Last night I gave a short talk at Museums Showoff. This is a slightly more coherent text version of my set. But first, here’s a picture of the world’s biggest tyre (ground floor of the Wellcome Wing). For several years in the mid-naughties, I was on the cover of the Science Museum guidebook. It was … Continue reading »
Filed under technology …
Climate Stories at the Science Museum
Pots of coal, Changing Climate Stories, Science Museum The Science Museum has a new art/ history of tech exhibition exploring issues of energy and climate change: Climate Changing Stories. It mixes a few re-interpretations of old exhibits with some dazzling new installations. It weaves through the museum as a whole, plotting new narratives, connecting previously … Continue reading »
Not Drowning London
Thames Barrier park, North Bank. A couple of weeks ago, I visited the Thames Barrier Park. It’s one of my favourite parts of London, even if there is something spooky about it. Perhaps because there is something spooky about it. Nestled in a rather bleak bit of East London, it’s a very still place. There’s … Continue reading »
Air craft
When I was a teenager, I didn’t have boy band posters on my bedroom wall. I had a tea tray decorated with an oil painting of a giant air craft carrier parked outside St Mark’s Basilica in Venice. There is some history to this rather strange object. Back in the early 50s, my Granny had … Continue reading »
How the refrigerator got its hum
A few years ago, a friend of mine was living in a small flat which contained a fridge that hummed very loudly. Very loudly indeed. She found it a bit annoying. Also annoying: the power supply for the room was through a meter she had to keep feeding with coins to maintain a regular supply … Continue reading »
Why Don’t You? A review of ‘Making is Connecting’
I’ve mentioned David Gauntlett’s new book, Making is Connecting, a few times recently: on my work blog, my knitting one, and on the Guardian’s Notes and Theories. It’s an interesting book worth talking about. It’s about the social meanings of creativity and 21st century maker cultures, be these makers of blogs, woolly cardigans, cupcakes, podcasts … Continue reading »
Gawping at Milan Central Station
I visited Milan Central Station recently, and there is only one word for it: awesome (see my ‘a brief history of awesome‘ post if you think I use that word loosely). But more than that, it was designed to be awesome. I arrived there from Zurich. The train had wound through the Swiss mountains; providing … Continue reading »
Sociology of science, for scientists (with a note on going up bottoms)
Yesterday, in the middle of a twitter-debate about Steve Fuller, I was asked a question by Edmund Harriss: “Do you have book suggestions for scientists who want to understand science better through modern science studies?” I gave a slightly rubbish answer at the time. It was a good question and deserved better, and this is … Continue reading »
On the repackaging of technological objects (or not)
This is my new laptop case. The design features the “TG12345 Mk II recording desk” from London’s famous Abbey Road studios. You can read a bit about that mixing desk, and buy your own laptop case (or notebook, t-shirt…) here. It was a birthday present from my mother. It reminds us both of my father, … Continue reading »
