by Len Fisher | 13 Apr 2018 | Stray Thoughts
One of my favourite writers is the Russian-born Englishman S.J. “Skid” Simon. Unless you are a bridge player, you have probably never heard of him, although he wrote many murder mysteries in the period before the Second World War, the best-known being... 
by Len Fisher | 31 Mar 2018 | Stray Thoughts
A piece recorded for ABC Radio National after the death of Billy Graham, evangelist for Christianity, but before the death of Stephen Hawking, evangelist for science. What more can we scientists do to share the thrill and exhilaration of discovery?... 
by Len Fisher | 24 Mar 2018 | Food & Gastronomy: Media and Writing
In 2005 I gave a talk at the Royal Institution on the science of toffee apples. It was, of course, timed for Guy Fawkes night! Recently a few people have asked whether they might have a copy of the script. So for them, and anyone else who is dying to know more about... 
by Len Fisher | 21 Mar 2018 | Stray Thoughts
After 25 years communicating science to different audiences, I finally put it all together in a talk delivered to staff and students at the University of Bristol’s physics department. It covers Stephen Hawking’s role, talking to politicians, dealing with... 
by Len Fisher | 27 Feb 2018 | Stray Thoughts
My first (and only) genuine philosophy article published in a genuine philosophy journal. Twenty-five years on, I am still quite proud of it! All about models and what they really mean (and don’t mean). A scientist looks at philosophy IMAGE: Wikimedia... 
by Len Fisher | 22 Dec 2017 | Stray Thoughts
Sir Francis Galton was a Victorian explorer, statistician, student of intelligence and heredity, and all round polymath. In his role as a statistician he came up with a way to analyze the power of prayer by arguing that royalty, being prayed for so frequently in the... 
by Len Fisher | 19 Dec 2017 | Mini Stories from Science
The increasing disparity of wealth in the world is a huge concern to all of us who believe in fairness and equitability. But why does it happen, and what can we do about it? In my latest broadcast for the Australian ABC Radio National Science Show, I reveal how the... 
by Len Fisher | 22 Nov 2017 | Stray Thoughts
My latest Science Show broadcast for Australian ABC Radio National, where I argue that lazy and habitual thought processes are causing untold damage. Here is the link:... 
by Len Fisher | 9 Oct 2017 | Game Theory & You: Media and Writing
October 9th is World Octopus Day, believe it or not. Even more unbelievable, the octopus can teach us quite a bit about the best decision strategies when it comes to hunting for bargains, as I reveal in this blog that was first published in Psychology Today in 2014.... 
by Len Fisher | 6 Oct 2017 | Stray Thoughts
My opinion piece in the San Francisco Chronicle (http://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/Sarah-Palin-should-hand-out-the-Nobel-medals-12256755.php). OK, it’s tongue-in-cheek, but there is a serious point here for communicating about science. Too often... 
by Len Fisher | 1 Oct 2017 | Mini Stories from Science
Today, September 30th, is the anniversary of Hans Geiger’s birth. Geiger was a student of Ernest Marsden at the Cavendish laboratory in Cambridge, Shortly after he had joined, Marsden decided that it was time for him to get his hands dirty and try a... 
by Len Fisher | 19 Sep 2017 | Planning for Life's Crises: Media and Writing
Some basic references for a talk that I delivered to the Aon Benfield conference “Risk Re-imagined” (Gold Coast, Australia, September 18-20 (2017)) IRGC Concept Note “Preparing for Future Catastrophes”... 
by Len Fisher | 6 Sep 2017 | Mini Stories from Science
After my radio broadcast on the relics of scientists in museums around the world (http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/ockhamsrazor/preserved-scientists/8624266), I received a number of suggestions for creepy additions. So I’m starting a blog here on... 
by Len Fisher | 4 Aug 2017 | Mini Stories from Science
Sometimes a scientific paper comes out that generates a gasp of admiration at first sight. That is true of a paper just out in Physical Review Letters “Nonlinear self-action of light through biological suspensions” (Anna Bezryadina, Zhigang Chen (San Francisco... 
by Len Fisher | 31 Jul 2017 | Planning for Life's Crises: Media and Writing
Several years ago I was invited to write a book chapter on how we can make the best decisions in our complex, interconnected world. I wrote the chapter, aimed at a general audience and containing some interesting stories about how Benjamin Franklin, Charles Darwin,... 
by Len Fisher | 12 Jul 2017 | Stray Thoughts
The calving of a huge iceberg from Antarctica is a serious issue in the context of global warming, but has also sparked an ongoing debate on the best unit of measurement to describe its size. “The size of Delaware” screamed the initial, U.S.-based news... 
by Len Fisher | 11 Jul 2017 | Food & Gastronomy: Media and Writing
The video of my talk to the 2017 Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery is now available on YouTube. complete with questions, comments and the occasional joke. Pity I kept mispronouncing TAnzania as TanzAnia; maybe a side-effect of speaking to such a distinguished... 
by Len Fisher | 11 Jul 2017 | Stray Thoughts
Even some physicists are surprised to learn that “jerk” is a scientific measure. That’s right! A “jerk” is the time rate of change of acceleration, or (equivalently) the third derivative of distance with respect to time. Which reminds me... 
by Len Fisher | 10 Jul 2017 | Mini Stories from Science
Monday, July 10, 2017: Today professional science communicators are meeting in Sheffield to share experiences and develop their craft. My good friend Peter Broks has set the cat among the pigeons by posing the question “Has science communication failed?” I... 
by Len Fisher | 26 Jun 2017 | Stray Thoughts
I live a divided life, spending half the year in Australia and the other half in the UK. While in Australia, I recorded several programmes for ABC Radio National on various aspects of the science in our lives. They are now all available on podcast. Enjoy! 1. Science...