Author Archives: Stephen

In a letter that I received this week from the Wellcome Trust about my grant application I read: “The Committee commended your engaging lay summary, which was deemed to be one of the most entertaining ever presented.” That was very … Continue reading →

I know, I know. He’s been done to death, but I realised this morning that I have been walking past this poster for some weeks now and it’s always pleased me. I think, somehow, it still seems a little… subversive.

Oh wait, I’ve just checked the poster and we’re 129 years too late. Damn. But if you had been in the Piccadilly area at 8 pm on Monday 16th Feb 1880, you could have attended his talk on ‘The characters … Continue reading →

There was an old man from Downe, Kent Who found man arose by descent He said, “This may grate: But my friends we’re primate, Give thanks for life’s great accident!”   I’m having fun with this (hey, it’s the weekend … Continue reading →

Charles Darwin Was a star in Eighteen fifty-nine His theory Caused a fury Among lovers of design “No Adam? Far too random – That’s never a solution!” But Charlie smiled – He was not riled: “Sorry, that’s evolution.”   It’s … Continue reading →

Last week I took the train through a snowy landscape to Warwick University to give a seminar at the Department of Chemistry. I arrived a little early to catch up with a couple of virologist friends; in the coffee bar … Continue reading →

Abandoned

X.

This post is completely justified since crystals are a central topic at Reciprocal Space and I awoke this morning to a landscape covered with them: Snow has the wonderful property of making the world look fresh and new. Even the … Continue reading →