Random Thoughts

Between Brexit (not or not yet?) and Mothers’ Day

Today we are between what was supposed the be the day Britain left the EU, and Mothering Sunday, more popularly known as Mothers’ Day. How how to link those two? Well, until recently I used to be a regular at a coffee shop which was also visited by adults ...

Blog Post - Robert H Olley - Mar 30 2019 - 3:16pm

New Mineral Specimen

Should you ever get invited to a party at my house in Padova, you will discover something that I otherwise do not publicize much- I am an avid mineral collector. I started as a child, fascinated by the colours and shapes that those shiny crystals could tak ...

Blog Post - Tommaso Dorigo - May 4 2019 - 12:27pm

RIP Murray Gell-Mann, A Great Physicist Who Taught Science Journalists How To Do Better

RIP to Professor Murray Gell-Mann, who passed away last week and was famed (including a Nobel prize) for quark theory.  I never met him, but if you spent time at Caltech you probably did. He was not like Einstein, I am told, he was approachable if you were ...

Article - Hank Campbell - May 30 2019 - 11:38am

"Stranger Things" Upside-Down Whoppers Go On Sale At Burger King Today

In synergy with the third season of the hit Netflix series "Stranger Things", Burger King is selling upside-down Whoppers starting today, retro 1980s packaging included. If you are not familiar with the show, and without too many spoilers, " ...

Article - Hank Campbell - Jun 21 2019 - 8:11am

2016 Election: How Facebook And Google Gamed Federal Election Commission Rules

Though the presence of Russian influence in social media during the 2016 election was hyped unrealistically (more damaging was their funding of activism against U.S. food and energy, designed to help them compete in Europe) the Federal Election Commission ...

Article - News Staff - Jun 24 2019 - 1:35pm

Predicting Who Will Be The Next Director Of IARC

The Christopher Wild, Ph.D., regime as director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is coming to an end and the epidemiology community that would like to be regarded as more than statisticians data dredging to find new things to clai ...

Article - Hank Campbell - Jul 24 2019 - 12:23pm

5 Days Of Halloween Movies: "The 13th Warrior"

After "Five Million Miles to Earth" and "Dead of Night" we get to something a little more modern in our 5 Days of Halloween Movies. ...

Article - Hank Campbell - Oct 8 2019 - 1:33pm

"Dead Of Night": The Horror Movie That Inspired Hoyle's Steady State Model

After watching  "Five Million Years To Earth", a terrific mix of science, horror and anthropology, it's no crime to associate British horror cinema with Hammer Films, even though that was not one of the bloody Dracula films which earned the ...

Article - Hank Campbell - Oct 8 2019 - 1:35pm

5 Days Of Halloween Movies: 'I Walked With A Zombie'

How do you make an A-list film with a B-movie budget?  You use clever writing, moody atmosphere and then some creative camera work. Result: a lot of fun. ...

Article - Hank Campbell - Oct 8 2019 - 4:52pm

Acts Of Kindness, Eddie Money And Karma

A few weeks back I flew to Los Angeles to have some meetings about technology and media outside the Science 2.0 world- well, sort of.  A surprising number of people outside science know of Science 2.0 and read the site and are fans.   ...

Blog Post - Hank Campbell - Oct 29 2019 - 11:35am