Friday 12 June 2015

Distractingly Sexy Science?


Attentive readers may have noticed that there have not been many Bouncing Bertie Boffin posts recently. In fact, some might have concluded I have rather lost interest in scientific matters. Please be reassured that this could not be further from the truth!

However, I will admit I have of late been been remiss in my duties as Scientific Advisor to Blogville, and a news story this week suggests a reason for this.

It is - I kid you not - because I have the misfortune to share my life with a female scientist (albeit one of a different species).

Yes really! It totally must be true because the very famous Nobel prize winner Tim Hunt has said as much. More precisely, this professor of biochemistry from University College London, one of our most elite institutions of Higher Education, opined a few days ago that male scientists should not work alongside female scientists because the latter are a distraction. To quote Prof Hunt verbatim: "Let me tell you about my trouble with girls … three things happen when they are in the lab …You fall in love with them, they fall in love with you and when you criticise them, they cry."

So that must be it. Therein lies my productivity gap. As for sure I love Gail and she loves me. And it is true too that she dislikes being criticised although I will concede her reaction does not normally involve tears, at least not that I have noticed.

Oh. And now Gail is criticising me for writing "utter twaddle".

She also tells me that female scientists are using 'Twitter' to take humorous revenge on the hapless Mr Hunt by posting distinctly unalluring photos of themselves conducting their lab or fieldwork under the hashtag #distractinglysexy.

Hmmm. So Gail has gone upstairs in search of a photo from one of her old albums, to contribute to the 'debate'.

Meanwhile, I shall try to focus my thoughts on some new science posts to sex up your summer...

19 comments:

  1. well we know if you were in the lab - everyone would simply fall madly in love with you - you are after all the cutest WHT there is :)

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  2. Sex up our summer? Wow, you got our attention now!

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

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  3. MOL MOL MOL when Mom first started working in Physics it was a man's world...and boy did the men complain about the lack of gals in the labs. Some even went so far as to take unnecessary classes just to meet girls. When Mom Retired in 2011 there were as many gals in Physics and guys.
    Hugs madi your bfff

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  4. I wonder what made me fink this was going to be a post about Prof Brian Cox????
    Loves and licky kisses
    Princess Leah xxx

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  5. Hari OM
    Blimey Bertie, who'd've thunk it??? Not only gender, but cross-species distraction! Leave it to the bird... Hugs and wags, YAM-aunty xxx

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  6. Being the gentleman you are Bertie, I'm sure that you suggested to Gail that her trip upstairs will be in vain. Surely no such un alluring photo exists? No, perhaps not - laying it on a bit thick.

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  7. Now WHY do you suppose we thing that there will SOON be a VACANCY sign on that guy's Door?

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  8. PS: Bertie, tell Gail that she totally MUST find that picture to add to the Twitter feed. SHEESH!!

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  9. We think Tim Hunt is the one with the problem. Why can't he keep his mind on science?

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  10. My dad said Prof. Hunt (the name probably means what it says LOL) is right... it's the same here with that girl named mom... but please don't tell her :o)
    easy rider

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  11. I suppose you must be right, it's all Gail's fault! I think we should all go bite that silly professor on our mommas' behalf. What a maroon!

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  12. BOL, I guess dat are a different kinda chemistry . . .

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  13. We were hoping you would blog about this, Bertie! And we demand some sexy female scientist photos!

    Wag on,
    Love your doggy godmother,
    Tootsie

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  14. Bertie - 'Hapless' is perhaps not the word best used to describe Mr.Hunt.

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  15. Howdy Bertie. Silly fella, he'll be the one crying now after remarks like that. No worries and love Stella and Rory

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  16. I've been following this story and white is like to give this so called scientist a swift kick in the rear the response has been hilarious. I look forward to sexed up science posts. I might not be a scientist but I do have a thing for them. I had a childhood crush on mr Spock and then I married a scientist a biochemist at that
    Retro rover

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  17. Well we see Gail has yet to post on that site! Tell her she must get her picture up. What a chauvinist ~ why how could he be a biochemist from University College London with such few brain cells. Chemistry is not all about observing any reactions and recording the result. Its about knowing why they are able to react like that.
    What made him act like that. He has a small one.
    Thanks for being a friend
    Sweet William The Scot

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