An excellent newspaper article

I was sent a link to this article from The Times newspaper. It explains well what is called the philosophy of science, that we could all have our beliefs knocked over by one impressive experiment or set of results.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/article7018438.ece

Campaign for Mass

Today I have founded the Campaign for Mass (CFM). I have become fed up with classes continuing to use the word weight when they really mean mass. This failing is endemic in our society. Remember that your scales really tell you your mass. If you want to lose weight, go to the Moon where the gravitational pull is less. I am sure you will want to join me in fixing this scar on our nation's intellect.

Yet another TV programme

BBC2 next Wednesday (10 February) at 9pm, there is a programme in the Horizon series on the nature of infinity. You should watch it.

Further to the last post

I heard on the radio last night that we are in a historically significant sunspot minimum. Apparently about 250 days since the last one. What an amazing time to start looking for results and the first time in my career that an experimental failure has made me very happy.

Lack of sunspots

Now that the Sun has reappeared after weeks of cloud, I've been able to look for sunspots from my lab window again. If you go back to the archive post you'll see how I am safely projecting the view from binoculars onto a piece of paper. I am hoping to see darker spots on the bright image of the Sun.
There are no sunspots at the moment.
Sunspots are colder spots on the surface of the Sun caused by magnetic anomalies that turn off the convection of hot gases inside the Sun. When I say colder, I mean 4000 degrees instead of over 5000 degrees.
There was a famous period of no sunspots in the late 1600s which is called the Maunder Minimum. It coincided with really bad winters that they called the mini Ice Age. I wonder if the lack of sunspots is connected with our awful winter. Sunspots work on roughly an 11 year cycle so there should be plenty to see in the next few years.
I got most of my information from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunspots

Science lectures at William Howard School

There aren't many places round here that attract university lecturers to speak. William Howard School has started having a series of such lectures every February and March. I've put the poster up in my lab. Looks very interesting. Sadly there doesn't seem to be a weblink.

More BBC4 programmes

Tonight, Jim Al-Khalili is starting a history of chemistry at 9pm on BBC4. He's a physics professor so it should be from a physics perspective (hurrah!). Before that at 8pm, Michiu Kaku, one of the best physicists in the world, is continuing his programmes about time. Record them or watch them on the BBC i-player if you miss them.