In the news

A 30-year international study published in Science has found that the Amazon forest is alarmingly sensitive to reduced rainfall and drought, causing a massive loss of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Speaking to Channel 4 News, the study’s lead author, Professor Oliver Phillips (School of Geography) said: “For at least 25 years the Amazon forest has been helping to slow down climate change [by absorbing CO2 emissions]. But relying on this subsidy from nature is extremely dangerous.” The 2005 drought in the Amazon released an extra 5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, mainly through the death of trees, exceeding the annual emissions of Europe and Japan combined, reported the Independent, the Financial Times and Planet Earth.

A breakthrough involving Professor Adam Nelson’s research group (School of Chemistry) will allow scientists to produce large stocks of stem cells, which hold great promise for treating type 1 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, and even spinal injuries, reported BBC News, the Daily Telegraph, and the London Evening Standard. Scientists from Leeds and Bath have discovered a chemical that halts the development of stem cells until required. Watch the BBC news report at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7880091.stm

Scientists from Leeds’ School of Medicine have helped to discover six new genes that cause some people to inherit a greater risk of heart attacks at an early age, reported the Yorkshire Post. Three large-scale studies on the findings were published in Nature Genetics in February – an unprecedented ‘hat-trick’. The research involved Professor Alistair Hall, Professor Stephen Ball and Dr Tony Balmforth, who said: “It is likely that simple and specific gene tests will become available in the next two to three years to further help solve the problem of heart attacks that occur at an early age in families.”

If China were to import just 5% more grain, it would swallow the entire amount exported by the rest of the world, according to a new study reported in Planet Earth and China Journal. “China is a country undergoing a massive transformation, which is having a profound effect on land use,” said the study’s lead author Dr Elizabeth Simelton (School of Earth and Environment). “Growing grain is a low-profit exercise, and is increasingly being carried out on low-quality cropland with high vulnerability to drought. What surprised us was that even the rich coastal areas and south-east are just as susceptible.”

Nanoparticles have the potential to help boost food production and feed a fast-growing world threatened by climate change, Professor Terry Wilkins (Nanomanufacturing Institute) told the Observer. “They could be used to encapsulate flavouring into foods; create packages that will change colour if their food contents go off, or be used as coatings that will be bacteria-proof. However, we cannot expect the public to accept this technology without evidence that it has been rigorously tested to show it is completely safe.”

In a comment piece for the Guardian, David Spencer (Leeds University Business School) says: “The historical weakness of trade unions and the absence of strong labour regulation mean the economic crisis looks set to worsen the quality of work and life for many workers in Britain.” He argues that a more enlightened approach is needed to safeguard hardwon working conditions, thereby boosting productivity and profitability, and that the government’s pro-business “flexibility” agenda must be dispensed with. Read the full article at http://tinyurl.com/c8apte

Leeds history graduate Andrew Ledger (MA by research, 2007) has returned from Antarctica after a 97 mile journey on skis that marked Sir Ernest Shackleton’s epic attempt to reach the South Pole in 1909. Andrew was chosen to join the Shackleton Centenary Expedition team in January from among 3,000 other hopefuls, and was interviewed on BBC Radio Sheffield. “It was unbelievably tough but an absolutely fantastic experience,” says Andrew. “I am still in possession of all my fingers and toes, so that is a bit of a relief!” He also raised over £1,000 for the Shackleton Foundation, see http://www.shackletoncentenary.org

Singlish, or Singapore English, is music to the ears of sociolinguists like Dr Anthea Fraser Gupta (School of English), who spent 21 years in Singapore and is interested in the evolving nature of the language, reported the Straits Times. “Singapore is an exciting place for a linguist, with people moving from one language to another. For a linguist it’s the equivalent of a really well-equipped laboratory for a chemist,” she said.

Cyber-crime specialist Professor David Wall (School of Law) spoke to Radio 4’s Today programme after Justice Secretary Jack Straw’s email account was hacked by Nigerian fraudsters. “The return on investment is very high, it’s not like traditional crimes where you’re setting out to target one person, it’s a fishing expedition,” said Professor Wall. “The internet will never be risk-free, it’s like crossing the road – if you don’t watch out you get run over.”

Tests by food scientists have revealed why we Brits can’t get enough of our chips – the tantalising smell gives off a cocktail of aromas, including butterscotch, bitter cocoa, flowers, cheese, onion…and ironing boards, reported the Times, the Independent, Daily Health News, Australian Food, and the Daily Telegraph. Dr Graham Clayton (School of Food Science and Nutrition), who led the research, said: “The humble chip doesn’t smell of just chips – it is much more complex and probably explains why chips are everyone’s favourite. Perhaps the findings will see chips treated like wine in the future…”