It was a toss-up whether to post a comprehensive and insightful review of 2010’s scientific highs and lows, or a couple of funny YouTube clips. YouTube won… First, here’s one from Armstrong & Miller, for everyone shivering in Britain’s frigid December (or anywhere else), who has had cause while de-icing a car or thawing out a boiler to question the fact that 2010 is set to be the hottest year on record:
And this is an oldie from Big Train, showing that non-scientists are very much aware of what we get up to:
And finally…
When my son was born last month, he had to spend a couple of nights in the special care unit. Fortunately for us, this was largely a precautionary measure, but some of the little mites in there were really, really poorly – many of them born 8 or more weeks premature. But for the SCU, keeping these tiny people alive and eventually discharging them to live normal lives is pretty routine. I couldn’t help but be staggered by the sheer amount of knowledge embedded in the paraphernalia of neonatal intensive care, from the basic science of baby biology, to the technological know-how required to design and build the necessary hardware and software. It was a humbling dose of humanity at its very best, with science and technology wedded to the wonderfully caring, supporting and capable staff; for me a vision of what we can achieve if everyone pulls in the same direction. I can’t think of a better note on which to wish you all a very Happy Christmas.