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Th eBiologist THE SOCIETY OF BIOLOGY MAGAZINE ■ ISSN 0006 3347 ■ SOCIETYOFBIOLOGY.ORG VOL 61 NO 2 ■ APR/MAY 2014

Contents

Why have we done so little to protect the great apes? Our closest kin

TOXICOLOGY

POISON TO POTION The medical potential of arsenic

NEUROSCIENCE

GUIDING LIGHT Understanding behaviour with optogenetics

INTERVIEW

DR ALISON WOOLLARD

On her Royal Institution Lectures

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Volume 61 No 2 April/May 2014

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9 Opinion: Patently false

Robert Andrews on why biologists shouldn’t fear patenting research

12 Poor relations

Ashley Leiman explores the complex relationship between humans and great apes

18 Great communication

Two science communicators reveal the outreach projects that won them Society awards

22 A very Victorian poison

Alan Lansdown looks at the toxicology and surprising medical uses of arsenic

26 Travellers’ tales

30 Dr Alison Woollard

34 Theory of devolution

Tracking the research adventures of five biologists awarded a £500 Society travel grant

Jenni Lacey explains how optogenetics can help us better understand behaviour Regulars 3 Nelson’s column 8 Opinion 10 P olicy update 40 S potlight 49 Re views 53 T reasurer’s Re port/ Bio feedback 54 Mus eum piece 55 Cr ossword 56 Final w ord News 4 Society news 42 M embers 45 Br anches In this issue

The developmental biologist talks to Tom Ireland about her Royal Institution Christmas Lectures

Catherine Ball on science funding in an independent Scotland

36 Shedding light on the brain

Vol 61 No 2 / the biologist / 1