Quantum Sensing the brains of Cheltenham Science Festival
July 30, 2019
Guest post by Natalie Rhodes (3rd year MSci undergraduate) I was absolutely delighted to be invited to join a group of PhD students, Post Docs, and undergraduates to present to the public “Quantum Sensing the Brain” at the start of June. I had just finished my third year exams (the day before we went!) and …
Brain Imaging on the BBC: Dementia Choir
May 10, 2019
Members of the Medical Imaging group from the School of Physics and Astronomy recently featured in a BBC documentary entitled “Our Dementia Choir“. In this guest post, Dr. Lauren Gascoyne and Dr. Rebecca Dewey describe the science behind the deep connection between music and our brains. The two-part show is available on demand from BBC …
Spring into Science 2019: thunderbolts and lightning for Year 8 students
May 7, 2019
One of the highlights of our Outreach programme is the now annual “Spring into Science” show: an interactive demonstration of light and sound designed for Year 8 students in the Nottingham area. Prof Philip Moriarty presents the show, with the support of Prof Ed Copeland and his outreach team and our wonderful technical support staff. …
My first conference ever: personal experiences and what I’ve learned
November 30, 2018
Guest post by Jo Melton, fourth year MSci Physics undergraduate and aspiring science communicator who has previously played a big role in our social media team. With the end of my masters course looming, I realised I couldn’t put off the dreaded job search any longer. Throughout my degree I’ve not really given what I’d …
The physics of muesli
November 22, 2018
Ever wondered why the big bits rise to the top in a box of muesli? Dr. Mike Swift appeared on the Channel 4 show “Food Unwrapped” recently to explain the physics behind the so-called Brazil Nut Effect. Skip to 12:45 at the link below to see Mike give a demonstration of granular physics in action, …
Shivani Dave redefines the kilogram on Radio 4
November 18, 2018
Delighted to hear recent graduate Shivani Dave (2017 BSc, Physics) on Radio 4 explaining the redefinition of the kilogram earlier this week. No longer tied to a single lump of metal sitting in a vault in Paris, the new definition adopted on Friday at the General Conference on Weights and Measures in Paris redefines our …
Calling all volunteers: the Inflativerse needs you!
October 1, 2018
We are rather enthusiastic about public engagement at all levels in this department, be it by YouTube, down the pub, or in the classroom. Some of our key outreach activities are planned, delivered, and managed by our very talented undergraduate and postgraduate students. In this guest post, Tom Peterken (currently a PhD student and a …
Physics in Film: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
August 26, 2018
This is a guest post from PhD researcher Chris Morley, whose work focuses on Bose-Einstein condensates and associated quantum technologies. Chris outlines some bugbears he has with the use and abuse of physics in films… I do not have a particularly refined taste in films, or TV for that matter. My favourite film franchise is …
Eleanor and Lucy at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition
July 27, 2018
By Eleanor Hill and Lucy Edwards (3rd year MSci undergrads) OUR TIME AT THE ROYAL SOCIETY What is the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition? As two aspiring medical physicists, we were very excited to be a part of an exhibition showcasing ground-breaking developments in human brain scanning. It was astonishing to learn how a new, …
From Baryon to Byron: reflections on Creative Reactions 2018
May 25, 2018
Guest post from Prof Mark Fromhold, who was a featured speaker in this year’s Pint of Science and Creative Reaction festivals held earlier this month in Nottingham. A joy of spring is the annual Pint of Science festival, where scientists present their work to a public audience in a public house. Recently, the festival …