News and Updates

Today is the first significant day of 2023, in Earth terms at least.  It is Imbloc, or St Brigit's Day.  The mid-point between the Winter Solstice (when the new year really begins) and the Spring Equinox. In our book, Learning,...

I've written before about the odd attitude of the Scottish government when it comes to higher education: its policy of zero fees and capped numbers for Scotland-domiciled students at Scottish universities, leads to unintended consequences.  In this case the difficulty...

Is ChatGPT the new Google, just a flash in the pan, or something much more innovative?  I came across it two days running last week, and so thought to try it out. It's free at the moment although you have...

I see that the Prime Minister wants everyone to study maths up to 18.  A lot of countries already require this, particularly where there is a baccalaureate system in place.  The rationale seems to be that this would be boost...

I hope you've not gotten carried away with the nuclear fusion hype last month from California that was credulously lapped up by the MSM.  Here's a sobering quote in case you did: “If these developments prove ultimately successful, we should...

It is good to see that Stanford University is looking out for us.  The efforts of the University's IT department to further protect its delicate student body from the threats of imagery in language has been made available for all...

When I used to go to meetings at the Institute of Education in London, I developed the habit of dropping by the Wellcome Trust's coffee and book shop on the Euston Road.  It was and remains a good place to...

It's rare for Cumbria to be in the news these days.  No one is still hiding in its hidden valleys waiting for the latest guerilla skirmish with the plundering Normans, there's nobody on the watch for cattle rustlers from the...

I see that we are to double our imports of gas from the USA.  This is shale gas – the same gas that we refuse to extract from our own ground, except that the American gas has been liquified, transported...

Here's a renewables Christmas quiz for you: 12 questions.  Getting 4 right or nearly right will be pretty good and show a better understanding of the problems our electricity grid faces than most people. ........... 1 – The proportion of...