Chris Melvin

First-of-its-kind study on impact of vaping on respiratory health The University of Birmingham will lead a £1.55 million MRC-funded project to unravel long-term vaping risks and benefits on lung health for smokers.

A first-of-its-kind project supported by MRC and led by @unibirmingham.bsky.social will study the long-term impact of vaping on lung health.

Researchers will examine the biological effects of vaping on lung cells, immune cells, and the airway microbiome.

More: www.ukri.org/news/first-o...

Renewable energy produces more electricity than coal for the first time, experts say Solar and wind are now growing fast enough to not only meet the world's growing appetite for electricity, but to outstrip it.

NEW

For the first time in history, renewable energy has produced more of the world's electricity than coal, finds new @ember-energy.org analysis

Renewables outstripped coal in China & India in H1 2025, but reverse was true in US & Europe

✍️ @t0mclark3.bsky.social

news.sky.com/story/renewa...

Good for her although I also wish she'd got a job in a small chemist's.

I have driven my EV all over Europe. Czechia, rural Spain, the depths of the Cevennes. And I have never been anywhere where the charging infrastructure is remotely as shitty as Bath. Something like five high speed plugs in the entire city. Virtually no on-street charging.

Carbon Capture Startup Moves Project to Canada From US The startup building it moved the project north due to better incentives and what it views as a more stable regulatory environment.

Scoop: CarbonCapture Inc. has moved its 2,000-ton direct air capture project from the US to Canada, compelled by shifting political winds and a better policy environment in the north, CEO Adrian Corless told me:

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Some good news.

London is meeting legal limits for toxic NO2 pollution for the first time – almost 200 years earlier than predicted – following the Mayor’s "world leading air pollution policies," City Hall announces.

The Ultra Low Emissions Zone - and similar policies - really do work.

The real generational divide is people who refuse to watch a video if it could be an article versus people who refuse to read an article if it could be a video

Today was one of my favourite lectures, on how evidence influences debates.

Case A: 79 people died as a consequence of smart motorways (2010-2024). That's sufficient to pause the policy.

Case B: In the first year of the Welsh 20mph scheme 900 fewer people were injured. There's still contestation.

Illusory 'control', though. We have laws against bikes being nicked, against shoplifting, against tax evasion, against nicking big bounceback loans, against fraudulent company formation. And increasingly, these are just becoming optional, to be ignored with impunity. Why would this scheme differ?

“To be a good scientist, I have to take emotions out of work. Still, I would say looking at this data, when I allow myself to connect to it emotionally, then I am afraid. This really scares me,” she said.

Huntington's disease successfully treated for first time One of the most devastating diseases finally has a treatment that can slow its progression and transform lives, tearful doctors tell BBC.

In my life I've seen treatments for AIDs developed, vaccines for Ebola and malaria, and now this. Medical science is one is the areas that still consistently seems to make these miraculous advances and I'm genuinely grateful to everyone involved.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Philanthropies Strike a Promising Deal to Turn Back H.I.V.

This is huge: “A drug that provides near-perfect protection against H.I.V. with shots just twice a year will be made available at $40 per patient annually in low- and middle-income countries, offering new hope… making lenacapavir a realistic choice in countries with constrained resources.”

Global investment in renewable energy up 10% on 2024 despite Trump rollback Growth rate slightly lower than previous first-half years but sector still strong and resilient, experts say

Global investment in renewable energy up 10% on 2024 despite Trump rollback

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

'Talk of a 'net zero recession' is overblown': Study shows over three quarters of global economy still covered by climate goals National and corporate targets to reach net zero emissions remain largely intact, despite high-profile attacks on climate action from the US government

Backlash, what backlash? Study confirms three quarters of global GDP is still covered by national net zero goals and the number of corporate net zero goals is continuing to increase. Contrary to headlines, the world remains committed to rapid decarbonisation. www.businessgreen.com/news/4519353...

Royal Society to debate throwing out Elon Musk One of the most prestigious scientific bodies in the world is considering expelling Musk after his appearance at Tommy Robinson’s extremist London rally

Mini-scoop: After resisting pressure to strip Elon Musk of his fellowship for months, the Royal Society is meeting on 1 October to discuss his removal – following his decision to address Tommy Robinson's far-right rally on Saturday.

www.thenewworld.co.uk/james-ball-r...

One of these rich dudes invested in a food company with all proceeds going to kids in need. The other started Sundance Institute, boosting the lives of countless artists. Hey modern rich dudes, don't be a typical greedy AI crypto-prick, be like these two.

An excerpt from an interview with the director of The Graduate, Mike Nichols. "I interviewed hundreds, maybe thousands of men", Nichols admitted of the casting process per Vanity Fair, before his conversation with Redford turned out to be a short one. "I said, 'You can't play it. You can never play a loser'. And Redford said, 'What do you mean? Of course I can play a loser'. And I said, 'OK, have you ever struck out with a girl'. And he said, 'What do you mean?' And he wasn't joking."

My favourite Robert Redford story is the one about why he got rejected for the lead role in The Graduate. RIP to a real one.

Stop talking about wealth taxes — make these reforms instead [FREE TO READ] Any sane discussion of changes that both right and left could agree on is being crowded out by tax populism

Lots of good and quite radical ideas for UK tax reform here from Dan Neidle. The inability of government after government to implement anything like this - and instead favouring silly stunts - has me despairing. on.ft.com/4nu8NrZ

This on the back of MSD walking away from £1B project in London and an almost completed building is pretty disastrous for UK Biomedical science.

Underestimating support for climate action limits political decision making, study says Research reveals huge disparity between perceived and actual willingness of public to contribute to fixing climate

Research reveals huge disparity between perceived and actual willingness of public to contribute to fixing climate

- "[Politicians] have more public support than they may realise"

#climatecrisis #89percent
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Buses on the High Street, Oxford. Photo by Roger Close.

Oxford is to get a congestion charge of £5 per car per day, starting this autumn. Charges will be levied for driving past one of six camera sites. The decision, intended to accelerate bus services and encourage cycling/walking, was taken at an Oxfordshire County Council cabinet meeting this morning.

Here are 10 provocations on climate and energy. Tell me if you agree, disagree or have a nuanced take. Drop your own provocations in reply or quote post.

Start:

1. By 2030, the use of air conditioning will lead to greater increase in electricity demand than data centers. And it's not even close!

Sentiment analysis on four decades worth of FT newspaper articles. 🥳 Rreally cool stuff from @joelsuss.ft.com. on.ft.com/4n2TVBq

UKRI announces first UK-wide birth cohort study in 25 years A ground-breaking UK-wide scientific study will help improve the lives of future generations by studying 30,000 children born in 2026.

Announcing Generation New Era: the first UK-wide birth cohort study in 25 years.

It will study 30,000 children born in 2026 across the four nations of the UK.

Watch out for upcoming opportunities for researchers and other stakeholders to engage with the study team via @clscohorts.bsky.social

Imagine going in a shop and seeing a sandwich labeled "£1.99 or £4.50 depending what time it is. You'll be punished as a thief if you pay the wrong amount but we won't tell you what time the prices change". That's the UK rail system that is

Liz Kendall to replace Peter Kyle as science secretary in reshuffle - Research Professional News Kyle goes to business while skills brief taken out of Department for Education, reports suggest

Liz Kendall to replace Peter Kyle as science secretary.

Skills moved from DfE to Department of Work and Pensions, under its new secretary Pat McFadden.

By @robinbisson.bsky.social

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-p...

Reform and X are not Britain, as John Curtice shows, though this loud minority voice thinks it is

Migration bad for economy?
32% of public - but 73% of Reform

Bad for our culture?
31% of public - 81% of Reform

Rights for ethnic minorities have gone too far?
18% of public - but 49% of Reform

thanks to @dorianlynskey.bsky.social for introducing me to this movie poster, featuring a tagline that made me hyperventilate with laughter