Veronique Greenwood from Wired/Quanta magazine discusses a recently published paper in Nature that sought to describe how excitation of neurons has a negative influence on the aging process in humans. Greenwood summarizes the overall findings of the article in a clear and concise manner. She provides background information that allows the reader to have a general concept of neurology and the process of aging. The transcription factors and proteins involved throughout the study, in model organism C. elegans, are discussed in detail as Greenwood combined information from several sources to provide a coherent concept of the signal transduction pathways involved in the process of aging. The news article takes precaution with the severity of statements made, to ensure that there is no exaggeration or understating of the results. The article brings in several different sources – university professors and researchers – alongside other general information to support the statements made regarding the study. These sources are used to backup the findings of the original study and serve to supplement the depth of information displayed for the reader to pick through. While the concept discussed in the original study contains difficult concepts and confusing jargon, Greenwood organizes the content in a way that makes it much easier for the general public to understand. The use of subsections and subtitles separates the content of the original article to create a logical flow of information.
The subject of this news article, by Veronique Greenwood, for Wired/Quanta Magazine is a recently published research paper in Nature. This paper investigates the negative relationship between a high activity level of cranial neurons and an organism’s lifespan. Specifically, the paper discuses a protein called REST which was found to have a role in controlling both life span and the expression of several genes that contribute to the firing of neurons. This Wired/Quanta Magazine article effectively depicts the findings of the original research in an unbiased manner. No unjustified correlation or causation is suggested, yet the implications and unknowns are discussed sufficiently. Furthermore, Greenwood employs a scientific lexicon appropriate for the intended audience of the piece- any terminology beyond this is explained concisely. Background information is also provided to substantiate the reader’s understanding of the findings. To do this, Greenwood uses several reputable sources to explain the research as well as the various cranial pathways involved in ageing, all of which are clearly linked. This allows the reader to conduct their own evaluation of the research and to assess the accuracy of any claims made in the Wired/Quanta article. It should be noted that the use of subtitles, images, and diagrams is highly effective in supporting the progression of this article. The findings of the original research are quite complex, yet, the use of clear language, subtitles, and visuals contribute to making the Wired/Quanta article clear and concise. The views expressed by the reviewers for this article are not endorsed or shared by SciFeye. The interpretation of the review of the news story using the SciFeye Index was done independently by two SciFeye reviewers. We encourage you to conduct your own evaluation of the accuracy and quality of the news story using the Index.
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