A website reborn

Finally, I have got round to tidying up my website after the transition from GooglePages to GoogleSites stuffed it up, somewhat. It's a bit of a random mix of stuff and, to be honest, is largely superseded by this very blog but I thought I should say something after spending two hours fixing broken links!

There is a bit of anti-Creationism stuff for those who like that kind of thing. I'm avoiding it at the moment because all the lies make me angry but, as an evolutionary biologist, I feel like I have a civic duty to wade into that battlefield from time to time. (Fortunately, there are lots of others out there doing it better than I.)

It also has some amusing pictures of me in past days, such as the old passport photo shown here.

Piraten Whisky: pirates with taste stick to rum

I feel like yesterday's comment about German Whisky needs some context/explanation. This is it:


I only really have one word for it: avoid!

The Natural History Museum rocks!

On Saturday, I had a second birthday, like the Queen. My wife had bought us tickets for the BBC Comedy Prom (a future blog topic) in the Royal Albert Hall, London, so we had a bit of a day out in The Big Smoke. After a yummy brunch in Southampton (another future post), we jumped on the train and headed to South Kensington - some of the best museums in London are handily within a stone's throw of the Concert Hall. (Don't throw stones at it, though.)


The Natural History Museum must be one of my favourite places. Anywhere. Every time I go, I'm struck by how awesome the place is. Arriving early afternoon, we had to queue for a bit to get in (next time's going to pay to become a member and fast-track) but that just gave an opportunity to soak in a bit of the exterior.

It's such an impressive place in every way. Not only is it massive, and the displays excellent, but the building itself is a work of art. Everywhere you look, inside or out, there is amazing attention to detail, with animals carved into columns or pillars with nature-inspired geometric patterns. The ceiling of the main hall is covered with stunning botanical artwork.

Being a biologist, I normally visit the biological displays when I go to the NHM. (You can't beat fossils of crazy prehistoric beasties, like the giant sloth.) This time, for a change, we went to the Earth zone and had a look at the rocks.

"There's nothing to see here, they're just rocks," said one mother (sadly) to her daughter as she dragged her through the "red zone" towards the exit. I am hoping that these were purely words born out of frustration due to having reached "museum saturation" but I still feel sorry for the discouraged child, for these are not just rocks!



Take these crystals, for example. Stibnite on the left and pyrite ("Fool's Gold") on the right. Not the best photos but enough to give an impression of how crazy they are... and they're completely natural. If you ever wanted an example of how something amazing can just spontaneously arise from natural forces, look no further. "Just rocks", indeed!

Location:South Kensington, London, UK

Guillon French whisky - it's better than the German stuff.

In addition to tasting my first Swiss whisky, I also sampled my first French whisky today. It wasn't bad. Again, nothing like Scottish or Irish whisky, but not inherently bad. I'd still prefer a nice Lagavulin or Laphroaig but it was palatable - and that's more than I can say for some.

Santis Malt: Swiss whiskey for people who don't like whiskey

I had my first Swiss whiskey tonight. Santis single malt. Stored in oak *beer* casks, it tastes nothing like regular whiskey. Good though! Odd but good. Sweet. Can taste the beeriness. Nothing like Scottish or Irish but then, why should it be?

How people in science see each other

This is so good, I just had to blog it. I didn't make it - the original is here:
http://twitpic.com/63lcfq/full

Belgian chocolate really is as good as they say!

This crazy display is from a Bruges chocolate shop, The Chocolate Line. If you love chocolate, this place (the city and the shop!) is a must-visit location. Just walking in to the shop is a treat to the senses. The rich smell of the chocolate is fantastic. Eating the chocolates is even better. The only problem is deciding what kind to eat! (And how large your budget is going to be - they're not cheap!)