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Happy New Year from the Maison des Girrafes

Posted on 31 December 2013 by Henry Gee

New Year Greetings from
Heidi the dog;
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Saffron the dog;
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Elvis the cat;
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Ted the cat;
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Emma the cat;
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Naughtypants (Not His Real Name), the cat;
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Buttons the rabbit;
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Sid the corn snake;
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Yentl the python;
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Squirty Benson Wilberforce III, the axolotl;
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The Cromer Poultry World War I Re-Enactment Society;
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Zebedee the fish (and all his friends in t Continue reading →

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Reads Of The Year

Posted on 30 December 2013 by Henry Gee

Great minds, it is said, think alike. For example, just as I was planning this post, I learned that Professor S. C. of London had posted his reads of 2013. The distinguished crystallographer, though, described all 26 of the books he’s read this year. Continue reading →

Posted in Bill Bryson, Books, chris beckett, daniel davis, david mitchell, marcus zusak, mercurio d rivera, michael chabon, moorcock, Neil Ansell, Science-fiction, Writing & Reading | Comments Off on Reads Of The Year

The Future Is Here

Posted on 29 December 2013 by Henry Gee

Futures-1-CoverMany years ago when the world was young (OK, it was 2007), Tor put out an anthology of 100 very short stories from the ongoing Futures SF series, devised by me back in the last millennium. The anthology was received with much delight from readers – it got a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly -  and, if you so desire, the original ve Continue reading →

Posted in futures, futures in nature, Science-fiction, sf, Writing & Reading | Comments Off on The Future Is Here

Notebooks

Posted on 29 December 2013 by Erika Cule

Back in 2009 the day, in a discussion on the recently archived Nature Network, I mentioned that I liked to draft blog posts the old-fashioned way. I wrote that “It is easier to get started with a pen and paper than a blank screen.” Whilst then I was talking about blogging, the same applies when I work. If you do research in the lab, you Continue reading →

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Where in the world was Cath in November?

Posted on 29 December 2013 by Cath@VWXYNot?

Photo quiz time! Can you name the cities in the photos below?

Some of these are easier than others (I’ve tried to put the hardest ones first), so extra points if you can also name the building(s) in the photos!

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Posted in photos, travel | Comments Off on Where in the world was Cath in November?

Seasonal Lists (and the REF)

Posted on 28 December 2013 by Athene Donald

The end of the year is, by custom, the time for lists. Lists of best (or worst) photos, opening book sentences, or celebrity fashion faux pas; lists of those who died or those who made their film/book/TV/sporting debuts. Think of a category and there is probably a list somewhere on this planet in print (or about to appear). I’m afraid I’ Continue reading →

Posted in New Year, REF, Science Culture, twitter | Comments Off on Seasonal Lists (and the REF)

Gunning for a better life

Posted on 28 December 2013 by Steve Caplan

It’s been over a year since the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, and little remains of the resolve that seemed to develop within the American public to “do something.”

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I was taking advantage of glorious weather today, 60 deg. F, to take Ginger the dog for a great big 2 hour walk when we happened o Continue reading →

Posted in accidents, gun, guns, lives, NRA, responsibility, violence, weapons | Comments Off on Gunning for a better life

In which nature imitates science

Posted on 24 December 2013 by Jennifer Rohn

On the walk from my house to Russia Dock Woodlands, you have to pass by a particular hedgerow. Like all good hedgerows, it’s thick and impenetrable and rustling with unseen bird life. And it produces lots of bright-red berries, which frequently fall off and spill all over the pavement.


A hedgerow, yesterday

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Party Time

Posted on 23 December 2013 by Athene Donald

Since it’s the festive season, at least in my part of the world, it seems appropriate to post about parties, but what follows is far from confined to Christmas, or the associated office party. It could just as well be a midsummer gathering of the neighbourhood or your great aunt’s 100th birthday (though my great aunt’s happened to Continue reading →

Posted in guests, Life in Science, Peoplewatching | Comments Off on Party Time