Author Archives: Philip Strange

About Philip Strange

After more than 30 years as an experimental scientist, I decided to have a complete change and moved to the West Country. I now write about science for several magazines and web sites and blog at http://philipstrange.wordpress.com/.

500 dead bumblebees – the chemical blitz of modern farming

Posted on 15 December 2014 by Philip Strange

Earlier this year, Sheila Horne was walking at Hacton Parkway, a public park and conservation area in Havering, East London. April is normally a good time to see insects in their prime so she was very surprised to find many … Continue reading →

Posted in buff-tailed bumblebee, buglife, bumblebees, common carder bee, conservation, epoxiconazole, flusilazole, fungicides, Guest posts, Hacton Parkway, imidacloprid, insecticides, neonicotinoids, pollinators, red-tailed bumblebee, thiamethoxam, tony gunton | Comments Off on 500 dead bumblebees – the chemical blitz of modern farming

Disturbing the natural order – the case of neonicotinoid insecticides and farmland birds

Posted on 23 July 2014 by Philip Strange

A swift   One of my favourite nature writers is Mark Cocker who has the ability to capture a scene or an idea in a few hundred words. Despite his immense knowledge he never loses his sense of awe and … Continue reading →

Posted in bees, birds, center for food safety, conservation, farmland birds, George Monbiot, Guest posts, imidacloprid, insectivorous birds, Kenneth Allsop, mark cocker, neonicotinoids, netherlands, radboud university, swift, yellow wagtail | Comments Off on Disturbing the natural order – the case of neonicotinoid insecticides and farmland birds

The Flying Squad*

Posted on 21 June 2014 by Philip Strange

An imposing, white-painted beehive stood in the middle of the room. Emblazoned across the front in large black letters was one word – POLICE. The police keep bees?

Posted in agri environment schemes, bee hive, bees, flower rich hay meadows, Flying Squad, Guest posts, higher level stewardship, honeybees, Margaret Couvillon, nature reserves, pollinators, Thomas Thwaites, waggle dance | Comments Off on The Flying Squad*

Lock up your hydrangeas, drug thieves about!

Posted on 19 March 2014 by Philip Strange

Plants are rich and varied sources of chemicals that change brain function, so-called psychoactive chemicals. For example, the coca plant, a shrub indigenous to the foothills of the Andes, was used for thousands of years by the local people because … Continue reading →

Posted in cannabis, cocaine, cyanogenic glycosides, flowers, Guest posts, hortensia, hydrangea, hydrogen cyanide, marijuana, mescaline, opium, peyote, psychoactive chemicals, tetrahydrocannabinol | Comments Off on Lock up your hydrangeas, drug thieves about!

A night at the opera – or how the myth of the love potion seduces both writers and scientists

Posted on 2 January 2014 by Philip Strange

The Glyndebourne Touring Opera visits Plymouth in the South West once a year and it’s a real treat to go to their productions. This year we went to see Donizetti’s frothy but very popular L’elisir d’amore. This was beautifully sung … Continue reading →

Posted in claus wedekind, cuddle hormone, donizetti, glyndebourne, glyndebourne touring opera, Guest posts, harry potter, human monogamy, l'elisir d'amore, love potion, opera, oxytocin, romantic attraction, sweaty t-shirt experiment, tristan and isolde | Comments Off on A night at the opera – or how the myth of the love potion seduces both writers and scientists

The bitter wind of Brussels sprouts

Posted on 13 December 2013 by Philip Strange

It’s that time again; that most controversial of vegetables is appearing in UK shops. I am referring of course to Brussels sprouts, feared and hated by some, lauded by others. Not only is it peak growth season for sprouts but, … Continue reading →

Posted in bitter taste, brussels sprouts, Christmas, francis crick, glucosinolates, Guest posts, vegetables, vitamin C, vitamin K, windiness of sprouts | Comments Off on The bitter wind of Brussels sprouts

Old Nutt’s new fangled Ale

Posted on 29 November 2013 by Philip Strange

Deck the hall with boughs of holly Fa la la la la la la la la ‘Tis the season to be jolly Fa la la la la la la la la Christmas may still be several weeks away but there’s … Continue reading →

Posted in alcohol, alcohol harm, alcohol related disease, alcohol strategy, alcohol substitutes, benzodiazepines, cirrhosis, David Cameron, David Nutt, GABA, GABA receptor, Guest posts, minimum unit pricing | Comments Off on Old Nutt’s new fangled Ale

Those poor beleaguered bees! Now they’re being confused by diesel fumes. Or are they?

Posted on 4 November 2013 by Philip Strange

Bees are having a hard time. Pathogens, insecticides and loss of habitat are all thought to be contributing to a decline in their numbers. Now a potential new threat has been added to the “perfect storm” threatening these insects. A group at … Continue reading →

Posted in bee decline, bee numbers, bees, bumblebees, city bees, diesel fumes, Guest posts, honeybees, oilseed rape, southampton university | Comments Off on Those poor beleaguered bees! Now they’re being confused by diesel fumes. Or are they?

The UK and New Zealand: two very different approaches to the problems of “legal highs”.

Posted on 14 October 2013 by Philip Strange

In many people’s minds, the county of Devon is synonymous with cream teas, cider and summer holidays so it may come as a surprise to hear that Devon has its fair share of social problems. Over the past few months … Continue reading →

Posted in cannabis, drug laws, Guest posts, head shops, legal highs, New Zealand, Psychoactive Substances Bill, synthetic cannabinoids, tetrahydrocannabinol | Comments Off on The UK and New Zealand: two very different approaches to the problems of “legal highs”.

Next time you see Nelson’s Column, think of Dartmoor

Posted on 24 September 2013 by Philip Strange

Dartmoor is the largest and wildest area of open country in the south of England but despite the wildness, the human imprint is never far away. For many years, the moor has been exploited by industry which has shaped the … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, china clay, dartmoor, devon, flowers, granite, Guest posts, nelson's column, richard mabey, stephen spielberg, warhorse | Comments Off on Next time you see Nelson’s Column, think of Dartmoor