In praise of Scientists, Technologists, Engineers and Mathematicians....

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Fab Foodie

hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
Location
Kirton, Devon.
Thanks (sadly) to CV19, Science and experts have been thrust to the front of the stage. Talk of Immunology, Genetics, Biochemistry, Epidemiology, Mathematical modelling, Statistics, are becoming commonplace.
Footage of lab-rats beavering-away in lab coats, driving highly complicated analytical devices, poring over data are now regularly shown alongside NHS staff again, working with a range of highly complex equipment on which lives depend.

My point is that the techniques, expertise, equipment and technologies that have enabled-us to rapidly detect viruses and read their genetic code, determine the make-up of their spike-proteins, develop and deliver a range of vaccines did not happen overnight. They are the result of years of quiet and unsung fundamental research work (often poorly funded) by an awful lot of dedicated scientists and technologist. At last many of them are showing their worth and hopefully enjoying their day in the sun.
Sadly I fear for the future funding of science and research in the UK, so let's celebrate this moment for Scientists while we can.
 
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Archie_tect

De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
Location
Northumberland
So much research and development investment has been squandered in the name of austerity. :sad:
 

marinyork

Resting in suspended Animation
Location
Logopolis
I think a lot of the lack of previous coverage of that is how the news cycle works in the UK and the interests/backgrounds of journalists rather than the population.
 

marinyork

Resting in suspended Animation
Location
Logopolis
Come on Fabbers, you can do much better than that

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Rocky

Hello decadence
STEM is seriously undervalued in the UK. I guess we have a very few MPs with a STEM background.
I'm afraid I disagree....I have a science background (Biochemistry) but I think the arts, humanities and philosophy can teach us huge amounts about being a better human being.....which is exactly what our MPs need.
 

marinyork

Resting in suspended Animation
Location
Logopolis
STEM is seriously undervalued in the UK. I guess we have a very few MPs with a STEM background.

US/UK thing. Law, PPE, classics and a few more modern things that still not vaguely representative of the interests of the UK.

Even supposedly 'STEM' MPs quite a few will have not gone into 'STEM' and gone into the typical routes for getting into parliament. So doubly problematic. This is also true of whatever subject an MP comes from.
 

bitsandbobs

Über Member
I think a lot of the lack of previous coverage of that is how the news cycle works in the UK and the interests/backgrounds of journalists rather than the population.

I think that's probably right. Journos with an arts background vastly outnumber those with a science background I would guess. I once looked up the backgrounds of some of the BBC science correspondents (slow day!): few had a technical background.
 

roubaixtuesday

self serving virtue signaller
As the excellent thread title from @Fab Foodie is already in danger of being derailed into negativity, let's have a celebration.

We have the (so far obscured by clouds for me) conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter to light up our evening sky at the moment.

The moons of Jupiter were, of course, first observed by Galileo, arguably the inventor of the scientific method based on the centrality of experimental data.

Galileo's discovery was based on the intensely practical development of the telescope, for entirely different purposes. The engineering of telescopes, optical, radio, and latterly gravitational, has driven the science and vice versa. Engineer has its root in the French ingenieur, one who is ingenious, a far cry from the UK conception of engineer as maintenance technician. Which is not at all to disparage the technician, an equally important and valuable role, but quite different from an engineer.

Thus our understanding of the universe is transformed through standing on the shoulders of giants, from the unknown Dutch craftsmen who built the first telescopes, through Renaissance Florence, the mathematical theory of Newton, the insight of Hubble, Einstein's theoretical breakthroughs, the magnificent engineering of Lovell at Jodrell Bank, and now the LIGO. We understand the scale and age of the Universe, see its almost infinite beauty, and even feel the very fabric of it being stretched through the collision of distant black holes.

Praise to all of them!

And a picture, from Hubble:

the galaxy NGC 2799 (on the left) is seemingly being pulled into the center of the galaxy NGC 2798 (on the right)

potw2042a.jpg
 
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Fab Foodie

Fab Foodie

hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
Location
Kirton, Devon.
I think a lot of the lack of previous coverage of that is how the news cycle works in the UK and the interests/backgrounds of journalists rather than the population.
This is of course true, amazing things are done without any public interest whatsoever (except maybe complaining about why x,y or z study they don't understand needs funding with taxpayers money), so it's nice that something happens that makes their silent endeavours worthwhile.
 
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