RSC Blog

It has long been known that most research articles start with “it has long been known”. This is generally followed by something you sort of knew, but not quite how, or when you learned it; yet it has “long been known”. But you know what they mean.

Anyone who has authored a paper knows it must be written in the secret, arcane language of scientific research. To the casual reader it may appear perfectly reasonable, but each publishing scientist has a kind of built-in universal translator – they know that when something “has long been known”, the author just couldn’t be bothered to find out who had first reported it.

A lone (rebel) scientist, C.D. Graham, Jr., flouted the vows of secrecy and published a glossary of research terms and their actual meanings in a 1957 issue of Metal Progress. I’ve reproduced it after the jump; use as a handy guide for the next time you read “it is generally believed that” and suspect the real meaning is “a couple of my friends think so too”. (more…)

Recently in Chem Comm two papers came through showing how scientists respond to real-world situations.

Both articles focus on detecting melamine, the plastic additive at the centre of the China milk scandal which caused thousands to fall ill, and four babies to die. Some comprehensive and well-researched coverage of the melamine milk scandal can be found on Sciencebase here.

The article authors describe two different mass spectrometry techniques which use ambient ionisation – so no special atmosphere or environment is required to prepare the sample.

They suggest the techniques could be developed to produce a “kit” which could be used on the production line cheaply, quickly and without much special training.

You can read more about the articles in Chemical Science, a news supplement included with some RSC journals. View the news story here.

Over a thousand responses into our Italian Job competition and things are getting tight. Many keen mathematicians have applied rigourously Newton’s laws of motion, and any others they can get their hands on, to prove their problem-solving worth.

It seems, however, that their efforts may have been in vain. I had an email from the Leatherhead Drama Festival Organising Committee, reproduced with kind permission:

Sir Michael with the award (picture: Andy Newbold)

“We are at a loss as to why there is so much urgent panic to explain how the bullion would have been rescued. The coach featured in the “Italian Job” (1969) is still teetering on the edge…..of the “Sir Michael Caine Drama Award” trophy, a unique steel construction with an authentic coach which is still rocking, dangerously.  The Drama Award trophy is presented in May each year at the Leatherhead Drama Festival (in Surrey) by Sir Michael Caine himself (aka Charlie Croker).

“The trophy was designed and constructed by ‘Fire and Iron’ at Rowhurst Forge in North Leatherhead. The enclosed pictures show Sir Michael contemplating the coach on the cliff-edge and struggling with the trophy as he prepares to present it to the Winning Drama Group, recently.  How the coach was miraculously reduced in size and whether the gold is still intact within the coach has not been ascertained, but enquiries are still continuing.

“However, the present size of the haul and therefore its current value may render the extraction uneconomic.”

The photo, taken by Andy Newbold, is also reproduced with the kind permission of David Brett of the Leatherhead Drama Festival Organising Committee. Thank you David!

At long last, someone in Government is taking talk of falling science exam standards seriously. At an Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) press conference on Thursday, Lord Drayson – the UK Science Minister – reportedly said ‘No dumbing down on my watch. We need to make sure that we provide the stretch for the brightest and best” in a reference to a question about recent media coverage of standards not being what they were. A BBC news report of his remarks can be found here.

So the RSC’s petition and Five-Decade Challenge report have made an impact at the highest level. We’ve managed to start the debate about what we assess in exams and what is needed for the UK to remain internationally competitive. (more…)