UCL in the media
Chinese scientist who made world's first gene-edited babies 'evaded oversight', say authorities
The Chinese scientist who claimed he had created gene-edited babies contravened national guidelines, an investigation says, but Dr Helen O’Neill (UCL Institute for Women's Health) says the report still does not shed light on the full story.
Is the ability to do maths innate in humans?
In a panel discussion, Professor Brian Butterworth (UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience) and Dr Hannah Fry (UCL Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis) explore whether humans have always been able to count and if mathematical ability goes beyond simply quantifying things.
Listen: BBC Radio 4 'The Infinite Monkey Cage' (from 3 mins 33 secs)
Genetic study provides novel insights into the evolution of skin colour
A study of Latin American populations led by Professor Andres Ruiz-Linares (UCL Genetics Institute) and involving UCL colleagues Drs Javier Mendoza-Revilla and Kaustubh Adhikari has found new genetic variations linked to skin colour.
Does relying on technology affect the brain’s ability to navigate naturally?
Professor Kate Jeffery (UCL Psychology & Language Sciences) discusses the effect that a reliance on technology might have on the brain’s natural navigation and ability to store memories.
Listen: BBC Radio 4 ‘Today’ (from 2 hours 51 mins 34 secs)
Head of UK Dementia Research Institute discusses his Brexit fears
Professor Bart de Strooper (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology), Director of the UK Dementia Research Institute, headquartered at UCL, outlines his concerns for science funding and the recruitment of overseas researchers following Brexit.
Women taking contraceptive pill can drop seven-day break, new guidance says
Women on the contraceptive pill no longer need to stop taking it for one week in every four, according to new NHS guidance. Emeritus Professor John Guillebaud (UCL Institute for Women's Health) said the break was devised to make the pill “more acceptable for Catholics to use."
What causes a 'blood moon'?
Professor Lucie Green (UCL Space & Climate Physics) explains the movements of the earth, sun and moon which cause a 'blood moon'.
Listen: BBC World Service 'The Newsroom' (from 11 mins 58 secs)
What needs to happen to hold a new Brexit referendum
If another referendum on Brexit is held in the coming months, three key questions - when, what and how - must be answered first, says Dr Alan Renwick (UCL Constitution Unit), in an article exploring how such a referendum might work.
World Economics Forum at Davos
Globalisation discussions at Davos “come at a pivotal time”, comments Dr Brian Klaas (UCL School of European Languages, Culture & Society), pointing out that political backlash to globalisation threatens both global economy and stability.
Brexit: The timescale of a second referendum
The Constitution Unit's conclusion that it would take 22 weeks to organise a second referendum on Brexit is referenced, in the light of the Cabinet Office's assertion that the process would take around a year.
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