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SUPPORTING LIFE SCIENCES SUPPORTING LIFE SCIENCES SUPPORTING LIFE SCIENCES As the leading professional body for the biosciences, the Society of Biology is committed to recognising professional excellence. As the leading professional body for the biosciences, the Royal Society of Biology is committed to recognising professional excellence. As the leading professional body for the biosciences, the Society of Biology is committed to recognising professional excellence. As the leading professional body for the biosciences, the Society of Biology is committed to recognising professional excellence. Degree accreditation The Society’s Degree Accreditation Programme addresses the skills gap between academic study and employment. Two distinct forms of accreditation are available: Advanced Accreditation highlights degrees which contain a significant research element and educate the future leaders of Research & Development. Accreditation highlights degrees that focus on employability and more general higher-level skills acquired through studying the biosciences to Honours level. Degree accreditation The Society’s Degree Accreditation Programme addresses the skills gap between academic study and employment. Two distinct forms of accreditation are available: Advanced Accreditation highlights degrees which contain a significant research element and educate the future leaders of Research & Development. Accreditation highlights degrees that focus on employability and more general higher-level skills acquired through studying the biosciences to Honours level. Degree accreditation The Society’s Degree Accreditation Programme addresses the skills gap between academic study and employment. Two distinct forms of accreditation are available: Advanced Accreditation highlights degrees which contain a significant research element and educate the future leaders of Research & Development. Accreditation highlights degrees that focus on employability and more general higher-level skills acquired through studying the biosciences to Honours level. Professional registers Members can apply to become Registered Science Technician, Registered Scientist, Chartered Scientist and Chartered Science Teacher, in addition to Chartered Biologist (which is exclusive to the Society of Biology). Professional registers Members can apply to become Registered Science Technician, Registered Scientist, Chartered Scientist and Chartered Science Teacher, in addition to Chartered Biologist (which is exclusive to the Society of Biology). Professional registers Members can apply to become Registered Science Technician, Registered Scientist, Chartered Scientist and Chartered Science Teacher, in addition to Chartered Biologist (which is exclusive to the Society of Biology). Members can apply to become Registered Science Technician, Registered Scientist, Chartered Scientist and Chartered Science Teacher, in addition to Chartered Biologist (which is exclusive to the Royal Society of Biology). Join today We offer a number of membership categories to ensure that anyone with an interest in biology can become a member and access a range of benefits, including discounted training courses and a subscription to The Biologist magazine. Join today We offer a number of membership categories to ensure that anyone with an interest in biology can become a member and access a range of benefits, including discounted training courses and a subscription to The Biologist magazine. Join today We offer a number of membership categories to ensure that anyone with an interest in biology can become a member and access a range of benefits, including discounted training courses and a subscription to The Biologist magazine. For more information (including a list of accredited degrees) visit www.societyofbiology.org For more information (including a list of accredited degrees) visit www.rsb.org.uk For more information (including a list of accredited degrees) visit www.societyofbiology.org For more information (including a list of accredited degrees) visit www.societyofbiology.org Royal Society of Biology Degree Accreditation Programme SUPPORTING LIFE SCIENCES

ContentsVolume 62 No 4 Aug/Sep 2015 ROYAL SOCIETY OF BIOLOGY Charles Darwin House, 12 Roger Street, London WC1N 2JU Tel: 020 7685 2550. Fax: 020 3514 3204 info@rsb.org.uk www.rsb.org.uk EDITORIAL STAFF Director of Membership, Marketing and Communications Jon Kudlick MRSB Editor Sue Nelson @ScienceNelson Managing Editor Tom Ireland MRSB @Tom_J_Ireland tom.ireland@rsb.org.uk Communications and Events Officer Karen Patel MRSB karen.patel@rsb.org.uk Membership enquiries Tel: 01233 504804 membership@rsb.org.uk Subscription enquiries Tel: 020 7685 2556 tom.ireland@rsb.org.uk EDITORIAL BOARD Susan Alexander BSc PGCE CBiol CSci MRSB MRSPH FRGS J Ian Blenkharn CBiol FRSB FRSPH Phil Collier MSc PhD CBiol FRSB FLS FHE Cameron S Crook BSc MPhil CBiol MRSB MIEEM FLS Rajith Dissanayake MSc PhD FZS AMRSB Catherine Duigan BSc PhD FRSB FLS John Heritage BA DPhil CBiol FRSB Sue Howarth BSc PhD CBiol FRSB Allan Jamieson BSc PhD CBiol FRSB Catherine Jopling BSc PhD MRSB Leslie Rose BSc CBiol FRSB FICR The Biologist is produced on behalf of the Royal Society of Biology by Think Publishing Ltd Capital House 25 Chapel Street London NW1 5DH www.thinkpublishing.co.uk 020 3771 7200 Art director Matthew Ball Design Alistair McGown Production editor Sian Campbell Sub editor Kirsty Fortune Publisher John Innes john.innes@thinkpublishing.co.uk Non-member rates: £120.00 ISSN 0006-3347 Advertising in The Biologist represents an unparalleled opportunity to reach a large community of professional biologists. For advertising information contact tom.ireland@rsb.org.uk 020 7685 2556 Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Editorial Board or the Royal Society of Biology. © 2015 Royal Society of Biology (Registered charity no. 277981) The Society permits single copying of individual articles for private study or research, irrespective of where the copying is done. Multiple copying of individual articles for teaching purposes is also permitted without specific permission. For copying or reproduction for any other purpose, written permission must be sought from the Society. Exceptions to the above are those institutions and non-publishing organisations that have an agreement or licence with the UK Copyright Licensing Agency or the US Copyright Clearance Center. Access to the magazine is available online; please see the Society’s website for further details. Nicola Hemmings on sperm’s incredible journey to the egg PAGE 18 IN THIS ISSUE 05 DE-EXTINCTION DEBATE Why resurrecting a mammoth isn’t a good idea 09 GENOMES GALORE How do we ensure that DNA data is useful? 10 POLICY Food security around the world, and policy news 12 INTERVIEW Sir David Attenborough talks to Professor Alice Roberts about his career 18 TRIALS OF A SPERM Nicola Hemmings on what makes a winning sperm 22 CLUB CLASSIC Mike Samworth on the Postal Microscopical Society 24 CELL CULTURE Julie Russell explains the importance of cell lines in fighting disease 28 HOW TO… FIND FOSSILS Grace Paget’s palaeontology tips for beginners REGULARS 02 NELSON’S COLUMN 04 UP FRONT Society news and opinions; Inside View; and members’ images 32 SPOTLIGHT ON… Immunology 34 MEMBERS 37 REVIEWS 40 BRANCHES 46 BIOFEEDBACK 47 CROSSWORD 48 MUSEUM PIECE TWITTER @RoyalSocBio Facebook “ f ” Logo RGB / .ai Facebook “ f ” Logo RGB / .ai FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/ RoyalSocBio BLOG http://blog.rsb.org.uk WEBSITE thebiologist.rsb.org.uk Vol 62 No 4 / The Biologist / 1

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SUPPORTING LIFE SCIENCES

SUPPORTING LIFE SCIENCES

SUPPORTING LIFE SCIENCES

As the leading professional body for the biosciences, the Society of Biology is committed to recognising professional excellence.

As the leading professional body for the biosciences, the Royal Society of Biology is committed to recognising professional excellence.

As the leading professional body for the biosciences, the Society of Biology is committed to recognising professional excellence.

As the leading professional body for the biosciences, the Society of Biology is committed to recognising professional excellence.

Degree accreditation The Society’s Degree Accreditation Programme addresses the skills gap between academic study and employment. Two distinct forms of accreditation are available: Advanced Accreditation highlights degrees which contain a significant research element and educate the future leaders of Research & Development. Accreditation highlights degrees that focus on employability and more general higher-level skills acquired through studying the biosciences to Honours level.

Degree accreditation The Society’s Degree Accreditation Programme addresses the skills gap between academic study and employment. Two distinct forms of accreditation are available: Advanced Accreditation highlights degrees which contain a significant research element and educate the future leaders of Research & Development. Accreditation highlights degrees that focus on employability and more general higher-level skills acquired through studying the biosciences to Honours level.

Degree accreditation The Society’s Degree Accreditation Programme addresses the skills gap between academic study and employment. Two distinct forms of accreditation are available: Advanced Accreditation highlights degrees which contain a significant research element and educate the future leaders of Research & Development. Accreditation highlights degrees that focus on employability and more general higher-level skills acquired through studying the biosciences to Honours level.

Professional registers Members can apply to become Registered Science Technician, Registered Scientist, Chartered Scientist and Chartered Science Teacher, in addition to Chartered Biologist (which is exclusive to the Society of Biology).

Professional registers Members can apply to become Registered Science Technician, Registered Scientist, Chartered Scientist and Chartered Science Teacher, in addition to Chartered Biologist (which is exclusive to the Society of Biology).

Professional registers Members can apply to become Registered Science Technician, Registered Scientist, Chartered Scientist and Chartered Science Teacher, in addition to Chartered Biologist (which is exclusive to the Society of Biology).

Members can apply to become Registered Science Technician, Registered Scientist, Chartered Scientist and Chartered Science Teacher, in addition to Chartered Biologist (which is exclusive to the Royal Society of Biology).

Join today We offer a number of membership categories to ensure that anyone with an interest in biology can become a member and access a range of benefits, including discounted training courses and a subscription to The Biologist magazine.

Join today We offer a number of membership categories to ensure that anyone with an interest in biology can become a member and access a range of benefits, including discounted training courses and a subscription to The Biologist magazine.

Join today We offer a number of membership categories to ensure that anyone with an interest in biology can become a member and access a range of benefits, including discounted training courses and a subscription to The Biologist magazine.

For more information (including a list of accredited degrees) visit www.societyofbiology.org

For more information (including a list of accredited degrees) visit www.rsb.org.uk

For more information (including a list of accredited degrees) visit www.societyofbiology.org

For more information (including a list of accredited degrees) visit www.societyofbiology.org

Royal Society of Biology Degree Accreditation Programme

SUPPORTING LIFE SCIENCES

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