As geeky is now cool and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) jokes are mainstream, on t-shirts and television, some might think that all the old jokes have been overused. At the same time, many STEM professionals all over the place are being encouraged to take to social media to share their research and raise the … Continue reading The Best Twitter Science Humour
A New Era Of Silly Inventions
Engineers used to be the 'head in the clouds' dreamers trying to build flying contraptions that Heath Robinson parodied and Rube Goldberg celebrated but, over the last century, we have become more accustomed to seeing them as Silicon Valley businessmen or frugal car mechanics. The age of "techno-aesthetics" is having a revival at last*. This … Continue reading A New Era Of Silly Inventions
15 Step Instructions To Make An Ohmu (From Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind)
So several years ago I decided that I was going to go as Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind to a costume party and as part of that I made a (happy) baby Ohmu to accompany me. It was a while ago and so I never took photos of the steps as I was … Continue reading 15 Step Instructions To Make An Ohmu (From Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind)
The Best ‘Alternative’ Geeky Posters
So every September millions of students excited to be living independently go about making their new flat or house feel like a home away from home. Part of this, or at least part of it for many of the students I know (including myself), is getting a few cool posters to adorn my new walls … Continue reading The Best ‘Alternative’ Geeky Posters
Thermodynamics Playlist
Following on from my recent materials playlist and elements playlist, I decided to do another 'sciencey' collection of music, and so continuing in the field of materials science I thought I would do a thermodynamics playlist, especially as it was a topic I was revising for my summer exams. Listen to the Spotify playlist here: … Continue reading Thermodynamics Playlist
Periodic Table of Elements Playlist
Inspired by Materials World's recent #materialsplaylist game on Twitter I decided that I would make a more complete and structured playlist of "materials". While looking up songs I found both Materials World's #materialsplaylist 2013 and this very useful list of songs featuring gold. I found that there were too many instrumental and heavy metal songs … Continue reading Periodic Table of Elements Playlist
Materials Playlist
Inspired by Materials World's recent #materialsplaylist game on Twitter I decided that I would make a more complete and structured playlist of "materials". While looking up songs I found both Materials World's #materialsplaylist 2013 and this very useful list of songs featuring gold. I found that there were too many instrumental and heavy metal songs … Continue reading Materials Playlist
My Personal Bucket List
So these are all the things I'd like to do before I die: make a playlist for rainy afternoons that is long enough for me to last weeks of it listened to all the 1001 songs to listen to before you die, all of them in the right contexts e,g, on vinyl in the summer … Continue reading My Personal Bucket List
Disc Brakes
This is part of my Brief Guide To Brakes series - a result of my research for Edinsolar, the University of Edinburgh's solar vehicle team. HOW IT WORKS • Hydraulic piston pushes calipers together • The calipers press the brake pads against the disc • Friction from the pads slows the disc • The wheel … Continue reading Disc Brakes
Drum Brakes
This is part of my Brief Guide To Brakes series - a result of my research for Edinsolar, the University of Edinburgh's solar vehicle team. HOW IT WORKS • drum shoes pushed into the sides of the drum cylinder • friction slows down the drum cylinder • return springs pull drum shoes away from cylinder … Continue reading Drum Brakes
Blue Pigeons 