OLD Hampstead Scientific Society Programme 2012-13
Extra Information
| Date | Subject (Standard Info) | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
2012 8:15 pm |
The 1976 Viking Mars missions did not detect organic molecules on the planet's surface, even those expected from meteorite bombardment. Is there a potent oxidant on Mars that rapidly converts all organic molecules to carbon dioxide? Dr Devine suggests that organics from meteorites should give rise to metastable intermediates which would have been largely invisible to the Viking detectors. In particular, benzenehexacarboxylic acid is a likely candidate. |
(London Metropolitan University) |
8:15 pm |
Andy Overall's journey into the world of mycology began on Hampstead Heath back in the early 1990's. Many years later he has recorded over 500 species from the Heath upon which he now takes regular workshops for beginners and leads forays as the group leader of the London Fungus Group, which is affiliated with British Mycological Society. The Heath offers an excellent habitat for larger fungi with its diversity of trees, habitats, and differing soil types. |
(London Fungus Group, British Mycological Society) |
8:15 pm |
Twenty years ago, astronomers knew of no planets outside our Solar system. Now, more than 800 exoplanets have been discovered with thousands more candidates having been identified. In this talk Dr. Norton will use demonstrations to explain how exoplanets have been found and describe some of the recent results about their properties. |
(Open University) |
8:15 pm |
Britain and Europe have a long tradition in the study of Comets – from Edmund Halley to the Giotto space mission which flew only 600 km from the nucleus of his comet to the Rosetta space mission which has been flying already for 8 years to a landing on a comet in 2014 – Prof. Zarniecki will attempt to talk about all of these if time allows!! |
(Open University) |
8:15 pm |
Paul has had a long and enjoyable career, primarily with a 'Nuclear Flavour'. Having provided evidence for the 1981 Sizewell Public Inquiry and undertaken the month long NRPB Radiological Protection Course, Paul was promoted in 1985 to co-ordinate the aquatic environmental check monitoring programmes at all the major UK nuclear sites. With the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986, he was asked to co-ordinate the UK response through appropriate environmental sampling and has published over 40 scientific papers on various radiological topics primarily related to the determination of public exposure from nuclear site operations. His duties have also included being a Nuclear Inspector at the Sellafield nuclear fuel reprocessing site, as well as site responsibilities at other nuclear sites including Greenwich! Paul continues to play an active role in radiological protection and is a member of the Society for Radiological Protection's Council as well as their sub-committees covering Communications and Events. He is also a Council Member of the UK Environmental Law Association and a Chief Consultant at Corporate Risk Associates Ltd.. With his practical and first-hand experience as a Nuclear Inspector and of managing the UK's Chernobyl sampling, the 2011 nuclear accident at Fukushima has meant that Paul has been able to help provide advice nationally and internationally. He is also a Council Member for the Society for Radiological Protection. Paul's talk this evening provides an introduction to his involvement with 'nuclear issues' and how radioactivity may be beneficially used. |
(Brunel University) |
8:15 pm |
How do we know how health and illness was experienced and understood by Egypt's populations during her 3000 year civilization? Skeletal and mummified remains provide one source of knowledge but historians also examine Egypt's literary sources, painting, sculpture, architecture and town planning, clothing, nutrition, agriculture, animal husbandry, commerce and travel. The 'big picture' may be more surprising than you imagine. |
(University College London) |
8:15 pm |
Lessons learned from the Tohoku 2011 disaster The earthquake and resulting tsunami that struck the Tohoku region of NE Japan on March 11th, 2011, were recorded in unprecedented detail by a wide range of scientific instruments that had been installed by Japanese agencies, partly for the research purpose of understanding such events, but also with the aim of providing warning and a basis for disaster mitigation. This talk will examine the advances in earthquake and tsunami science that resulted from these records, but also consider why, despite the effort put into the research and the even greater effort put into tsunami defences and other mitigation measures, the tsunami led to so many deaths in Japan. |
(Aon Benfield UCL Hazard Centre) |
8:15 pm |
Dr Jamie Barras of King's College London's Department of Informatics will be giving a talk detailing the history and current state of development of the detection of illicit materials such as concealed explosives or counterfeit medicines by radiofrequency spectroscopic methods akin to those used in medical imaging. |
(Kings College, London) |
8:15 pm |
 This talk provides an insight into the design of structures involving the application of school physics. John Eyre shows how design thinking is applied to the creation of useful and attractive technology and with the example of bridge design, using graphical methods and everyday language he considers the stress states of structures. The statical description of structures is shown using graphical construction and demonstrates how, by the use of a keen eye, the engineering designer is aware of the implications of the choices of form.
John is an engineer and an architect and became head of design teaching in civil engineering at UCL. |
(University College London) |
8:00 pm |
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Last updated 24-Aug-2013