Every morning, when I have my fruit-filled nut-rich luxury muesli (with dollops of greek yoghurt and plenty of honey), I shake the box rhythmically from side-to-side before pouring it into the bowl. As a result, I get the biggest, tastiest, juiciest bits, and avoid the dust. I’ve been using this technique ever since, as a child, I saw a television programme – maybe it was the great Johnny Ball – explaining granular convection, otherwise known as the Brazil nut effect. When you vibrate a granular material, the big bits rise to the top.
Ever since I learned about it I’ve made use of it in everyday life, increasingly without thinking about it; but it’s not something I would necessarily have picked … read on »
Archive for the ‘science’ category…
Pity the Prawns: Scientists say that Crustaceans Suffer Pain
We are told by numerous reports that crustaceans feel pain. These things crop up every few months, and some of you may know that I’ve written about it before, in Philosophy Now, that time in reaction to Lynne Sneddon’s research into fish. So my ears pricked up yesterday. Here’s a sample of the headlines:
Lobster pain may prick diners’ consciences (New Scientist)
Blow for fans of boiled lobster: crustaceans feel pain, study says (Guardian)
No backbone? Lobsters still feel pain (Times)
Prawns do feel pain, say scientists (Daily Mail)
The study was carried out by a team led by Robert Elwood at Queen’s University, Belfast. They’ve been spending their time “daubing acetic acid on to the antennae of 144 prawns.”
“Immediately, the creatures began grooming and … read on »
Starlings, The Flocking Algorithm and Avian Beatboxers
Just as the starlings are becoming noticeably active, at the peak of their breeding season, is a good time for this post. In fact, I can hear them right now as I write this.
These thoughts have been waiting in the wings now for a long time, since about a year ago, when I became fully enamoured of sturnus vulgaris, the European starling. People don’t give much thought to the lowly starling. Even those with a positive interest in wildlife often ignore these commoners among birds, favouring romantic rarities such as golden eagles.
I’ve seen golden eagles and they are indeed magnificent. The first time I saw one was with Stu on Ben Cruachan, our first munro. We had stopped for a … read on »
Saturn's Existence Confirmed
My brother Stuart, who appears in these pages from time to time as a hillwalker and hearing-aid expert, is also an amateur astronomer. He always had the interest but hadn’t done much about it, until his wife Michelle had the brilliant idea of buying him a telescope for a Christmas or birthday some time ago. When I was round at their house last night we had a look at Saturn, which is in a good position for viewing at the moment.
Stuart took only a few seconds to locate it with his naked eye. It looked just like any other bright star, but when we finally got it in our sights…
(Picture courtesy of Mike Brough, 24th February 2005 – http://www.scholarshome.org.uk/astro/saturn.htm)
What we … read on »
The IPCC Summary
On Friday, Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis – Summary for Policymakers (PDF) was published. The media are going crazy, but I read it and found no predictions of forthcoming catastrophe. A rise in temperature of between 1.8C and 4C and a rise in sea levels of between 0.18 and 0.59 metres, by the year 2100. And most of the media are still not interested in the idea that adapting to such changes and industrializing the whole world are the wisest things to do. One of the Working Groups of the IPCC is looking into this kind of adaptation, but it doesn’t get the publicity that the mitigation-orientated Working Group III does. It’s natural that they run with the … read on »
My 25-year-old Earworm
Often when I wake up I start singing the song Sing Hosanna! I was reminded of this on Sunday when I heard the song on a comedy show on the radio.
Most of the time I merely mouth it in a whisper as it runs through my head, or else I hum it or whistle it. I said that I start singing when I wake up, but I’m usually already singing it before I become aware of it and before I’m fully awake. It goes back to my days at Sunday School when I was about 10 years old, and it’s been happening on and off since then.
Give me joy in my heart, keep me praising,
Give me joy in my heart, … read on »
©2010 Alistair Robinson