Ben Spencer

@ben-spencer.bsky.social

Science Editor at The Sunday Times

Josh Simons says he was "furious" at how the PR firm Labour Together hired smeared journalists But he handed its baseless 'reports' to the security services The minister's comments don't stack up As Jon Cruddas told me weeks ago: "this is dark shit" www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Labour minister falsely linked journalists to ‘pro-Kremlin’ network in emails to GCHQ

Exclusive: Josh Simons pressed intelligence officials to investigate reporters, in emails described as ‘McCarthyite smear’

theguardian.com

One of the most consequential scientific breakthroughs I've written about for some time. Scientists are using AI to design new genomes from scratch and then bringing them to life in the lab. I went to California to meet them. In today's Sunday Times and online @thetimes.com

The Times and Sunday Times@thetimes.com · 6mo ago

In a breakthrough experiment, molecular biologists and tech entrepreneurs have teamed up to write the genetic code of a virus that destroys killer bacteria

One of the most consequential scientific breakthroughs I've written about for some time. Scientists are using AI to design new genomes from scratch and then bringing them to life in the lab. I went to California to meet them. In today's Sunday Times and online @thetimes.com

The Times and Sunday Times@thetimes.com · 6mo ago

In a breakthrough experiment, molecular biologists and tech entrepreneurs have teamed up to write the genetic code of a virus that destroys killer bacteria

"Until recently I was City Minister, but in truth I'm more of a country girl than a city girl," new environment secretary Emma Reynolds tells the Labour Party Conference. "A walk in the woods, a hike over the hills, a dip in the sea: these are things that make life worthwhile."

One of the great privileges of my job is going to places few others can. This was one of those trips, 433m below the earth in Finland, down tunnels which will soon be used to dispose of nuclear waste. With amazing photos by Richard Pohle @thetimes.com www.thetimes.co.uk/article/nucl...

Secrets of the deep, deep tunnels where nuclear waste is buried

Almost half a kilometre underground, engineers in Finland are about to seal radioactive material safely for ever. Britain wants to do the same

thetimes.co.uk

Excl: US pharma giant Gilead is withholding a breast cancer drug from Nice assessment, blaming the UK for undervaluing medicines. It's a marker of the disintegrating relationship between the biosciences industry and government in a war over prices 👇🏻 @thetimes.com www.thetimes.com/article/2b11...

‘Precious’ breast cancer drug withheld from NHS in price row

The pharma giant Gilead Sciences will not send Trodelvy for assessment by the UK drugs watchdog, claiming it can’t make enough profit in Britain

thetimes.com

Patrick Vallance always insisted politics wasn’t for him. So why, a year ago this week, did he accept a job as Labour’s science minister? “If you say no, then you should shut up - and I didn’t feel like shutting up.” My interview with Lord Vallance @thetimes.com 👇 www.thetimes.com/article/7e18...

Parents have forgotten that measles kills, says Lord Vallance

The falling rate of vaccination shows people no longer understand the danger of not immunising children, warns the Covid-era chief scientific adviser

thetimes.com

Patrick Vallance always insisted politics wasn’t for him. So why, a year ago this week, did he accept a job as Labour’s science minister? “If you say no, then you should shut up - and I didn’t feel like shutting up.” My interview with Lord Vallance @thetimes.com 👇 www.thetimes.com/article/7e18...

Parents have forgotten that measles kills, says Lord Vallance

The falling rate of vaccination shows people no longer understand the danger of not immunising children, warns the Covid-era chief scientific adviser

thetimes.com

If you've seen Attenborough's Ocean, you will have seen the unnamed diver from Arran describing the horror of bottom trawling. This is his story: a 35-yr fight to save the seas around his island and how his cause is now taken up by princes and presidents www.thetimes.com/uk/environme...

A revolution that started in a Scottish pub could save the world’s oceans

Pioneered by worried locals, the success of a no-bottom trawling zone off the island of Arran has raised hopes that similar schemes can revive seas globally

thetimes.com

If you've seen Attenborough's Ocean, you will have seen the unnamed diver from Arran describing the horror of bottom trawling. This is his story: a 35-yr fight to save the seas around his island and how his cause is now taken up by princes and presidents www.thetimes.com/uk/environme...

A revolution that started in a Scottish pub could save the world’s oceans

Pioneered by worried locals, the success of a no-bottom trawling zone off the island of Arran has raised hopes that similar schemes can revive seas globally

thetimes.com