British scientists have vowed to defend Greenwich Mean Time as the global community considers switching to strict atomic time.

Moving to strict atomic time would remove the need to add leap seconds to ensure time keeps pace with the rotation of the earth. Read the rest of this entry »

One in ten Brits believe the periodic table is laid out in alphabetical order, while many think oxygen makes up the main proportion of air, new research shows.

Encyclopaedia Britannica carried out a poll of over 1,000 people to determine Britain's most common scientific misconceptions. Read the rest of this entry »

A recent paper published in Science magazine, suggests that the use of internet search engines is changing how our memories store information. (‘Google Effects on Memory: Cognitive Consequences of Having Information at Our Fingertips,’ Sparrow et al., 333 (6043): 776-778). We are more likely, according to the authors of this study, to forget information we know can easily be found via internet search engines. We remember where and how to find out this information with ease, but forget the information itself.  This suggests that the internet has become a source of external transactive memory for those with easy access to its information.
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The 2010 ASSET survey reported that women working in science, engineering and technology in education continue to feel disadvantaged and excluded.

7,000 men and women from 420 departments in 84 universities took part in the ASSET survey [PDF - 130KB]

A lack of female role models and mentors was identified as one of the significant factors that cause women to feel disadvantaged in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine) careers. About one third of female academics feel disadvantaged in respect of their visibility. Women are also less likely to feel that senior departmental colleagues are accessible to them.

The good news is that although male academics still predominate in positions of power and influence, women are becoming more ambitious. Women in the 2010 survey were more likely than they were in 2004 to express a desire to work in senior departmental or university management. Female academics are also more likely than their male peers to report that they expect to become a senior manager in the future.

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Fisher Scientific today confirmed the dates for their ‘Activate Science’ events planned across the UK and Ireland during September through to November 2011.

Activate Science is an interactive scientific laboratory event aimed at everyone involved within the laboratory environment who either specify, use or purchase products. World leading suppliers from the laboratory industry will be exhibiting and demonstrating some of the latest technologies available.
For more details please click here »

Each event promises:

• Product exhibition giving the opportunity for visitors to discuss any requirements they have with Application Specialists
• A selection of technical seminars and presentations. Seminars will be both high and mid-range, to serve the needs of different technical levels
• Product demonstrations with an opportunity for visitors to gain firsthand experience
• Free entry and free refreshments

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