Saturday 4 March 2017
Alexander Fleming's mould samples sold at auction
Samples of penicillin mould, signed and inscribed by Sir Alexander Fleming, have been sold at auction.
Labelled as "the mould which makes penicillin", the green substance was produced by Fleming in his laboratory after he discovered penicillin in 1928.
The Ayrshire-born bacteriologist went on to the win the 1945 Nobel Prize in medicine for the discovery which ultimately revolutionised medicine.
The samples were sold at Bonhams in London for £24,375.
It was while studying influenza that Sir Alexander famously noticed mould had developed accidentally on a set of culture dishes being used to grow the staphylococci germ.
Papers and memorabilia
The mould had created a bacteria-free circle around itself. Sir Alexander experimented further and named the active substance penicillin.
However, it was two other scientists - Australian Howard Florey and Ernst Chain, a refugee from Nazi Germany - who developed penicillin further so that it could be produced as a drug.-read more
How soon can we fly to the moon as space tourists
With two private citizens planning a trip around the moon in 2018 with US private rocket company SpaceX, a key question now is when will space tourism be an option for the rest of us?
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced two unnamed people had paid a "significant deposit" to secure places in a spaceship that will fly in a loop around the moon, although not involve a lunar landing. Sir Richard Branson has made similar proposals to send holidaymakers on sub-orbital flights in his Virgin Galactic venture.
Many people are fascinated about the possibility of being able to travel to space and BBC audiences have been asking when will they be able to holiday beyond the stratosphere.
Libby Jackson, who is Human Spaceflight and Microgravity Programme Manager at the UK Space Agency, said there could be developments in as little as three years' time.-read more
Use it or lose it’ — Holsworthy bus shuttle service to begin
The service, operated by Holsworthy Rural Community Transport, will start on Monday, March 13, providing a town shuttle offering an hourly service throughout the day from 8.45am through until 4.43pm, Monday to Friday.
The route will be a figure of eight centred on the library and church bus stops. There will be around 25 stops — including the medical centre — to the circuit and the fare will be £1/single journey, children 50p with under 5s free.
In broad terms the service will cover from Staddon Road to the Cattle Market and out to Rydon.
Martin Prentice, chairman of Holsworthy Rural Community Transport (HRCT) made a successful bid to the Department of Transport’s Community Bus Fund last year and managed to get two buses costing £50,000 each, one to replace the ageing ‘Ring & Ride’ bus and the other to set up this Holsworthy Town Shuttle.The cost of the service will be about £30,000/annum and so the bus will run for a trial period to establish what sort of usage it gets but if it cannot break even it will have to be terminated. So the message is — ‘use it or lose it’.
Timetables can be collected from the HRCT office in the Square or from the library and there will be a leaflet drop, including a timetable, to every house in Holsworthy the week before the service begins.
Mr Prentice said: “This venture is reversing the trend in the transport area where usually services are being withdrawn and so it is refreshing to have something new which will benefit everyone in the area.
“The town needs to get behind this worthwhile service and by using it make sure that it remains for years to come.”
Eleanor Doe-TAI CHI SHIBASHI TEACHER INTERIEW.
Good morning Mark
Well , my first introduction to tai chi was brought about because a friend of mine was mugged and badly beaten when I worked and lived in London. I went to Master Li who gave classes in Bermondsey on martial art. I learned as a form of self defence.
Later I took more interest in the greater role of tai chi as a life style including health well being nutrition etc.
Having visited China several times and studied more I was asked to join tai chi for health as an instructor and as my aims were similar to that of the charity, namely to bring taichi to more people especially those in provincial towns and villages, I agreed.
I have studied tai chi for over 40 years and hope to pass on what I have learned and am still learning to as many people as possible.
Hope this helps .
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)