purplecthulhu

Returning the favour?

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 14:35:20 GMT

For a while now my partner AC has been leaving food out in the garden for a rather handsome grey and white cat (we're now calling him Du'Cat as he's clearly part of the Grey Council). He's quite aloof and won't let anybody near him, but is otherwise in good condition.

This morning it seems he returned the favour by supplying us with a cat offering - a dead rat outside the back door.

It's one less rat, which is a good thing, but not what you want to see just before breakfast.

Meanwhile, the torn muscle in my leg is healing up. Not fix yet but definitely improving.

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Ouch!

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 16:59:26 GMT

So I reached over and twisted as I was making the bend only to feel what felt like something heavy fall onto my calf muscle. I looked round (after swearing) to see nothingon the floor, but my leg still hurt.

Looks like I've torn a muscle.

Am now hobbling around the house and trying to ice and raise the affected part. Very annoying!

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The Science for Fiction Podcast

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 16:46:18 GMT

I have committed a podcast...

This is a follow on to the series of Science for Fiction events I ran in real space pre-covid. Since I don't regard such meetings as safe any more we have now moved S4F into cyberspace.

In the first episode I interview Prof Andrew Jaffe about his new book The Random Universe, and we cover everything from cosmology to how science works to the meaning of quantum mechanics.

You can find the podcast here:

https://apple.co/44A5GIg

and on other services.

Let me know what you think!

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Sad

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 15:53:19 GMT

My partner A's mum has just passed away. She had been unwell for the last month or so, but things came to a head yesterday when A and their brother did a dash to the hospital in Hereford. I'm back in Brum looking after the house & cats.

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Making stars like Christmas puds

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 19:30:44 GMT

Prompted by a (now past) PhD student saying 'I'd like to do some polarisation observations with the SMA', we ended up with some rather interesting results which are reported today in a press release by the Royal Astronomical Society:

https://ras.ac.uk/news-and-press/research-highlights/clever-trick-cook-stars-christmas-puds-detected-first-time

I'm not sure if the analogy of a magnetic field holding gas together against the expansion pressure of hot young stars acting like the weights on a pressure cooker is that good, but it earned us a spot in the Christmas season press briefings.

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Sad day - RIP Stan

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 11:11:20 GMT

Another empty cat box back from the vet day.

That's 3 cats we've lost in less than 12 months :-(

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Sad day

Sat, 29 Jun 2024 09:39:50 GMT

Today is going to an empty cat basket back from the vet's day. A and G are distraught.

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Coring Apples

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 20:43:45 GMT

A lot of today has been spent delving into the innards of dead and very old MacBook Pros. The aim is to retrieve what I can from the hard drives of these machines before they go to be recycled.

I've not done much delving inside such machines before, beyond adding RAM and changing batteries which was all done through the easily accessible hatches. To get at the hard drive in one, and the RAM in both of the machines I was working on, meant I had to consult IFixIt for instructions.

It actually all went very well, and I have to commend IFixIt on the quality of their instructions. The fiddlyness of the machines innards benefitted from a magnifying glass at times, especially given my crap eyes.

One of the drives, sadly, seems dead - it takes power but won't spin - but I think all I was after was on the other drive, copied across from the other, even older, machine.

RAM boards also recovered for the spares box, if they're ever needed.

These machines can now be safely sent for recycling.

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Writing again?

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 12:17:50 GMT

The pandemic has not been good for my writing - at least fiction writing. I have completed a couple of non-fiction projects during the pandemic, both related to Venus phosphine, and both leading to published paid for pieces, and of course I'm still writing scientific papers. But my fiction writing has suffered.

I completed one piece earlier this year (a slightly fantastical London story tied to London's history) which immediately bounced from Interzone, but that's about it in terms of new material for the last several years, though I have occasionally been editing older, unpublished pieces.

But today I've started something new, and trying to use a new style or story telling which I've often admired but never actually tried before. This is the Dos Pasos style used for example by Brunner and Haldeman that mixes conventional narrative with documentary notes, quotes, transcripts etc. to build the story and background.

No idea how this is going to go but it felt good to start exercising writer brain again.

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Pip! RIP

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 17:04:00 GMT

Our wobbly cat Pip! has passed on. She was with us for 12 years, and was 3 when she came to us from a shelter. Her back legs never quite worked properly but that did not slow her down. Far from it - she taught us lots about determination, never giving up, and being grumpy, but also about enjoying the sunniest spots. Struck down in the end by antibiotic resistant UT/kidney infection.

We'll miss you lots.

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Interzone - no sale

Sun, 26 Nov 2023 01:37:07 GMT

After a fairly long (pandemic related) delay, I've started submitting fiction again.

I've submitted the current novel to several agents and yesterday submitted a short story to Interzone.

I can't fault Interzone on their response time - the no sale email arrived this morning :-(

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An Interesting Afternoon

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 13:44:41 GMT

This afternoon (UK time, morning EST) I'll be speaking at, and participating in, a discussion about an addition to NASA's Venus DAVINCI probe's sensor suite. I'll be arguing that this should be an additional channel to trace phosphine, PH3, levels in the atmosphere. Other molecules that are up for discussion include ammonia, NH3 (like phosphine a possible biomarker), as well as HCl, HF and some oxygen isotopes, which are more related to tectonic activity and chemical activity.

It's weird for me as an extragalactic astronomer to be doing this, but that's where research sometimes takes you.

It's also weird because this may have an impact on if, and when, humanity could find out that there is life elsewhere in the universe since, while there are other possible explanations for our discovery of phosphine in the atmosphere of Venus, the astrobiology one is by far the most interesting.

Sometimes I feel as if I've become a character in an SF novel.

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Scary moment...

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 14:27:14 GMT

Have just sent off the current version of the Work in Progress to Gollancz's open unagented call for SF/Fantasy novels.

Came close the last time I did this with Angry Robot, though that seemed to descend into chaos with their huge restructuring.

While I know writing doesn't pay the bills very well, the state of academia in the UK at the moment leaves me yearning for a viable side-gig.

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The Great Twitter Resignation

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 09:58:38 GMT

With Musk about to absorb Twitter it looks like there is going to be a great migration away from the annoying bird, but where to?

I'm not sure how many people's reading lists I'm still on here, but any of you who have comments on where to go please let me know.

The great advantage of twitter was its reach - while 280 characters is shallow, the large membership and open access meant that one could reach many people. This isn't something that applies here.

I'm beginning to think that social media platforms have a lifespan of about 10 years. I started off with newsnet back in the mid-to-late 80s, moved to LJ in the late-90s, early 2000s, and then largely shifted to twitter in the 2010s.

Now that Musk has come to shit all over twitter it looks like time is up on the latest platform.

Anyway, hello to anybody who has missed me here!

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Book diary 2017: the story so far

Mon, 07 Aug 2017 10:11:34 GMT

The Age of Scorpio, by Gavin Smith

Ultraviolent space opera with storylines over three epochs including apocalypses in the iron age, the rough present and the far future. A mixed bag - seemed almost formulaically killing off viewpoint characters at first but also oddly compelling. Not sure it was compelling enough to get the next 2 volumes though.

Moskva, by Jack Grimwoord (or John Courtenay Grimwood as he's known in SF circles)

Nice cold war thriller, well told and well written. Interesting to see JCG working in a different genre. He does it well!

Infidel, by Kameron Hurley

Sequel to God's War, with the Belle Dames seizing control and Nyx fighting back. Lots more insect action in this weird but fascinating world.

Who Killed Sherlock Holmes?, by Paul Cornell

The most recent Shadow Police novel. Paul's take on London and the magic and history that surrounds it continues to develop very nicely, and the aftermath of what our heroes did in the last novel has many effects. These are not cardboard cutout coppers but people who have real problems with the strange new world of crime they find themselves in. Hopefully there's another coming soon!

Waking Hell, by Al Robertson

Sequel to the excellent Crashing Heaven, and a return visit to Station. Lots more development of the fascinating future history Al has mapped out, with the aftermath of the last novel still playing out and the addition of some very nasty new adversaries. We also find out a bit about what happened to Earth, and it's not very nice. Happy to say I provided some inspiration for some bits of this. Not sure I can forgive Al for the Kneale Pits though :-)

Eidolon, by Libby McGuigan

Got this in a BSFA raffle and a nice short read it is. Slightly reminiscent of Einstein's Bridge in that a strong plot element is the need to stop a major particle physics experiment (in this case the LHC), but with rather more mystical and conspiracy elements as well.

Going Back, by Juliet Kemp

Writing group read of a members draft novel. Developing nicely, but other than that my lips are sealed.

Into Everywhere, by Paul MacAuley

Second (last?) Jackaroo novel, in which we learn a lot more about what's going on and see more of the very weird stuff Paul has developed for it. Really good mind expanding stuff.

Predictably Irrational, by Dan Ariely

Secret Santa present from work. Not a lot new to me here but some interesting demonstrations that we are not as rational as we like to think we are, and how various groups, from business to politics, use that to manipulate us. The writer has an interesting MO where he has an idea for something, then experiments on students to see if he's right.

The Fifth Season, by N K Jemisin

I can see why this won the Hugo last year - really good fantasy world with rounded characters, believable rivalries, and some really nasty goings on. The world here is quite unpleasantly hostile in many ways, especially to our lead character.

Revenger, by Alastair Reynolds

Hard SF Space Opera! Space Pirates! Space sailing! Mysterious technologies and swashbuckling heroines! Great fun and highly recommended.

The Hanging Tree, by Ben Aaronovitch

The latest Rivers of London book, and we head back into the core narrative after a trip to the country. This time we're in the high class part of London, which means a lot of visits to Knightsbrige and Mayfair. I can see Ben has the same opinion of 1 Knightsbridge as I do. Great fun.

Aurora, by Kim Stanley Robinson

KSR's take on generation colony ships, resulting in a story that is almost as optimistic as something by Peter Watts, but also realistic, human and believable. Will set the agenda for discussion of colony ships for years to come.

Killing Titan, by Greg Bear

Sequel to War Dogs that, despite it's title, spends a lot of its time just getting to Titan where, presumably, the third novel will provide the finale. A bit of a between book, but still enjoyable and with some interesting weirdness thrown in. The simple us vs. them of book one is eroding to something much more interesting and complex, with interesting similarities between Bear's Gurus and MacAuley's Jackaroo.

Empire Games, by Charles Stross

Merchant Princes the Next Generation starts well, though the real world is trying hard to be as nasty as Stross' surveillance state.

The Corporation Wars: Insurgence, by Ken Macleod

Another Volume 2, and with some of the usual problems. We get to see more of the Acceleration here and again the good vs. bad between Axe and Rac of volume one breaks down into something more complex. Looking forward to vol 3 to see where this is going.

Luna: Wolf Moon, by Ian McDonald

Another volume 2, but I felt this pulled it off very well. The dynastic war between the Moon's five families continues, but with a new and frightening player entering the game - Earth. Very definitely recommended.

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Cycling Diary: Day 138

Tue, 25 Jul 2017 21:06:20 GMT

Time in: 48 mins (34 cycling). Time back: 48:30 mins (36 cycling). 722 calories.

Still not up to full stamina yet, but I was pleased that a week of drinking beer in Bavaria hadn't set me back.

The junction heading north into Hyde Park from Exhibition Road continues to be a mystery. It is completely unclear to me how it is meant to work for cyclists. Are we meant to cut across traffic to reach the cycle lane, or gum up the pedestrian crossing, awaiting the crossing to go green so we can cross halted traffic and reach the cycle lane?

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Going back to Garching

Tue, 18 Jul 2017 10:18:20 GMT

I'm currently at a conference at the European Southern Observatory in Garching, near Munich. I lived and worked here for 2 years in the mid-90s and the last time I visited was in 2012.

It's nice to be back. I'm pleasantly reminded what a quiet, sleepy little town Garching is, and this makes a great contrast to London. ESO itself has also bloomed with 3 huge new buildings, a lovely new auditorium that we're using, and a new outreach centre, Supernova, currently being constructed.

The sun and the beer also help!

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Thwump!

Thu, 13 Jul 2017 22:15:10 GMT

Io story submitted to Apex.

God war story submitted to Deep Magic (after rewording of one profanity).

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Cycling Diary: Day 138

Thu, 13 Jul 2017 22:03:59 GMT

Time in 52:30 (35:30 cycling), time back 53:00 (36:30 cycling), 679 Calories.

Hard work being back in the saddle - definitely some condition lost over the long period off. Some changes on the route - there's a hole where a building used to be - but mostly not so bad. The junction at the top of Exhibition Road is still a mystery for cyclists. Whoever thought that was a good idea must have never ridden a bike in London.

A little sore now.

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Phish Phinding

Tue, 30 May 2017 15:40:56 GMT

It's so usefule that phishers are so bad at spelling and grammar that it makes their attempts to tempt you to click and activate trojans or to send your identity and credit card details are so easy to spot.

The most recent (3 copies of this identical email received in a week) started out:

Reversed Customer

But this does get me wondering what a 'reversed customer' would be. Does this mean they want to send me money?

Answers on a postcard...

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Respect!

Thu, 25 May 2017 16:29:57 GMT

When Trump tried to hold the Pope's hand...

http://boingboing.net/2017/05/25/pope-francis-doesnt-want-to.html

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Thwump (academic)

Wed, 24 May 2017 13:06:15 GMT

I usually refrain from THWUMP posts for academic writing, partly because I end up as a coauthor on lots of papers thanks to huge Planck and Herschel collaborations, but also because this is my day job and I don't get paid by the publishers of papers (sometimes quite the opposite in fact).

However, if you define a thwump post as being for paid writing I can now do one for an academic paper...

Back in January I was quite unexpectedly invited to submit a paper titled 'An Introduction to the Planck Mission' for a journal published by the IoP that is aimed at late stage students and general physicists.

They wanted about 20 pages of writing providing an introduction to Planck and its science by the end of May. It would then be refereed and, if accepted, published.

And if I could do this all to schedule they'd pay me 600 quid!

I didn't know such things could happen and, needless to say, have got the article in on time.

I'll reveal the journal's name and let you know where to get hold of the paper as an online preprint once it's accepted.

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A very Delta Green movie

Wed, 24 May 2017 08:42:01 GMT

Got pointed to this from the DG mailing list:

Alien Raiders:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuSyP2AV5yY&feature=youtu.be

A pretty good rendition of what happens when a night at the opera goes south, and a pretty good, claustrophobic sf/horror movie.

I know at lrast one person reading here might be interested.

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Tory U-turn - not exactly strong & stable

Mon, 22 May 2017 12:37:41 GMT

A few days after their big social care plans in the manifesto we're hearing the screeching of brakes as a massive U-turn takes place.

All the result of the massive OAP Tory block vote seeing their nest eggs disappearing into the profit lines of future privatised social care megacorps (presumably owned and directed by Tory future ministers).

Pandering to vested interests is not the 'strong and stable' that May's mantra would predict.

Don't you think she looks tired?

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On Skye!

Sat, 29 Apr 2017 10:06:46 GMT

This is a good thing, despite a 2 hour delay on the sleeper.

Oh dear - am I now posting tweets to dreamwidth?

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