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Higher Education and Research Bill – Letter to my MP

Posted on 20 October 2016 by Stephen

Science is Vital this week launched a campaign to seek amendments to the Higher Education and Research Bill 2016. The bill is a rather dry and procedural piece of legislation but hidden amongst its many sections and schedules are real threats to the autonomy and independence of UK universities and to the capacity of the research community to guide Continue reading →

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The ‘Mine’s Bigger’ School of Science

Posted on 16 October 2016 by Athene Donald

I didn’t watch the second Trump-Clinton debate, but it is clear from all I’ve read that one of the former’s tactics to attempt to disconcert Clinton was to try to intimidate her physically – by sheer bulk and position on the stage. It doesn’t seem to have been a very successful strategy in this case, but it seems all of a piece with the man. Intimi Continue reading →

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Ways of Seeing

Posted on 9 October 2016 by Stephen

It is the weekend and I have been treating myself to some time with the paper. I usually buy the Saturday Guardian. Occasionally, I will also get The Observer on a Sunday but I don’t often have the time to absorb both. Sometimes even the one is too much.

Continue reading →
Posted in Civilisation, Documentary, John Berger, Kenneth Clark, Science & Art, television, Ways of Seeing | Comments Off on Ways of Seeing

The Ultimate Conspiracy–the importance of being Donald

Posted on 9 October 2016 by Steve Caplan

Children–and adults–often believe that when they root or hope for a team or for an event to occur, that their wishes can influence the outcome. This irrational behavior probably underlies the fervent cheering for sports teams. And candidates in political processes. Despite my adherence to scientific and rational principles, I admit that Continue reading →

Posted in birther, conspiracy, income tax, liar, misogynist, racism, rigged, sex lies and videotape, sexual harassment, temperament, Trump, twitter rampage, US elections | Comments Off on The Ultimate Conspiracy–the importance of being Donald

With Regret

Posted on 9 October 2016 by Athene Donald

It is always difficult to know when to say no, or enough is enough. Turning down or walking away from opportunities is a difficult thing to do, particularly when they are things you’d really like to do. But there comes a point when the scales tip too far one way, when health, family, the day job or general equilibrium are clearly suffering and it i Continue reading →

Posted in Communicating Science, Durham, Science Culture, Science Museum, Shildon, Wonderlab | Comments Off on With Regret

Rapid or vapid?

Posted on 4 October 2016 by Frank Norman

Someone recently asked me what I thought about the open access journal Molecular Metabolism. I had just delivered a short talk to a group of researchers as a reminder about our open access policy and what my team could do to help them make sure their research was published open access.

Well, I didn’t think anything about Molecular Metabolism as I h Continue reading →

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Warts and All

Posted on 2 October 2016 by Athene Donald

Are role models useful? What should they look like (metaphorically rather than literally; I’m not channelling dizzy blond here)? And how should they describe themselves? A recent article entitled ‘Successful women do not always make the best role models’ in the Financial Times on this subject – written more about city women than scientists, but I b Continue reading →

Posted in role model, Science Culture, Sheryl Sandberg, superwoman, Women in science | Comments Off on Warts and All

Librarygeddon

Posted on 30 September 2016 by Frank Norman

The Library, the collection

When it’s done right it is a wonderful thing. The collection dedicated to meeting a specific need: carefully selected, sensibly arranged, appropriately indexed, comprehensive in its coverage and range of formats. It is precisely calibrated to meet a need. On its own it is a collection – worthy of celebration. Continue reading →

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In which green means go

Posted on 29 September 2016 by Jennifer Rohn

It’s often been said that witnessing your child grow up is akin to scientific experiment – an intense longitudinal observational study with no control group.

As a fan of language in all of its nuances, it’s been fascinating watching Joshua learn to talk. He just turned three last Friday, and he’s already a dab hand at rudime Continue reading →

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Paradigm – the sculpture

Posted on 27 September 2016 by Frank Norman

Recently I attended the first public event at the Francis Crick Institute’s new building next to St Pancras.  Ironically the event was not about science but was a conversation with an artist, sculptor Conrad Shawcross. He created the enormous sculpture outside the new Crick building. The sculpture is called Paradigm, and was inspired by the t Continue reading →

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