Latest posts

The truth about pesticides and bees?

Posted on 17 December 2012 by Philip Strange

Each week Riverford Organic delivers a vegetable box to our door. Nestling among the mosaic of vegetables is a newsletter from the Riverford boss, Guy Watson.  This summer he has moaned, justifiably, about the state of the weather and the effect on his farming business. A week or so ago, the litany of moans was interrupted when he used his newslett Continue reading →

Posted in agrochemical, bees, buglife, bumblebees, companies, environmental audit committee, friends of the earth, honeybees, insecticides, insects, neonicotinoids, Science policy, soil association | Comments Off on The truth about pesticides and bees?

Come on America, let’s talk about Fear.

Posted on 16 December 2012 by Sylvia McLain

guns and flowers

I don’t own a gun. I don’t own a gun not because I am *against* guns per se, but guns scare me. Research has indicated that if you carry a gun for protection you are more likely to be shot. Especially if you don’t know how to use it. Continue reading →

Posted in Columbine, gun control, Sandy Hook, Sandy Hook Elementary | Comments Off on Come on America, let’s talk about Fear.

Hobbitry

Posted on 15 December 2012 by Henry Gee

I’m literally just back from the Cromer Enormoplex where I was subjected to saw The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, so what follows is very much a second impression: Howard Shore’s soundtrack is still ringing in mes oreilles. There might also be spoilers, so if you plan to see this particular flick, all two hours and 46 minutes of it, ma Continue reading →

Posted in Apparitions, Cinema, Silliness, Technicrox, Writing & Reading | Comments Off on Hobbitry

So You Don’t Know What You Want To Do Next?

Posted on 14 December 2012 by Athene Donald

You are not alone! I suspect that most PhD students are uncertain, and if they think they know, it is probably because they assume, without necessarily considering the question at any length, that they will just continue on the academic conveyer belt. A few will, but the overwhelming majority will, sooner or later, leave the world they have grown f Continue reading →

Posted in careers, experience, luck, PhD | Comments Off on So You Don’t Know What You Want To Do Next?

Context is everything (Part II)

Posted on 14 December 2012 by Cath@VWXYNot?

Microsoft continues to crack me up:

too many projects

Certain PIs of my acquaintance may agree that they’re involved in too many projects, but I doubt anyone’s ever said the words “too many publications”…

(Part I here)

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Cosmic

Posted on 12 December 2012 by Henry Gee

My book The Science of Middle-earth is now available for your Kindle, and given the release of Peter Jackson’s film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, I am soon going to start tolkien to myself.

But before that, I should like to introduce you to my friend Rachael Livermore, who is a Ph. D. student in Astrophysics at Durham University. Continue reading →

Posted in astrophysics, cosmic, galaxy, hobbitry, rachael livermore, Science Is Vital, tolkien, Writing & Reading | Comments Off on Cosmic

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without Carbon

Posted on 12 December 2012 by Stephen

I may not know much about Chemistry but I know what I like.

And I like carbon. In fact, I’ve decided that it’s my favourite element. I’ll tell you why in the short video below, which is part of the Royal Institution’s 2012 Advent Calendar. Continue reading →

Posted in Carbon, communication, Protein Crystallography, Royal Institution, science communication | Comments Off on Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without Carbon

More to a sinner

Posted on 11 December 2012 by rpg

When people ask who were my influences, I find it difficult to give a straight answer. I cannot name a childhood hero in whose footsteps I wanted to follow, neither was there someone whose guidance or mentoring I’d particularly like to single out. I do have a number of scientific heroes now, people of whom I became aware as I learned more abo Continue reading →

Posted in angels, apes, grace, Ill-considered rants, influences, inspirations, One Isaiah than the other, Patrick Moore, People, personal | Comments Off on More to a sinner

Fourth Annual VWXYNot? Readers’ Choice Comment of the Year Award!

Posted on 11 December 2012 by Cath@VWXYNot?

(I’m off sick with a really nasty cough for the second day in a row, so I’m pushing this out a day earlier than planned ‘cos I’m bored)

So as regular readers know, every Friday, more or less, I choose my favourite comments from this blog (and my favourite posts I’ve read on other blogs), and list them in the sidebar under th Continue reading →

Posted in competition, Meta | Comments Off on Fourth Annual VWXYNot? Readers’ Choice Comment of the Year Award!

2012 Bragging Rights

Posted on 11 December 2012 by Cath@VWXYNot?

HURRAH!

It’s that time of year when I start going through the Bragging Rights Central archives of my favourite comment(s) from this blog and post(s) from other blogs – see the sidebar for details – trying to pick my favourite comments for the annual reader vote. Expect the list of finalists and the reader poll some time in the nex Continue reading →

Posted in competition, Meta | Comments Off on 2012 Bragging Rights