Matthew Cobb
@matthewcobb
Professor Emeritus (University of Manchester), writes on biology, history of science & French Resistance. Most recent book: a biography of Francis Crick. Now writing THE IDEA OF HEREDITY. Link to publications:
Does molecular biology still exist? Ngram frequency below. Given that many of the recent usages will be to historical events/ideas etc, it may be disappearing from modern science.
Tfw Janet Browne has produced a one-volume biography of Darwin so you don’t have to. (My publisher suggested the idea to me; I wasn’t keen as JB’s 2-vol bio is definitive. Now she has abridged and revised them into 1 vol!) Thanks to @princetonupress.bsky.social for the comp copy!
Fabulous photo in The TLS. What was the aim of the exercise I wonder? Know your enemy or know yourself?
Given his Alzheimer’s announcement today, a reminder that, if you are lucky, a life can be a long complicated and fulfilling thing. (Also features George R. R. Martin). retromash.com/2017/03/03/t...
Military helicopter over Manchester rn - has the coup begun? Have crazed colonels come to abduct the King in the North?
I caught this morning morning's minions, kingdom of daylight's dauphins… SWIFTS. About 30 of them, swirling above the flat Mersey on a hot morning. You can just make some out
Recently mated female bat having a suck in the remains of my water melon. She got a bit stuck so I took her off.
More folklore on the TDF - ppl in C15 costume dancing on the top of a chateau
Tfw the TdF goes whizzing through the tiny town you used to visit each year.
In Sheffield there is one that has 'Intake' on it. As a student, I spent several months looking for one that had 'Outtake'.
Those English stereotypes of the French go back a long way. This is from 1765
An early claim to fame – from the Morning Telegraph (Sheffield), 1 July 1981.
Intriguing ad in the new LRB. Could be a nice job for a young conservation biologist. But it also begs the question of whose name will be on the cover of the book… I also note this is to write a *proposal* not a book. What kind of advance are they expecting if they can spend £24k on the proposal?
Chris Riddell cartoon in this month’s Lit Rev. It got me thinking - what does “Kiss me quick“ mean? Give me a brief kiss, or kiss me as soon as you can, or something else? What is the origin of these hats? Late C19/earlyC20 I guess…
I give you my use (and footnoted justification) of 'oneiric' in THE IDEA OF THE BRAIN:
This was written to the BBC as background material for LIFE STORY (he was the main consultant) in 1985. In 1957 he described her in a letter as a 'silly bitch':
Hair-raising stuff from Maurice Wilkins writing in 1985 about how he saw Rosalind Franklin in 1951-2: