The irreverent science writings of Matthew Partridge (MCeeP)
Working as a researcher is a job that requires a lot of adaptability. This is understandable given that the core of the scientific method could be loosely described as “I recon this might happen but let’s find out” which obviously leads to some variation in outcomes (e.g. oops that explodes Read more…
Today whilst reading twitter I read an advert by a newly graduated PhD student offering tutorship to current PhD students. Their advert was based on that they had finished their PhD early, had written a bunch of papers and got a follow up post-doc job. All very impressive. I only Read more…
Throughout my career in science AI and automation have been things that were ever-improving tools in helping do science quicker and in bulk. AI and machine learning have slowly been improving the rate of data processing and even expanding the kind of data processing that’s possible. Automation has led to Read more…
Given the exotic and exciting things that scientist play with and produce you’d think that waste disposal would be staggeringly complicated. Special buckets for certain kinds of goo, shredders for tentacles and mops specifically for flaming puddles would seem to be the bare minimum an average lab would need. Actually Read more…
Contemplating the potential for personal redundancy as a result of too much daydreaming, Dr Matthew Partridge risks another few hours musing over the benefits and limits of laboratory processes run entirely by super-efficient, highly focused AI and robotics…
To an outside observer research has a great air of focus, planning and careful consideration. From vaccine research to Nobel prize winning physics, research looks well organised and planned. To anyone that has ever worked in research then the reality is often confusion and a lot of eye rolling. But, Read more…
Humans are an inventive bunch. We’re not long out of the trees and our brains have already given us literature, art and the sciences. We are a creative species that constantly seeks to invent, create and problem solve. However, as smart as we are Nature is often one of the Read more…
This Christmas to try and keep our scientific minds active and not despair at experiments lost but think to new experiments we can do. If we can’t do experiments in the lab let’s do experiments on Christmas!
There have been many changes since the start of the COVID crisis. For one the frequency of articles that start “something something COVID crisis” have sky rocketed and I’ve never started so many emails with “I hope you are well” and meant it with genuine concern. But one change was Read more…
It’s a brave new world. Universities, once busy centres of social interaction, intelligent discourse and complex drinking games, have become ghost towns which echo with only the sound of remote learning servers.