Oxford SciBar

Since the mid-nineteenth century, three species of bumblebee in the British Isles have gone extinct, and several other species have become so rare that they are at risk of extinction. In this talk,

Dr Darren Jeffers will discuss the causes of the decline in British bumblebees; their key role in pollination; how we might reverse the losses and the likely effects of climate change.

He will also share the results of some recent research using museum specimens of extinct species and proffers the question: Can we learn anything from these dusty depositories of ecological data to aid the conservation effort?

Vector-borne diseases are transmitted to humans through another living organism, such as malaria via the mosquito. This type of disease accounts for roughly 17% of all disease and causes nearly a million deaths annually.

Dr. David Robert Grimes discusses the frequent problems in reporting science from misunderstandings to bad statistics to false balance, and discusses the factors that influence this and how such problems can be remedied.

A poor diet is the leading cause of ill-health in the UK yet it is also one of the most contested areas of science. Is eating less saturated fat or sugar the most important factor or would the problems be solved if we ate more fruit and vegetables?.

In her latest book, Spirals in Time, as featured on BBC Radio 4's Book of the Week, marine biologist Dr Helen Scales uncovers the secret lives of the animals that make sea shells (the molluscs) and ponders how people have used their shells for millenina as everything from sex symbols and money, to the inspiration behind new materials and medicines.

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Associate Professor Ciara McCabe from Reading University talks about the Neurobiology of Depression

http://www.reading.ac.uk/pcls/people/c-mccabe.aspx

Head of Neuroimaging of Reward Group (NRG): My research links together the psychology and pharmacology of psychiatric disorders and their treatment.

climate change; atmospheric physics; Adam Levy; @ClimateAdam; Scibar;

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