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Chaos, Chaos Everywhere

In 1996 (or thereabouts) the new Meteorology building was opened at the University of Reading....

Figs, Solar Storms, and Celebrity Endorsements

Here are a few of the things I have been watching , while living a somewhat less active life due...

Travelling by YouTube during the Lockdown

Travelling by YouTube during the Lockdown During the lockdown, and not even able to take a...

The Pharaoh, The Suburb, And Mathematics.

Not long ago, I was watching a documentary The Pharaoh in the Suburb on Channel 5 (UK terrestrial...

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Robert H OlleyRSS Feed of this column.

Until recently, I worked in the Polymer Physics Group of the Physics Department at the University of Reading.

I would describe myself as a Polymer Morphologist. I am not an astronaut,

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Obama, Ancestry, and DNA

Obama, Ancestry, and DNA

May 02 2016 | comment(s)

On the 23rd of April, Barack Obama, President of the United States of America (fanfare!) issued a warning to us British that at the coming referendum we should vote to remain in the EU.  Reactions have been many and varied: some of these can be found in this article from Reuters.

One most ill-advised reactions, though, came when

Tully Monster Unmasked

Tully Monster Unmasked

Mar 16 2016 | comment(s)

Today in Science Codex I read this article

Is The Tungsten Bulb On Its Way Back?

Is The Tungsten Bulb On Its Way Back?

Jan 14 2016 | comment(s)

In the last few days, there has been a spate of reports that the incandescent bulb is on its way back.  This relates to work by a group of authors at MIT plus one at Purdue University in Indiana, featured in a news report from MIT:

A nanophotonic comeback for incandescent bulbs?

Many of us might look forward to this, having found compact fluorescent lamps troublesome, and LED lights a bit weird.

It relates to this very recent publication,:
Ancient Greek attitudes today

Ancient Greek attitudes today

Dec 12 2015 | comment(s)

The Ancient Greeks (Archimedes being an honourable exception) have a reputation for having been only interested in pure studies, and despising practical applications (which may well have helped the Romans take over.)

Jubilee Plastic Bag

Jubilee Plastic Bag

Dec 09 2015 | comment(s)

A day or two ago, local ITV featured a news item about a man who had kept the same plastic bulk issue shopping carrier bag for 34 years, using it from time to time.

The bag celebrated 50 years since the first Tesco store was opened in 1929, and he had acquired this one in 1981, the year of the first London Marathon.


Ancient Nitrogen Metabolsim

Ancient Nitrogen Metabolsim

Oct 30 2015 | comment(s)

We are often told how bad it is to keep sitting at the computer, but one good outcome at least is how some much interesting science news comes one’s way.  One item dated 19 October 2015 from Radboud University (Nijmegen, the Netherlands) states: