Author Archives: Stephen

The horror is in the detail

Posted on 13 March 2014 by Stephen

I recently came across a film on YouTube called ‘Unedited footage of the bombing of Nagasaki (silent)’. It is one of the dullest and most horrific things I have ever seen. The film shows US servicemen on Tinian island performing … Continue reading →

Posted in atomic bomb, fat man, History of Science, Nagasaki | Comments Off on The horror is in the detail

Impressions of Turner

Posted on 22 January 2014 by Stephen

I may not know much about art but I know what I like and I like the work of Joseph Mallord William Turner — all the more so now that I have seen the Turner and the Sea exhibition at the National Maritime … Continue reading →

Posted in art, Science & Art, the sea, turner | Comments Off on Impressions of Turner

Unfinished Business

Posted on 11 January 2014 by Stephen

I’ve reached that age where my eye is drawn to the obituary column every time I open the newspaper. It hasn’t been a conscious move but, having arrived at my fiftieth year, I am increasingly aware of the hopes of … Continue reading →

Posted in age, philosophy, rambling, Scientific Life | Comments Off on Unfinished Business

The Schekman Manoeuvre

Posted on 12 December 2013 by Stephen

This is the original version (with the original title) of an article that has been published at The Conversation.  Having climbed all the way to the Nobel prize on a ladder made of Nature, Science and Cell papers, biologist Randy Schekman has … Continue reading →

Posted in Cell, Impact Factors, nature, nobel prize, Open Access, Randy Schekman, science, Scientific Life | Comments Off on The Schekman Manoeuvre

Why Elsevier is completely in the right… and totally wrong

Posted on 9 December 2013 by Stephen

The internet was all aflutter last week because Elsevier has sent thousands of take-down notices to Academia.edu, a social networking site where many researchers post and share their published papers. This marks a significant change of tack for Elsevier. Previously … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic publishing, Berlin OA meeting, elsevier, Open Access | Comments Off on Why Elsevier is completely in the right… and totally wrong

Things to know about policy, science and the public

Posted on 7 December 2013 by Stephen

There has been a flurry of articles of late listing important things that scientists, politicians and the public should know about each other. I am logging them here because I enjoyed each of the pieces and think it likely that … Continue reading →

Posted in Guardian, lists, nature, Politics, Science & Politics, Science policy | Comments Off on Things to know about policy, science and the public

The very interesting web of connections

Posted on 22 November 2013 by Stephen

The Royal Institution has made a rather lovely film about William and Lawrence Bragg, the father and son Nobel laureates who came up the method of structural analysis by X-ray crystallography around 100 years ago. The film is constructed around … Continue reading →

Posted in Bragg, electrons, George Thomson, History of Science, Protein Crystallography, X-ray crystallography | Comments Off on The very interesting web of connections

Open Access Headaches

Posted on 3 November 2013 by Stephen

Tense, nervous headache? Feelings of confusion? Mood swings from warm optimism to a gnawing sense of futility? You’ve been reading about open access again, haven’t you? I know because I have and I recognise the symptoms.

Posted in berlin declaration, BOAI 10, budapest declaration, Open Access, Peter Suber | Comments Off on Open Access Headaches

Impact factors are clouding our judgement

Posted on 17 October 2013 by Stephen

Nature has an interesting news feature this week on impact factors. Eugenie Samuel Reich’s article — part of a special supplement covering various aspects of the rather ill-defined notion of impact — explores whether publication in journals such as Nature or Science is … Continue reading →

Posted in impact factor, Open Access, Scientific Life | Comments Off on Impact factors are clouding our judgement

Parliamentary committee slams UK policy on open access

Posted on 10 September 2013 by Stephen

The UK House of Commons has its dander up. Having bloodied the prime minister over Syria in the past fortnight, the select committee of MPs that oversees the work of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has issued … Continue reading →

Posted in Finch Report, Open Access, RCUK | Comments Off on Parliamentary committee slams UK policy on open access