Writing Science Into Fiction

Now here's an event after my own heart, at the Royal Society in London on July 20th:

Imagination and interpretation: Writing science into fiction

Starts: 6pm on 20 July 2011
Finishes: 7.30pm on 20 July 2011
Venue: The Royal Society, London

Speakers: Pat Barker CBE, Philip Sington
Chair: Prof. Sally Shuttleworth

Join Pat Barker CBE and Philip Sington in a discussion about representing scientists and science in contemporary fiction. Both authors have imaginatively used the archives of early 20th century scientists as the basis for major works of fiction. They will reveal what attracted them to these historical sources in particular, and discuss the pleasures and pitfalls of interpreting modern science in fictional worlds.

The event is free and all are welcome to attend. No ticket or advance booking is required - doors will open at 5.30pm and seats will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

Angel: MSc in Nanoscience & Functional Nanomaterials

The University of Bristol is one of the best options to study science in UK, mainly because we are always in the education edge. Proof of this is the successful software developed by Leaning Science in partnership with the School of Chemistry: LabSkills. Currently, The Bristol Centre for Functional Nanomaterials (BCFN) brings a new and interesting academic alternative for every young student excited to get involved in Nanoscience world via a multidisciplinary approach:

The Bristol Centre for Functional Nanomaterials bridges academic disciplines in the faculties of Science, Engineering and Medical & Veterinary Science.  We are based in the Centre for Nanoscience and Quantum Information - the lowest vibration Nanoscience building in the world. 
The MSc in Nanoscience & Functional Nanomaterials includes the following units:

*    Lectures on Functional Nanomaterials
*    Training in Advanced Tools for Nanoscience including interactive
online modules
*    Communication and Management Skills
*    Two 3-month Training Projects and one 6-month Research Project

For further details follow this link...

Milly: Would you eat this to save the planet?

There have been many disputes amongst politicians, scientists and the public regarding the validity of 'climate change' and how far we should go to try and reduce our impact on the environment. Many people agree that there is much we can do both in the short and long term however, on the quest for complete sustainability, has this scientist gone too far? Check out this link but be warned, it's not for the easily nauseated.

Angel: Coffe fact

"...the world population requires about 140 billion cubic metres of water per year in order to be able to drink coffee and tea."

A.K. Chapagain and A.Y. Hoekstra

 

James: Friday afternoon Science

One of the things I really enjoy about my research group, here at Bristol, is what we in the lab refer to as 'Friday afternoon Science'. These are wacky ideas, still science based, that may or may not be useful for the work we are doing but which are outside the box ideas and most importantly fun or cool to do.

I can think of many things that have happened in my lab that probably would make any safety officer cringe. Such as trying to flare the end of a glass tube by putting it in place of a drill bit and then using a blow torch to heat the end. The science is sound, when partially molten the glass, driven by centrifugal force, will expand while staying cylindrical. However, the outcome was molten glass flung at hit speed across the lab. Another 'friday experiment' I am wanting to try is super heated and super cooled water. This is where you take water to above 100 degrees, or below 0. The key is to do it in a very clean glass so it does not boil, or freeze. Then when touch it will instantly boil/freeze all at once.


Note that this is very dangerous and as such I suggest extreme caution and safety equipment if anything here is to be repeated. I could use the old phrase 'do not try this at home' but it has come to be semantic satiation.

You may also think of these as the sort of thing that may have been thought of after a couple of drinks. One particular experiment comes to mind that was done here at Bristol.

Professor Sir Michale Berry was once awarded the Ig Nobel Prize, an honour for achievements that make people first laugh and then think, for levitating a frog. Defiantly something I believe was thought up after a couple of drinks, yet with a little thought you can see where it came from. You can use a giant magnetic field to levitate a diamagnetic material, if you wish to know the true details as to why I suggest you head to this Wikipedia link. But for the sake of this post I shall just say a diamagnetic material pushed back when it has an external magnetic field applied to it. Examples of diamagnetic materials are copper and lead, but also carbon and water the two main thing that will make up a frog. So why can't you levitate a frog, answer there is no reason you just need a magnetic field big enough.

This is a picture of the still living floating frog, from Michael Berry's original paper.

James: Perception of Science

I often wonder what the world thinks of science and scientists as through out my life I am surround by those within the bubble, as it were. To try and unravel what maybe thought of us by the outside world you have to look at what hits the main stream news and popular culture.

Looking the popular view you get tv shows and definitely Prof Brian Cox with his previously life as a pop star with D:Ream. I see things such as the big bang theory being created showing and increase the scientists stereotype, that is they are socially awkward brainy people that are funny to laugh at as they fail to fit in with the world around us. Brain Cox on the other hand has come to previalance because he is the exact opposite, like Richard Feynman he is easy to talk to and has the ability to explain complex ideas with ease for everyone to understand. Now I am not saying we are all like Brian but think of it this way. We wouldn't have science if scientists where unable to communicate.

This then leads me to labels. Prof Cox labels himself a geek, and you could say that those comic book loving social outcasts in big bang are nerds. But really what is the difference. Can you be a nerd, without being geek or vice versa. Interestingly a team that put together a 'Geek Calender' this year, containing snaps of people like Simon Singh and Ben Goldacre, have at the head of their website 'nerds on the march'. This would suggest that a 'nerd' driven movement has created a calender about geeks.

Admittedly these points lead me further from finding the difference between nerd and geek, but more importantly I see the use of the words changing. No longer are people negatively labelled using these words but more using it as an empowerment.

Angel: The secret behind a good cup of coffee

The Cafe Terrace at Night by Van Gogh

Coffee makers are an indispensable piece of equipment in every lab around the world, whether you are doing research with toxic chemicals or just pencil and paper. Scientists and coffee have a special and close relationship, maybe because somehow coffee carries an intellectual meaning. Nowadays, there are many issues regarding the benefical or harmful effects it may have on the health of a coffee drinker. To highlight this, the RCS has recently published an interesting article related to the following question: is coffee a guilty pleasure or a life saving elixir? But, there are many aspects to keep in mind before this beverage developes the specific oganoleptic properties that reach your palate.

Espreso is closely defined in scientific literature as an extract of an aliquot (25 ml±2.5) of a coffee blend produced using water at 88°C±2°C over a 25±2.5 s period...

Every grain of coffee involves a complex mixture of over 1,500 chemical substances (chlorogenic acids, fatty acids, tocopherols and triglycerides) that undergo many chemical and physical process ranging from growth to the extraction process. Generally speaking, we can split these substances into two main groups: volatile and not volatile. There are around 850 volatile substances, to which the delightful aroma can be owed, while roughly 700 of these substances can be solubilized in water.

Coffee has always been there in the background, like a dark liquid melody, perfuming the air with the scent of lands far away and unlimited possibilities.

The flavor profile of each coffee bean is strongly related to the altitude, annual precipitation, atmospheric water vapour and diversity of the soil in each growing area. For example, at higher altitudes oxygen concentration and humidity decrease, consequently the kinetics of some biochemical reactions are affected; such as the cleavage catalysis of some lipids.

Coffee by Drooney (deviantART)

Another factor to be considered is the post harvesting practices like the storage time of green coffee beans before undergoing the roasting process. Flavour precursors such as sucrose, trigonelline, and chlorogenic acid can suffer chemical reactions, that have a strong influence on the coffee flavor due to time, temperature and humidity storage.

Nevertheless, maybe the most crutial step to guarantee a satisfactory quality (flavor, aroma and color) is based on coffee roasting. This complex process involves moisture loss and several chemical changes; as for example Maillard and Strecker reactions. Besides, a cooler proccess, using water or air as a cooling agent, is performed in order to prevent excessive roasting that would affect the quality of the product.

Coffee Physics by ~luke-b (deviantART)

Finally, the extraction process to transport all the remaining substances to your fancy mug is the last step for a succesful brew. Water is the biggest ingredient, so the final taste and quality is going to rely on its pH and mineral content. Another important factor is the flow rate and temperature of water that comes through the load of blended coffee grains. Acid substances are the first to be dissolved, so when faster flow rates are used, a sour coffee emerges. On the other hand, for low flow rates extra undesirable substances are dissolved and the sour flavor becomes stronger. To avoid these problems, for example, some brewers have a filter that controls the flow rate, standarzing and improving the end taste.

There are more other factors playing a key role behind a pleasant and fruity aromatic cup of coffe like harvesting methods, the storage of your precious coffee, brewing methods,  and an endless etcetera.  Fortunately, most of them have been studied by many scientists and we will try to develope each topic in this evocate series.