Author Archives: rpg

About rpg

Scientist, poet, gadfly

Echoes

Posted on 13 July 2011 by rpg

At the pub the other night, I was asking how a friend was doing. He was particularly busy, it appears, because he had to attend students’ exhibitions, located inexplicably at inconvenient and distant locations the length and breadth of town. … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Photography, Science | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Mata Penguin

Posted on 8 July 2011 by rpg

You just know this isn’t going to turn out well.

Posted in Penguins | Tagged , | 5 Comments

On the Journal with No Name

Posted on 5 July 2011 by rpg

There was a little bit of kerfuffle a week or two ago. Apparently some rather well-respected institutions (and the Max Planck Institute) decided to announce they were thinking of launching a journal. Maybe. In a year’s time. With no editor-in-chief … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature | Tagged , , , | 24 Comments

Big angry macrophage

Posted on 17 June 2011 by rpg

Those of you who know anything about British popular culture will no doubt be familiar with Benny Hill. The Benny Hill Show was long-running and immensely popular—although it was often accused of being sexist, it was the men who were … Continue reading →

Posted in Science, Video | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

On the hairy nature of light—redux

Posted on 15 June 2011 by rpg

A while ago I reported on an experiment. Using my laser beam I demonstrated the wave nature of light, by measuring its diffraction. One of the referees, for reasons of poetry, wanted to see the experiment repeated with a different … Continue reading →

Posted in Science | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Another one

Posted on 1 June 2011 by rpg

This is a classic.

Posted in Science-less Sunday | Tagged | 3 Comments

Flutterby

Posted on 31 May 2011 by rpg

Identify this.

Posted in Science-less Sunday | Tagged | 6 Comments

Apocalypse Penguin

Posted on 16 May 2011 by rpg

Number five.

Posted in Penguins | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

The Chain

Posted on 14 May 2011 by rpg

Listen to the wind blow, watch the sun rise At this time of night, if the lights on the Addenbrookes roundabout are kind to me—and they usually are, because the sensors pick me up as I approach—three minutes and two … Continue reading →

Posted in Lab ratting, War stories | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

I won’t apologize

Posted on 28 April 2011 by rpg

But I have every sympathy with John Rennie. Read it, please. And forgive me.

Posted in meta | Tagged | 7 Comments