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Carbon — to capture or not to capture

This came up on 2nd November 2024 (give or take a day), a broadcaster objecting to a carbon capture...

The Azolla Event: when is a fern not a fern?

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Betelgeuse, Gamow, and a Big Red Horse

There has been a lot of talk recently of Betelgeuse possibly going supernova this century or not...

Climate Change, the Walrus and the Carpenter

I have recently watched two videos on climate change by Sabine Hossenfelder.  The first one...

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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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Blind Man’s Cane Sees DNA Double Helix

Blind Man’s Cane Sees DNA Double Helix

Jul 14 2012 | comment(s)

This is an almost verbatim copy of a press release from the London Centre for nanotechnology.

When Watson, Crick and Wilkins discovered the DNA double helix nearly sixty years ago, they based their structure on an X-ray diffraction image (courtesy of Franklin) averaged over millions of DNA molecules (derived from squid sperm, I understand). Though the double helix has become iconic for our molecular-scale understanding of life, thus far no-one has ever “seen” the double helix of an individual double-stranded DNA in its natural environment, i.e, salty water.
Adding (!) Bacteria to Toilets?

Adding (!) Bacteria to Toilets?

Jun 23 2012 | comment(s)

“Kills 99% of all known germs!” is a common advertising slogan for toilet (and other) cleaning products.  So, where would anyone want to add bacteria rather than take them away?

The answer – rural India, in particular the Lakshadweep Islands off the South-West coast (Clean India Journal, 2010).  If one does not have a nice sewage system to remove one’s waste, then the equivalent of millions of tiny dung-beetles might do the job for you.
A Fly In The Mathematical Ointment

A Fly In The Mathematical Ointment

Jun 16 2012 | comment(s)

For about a day I had been trying to read Real Clear Science, particularly the article linked Evolution Debate: Blame Atheists.  Alas, every time I visited the site I got a message:
This site is temporarily down and we are working on restoring service. Sorry for the inconvenience.
It’s now back up, but in the interim I have taken the opportunity, since I run on OScar from Sesame Street Systems, to have a Grouch.  Fear not, North Americans, it is directed at my fellow Brits.
Small Laboratory Saucepan?

Small Laboratory Saucepan?

Jun 13 2012 | comment(s)

Is your laboratory environment something like this?
17th Century Thoughts

17th Century Thoughts

Jun 07 2012 | comment(s)

Browsing, as I do from time to time, recent German news in thelocal.de, I came across

Schoolboy cracks age-old maths problem

Stars in Soft Focus

Stars in Soft Focus

May 30 2012 | comment(s)

Recently I was taking pictures of the night sky.  My intention was to photograph the double star Epsilon Lyrae.  It’s actually a double-double, made of two closer pairs, as one can see through a telescope of three-or-more inches aperture.  However, the pairs themselves are quite far apart, and can be easily resolved with the unaided eye.

However, my camera flipped from manual focus (on infinity) to autofocus (on whatever), as it tends to do if not touched for a minute.  To my surprise, the effect was most pleasing.