Winter 2017

Feature articles cover: cyber-security threats to nuclear weapons; renewable energy expansion; commercialisation of UK universities; links between nuclear power and nuclear weapons; landmines; fracking and public health; arms and fossil fuels industries in schools; nuclear submarine risks

Feature articles

• Science in the Trump-May era
  Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, outlines key challenges to progressive science from the Trump and May governments.
   
• Could Trident be hacked?
  Aleem Datoo, British American Security Information Council (BASIC), outlines just how vulnerable the UK’s nuclear weapons system is to cyber security threats.
   
• Get it from the Sun: expanding renewable electricity
  Prof Keith Barnham, Imperial College London, outlines plans for an exciting new campaign to encourage continued expansion of electricity from renewable sources in the UK.
   
• Universities, democracy and science: the UK Government’s neo-liberal knowledge regime
  Prof John Holmwood, University of Nottingham, critically examines the increasing commercialisation and privatisation of UK universities, as demonstrated by the new Higher Education and Research Bill.
   
• Britain’s nuclear addiction?
  With official approval for renewal of the Trident nuclear weapons system and the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station coming within weeks of each other, the links between the military and civilian nuclear industries in the UK are again in the spotlight. Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, investigates.
   
• The landmine ban: 20 years on
  Dr Steve Wright, Leeds Beckett University, looks at the achievements of campaigners and governments in reducing the casualties from landmines.
   
• Fracking and public health: research update
  Prof Andrew Watterson, University of Stirling, assesses key academic research published in 2016 on the risks of fracking to public health.
   
• Arms and fossil fuel industries in schools: undermining the next generation?
  The arms and fossil fuels industries are putting a lot of resources into science and engineering educational material for British school children. We should be very concerned, argues Philip Wood, SGR.
   
• Devonport and nuclear submarines: what are the risks?
  Dr Philip Webber, SGR, highlights a range of significant health, safety and environmental risks arising at the Devonport naval base from the storage of several aged nuclear submarines and a recent major submarine refit.

SGR News

• A few words from the Director
• Nuclear disarmament activities
• Science4Society Week 2017
• Peaceworker
• Other peace activities
• Climate and other activities
• Obituary: Prof Sir Tom Kibble FRS
• Obituary: Prof Derek Sugden

Reviews

• SGR conference 2016: Universities for sale? The influence of arms, fossil fuels and other industries
• Book: The winning of the carbon war by Jeremy Leggett
   

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