Crystallography explores the structure of crystalline solids. Understanding the internal layout of materials leads to an understanding of why they have the properties they do; why diamond is hard, why graphite is soft and even why grass is green.
In 1896, the Royal Observatory Edinburgh (ROE) moved from the centre of Edinburgh to its present location on Blackford Hill, thanks to a generous donation by James Lindsay, the 26th Earl of Crawford. The Earl offered the contents of his well-equipped observatory in Aberdeenshire, and a collection of rare astronomical books that is maintained at ROE to this day, provided that the government agreed to build and maintain a suitable building to house them
Antibiotic use underpins much of modern medicine and has saved lives that might otherwise be lost to very common infections and minor injuries. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), antibiotics and vaccines add an average of 20 years to our lives. Advanced therapies such as cancer treatment and organ transplants, which make patients particularly vulnerable to infection, depend upon the use of antibiotics.
Whether you’re just starting out in your career, or have years of experience under your belt, you don’t want to find yourself stuck dipping a toe in the water – it’s time to dive in!
Imagine an 80 tonne asteroid hurtling towards the Earth at 30,000 mph. It may sound like science fiction but in October 2008 this scenario was a potentially dangerous reality.
April 22nd is Earth Day, a day when more than a billion people in 190 different countries raise awareness of the environmental challenges we face, and their solutions. This year’s theme is Green Cities; as an ever-increasing proportion of the world’s population takes to city living, and as the impacts of climate change become clearer, the need to create more sustainable communities is more pressing than ever.
It’s fair to say that science sometimes has a bit of an image problem. Hollywood loves to portray scientists as intellectual, hyper-rational people. Cold, perhaps even a little less human than normal people…. However, that’s complete poppycock – our hearts beat the same way as anyone else’s does, and every scientist has their passionate side. Since it’s Valentine’s Day, we thought we’d let you into a little secret - did you know that many of us spend our days contemplating the science of attract
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