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
Without copyright protection creative types would not create. That, apparently, is one of the defenses put forward by the likes of the RIAA and the MPAA. These organizations chase after file sharers and attempt to gain millions of dollars of recompense each year from people who swap music and movie torrents. But isn’t this defense [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkWhat’s wrong with copyright?
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Denis Borges Barbosa. (2010) On artefacts and middlemen: a musician’s note on the economics of copyright. International Journal of Intellectual Property Management, 4(1/2), 23-44. info:/
- October 21, 2009
- 12:00 PM
- 987 views
First Online Banking…then what?
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
If the wife of FBI boss Robert Mueller has allegedly warned him not to use online banking because his incompetence on the computer could leave them open to online fraud, then is there any hope for protection for the rest of us. This is especially true given the recent news that usernames and passwords for [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkFirst Online Banking…then what?
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Susan Sproule, & Norm Archer. (2010) Measuring identity theft and identity fraud. Int. J. Business Governance and Ethics, 5(1/2), 51-63. info:/
- October 19, 2009
- 05:40 AM
- 972 views
Fall Colors and Autumn Leaves
by David Bradley in SciScoop Science Forum
Earlier this year, researchers in Finland and Israel sought an explanation for the 35 million year puzzle as to why fall colors in the US are mainly red and why autumn leaves turn mainly yellow in Europe.
The green of the leaves of deciduous trees in spring and summer is caused mainly by the presence of [...]... Read more »
Lev-Yadun, S., & Holopainen, J. (2009) Why red-dominated autumn leaves in America and yellow-dominated autumn leaves in Northern Europe?. New Phytologist, 183(3), 506-512. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2009.02904.x
- October 13, 2009
- 04:00 PM
- 1,043 views
Who clicks on banner ads?
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
Hands up: who clicks through on banner ads and popups? That many of you, really? Interesting…
You may be surprised to learn that banner ad click through rates are very low. That could be a bad thing from the point of view of web users as much of the content on the web is paid for [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkWho clicks on banner ads?
... Read more »
Matthew P. Bunker, & Darrell E. Bartholomew. (2009) A multidimensional framework of web browsers’ trust and distrust of banner advertisements. Int. J. Business Information Systems, 5(1), 19-33. info:/
- October 13, 2009
- 08:00 AM
- 845 views
Metal Bottle Tops and Landfill Mining
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
Reduce, re-use, and recycle. Just one of the countless mantras of the twenty-first century that we are told will save the planet. Of course, my grandmother used to put it far more succinctly and in a much more accessible form: waste not, want not.
Now, we have carbon footprints, emissions targets, and landfill directives, that are [...]Metal Bottle Tops and Landfill Mining is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
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Mahmoud A. Rabah. (2009) Recovery of aluminium alloys and some valuable salts from spent bottle covers. Int. J. Environment and Waste Management, 5(1/2), 194-210. info:/
- October 7, 2009
- 04:00 PM
- 773 views
Gen-F Scientists Ignoring Social Networking
by sciencebase in Sciencebase Science Blog
A quick analysis of online social networks, such as LinkedIn and Xing would suggest that a mere 1 in 7 research scientists use such tools as part of their work. This contrasts starkly with the business world where uptake is up to 88%. In other words almost 9 out of every ten employees in the [...]Gen-F Scientists Ignoring Social Networking is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog
... Read more »
Lackes, R., Siepermann, M., & Frank, E. (2009) Social networks as an approach to the enhancement of collaboration among scientists. International Journal of Web Based Communities, 5(4), 577. DOI: 10.1504/IJWBC.2009.028091
- October 1, 2009
- 04:00 PM
- 1,319 views
Zombie Botnet Denial
by David Bradley in Sciencetext
Denial of Service (DoS) and distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks involve an attempt to make a computer resource unavailable to its intended users. This may simply be for malicious purposes as is often the case when big commercial or famous web sites, such as Amazon, Yahoo, and Google, undergo a DDoS attack.
However, it is [...]Post from: David Bradley's Sciencetext Tech TalkZombie Botnet Denial
... Read more »
Chwan-Hwa Wu, Tong Liu, Chun-Ching Huang, & J. David Irwin. (2009) Modelling and simulations for Identity-Based Privacy-Protected Access Control Filter (IPACF) capability to resist massive denial of service attacks. Int. J. Information and Computer Security, 3(2), 195-223. info:/
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