UCL in the media
Nicotine use rises among young adults in England but cigarette smoking continues to decline
Overall nicotine use has risen among adults in England since disposable vapes started becoming popular, due to a rapid increase in vaping among young adults coupled with a modest overall decline in smoking, finds a new study by Dr Harry Tattan-Birch and Dr Sarah Jackson (both UCL
Read: The Telegraph (£); More: The Times (£), Daily Mail (1), Daily Mail (2), Wales Online, US News & World Report, Express & Star; Listen: BBC Radio 4 ‘Today’ (from 48 min, 24 sec), UCL News
'Don't FLiRT with me': How worried should we really be about the new Covid mutation?
Professor Christina Pagel (UCL Mathematics) said: “I think we are the start of a Covid wave driven by the FLiRT variants which are quite likely to be at about 50 per cent of total infections now."
Euclid space mission celebrates first science with sparkling cosmic views
Five new views of the Universe have been released today, captured by the European Space Agency’s Euclid telescope, whose massive optical camera was designed and built by an international team led by Professor Mark Cropper (UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory).
Read: The Guardian; More: Daily Mail (1), Daily Mail (2), BBC News, Independent, Sky News, CBS News, BBC Newsround, The Telegraph (£), Evening Standard , BBC Sky at Night Magazine, Economic Times (India), New York Times, Watch: ITV News; UCL News
The truth about Asian hornets
“Unless you are a honeybee farmer, you probably don’t need to worry too much. I worry on behalf of the other social wasps, because they represent a significant proportion of their diet, but I’m sure I’m alone in that," says Professor Seirian Sumner (UCL Biosciences).
The great rent control debate
There are also examples of places in the world where limits on rent increases have worked to stabilise housing markets, clarifies Dr Rodrigo Martinez (UCL Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction).
Why is exercise good for your mental health?
Professor Jonathan Roiser (UCL Psychology & Language Sciences) tells Claudia Hammond about a major piece of research he is soon to embark on that should help us understand a lot more about what exercise does for people with depression.
Men share their hair-loss drug horror stories
Not only is finasteride easily and cheaply available via the internet, but the range of symptoms is so broad that it is not easy to ascertain which ones are linked to the drug as opposed to an underlying condition, explains Professor Pierre-Marc Bouloux (UCL Medicine).
Why a £1.48 box of paracetamol is no different to a 37p option
Branded versions of paracetamol and ibuprofen are no different to generic versions because UK law sets out that all painkillers must be bioequivalent (get the active drug into the body as effectively as each other), says Professor Simon Gaisford (UCL School of Pharmacy).
Mysterious element promethium finally reveals its chemical properties
“It’s rather beautiful chemistry, and to see the delicate pink colour of this complex is a real joy,” says Professor Andrea Sella (UCL Chemistry).
Joe Biden faces headache over ICC's Netanyahu move
Biden's position "shouldn't be surprising to anyone," says Dr Thomas Gift (UCL Political Science), who adds: "However, it does put him increasingly at odds with his left flank."