Hampstead Scientific Society Programme 2019-20
Extra Information

Date Subject (Standard Info) Speaker
Thurs 19 Sept
2019
8:15 pm
Making Fish Oils in Plants – a Sustainable Source of Healthy Fats

There is now ample evidence that omega-3 fish oils are essential components of a healthy diet, contributing to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and other metabolic pathologies. These beneficial fish oils are normally obtained either through the consumption of oily fish or via supplements, but both sources are dependent on the wild capture of fish from the oceans and as a consequence, a matter of concern in terms of sustainability and environmental footprint. At Rothamsted, we have been working on using plant genetic engineering to produce plants which have the capacity to make omega-3 fish oils, something that no native higher plant has the capacity to do. With this approach, we have successfully developed a terrestrial source of omega-3 fish oils, no longer dependent on extraction of marine resources from the oceans. This novel oil is clean and sustainable, and has been validated in both animal and human studies. We have also carried out a number of GM field trials at Rothamsted and in N. America to demonstrate that our plants can grow under real-world conditions. We believe that our GM omega-3 fish oils can help fill the gap between supply and demand in the ever-growing quest for these oils, ultimately leading to better nutrition for all.
Johnathan Napier
(Rothamsted Research)
Thurs 17 Oct.
8:15 pm
Milankovitch Cycles

It has long been realised that the Earth has seen large variations in temperature in the past, and one of the first people to speculate about the cause was a Scotsman, James Croll, who suggested it was due to changes in the Earth's orbital motion. This idea was expanded on by Milutin Milankovic, a Croatian scientist who developed a mathematical theory of climate based on how the radiation received by the Earth changed with time. Although he encountered a lot of scepticism at the time he published his ideas the subsequent analysis of the temperature record as seen from core samples has shown his work to have been largely correct. The talk will look at the mechanisms involved and see what this tells us about where the Earth's climate is heading.
Prof. Alan Aylward
(UCL)
Thurs 21 Nov
8:15 pm
Robotic Thoracic Surgery – the untold story

Robotic-assisted surgery uses the most sophisticated technology available. Most specialties have developed this platform to provide safer more precise surgery, although it is most commonly associated with prostate surgery.
We pioneered robotic thoracic surgery (RATS) in 2013 and now 40% of UK and Ireland centres have started a program. It is a generation ahead from standard keyhole surgery and offers more complex and major operations to be done using tiny incisions. Some standard open operations have been replaced completely by RATS. The benefit to the patient is a much quicker recovery and a return to home caring duties, work or a continuation of other necessary treatments. The Summit lung cancer screening trial in London is presenting smaller nodules to diagnose and treat and needing the best way to seek, find and destroy. We are moving into an exciting era of fusion robotic technology using Artifical Intelligence, Virtual and Augmented Reality. Thoracic Surgery will become easier for all and more frail patients will now benefit from curative operations.
Steven (Sasha) Stamenkovic
(Barts Health NHS Trust)
Thurs 12 Dec
8:15 pm
Apollo Communications
*** CANCELLED *** and replaced by

5G – What's It All About?

Mobile Communications technology has rapidly developed, 4G (4th Generation) based systems are well established and 5G (5th Generation) is already being rolled out. So what is 5G and why do we need it? This talk will describe the development of 5G and detail some if its technical features. The speaker is Chris Friel BEng CEng MIET who has worked for many years in the mobile communications industry.
Colin Brooks
(Radio Society of Harrow)

Chris Friel
(Radio Society of Harrow)
Thurs 16 Jan 2020
8:15 pm
Here Comes the Sun: How sunlight changes our health, our mood, and our ability to stand upright

Our planet – and our lives – are ruled by our nearest star. Its influence is manifest in many ways: there is an unexpected connection between man's need to stay cool on the ground when his ancestors left the trees, and the evolution of the ability to stand upright, and an equally strong link between the need for sleep in the hours of darkness and the power of human memory. Most of all, perhaps, we now know that a shortage of sunlight plays a part in many diseases, from cancer, to multiple sclerosis, to heart disease: a January evening is a good time to discuss all of these.
Prof. Steve Jones FRS
(UCL)
Thurs 20 Feb
8:15 pm
Fusion Energy – Power supplies for stars on earth

Nuclear fusion experiments have a unique set of requirements for the power supplies and services which make them work. Stevie Wray from the UK Atomic Energy Authority will give you a brief introduction to fusion, followed by some information on the Joint European Torus (JET) and the power supplies associated with it.
Steven Wray MEng CEng MIET
(UKAEA)
Thurs 19 Mar
8:15 pm
How to Clean Up Space with a Net and a Harpoon
*** CANCELLED due to Covid-19 ***
Spyridon Grammenos
(Surrey Satellites)
Thurs 16 Apr
8:15 pm
Pyrotechnics: Evolution of Energetic Materials
*** CANCELLED due to Covid-19 ***
Dr. Ben Peerless
Thurs 21 May
8:15 pm
The Quantum Kilogram in the Context of Measurements Through the Ages
*** CANCELLED due to Covid-19 ***
Dr Paul Quincey
(National Physical Laboratory)
Thurs 25 June
8:00 pm
AGM: Wine & Cheese £3 + scientific entertainment
*** DEFERRED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE due to Covid-19 ***
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Last updated  13-Sep-2020