@helenczerski@fediscience.org
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

helenczerski

@helenczerski@fediscience.org

Physics, bubbles, oceans, hot chocolate and curiosity. Associate Professor at UCL, writer, broadcaster. Author of Storm in a Teacup: http://helenczerski.net/books-writing/ and Blue Machine (out June 1st, 2023) https://www.waterstones.com/book/blue-machine/helen-czerski/9781911709107 #fedi22 #physics #ocean #climate #bikes

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helenczerski, to Law
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Reading about the history of river regulation for this week's Rare Earth, and you've got to love the practicality of early English laws:

"A statute... from the 12th century declared that English rivers be kept free of obstructions so that a well-fed three year old pig could stand sideways in the stream"

helenczerski, (edited ) to science
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In this week's WSJ column, I wrote about how the engineered weaknesses in chocolate bars (the grooves) help break it, & now I have an inbox of cross people telling me they break chocolate by bending towards the groove (pushing down directly on the groove), rather than pushing on the side that doesn’t have a groove. I spent a lot of time drawing diagrams of cracks & fracture zones & it's never occurred to me to push on the groove. How do you do this?

https://t.co/x1whkiG9X6

helenczerski,
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

@StrangeNoises I think that it does matter. The stress concentration at the crack tip is what gets it started, and I think you'll use less energy if the groove is on the outside of the bend. But maybe it depends on how hard the chocolate is.

helenczerski, to Women
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

I am not generally an angry person, but if true, this statistic makes me HOPPING MAD. It’s straight-up unacceptable misogyny.

“Four in 10 medical schools do not even include menopause as part of their mandatory curriculum”

#women #health #menopause

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/feb/25/observer-view-on-why-we--all-need-educating-about-rights-of-menopausal-women-in-workplace?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

helenczerski, to random
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

This is a continual mystery to me. I have never met a “Hellen”, spelled with two “l”s, ever. And yet at the sort of coffee shop where they insist on asking your name, they routinely spell it that way. And no, I don’t think that the existence of “Ellen” as a name fully explains this. I’m sure Helen is more common.

helenczerski,
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

@MrLee @helenczerski I recognise that spelling/words is/are harder for some people. But this happens pretty much every time someone takes my name in this situation. Surely it’s unlikely that every single barista is dyslexic.

helenczerski, to ocean
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

awwww... there's a pygmy squid, and here's a lovely short comic story describing how researchers are trying to help it survive difficult conditions.

https://hakaimagazine.com/videos-visuals/pastoral-preferences-of-the-pygmy-squid/?omhide=true&utm_source=Hakai+Magazine+Weekly&utm_campaign=1403f0a3e9-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_09_06_COPY_03&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0fc1967411-1403f0a3e9-121628661

helenczerski, to science
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

Apparently harbour porpoises in the North Sea go digging for sand eels, leaving shallow pits as evidence.

I would love to see a dolphin digging.

https://eos.org/articles/mysterious-seafloor-pits-may-be-made-on-porpoise?utm_source=EosBuzz&mkt_tok=OTg3LUlHVC01NzIAAAGRdJulTqLckljcD078Q5rYcfwEf-7rAiT2wvIX8XrphWGu8JuvpDHK2bW5ki1SjzKCh1B3eCT0Lma44yHruwoagRr38FRwkJMnztD84kwA

helenczerski, to science
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

It was great to talk to Adam Larson from FairScope at for @cosmicshambles.com The Planktoscopes are open-source, use cheap components, high quality and designed to bring the world of the small to everyone. If ocean/river plankton is your thing (professional researcher or interested citizen), do take a look. We were really impressed with their work to make science more accessible:

https://www.fairscope.com/

helenczerski, to sustainability
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

Fairscope do many other great things, but I LOVED the “Chairigami” furniture they were using on their stand here at the Ocean Sciences meeting. It was robust and comfortable and easy to flat pack. More of this!

helenczerski,
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

@mwfc @helenczerski They were giving it to a school and after that it would then be recycled.

helenczerski, to ocean
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

This is an absolute gem. The periodic kerfuffle about the Gulf Stream turning off (actually the science is about AMOC, NOT the Gulf Stream, but no-one apart from oceanographers seems to know or care) isn't new. My colleague Tom Rossby found & translated this short story from 1910 about Americans diverting the Gulf Stream and causing disaster for Sweden. Well worth reading (click pic):

https://web.uri.edu/gso/uncategorized/rossby-when-the-gulf-stream-was-commandeered/

helenczerski,
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

@allsumnull @helenczerski His son, I think.

helenczerski, to random
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

The third part of the Freakonomics podcast look at the life of Richard Feynman is now out, and it's well worth a listen:

https://freakonomics.com/podcast/the-vanishing-mr-feynman/

(disclaimer: I appear in it briefly).

helenczerski, to rolex
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

drumroll The five Laureates of the 2023 Rolex Awards for Enterprise have just been announced, with five brilliant ideas to make the world a better, healthier and more sustainable place.

I had the enormous privilege of being a Juror, and it was fantastic to see so much energy and enthusiasm for making the world a better place, and so many creative ideas. Find out about their work here:

https://www.rolex.org/rolex-awards/latest-laureates


(photo copyright Rolex)

helenczerski, to science
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

Taking advantage of being here in New Orleans at the huge Ocean Sciences conference to interview some fabulous engineers for BBC R4’s Rare Earth. They are leading some great community-led projects building nature-based water management to protect against future floods & droughts.

image/png

helenczerski, to random
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

Is anyone here posting about the meeting in New Orleans? It's depressing that the official conference website only seems to acknowledge the existence of Twitter/X 😭

helenczerski, to random
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

Why do politicians find it so hard to keep their climate promises? In today’s Rare Earth (broadcast on BBC R4 at 12, & widely available as a podcast after that), we’ll be investigating the problem, and looking for workable solutions.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rare-earth/id1725984063

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001vbt0

helenczerski, to books
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

Just finisihed this & it's brilliant: Katalin Kariko's story of her life. She was convinced that mRNA therapies could work decades ago & did the foundation work, all while being ignored, never promoted & struggling for jobs.

Today, millions are vaccinated with mRNA vaccines & she has a Nobel prize.

It's a great story, and leaves a lot for the scientific system to think about. Highly recommended.

helenczerski, to climate
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

Just found a new (to me) psychology phrase: "pluralistic ignorance". It refers to people holding one view but mistakenly assuming that the majority of others hold a different view, so they keep quiet. Very relevant for climate change action, where lots want action but think they're in the minority.

helenczerski, to science
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

Well, this is hardly good news: a potential new storm category:

"[The Saffir-Simpson] scale may not capture the risk posed by the most intense storms as the world warms... They suggest a sixth category that encompasses storms with winds greater than 192 miles per hour."

https://eos.org/articles/weve-already-seen-category-6-hurricanes-now-scientists-want-to-make-it-official?utm_source=EosBuzz&mkt_tok=OTg3LUlHVC01NzIAAAGRLIJuWnB_JWME03WVPRdXZd5Wd_gK_bg3bWfHPBWrgw5StMjB1fbQ1beOtdGLX08gdJLyiM5IHtwf2hykesZ8uCI0wB4RoIg5-E9AUNpG

helenczerski, to physics
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

The team at Freakonomics have just made a lovely three part podcast documentary about the incredible physicist Richard Feynman (I'm in there very briefly) and the first part is here:

https://freakonomics.com/podcast/the-curious-mr-feynman/

It's beautifully made - very highly recommended listening.

#physics #Feynman #podcast

helenczerski, to science
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

If you're interested in what the history of science has to say about AI, have a look at this series of eight short films made by Paul Sen (a brilliant director I made TV with years ago), interviewing Simon Schaffer (prof of the history of science at Cambridge). Trailer here, and the first weekly film is just out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4DXxdQuo-I

helenczerski, to science
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

For fans of Robin Ince and Brian Cox, today I remembered a beautiful little series that Cosmic Shambles made 8 years ago, about what happened when puppet Brian lost his Wonder. It's six little 7 min films, full of in-jokes. Well worth your time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mu1rGujUeqc

#CosmicShambles #BrianCox #science #puppets

helenczerski, to music
@helenczerski@fediscience.org avatar

I've just been to see Fascinating Aida live and they are utterly superb. I pretty much cried with laughter for two hours straight, and ALL of you should go if you can. They have two more nights in London then touring around the UK.

Taster here, on the dire nonsense of "cheap" flights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAg0lUYHHFc

Not suitable for anyone of a sensitive disposition...

https://www.fascinatingaida.co.uk/

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