Women’s tennis can show science why excellence alone isn’t the whole story. Continue reading
Emma Raducanu, Leylah Fernandez, and the importance of narrative
The world of science
The best drivers, the fastest cars
Formula 1 offers a striking example of how meritocracies really function. Continue reading
Academies and academia
What connects the European Championships, PPE and ventilators, the academic career ladder, and scientific illiteracy? Continue reading
A life of service
Prince Philip, husband and consort of Queen Elizabeth II of England, died on 9th April 2021. The obituaries and epitaphs, of which there have been many, have been united in noting and praising his life of service. There is however something curious about a person who was born into royalty and spent the majority of his life living in pampered opulence being celebrated for selflessness. Continue reading
Great scientists, great moustaches IV (a Movember posting)
In our 4th instalment of this series celebrating male top lip grooming, the dizzying and intoxicating variety of facial hair, and the brilliance of the people sporting it, we once again take a look at some great minds, and the moustaches that went (just) before them. Continue reading
The CRISPR Nobel: back to basics
At last – the least surprising Nobel in recent memory finally got awarded. But despite its inevitability, the prize for CRISPR is still worth celebrating. Continue reading
Truth and beauty
The Australian Open provided another reminder that comparisons between the Big Three go beyond tennis. Continue reading
Great scientists, great moustaches III (a Movember posting)
In our third instalment of this series, we once again take a look at some great minds, and the moustaches that went (just) before them. Links at the bottom of the page to the other postings. Continue reading
Gods and Monsters
Nobel prize awards are a time when the worlds of science and celebrity briefly coincide. Should we then use the prizes to promote diversity? Continue reading
Print the legend
Like the American Dream, science is sustained by an ideal rather than the reality. Continue reading
Total Internal Reflection 