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A report on a project which used DNA and isotope analysis of tissue from asylum seekers to evaluate their nationality won the Best News Item category at the 2010 ABSW Science Writers' Awards .

The report was written by John Travis, Europe news editor for Science Magazine.

Other awards included a lifetime achievement, given to Geoff Watts, broadcaster and journalist, who worked most recently as the presenter of BBC Radio 4's Leading Edge.

The Best Feature category was awarded to two winners, Robin McKie from the Observer and Helen Pearson from Nature, with judges unable to choose between them.

The awards, which returned after a two-year absence due to a lack of funding, attracted more than 150 entries upon its return.

Judges chair, Colin Blakemore, Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Oxford, said the excellence of the winners shone through.

"The judges did a tremendous job at arguing their way to the shortlists and finally the winners", he said in a release. "In the end there were certain pieces that just stood out, some for pure enjoyment, some for the reactions they evoked and some for putting their heads above the parapet on difficult issues."

The winners, listed below, each received a certificate and small cash prize at the Awards Reception held at The Royal Society on Friday.

They will also enter the 'ABSW hall of fame', which already includes previous winners such as Sir David Attenborough, Sir John Maddox and Judith Hann.

List of winners:
Best news item

John Travis, Europe news editor, Science Magazine, for 'Scientists Decry "Flawed" and "Horrifying" Nationality Tests'.

Published in Science.

Best feature

Robin McKie, science editor, the Observer, for 'Breathing lessons'. Published in the Observer Magazine.

Helen Pearson, chief features editor, Nature, for 'One gene, twenty years'. Published in Nature.

Best scripted/edited programme (podcast, radio, TV or online video)

Nick Jordan, Producer/Director, Adam Rutherford, presenter, Jacqueline Smith, series producer, BBC (team entry), for 'The Cell' a BBC Scotland Production broadcast on BBC 4 TV.

Best investigative journalism

Peter Aldhous, San Francisco bureau chief, New Scientist, for 'How My Genome Was Hacked'. Published in New Scientist.

Best newcomer

Helen Thomson, Biomedical news editor, New Scientist.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Geoff Watts, broadcaster and journalist, most recently presenter of BBC Radio 4's Leading Edge.

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Written by
Rachel Bartlett

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