Bradley van Paridon

Studies on the chemical composition of e-cigarette liquids are raising concern that regulation is lagging behind the data.
The Yale Tobacco Center for Regulatory Science is a National Institute of Health and US Food and Drug Administration funded research group tasked with investigating the influence of flavours on tobacco addiction. Part of this work involves assessing the composition of e-cigarette liquids being sold to users. E-liquids contain mainly nicotine, flavourings and a solvent in ...

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic is a reminder of the devastation disease outbreaks can cause. But such disasters do not only affect humans. New research led by Claire Sanderson, a wildlife epidemiologist and immunologist at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, shows that disease outbreaks among marine mammals have quietly been on the rise. Between 1955 and 2018, a sixth of marine mammal species have suffered a mass die-off caused by an infectious disease.
Reports of disease-i...

The new technique led to the discovery that a seemingly empty area at one end of the Caulobacter bacterium actually held two proteins involved in cell division – and has shown how they are arranged
Inside the crowded confines of a cell, individual proteins can now be pinpointed with exceptional accuracy thanks to the combination of two powerful microscopy techniques.
Advances in cryogenic electron tomography (CET) produce images at near atomic scale resolution using purified proteins. However...

Welcome to the reboot of The Undark Podcast, which will deliver — once a month from September to May — a feature-length exploration of a single topic at the intersection of science and society. In this episode, join science journalist Bradley van Paridon and podcast host Lydia Chain as they investigate the tension that shrouds the culture of silence in animal research, and the emotional toll it may be taking on the scientists who fear stigmatization from the public.

The unfolding Sars-CoV-2 outbreak is laying bare the world’s need for effective antivirals. According to University of Lille chemist Sabine Szunerits, ‘we should invest in this now, knowing that viruses will be an issue in the 21st century’. With this in mind she and collaborators at the Pasteur Institute in Lille, France have, over the past few years, been developing a new approach to tackling viruses – including coronaviruses – that takes advantage of the unique properties of nanoparticles....

A team of zoologists surveying a section of the Gulf of Pozzuoli off the coast of Naples, Italy, expected to find little life and biodiversity after years of industrial activity. Instead, they were amazed by the amount of life they witnessed among the litter.
The Gulf of Pozzuoli is a small bay in the northern part of the Gulf of Naples. The area has been home to industrial activity and high naval traffic since the 20th century, leading to pollution. As a result, the area was given priority s...

The 2011 earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan’s east coast dramatically changed the landscape and devastated coastal species. Now, even though reef fish communities and small invertebrates have returned, one unlikely indicator is revealing there is still a long way to go for this battered region. The proof? A dearth of snail parasites.
Parasites are pervasive members of any healthy ecosystem. But by comparing the numbers and species of parasites infecting Asian hornsnails in Japan’s Senda...

By completely rewiring Escherichia coli metabolism this powerhouse of synthetic biology has been evolved to consume carbon dioxide.
The majority of the organisms on the planet live their lives as autotrophs. These are the plants, microbes and others that use energy, often in the form of light and carbon, to synthesise their own food. Autotrophs, therefore, play a major role in the planet’s carbon cycle, and can help humanity tackle its carbon dioxide problem.
Efforts to build or tweak photosy...

Harmonising regulations regarding drone manufacturing, safety and operation in the EU is a first step toward creating a true service market. The removal of uncertainty is being welcomed by members of the industry who are hopeful that these rules will set the standard for global drone aviation
Starting in July 2020 EU member state national rules concerning the operation of drones will be replaced by EU wide regulation, opening the market and perhaps setting the global standard for drone safety...

The protein Pex3 expressed in Trypanosoma brucei at two different stages in its lifecycle. The discovery of the protein after decades of fruitless searching will give drug discovery researchers a boost in tackling these neglected tropical diseases
A chance decision to attend a lecture led to the discovery of an elusive protein and promising drug target for parasites causing some of the world’s most notorious neglected tropical diseases – Chagas disease, sleeping sickness and leishmaniasis. As...

While glass is hard, durable and has many desirable optical properties, it is brittle and smashes easily. Nacre however, also known as mother-of-pearl, a substance produced by some molluscs is at once deformable and tough and a new nacre-like glass that copies the structure of the natural material outperforms both laminate and tempered glasses.1
The key to its performance is nacre’s 3D brick wall microstructure consisting of polygonal mineral bricks stacked in a staggered arrangement and held...

As Theresa May signs into law a commitment to bring the UK’s carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, one city in the UK is on its way to achieving this goal 22 years sooner
As one of her final acts as Prime Minister, Theresa May, announced that she will be signing into law a pledge to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. This would make Britain the first member of the G7 to make such a commitment official.
The announcement was largely applauded by environmental groups but there was also cri...

An increase in allergies associated with pollen may be a self-inflicted wound caused by our preference for male plants, hence the need to assess better the allergenic potential of green spaces
Urban green spaces provide several benefits beyond aesthetics. They offer shade, help to reduce pollution, offer habitat for birds and insects, a space to meet and socialise or for kids to play. Not surprisingly the choices of plants used to populate these areas are made with these considerations in min...

Since the phenomenon of science faculty with education specialities (SFES) was first described in 2008, these positions have not only persisted but expanded too.1
SFES are scientists who take on specialised science education roles within their discipline. The data from a 10-year follow-up on SFES roles in the California State University system reveals that they are more prevalent, more likely to be formally trained and both accepted and valued by their colleagues and administrators. Since the...

In an effort to combat ocean plastic pollution the EU has just adopted ambitious new legislation targeting ten of the most common single use plastic products, washing up on beaches and imposing greater responsibility on plastic manufacturers for their clean-up
Plastic pollution from single use items such as straws, cutlery and cotton bud sticks are a serious issue facing oceans and marine life. Often these items are not disposed of properly and because they do not degrade end up in the oceans...