Archive by category | Innovation

A wily plotter and his pioneering atlas

A wily plotter and his pioneering atlas

When it comes to unearthing facts and piecing them together into a bigger picture, scientists arguably have it easier than historians. The forensic scientist has recourse to DNA, soil and pollen analyses. The astrophysicist and molecular biologist have big data and an arsenal of technology to collect and unravel it. Even the palaeontologist has a formidable taxonomic lexicon to fall back on. Historians have to make do with piecemeal facts and shadowy context, guided by sources that are often incomplete, unreliable and open to misinterpretation. They cannot systematically test their hypotheses or devise controls to shore them up.  Read more

The making of science

Some of the mycorrhyzal materials made by Maurizio Montalti for Officina Corupuscoli

Scientists are makers. The specialized skills they hone in the lab over many years – from assembling robots and circuits to growing microbes and cells – mirror the practices of artisans such as seamstresses and potters. Chemists may melt, stretch and snap a glass tube to make a pipette. Jewellers rearrange silver atoms each time they warm the metal to anneal or soften it.  Read more

Electrifying: Tesla on television

Electrifying: Tesla on television

An eccentric genius in an impeccable suit and a level-headed young sidekick who have to use their wits to combat a time-travelling automaton and save the Earth. No, this is not the plot of the latest Doctor Who. It is Nikola Tesla and the End of the World, a fun and highly original four-episode science fiction series created by Ian Strang nominated at the 2015 Raindance film festival best British Series category (and available free to view online).  Read more

A taste of tomorrow: Nesta’s Futurefest 2015

A taste of tomorrow: Nesta’s Futurefest 2015

In his red ‘mad professor’ overalls, Brendan Walker runs through what will happen to me in the next few minutes. After a helmet of 14 electrodes has been fixed to my head, I will be strapped into a pneumatically controlled motion simulator, which is perched precariously above a crowd of people. I will then enter a virtual reality world controlled by my brain.  Read more