Category: Space

Astronaut Tim Peake interview: boldly going where no body has gone before

For Tim Peake it’s T minus 600 hours until launch. Come 15th December, the 43 year old father of two will be strapped atop 150 tonnes of rocket fuel looking skyward. He will be spending six months aboard the International Space Station, during which time he will be floating around, admiring the view, and playing…

November 20, 2015
Why is the Universe is Expanding and Accelerating? Here’s my pet theory… (by a non-physicist)

Scientists don’t normally make much money. But Nobel Prize winners Perlmutter, Riess and Schmidt don’t need worry about being short of cash anymore. They can forget eating instant noodles and cobbling together loose change to keep the electricity meter running. Winning the highest accolade in science is more than luck. It wasn’t their lucky stars…

October 7, 2011
Obama cracks a joke to the Atlantis Shuttle Crew – So why wasn’t it funny?

In space, no one can hear the tumble-weed. Obama: “I was just dialing out for pizza, and I didn’t expect to end up in space…” Recently, the US President took some time out from his busy schedule to make a surprise phone call to the Space Shuttle Atlantis crew. Clearly in need of some light-hearted…

July 21, 2011
What the Higgs is going on? The idiot’s ludicrously simple guide to what the ‘God Particle’ is… (and in under 4 minutes)

Does science make you queasy? Thinking about physics tends to make me feel rather seasick. If you’ve ever tried to imagine how big infinity is then you’ll probably know what I mean. News agencies have been buzzing with reports that the discovery of the fabled ‘God particle’ is close at hand. But who really knows…

May 3, 2011
That’s How Big? Dr Stu Rediscovers the Classic Film: ‘Powers of Ten’

Oh no, not another boring science video! That was my first thought when, at 12 years of age, the science teacher wheeled out the TV trolley. Videos seemed such a cheap excuse for teaching… But by the time the ten minute short ‘Powers of Ten‘ had finished, there was an unusual calm in the classroom.…

April 20, 2011
Out of This World! The Amateur’s Guide to Making Your Own Satellite

What could you do with $10,000? Take a trip around the world? Refit the kitchen or replace the ageing car? Perhaps you would invest it in stocks and shares? But what would you say to building and launching your very own satellite? Forget paying to have a star named after you: Technology is now smaller…

March 3, 2011
Earn a Nobel Prize in your Lunch-Break! The Best “Citizen Science” Games Reviewed!

Have you ever felt like you could be an undiscovered genius? Well scientists have now come up with ingenious ways of you using your brain to push back the boundaries of science… by playing video games! So if you’d like the chance to see if you’re the next Einstein (without the hair) just put down…

February 15, 2011
How to Build a Spaceship: The Best (and worst) Amateur Astronauts!

So, you want to be an astronaut? It’s going to be a job with some ups and downs: Cramped living conditions and rubbish food, but great views and plenty to talk about at parties when you get home! But if you’re not a millionaire or a member of NASA, how easy is it to get into space and experience some…

January 14, 2011
To Infinity and Beyond: The World’s Greatest Hits

33 years ago today – the ‘world’s greatest ever hits’ were released as part of the one of the most bizare scientific experiments. You’ve probably never heard the whole version: you will today.

September 5, 2010