One of the most thought-provoking economics reads of the last few years, Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson’s “Why Nations Fail“, basically picks up where Jared Diamond’s “Guns, Germs, and Steel” left off. But what’s the link to mentoring?
Month: May 2017
Setting sail (a short guide to choosing a postdoc in academia)

In the latest of our “How to…” guides, we’ll be looking at how to choose a postdoc position in academia.
The fast-paced life of a snail

One of the best aspects of the scientific life is the opportunity it offers to see the world. Continue reading
A drawing room of dukes
“When I am in the company of scientists,” observed the poet W. H. Auden, “I feel like a shabby curate who has strayed by mistake into a drawing room of dukes.” Continue reading
The LEGO guide to reductionism
Fashions come and go, but one toy seems to outlast all trends – Lego. And enthralling as these coloured bricks are in their own terms, they also offer an instructive means of explaining* one of the most important principles in science – reductionism. Continue reading