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Chances are if you are into science fiction then you have an interest in 'serious' science as well. With the ever continuing advance of technology and understanding so many sci-fi movie ideas have now become science fact. It's almost as if scientists have relied on the movies to supply them with new ideas - space flight, space stations, cloning, genetic engineering, robots, laser weapons - the list goes on. I'm eagerly awaiting teleporters and hyperdrives! I have a brain that, when it bothers working at all, prefers science and math's based subjects. I left school with A levels in Math's and Physics but, to my regret, never carried through with them afterwards. I guess I am just a frustrated scientist at heart. My TV viewing is limited to terrestrial channels and is split pretty evenly between films, sci-fi serials and science / natural history documentaries. I enjoy Channel 4's Equinox, BBC's Horizon, Tomorrow's World, and Walking with Dinosaurs was just superb. It will come as no surprise that I always go for the science and nature questions when playing 'Trivial Pursuit'. Visit my Links page for sites related to topics on this page. |
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For me, astronomy and the exploration of space fascinates me most of all. The photographs taken in orbit by astronauts and those from the Hubble Space Telescope are just incredible. The sight of our beautiful planet spinning below is an awesome sight and the knowledge that, despite our absolute dependence on it, it is insignificant in relation to the universe as a whole is a powerfully humbling thought. I think everyone should get the chance to see Earth from space. That way maybe then we would see just how precious it is and take a bit more care of it. I was only 3 years old on 20th July 1969 when 'the Eagle' landed on the moon - an incredible achievement. The culmination of years of scientific endeavour and sheer hard work, it is in my opinion the single most defining event in human history. I was chuffed to bits on the day I moved in to my own first home when I realized it was exactly 24 years ago to the day that Apollo 11 had lifted off. I certainly had a few bottles of rocket fuel to celebrate that night. |
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Life on Mars? Life on Europa? If you're into micro bacteria you may be in luck but what about sentient, intelligent life? I refuse to believe that Earth is the only planet in the entire universe to support it. Astronomers are now regularly discovering planets orbiting other stars, any of which, conditions allowing, may support life. Whether we will actually contact it is an entirely different matter. The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence based in Berkeley, California is using the large radio telescope in Aricebo, Puerto Rico to analyze signals from space. They are trying to pick out a possible 'alien made' signal from the mass of natural noise. If you are reading this then you are in a position to give them a helping hand by processing data on your own computer. I have been doing it for several months and still get a big kick out of it. |
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National Geographic covers every natural history subject you can possibly think of and plenty more besides. I haven't got the room to store all the back issues of this superb magazine so I bought the cdrom version instead and have found it an invaluable resource ever since. I was fascinated by dinosaurs as a kid ( who wasn't ) but skeletons freak me out so paleontology was out of the question as a career. If you live in the UK or are planning a visit here then spend a day at the British Natural History Museum. Its superb dinosaur hall is only one of many fascinating displays. It is split broadly into two parts - Life science and Earth science, allowing you to explore both our planet and the life it sustains. |
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I am very much a fan of the natural world and watch many of the wildlife programs on TV. For many years I have been a member of the World Wide Fund for Nature and the International Wildlife Coalition and there are two Humpback Whales somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean and a Black Rhino in Africa with my name on them. The natural world deserves much more respect than it is given by us. Mankind needs to realize that it is an integral part of Earth's ecology and in turn dependant on it. As its most advanced life form, Mankind has a responsibility to look after our planet and its other inhabitants rather than just pillaging them to destruction. |
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Are you afraid of spiders? Does this little picture gives you the heeby jeebies? If so you need to do what I did and get some therapy! I was OK with small spiders but had a problem once they reached about the size of a fifty pence piece so I decided to take steps to get over it. Myself and a friend attended a course at London Zoo in early June 2000 and are now cured! The afternoon involves talks, discussions, a hypnotherapy session and optional critter handling and by the end of the day we were both happy to hold a tarantula in our hands. Having
conquered my fears I now have 4 tarantula spiderlings as pets.
They are only very small at the moment - about 1 inch, but should
hopefully grow to be 5 - 7 inches across. Read more on my new |
Click on the spider to email the organizer, Paul Pearce-Kelly, for details of The Friendly Spider Programme. |
