Produced by in association with Issue 1 Michaelmas 2004 A New Science Magazine for Cambridge • The Science of Pain • World of the Nanoputians • • For He’s a Jolly Old (Cambridge) Fellow • Designer Babies • Biochrom, the company that created industry standard brands like Novaspec and Ultrospec and has 30 years experience of user needs, now introduces the Libra family • Flash Scan diode array – instant spectra of UV/Visible Spectrophotometers. • Press to Read source technology – longer lamp life Designed for users, the Libra range • Reference Beam Compensation – immediate stability combines new ideas with proven • Instrument Performance Validation – complete confidence technology to offer outstanding facilities: PARTNERS IN SCIENCE Biochrom Limited, 22 Cambridge Science Park, Cambridge, CB4 0FJ, England Tel: +44 (0)1223 423723 Fax: +44 (0)1223 420164 Web: www.biochrom.co.uk Biochrom is a Harvard Bioscience company Contents Issue1: Michaelmas 2004 Regulars Editorial ..................................................03 Cambridge News ...................................04 Events ..................................................05 Focus ..................................................06 On the Cover .....................................20 A Day in the Life .......................21 Away from the Bench ........................22 Initiatives ..................................................23 History ..................................................24 Arts and Reviews....................................26 Features Dr Hypothesis .....................................28 Channelling the Pain Ewan Smith explains how we feel pain .................................................................................. 8 Jobs for Bacteria: Metal Miners Nerissa Hannink explores the curious world of rock eating bacteria ..............................10 For He’s a Jolly Old Fellow Is the life of a Cambridge Fellow really a longer one? Rosie Clift investigates .............11 Molecular Clocks: a Timely Perspective John O’Neill looks into what makes our body clock tick ...............................................12 Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Laura Blackburn examines the two sides of the desert locust...............................................14 Stem Cell Research: Getting to the Root of the Issue Carina Lobley discusses the ethical concerns surrounding stem cell research.............16 Nanoputians Set to Invade Davina E. Stevenson ventures into Nanoput .................................................................................18 Cubic Jellyfish: Looking Out of the Box Matthew Wilkinson explains why we shouldn’t underestimate the humble jellyfish.19 The front cover shows a ‘Nanoflower’ Created by Ghim Wei Ho from the Nanoscience Centre. To find out more see page 20. If you’ve enjoyed our first issue, then why not write for us? We are currently looking for contributions for our Lent issue, which we need to receive by 15th November. We want articles on all kinds of science, but in particu- lar we are lacking contributions from the physical sci- ences! So whatever your scientific passion why don’t you share it with our readers? Or perhaps you want to join our production team? We need committed people to help with the editing and production of the magazine. If you’re interested just email [email protected] To find out more information please visit our website www.bluesci.org Next issue out January 2005 What’s it all about? This year the Science The Science Show Show is going to be better than ever before, Science Radio on CUR1350 packed full of competi- Tuesday nights 18.30 - 19.30 tions, the latest science news, interviews, reports, and a look at some of the really intriguing aspects of science. To look forward to... A different theme each week: past shows have included the science of food and drink, the sci- ence of sport, and special Valentine’s shows. This year brings more themes, more random and inter- esting facts, and more prizes! Get involved! The show is now interac- tive: you can email, text the studio, or take part in our interactive web dis- cussion board! We're always keen to get presenters, researchers, and reporters, as well as people to work behind the scenes. Whatever your To listen, interests – just send us a tune into 1350 MW or mail! listen live online at [email protected] www.cur1350.co.uk www.scienceshow.co.uk your letters and opinions via email, [email protected]. From The plan to produce BlueSci was ambitious, and its realisation has required Issue 1: Michaelmas 2004 BlueSci many months of hard work. In fact, it seems a miracle to see our first edition in print! Produced by CUSP & Cambridge is both internationally and historically It has, of course, only been Published by renowned for its scientific achievements. In an effort to made possible by the dedi- Varsity Publications Ltd. make science accessible to all, CUSP has created BlueSci,a cation, enthusiasm and hard popular science magazine for Cambridge. BlueSci will be work of everybody Editor: Helen Stimpson produced termly, and will be distributed free of charge to involved. We would like to the University’s scientific departments and colleges. thank Varsity, whose support Managing Editor: Rachel Mundy Science is endlessly fascinating and diverse, and we hope has made the magazine pos- Business Manager: Eve Williams that the range of content in BlueSci reflects this.We aim to sible, as well as the CUSP promote the understanding and awareness of science and its committee. A very special Submissions Editor: importance within society.We welcome submissions on all thank you must also go to Joanna Maldonado-Saldivia disciplines and related issues. So whether you’re a student at all those who have written the University or a post-doc, you can share your passion for articles for this first edition. Design and Production: science by writing for us. For details of how to submit an Katherine Borthwick,Tom Walters, David Wyatt, Jonathan Zwart article, and of the type of articles we would like to receive, Helen Stimpson & please visit our website, www.bluesci.org.You can also send us Rachel Mundy Section Editors: Cambridge News: Joanna Maldonado-Saldivia However, it isn’t our mis- Events: Louise Woodley sion to turn scientists into From Focus: career journalists, far from it Ewan Smith in fact! We believe that Features: communication should be Joanna Maldonado-Saldivia, CUSP part of any scientific train- Helen Stimpson ing. We want to give our On the Cover: members the skills to com- Jonathan Zwart CUSP,or Cambridge University Science Productions, is a municate science success- A Day in the Life: Cambridge University society dedicated to promoting fully, and to contribute to Nerissa Hannink Away from the Bench and Initiatives: science through the media. CUSP is open to anybody,and the public understanding of Louise Woodley has a large range of members, from first year undergradu- science. The skills learnt at History: ates to post-docs and junior fellows. CUSP are important Edwina Casebow So what does CUSP do? We provide training in science whether you’re intending Arts and Reviews: communication, produce science media, and collaborate to stay in academia, or plan- Owain Vaughan with other groups. In terms of media production we have ning to start out in an alter- Dr Hypothesis: The Science Show (a weekly radio show on CUR1350), native career. Rob Young science films, interviews, video lectures, and of course CUSP: don’t just sit Magazine PR: BlueSci.We offer hands-on workshops for science writing, there, get involved! Jasmine Leonard, Rob Young, Claire Slater audio and video recording and editing, as well as docu- CUSP Chairman: mentary making. Our exciting programme of activities Björn Haßler, Björn Haßler can be found on our website, www.cusp.ucam.org. CUSP Chairman The CUSP Committee [email protected] Varsity Publications Ltd 11/12 Trumpington Street Cambridge, CB2 1QA Tel: 01223 353422 Fax: 01223 352913 www.varsity.co.uk [email protected] BlueSci is published by Varsity Publications Ltd and printed by Cambridge Printing Park. All copyright is the exclusive property of Varsity Publications Ltd. No part of this publication may be repro- Helen Stimpson Rachel Mundy Björn Haßler duced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior permission of the publisher. www.bluesci.org luesci 03 Cambridge News Titanic Stink Stem Cell Centre to Open Comes to Town The Medical Research Council Cambridge News The Titan Arum, giant of the plant (MRC) announced funding of world, enveloped visitors in its rotten £1.5M towards a stem cell research stench as it flowered for the first time centre of excellence at Cambridge. ever at the Cambridge University The MRC Cambridge Centre for Stem Botanic Garden. Cell Biology and Medicine will form the In August, glasshouse staff at the Botanic core of the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Garden noticed a mottled green shoot an interdisciplinary coalition of research pushing through the soil of a gigantic pot teams to address the challenges of stem cell they have been nurturing in the Palm genetics, biology and medicine. The House for over 20 years.This specimen of University has already demonstrated com- a Titan Arum had been dormant since mitment to stem cell research by providing December 2003. Over the last two weeks £10M of its own funding, and by endow- of August, a cream spike called a spadix ing a prestigious professorship. grew up to 1.6 metres and a blood red, Studies will