POSTnote
The dual-use dilemma, July 2009
This note examines three scientific areas posing a significant risk of misuse and considers how to tackle dual-use dilemmas in these and other areas.
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POSTnote
Arctic changes, June 2009
This POSTnote summarises the environmental change occurring in the Arctic and its potential impact on the global climate, future commercial activities and Arctic governance.
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POSTnote
CO2 capture, transport and storage, June 2009
This POSTnote details the main carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies and considers their safety and legal issues. This is followed by an overview of global CCS projects as well as a discussion of UK and EU policy.
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POSTnote
Crop protection, June 2009
The pesticide approvals process in Europe is changing. This POSTnote explores the potential implications for UK agriculture and horticulture and examines other crop protection strategies available that complement or compensate for pesticides.
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POSTnote
Treatments for heroin and cocaine dependency, June 2009
This note looks at the treatments currently available for heroin and cocaine dependency, assesses the prospects for new treatments, and examines the issues these raise.
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POSTnote
Regenerative Medicine, May 2009
This POSTnote looks at recent developments in this area and analyses the issues they pose for UK researchers and regulators.
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POSTnote
H1N1 ‘swine flu’ vaccine, May 2009
This POSTnote describes how a pandemic vaccine for UK use against the novel strain of influenza (flu) virus subtype H1N1 would be manufactured, and alternative techniques for vaccine development and manufacture.
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POSTnote
Diet and cancer, April 2009
This POSTnote looks at the latest scientific research, advice and recommendations for a diet to lower cancer risk and the consequences for health policy.
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POSTnote
Personalised medicine, April 2009
This POSTnote examines the state of research into human variability, and the prospects, challenges and policy implications of more personalised medical treatment.
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POSTnote
Geo-engineering research, March 2009
There is evidence that efforts to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases may be insufficient to avert unacceptable levels of climate change; global emission levels are currently higher than even the highest scenario produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2001). Geo-engineering seeks to use global scale engineering to offset the effects of greenhouse gas emissions. This POSTnote summarises the arguments relating to research funding for geoengineering.
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POSTnote
Delaying gratification, March 2009
This POSTnote looks at the influence of time in decision making, and looks at the implications for policy domains such as pensions, health and consumer affairs.
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POSTnote
Wild deer, February 2009
This POSTnote examines the current status of wild deer in the UK, their ecological, economic and social impacts and legislation on their management.
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POSTnote
Food hygiene standards, February 2009
This briefing describes recent developments in food regulation and examines options to improve food hygiene in businesses through monetary penalties, training and the use of local "Scores on the Doors" schemes.
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POSTnote
Lessons from history, January 2009
In the past decade, the government has repeatedly emphasised the importance of taking an "evidence-based" approach to policy-making. In 2006, the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee welcomed the government's progress in integrating scientific evidence into decision making. However, despite increasing use of evidence from the natural and social sciences, evidence from humanities disciplines such as history is not widely used. This POSTnote considers how history could help to inform decisions on key scientific and technological policy issues.
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POSTnote
Marine renewables, January 2009
Around 15-20% of the UK's electricity could potentially be produced from marine renewable sources, but the technology is not mature. This POSTnote considers the technologies available and the environmental, economic and technological challenges involved in their deployment.
Total results (page 52 of 73)