Holiday reading list 2022

The end of term is here, and with that comes a much needed winter break. One thing that I enjoy prior to Christmas break is compiling a list of books for my holiday reading. It gets me excited for the holiday season. I also enjoy sharing books, and have grown to like the idea of …

A rare glimpse of climate debate within the finer margins of reason

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Gk9gIpGvSE It seems in the last decade especially narratives about climate have become increasingly saturated with a certain distinguishable hysteria, which, I would argue, is detrimental to rational discourse on what is undoubtedly an important issue of our time. It doesn't help that popular media coverage on climate science is generally poor, if not altogether …

Book review: Fantastic numbers and where to find them

My PhD supervisor, Tony, has published a book. It's titled, Fantastic Numbers and Where to Find Them: A Cosmic Quest from Zero to Infinity. Full disclosure: I read one of the earliest drafts, which must have been about two years ago. It was quite enjoyable witnessing the book develop, hearing about new chapter plans, and …

Back home by the North Sea

As we usually do at the end of term, Beth and I have returned home to North Norfolk. Throughout the academic year, I greatly miss the North Sea from coast to countryside. In the past I've written about the coastal footpaths we've come to know intimately; the secret gardens and ponds off the path, with …

(n-1)-thoughts, n=4: Covid, Twitter news, and Douglas Adams

Covid days This is my first post in some weeks. Admittedly, I am one that can easily lose track of time as I get absorbed in one calculation or another. But that is not the reason for my lack of writing. It was my turn to experience Covid for the first time. For the first …

(n-1)-thoughts, n=5: Freedom of speech, university statement on free speech, the late Steven Weinberg, and delayed autism research

Freedom of speech Outside of science, one of my favourite things to study as a hobby is history. I also deeply enjoy and appreciate philosophy. One thing I’ve learned in my time studying history and philosophy is that, when judged alongside the human character (insofar that we may establish such a generalisation), democracy is a …

(n-1)-thoughts, n=4: A return to the North Sea, new string papers, and Strings 2021

Our return to the North Sea Beth and I frequently talk about how we miss the North Sea. We lived on the coast and I think it is our nature that we both prefer its unique countryside. But now that we're living in East Midlands, landlocked and busy at university, we haven't been back for …

Institute of Physics scholarship award and full interview

I'm proud and honoured to share that I've been awarded a PhD research scholarship by the Institute of Physics. An announcement by my university can also be found here. As I've written about elsewhere on this blog, my PhD research focuses on M-theory and the question of string theory's non-perturbative completion. To be a recipient …

(n-1)-thoughts, n=6: Asperger’s and writing, Lie 2-algebroids, linguistics, and summer reading

Asperger's, studying, and writing As a person with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), I've learned that writing plays an important and meaningful role in my life. I write a lot. By 'a lot' I mean to define it as a daily activity. Sometimes I will spend my entire morning and afternoon writing. Other times I will …

History of Japan from the Heian period through the Second World War

For readers who like to study history, whether rigorously or simply for the enjoyment of historical discussion, last week I finished listening to a series of podcasts - much more like a series of extensive lectures, with each entry spanning 4 to 5 hours in length - on the history of Japan and its involvement …