Latest News

September 17 2018
It’s now been about two weeks since our new blog network launched so if you haven’t had a chance to dip in yet, there’s a bit to catch up on!

Dr Dean Burnett’s Brain Yapping blog has had three posts looking at how emojis might save the world, why it’s fine to enjoy your smartphoneand how the teenage brain is capable of love. Dr Helen Czerski’s Arctic research mission continues and as she enters into the home stretch, she’s made a surprising discovery about life on the ice. Professor Jon Butterworth has begun his Postcards from the Energy Frontier blog with two posts celebrating the 10 year anniversary of the LHC being switched on, and looking into a new measurement at CERN that gives new insight into antimatter in interstellar space.

Dr Pete Etchells’ Lost in a Good Game blog kicked off with a discussion about how video games might be dying. Dr Brenna Hassett launched Dirty Science with a look at DNA and the people who dig while Ginny Smith began An Inquiring Mind with a look into the notion of fear after an encounter with some friendly bats. And in the Notes In the Guestbook blog, which will be hosting guests posts, Shambles producer Trent Burtonwelcomed everyone to the new blog network then looked at the must read books Book Shambles listeners haven’t actually read. And finally, none other than Commander Chris Hadfield discussed the need for exploration and humankind’s expansion into space.

There’s plenty more to come too as well as regular updates from those blogs that’ve already begun. And don’t forget to read the intro post to find out how you can pitch a blog to us and maybe get commissioned. 

Robin Ince has decided his house might collapse under the weight of books so he’s getting rid of, painfully, 1000 books. We made a video about the process which you can watch here. There’s a much longer version of this available for Patreon supporters pledging at the Behind the Scenes level too. We ran a competition to give some away on Twitter and we’ll be giving away more to Book Shambles listeners so make sure you tune in each week. Our first two episodes recorded live at the Edinburgh Fringe have been released now featuring Alex Edelman & Jen Brister and Kiri Pritchard-McLean & George Egg.

Thanks to everyone who came along to our live show at the London Podcast Festival too. Josie Long returned to co-hosting duties with Robin and we had a great conversation with our guests Professor Mark Miodownik and Dr Kevin Fong. The episode will be out soon. 

We’ve got four live Book Shambles recordings coming up soon as well, with three outside of London. This means Robin will be hosting solo but we’ve got some brilliant guests lined up for those. We’ll be at the Ilkley Literature Festival on October 6th with special guest Jeremy Dyson, co-creator and co-writer of Ghost Stories and The League of Gentlemen.October 13th we’ll be at the QED Conference in Manchester with very special guest, pioneering aviator and member of Mercury 13, Wally Funk and her biographer Sue Nelson. Then on October 22nd we’re back in Manchester at the Manchester Science Festival with Professors Sophie Scott and Charles Fernyhough in the guest chairs. But first, at Waterstones Gower St in London, Robin will be chatting about his new book with Josie on October 2nd. Tickets for Waterstones, Ilkey and Manchester are in the links, but the QED Event is already sold out. Check the site for returns.

We’ll also be hosting a Space Shambles Quiz at QED on October 12th. Tickets for that event are still available though. Registration for that is open now and is free!

We’re celebrating the launch of Robin Ince’s new book, I’m a Joke and So Are You on November 1st with Robin and some very special guests including Josie Long, Grace Petrie and Philippa Perry plus another to be announced very soon. It’s a psychological variety night of stand up, music and conversation. Tickets are available now from Cosmic Shambles and Kings Place. 

And of course, Nine Lessons returns this year for four nights of chaos with confirmed guests already including Dr Karl, Dr Helen Czerski, Matt Parker, Prof Lucie Green, Philip Ball, Dr Adam Rutherford, Dr Hannah Fry and LOADS more.

Thanks for reading, thanks for the support and we hope you enjoy the new blog platform. Let us know what you think on our Facebook, TwitterYouTube and Patreon pages.

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