Usage U sage Requests for contacts in every area of science, technology, medicine and allied disciplines have been received. Questions on health and medicine are the most popular.
Major users are TV and film makers and newspaper and radio journalists.
Freelance writers make significant use of the service for outlets in the UK as well as mainland Europe. Deadlines, often a matter of minutes, are determined by the enquirer. Extensive use of the service is made by the media during disasters such as earthquakes, pollution incidents, volcanic eruptions and space accidents. These peaks occur against a background of basic queries on scientific and medical topics. High levels of satisfaction are consistently reported by both the users and the experts who have helped with an enquiry.