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Anthias Consulting attended the busy Lab Innovations 2017 at the NEC in Birmingham in November. It was great to meet up with customers, old and new and to renew contacts face to face again. Meeting our partners JSB and seeing their stand buzzing with interest, we were fascinated in the cocktail-making lab instrumentation! Thank you to all those we meet with, we look forward to working with you all in either consultancy or on our GC, GC-MS, HPLC, LC-MS, ICP & ICP-MS training courses.
While at the show we enjoyed author, broadcaster and scientist, Adam Rutherford presenting, at the Royal Society of Chemistry Theatre. To a packed crowd, he described his work in films providing scientific advice to directors who want to portray science with greater authenticity. Adam described his contribution to films, how he has filled black boards with relevant science equations and diagrams for film sets, how despite his best efforts sometimes his contribution landed on the cutting room floor, but also the time when he has actually appeared in the film, well, his gloved hand has!
Adam reminded the audience that 'doing' science remains to many a mysterious occupation; while teaching actors to pipette for a scene he was asked what was going through his mind as he pipettes; it seems amusing, but as scientist we sometimes forget how mysterious elements of our work appear to the general public. While some in the audience admitted that they find some "science based" TV programming hard to watch because the lab scenes and science jars so much, but films are for entertainment, so artistic license is employed to lesser or greater degrees. The most infamous example cited was from the film "2012" when a scientist is heard to declare that "…the neutrinos have mutated!".
Amongst various bug-bears, Adam admitted his pet hate is for the representation of DNA by left-handed helices but, as he pointed out, he is not immune himself; he was filmed making reference to an animated virtual DNA model for TV, it was only when the programme aired that he saw a left-handed helix had been added.
Adam wrapped up saying that the likes of Hollywood can play a part in changing people's perception of science, it must be remembered that despite the fact that many of today's global challenges can be solved by science, society has yet to choose to solve many of them; science in itself is only part of the solution.
If you want to make a difference and be part of the solution, invest in your career by attending one of Anthias Consulting's many courses; for training with a strong practical and application focus. The majority of Anthias Consulting’s training courses are approved by the Royal Society of Chemistry for purposes of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) so not only can you be sure of the quality of the content and delivery, but courses contribute to your formal professional development.
Karen Lee from Anthias Consulting meets Adam Rutherford