When I was a little boy I remember that my mother would sometimes extract a dull metal implement from the dark recess of a rarely used cupboard and clamp it to the kitchen table. Turning the handle she would feed the device with cubes of beef and it would spew mince onto a cold white plate.
This is what my brain feels like.
I have read fourteen grant applications in the past few days in preparation for an upcoming funding committee meeting. Each of them was densely written, crammed onto the page, and just as densely argued. My brain has turned to mush. Its shredded cortex has left me few resources with which to fashion a blog post but fortunately I have some material that I prepared earlier.
These days it is almost de rigeur for writers of blogs to plug themselves into that other piece of Web2.0 wizardly, the podcast. There have been several recent examples from among our number: stand up Katherine, Brian, Henry and Eva). And it was hearing Jenny Rohn on the Guardian Science Weekly podcast that originally got me into all this. So you know who to blame.
Until recently I had never ventured into audiospace but, like buses, two opportunities have just come along. The first is the inaugural Lablit podcast where, as guest-chair, I led the discussion on Jenny’s highly engaging first novel, Experimental Heart. The recording, nicely edited by Richard, gives a great flavour of the discourse.
And then, thanks to the good offices of NN denizen Sara Fletcher, I was interviewed by Naked Scientist Meera Senthilingam for the Diamond Light Source podcast. Diamond is the UK’s sparkly new synchrotron, a giant X-ray generating doughnut that nestles in the Oxfordshire countryside. Having made use of the facility last December, I got the chance to talk about our work on the foot-and-mouth disease virus protease. Have a listen, if you like—the interview starts at about 12m 30s in and lasts about 7 minutes. If you’ve seen the video, you may recognise the story. T-shirts will be available soon.
I cannot properly judge what it is like but I was at least reasonably impressed by my lack of ums and aahs!
Stephen. The Diamond Light Source Podcast link to Episode 2 links to Episode 1, so this needs a fix.
Thanks Graham – I’ve sorted the link (I hope).
That’s November, Oscar, Papa, Echo – NOPE. It seems to be an AAC file format rather than MP3, Stephen and won’t open in media players.
Hmm – I see what you mean. I tried to access it on a PC but couldn’t even get it to play in iTunes or Quicktime Player (never mind Windows Media Player). In the Mac universe the link took me seamlessly into iTunes and I listened to it on my iPhone on the way home.
I’m a bit surprised at the lack of function on a PC – I’m sure it’s only a temporary glitch since The Naked Scientists are a pretty savvy bunch, but I’ll bring it to their attention asap.
Thanks for the prompt action and welcome to the pod squad.
Big fan of podcasts. Have appeared on two so far.
Opporchancity #3 cropped up quite recently, but I decided to co-ordinate this one rather than appear on it in person. Messrs RP Nature Network’s answer to the paparazzi Grant, Mr Nylon plus Sefang & Wallace over in Australia hopefully this month will be in session over teh interchoobs to deliver a free flowing discussion on a number of current topics of interest.
Cheers Graham – I’ll give those a listen. It is an interesting medium and relatively easy to get into. But I do find that many podcasts just go on way too long. There simply aren’t enough minutes in the day…
Nice one, Stephen, will catch these.
Funnily enough (it’s a small podcasting world), Meera is also the one who records the Chemistry in its Element podcasts I’ve been involved in with the RSC. (No, not the Royal Shakespeare Company. Now there’s a thought. Imagine a luvvy voice: ‘To beryllium, or not to beryllium, that is the question.’)
PS Just had a listen to Diamond (excellent!) – it’s now an MP3 and works fine on PCs.
Glad you enjoyed it Brian – good to know it works on some PCs now but I’m not sure what’s changed. It was an mp3 file yesterday but neither Graham nor I could get it to play on a Windows machine…
Thanks Stephen. I’ve bookmarked this page for when I eventually get round to reading Experimental Heart (which I’m dying to do, having read the first few pages) – I need to go off to a desert island or something.
You’re very welcome Clare. But once you get started you’ll really get into it – the book is quite a page-turner.
BTW – for PC lovers, Sara Fletcher has told me she’s looking into the file compatibility issue for the Diamond podcast…
BTW, Stephen – Sara Fletcher has indeed resolved the technological issue. Well done, Sarah !!
Thanks for the update Graham (and the fix, Sara and Meera!) – now loading on PCs and Macs (I am assuming the linux guys know how to look after themselves…).
snort
Touch of ‘flu there, Richard…? I do hope not.
Only just noticed this, sorry! Thanks again, it’s all a bit of a learning experience for us but I am genuinely enjoying podcast making and I get to nose about and find out what other people are up to 🙂