Looking forward to taking a stroll down Victoria Quarter in city centre to see scientists Florence Bell & William Astbury in Science and Nature section of #trivialpursuitleeds which runs until 30th Aug. Big thanks to Tom Arber, Chapter 81 for taking this photo at the official press launch

Delighted to get wool/DNA story into Science & Nature section for #trivialpursuitleeds & attend official press launch at #LeedsCityMuseum last Friday as part of celebrations of #Leeds400! Well done to everyone involved esp LeedsBID team & a big thanks to Tom Arber @Chapter81 for great photos!

Numerous references to team ‘DNA’ by studio pundits in #BBC coverage of #2026WorldCup Final last night. Swiss scientist Friedrich Miescher who first isolated the stuff in 1869 thanks to some pus soaked old bandages would have been delighted to see his discovery getting this kind of attention!

Great to see flyers for new book 'The Dawn Fisherman' on display at History of Science Society/ European Society for History of Science conference in Edinburgh last week -a massive thanks to editor Frida Trotter for this - and all her unflagging patience and support during the writing process!

What better way to take a coffee break whilst writing about #DNA than with this wonderful #QuentinBlake illustrated mug that I received for Father’s Day. Plenty of room too to add a few other names & faces...such as Friedrich Miescher - due to appear in my new book ‘The Dawn Fisherman’ next month…

@pintofscience.uk A big thanks to all the Leeds @pintofscience team for putting together such a great evening at #TheAttic on Wednesday night - and also for the gift of my #pint26 beer glass - which is already being put to good use…

Should have added that, as Leeds celebrates 400th anniversary this year since being granted its first royal charter, the warm glow of provincial pride that this 1952 Yorkshire Post headline always brings just got a little warmer...#WhatsYour400

Alan Bennett, Kaiser Chiefs, a legendary 1981 Ashes - just a few landmarks for Leeds as the city celebrates #WhatsYour400 & tomorrow eve (20th) I'll be explaining @pintofscience festival #pint26 why an overcoat made from monkeynuts can now be added to this list… pintofscience.co.uk/event/unmask...

Unmasked: Discovering the hidden world of the body through art

See how science and creativity illuminate the unseen: Kersten reveals how ordinary wool fibres and monkeynut coats inspire a new DNA understanding. Kelly g…

pintofscience.co.uk

@astburycentre.bsky.social Will be giving #AstburyCentre a plug this Wed eve (20th) when I'm giving a talk @pintofscience The Attic, Leeds about how fictional scientist Sidney Stratton may have had real life counterpart in Astbury & his monkeynut coat! pintofscience.co.uk/event/unmask...

...then, bike ride home took me past this lesser known landmark of #theOtleyRun' pub crawl- a blue plaque unveiled by Leeds Phil and Lit Society in 2019 to commemorate the very achievement celebrated in that 1952 Yorkshire Post headline!

Spent much of this morning battling with an obstinate digital microfilm reader in the bowels of Brotherton Library, University of Leeds, but well worth the effort to obtain this gem of a headline from 5th Nov 1952 edition of Yorkshire Post and Mercury which brings a warm glow of provincial pride…

Big thanks to organisers @pintofscience #pint26 for invitation to talk about whether, thanks to a monkeynut coat, 1951 Ealing classic ‘Man in the White Suit’ may have had real life counterpart - as well as how Yorkshire wool research helped unravel DNA structure! pintofscience.co.uk/event/unmask...

Unmasked: Discovering the hidden world of the body through art

See how science and creativity illuminate the unseen: Kersten reveals how ordinary wool fibres and monkeynut coats inspire a new DNA understanding. Kelly g…

pintofscience.co.uk

Tomorrow (25th April) is #DNADay - but should it really be celebrated on 26th Feb - date of Swiss scientist F Miescher's excited 1869 letter to his uncle about novel cellular substance he had found in nucleus which he called 'nuclein' but today known as DNA? theconversation.com/our-unsung-h...

Our unsung hero of science: Friedrich Miescher, the man who discovered DNA

Working on human pus in a medieval castle, Miescher discovered a substance that would eventually unlock our understanding of how life works.

theconversation.com

@thednageek.bsky.social Wonder whether DNA Day should really be celebrated on 26 Feb - date of Swiss scientist F Miescher's excited 1869 letter to his uncle about novel cellular substance he had found in nucleus which he called 'nuclein' but today known as DNA? theconversation.com/our-unsung-h... 🙂

Our unsung hero of science: Friedrich Miescher, the man who discovered DNA

Working on human pus in a medieval castle, Miescher discovered a substance that would eventually unlock our understanding of how life works.

theconversation.com

Great to be able to display at #AstburyConv2026 X-ray camera used for early work on DNA structure. A fascinating two days - having not used a Gilson pipette since 2005, was gripped by talks on programmable cells, self-organising structures & synthetic protocells. @astburycentre.bsky.social

A big thanks to organisers of #AstburyConv2026 for invitation to talk about William Astbury & why molecular origami used to weave his overcoat from peanut proteins may well have been one of the first examples of the conference’s theme - ‘Designing Biology’. Congratulations on a great two days!

Delighted to have had opportunity recently to give a talk to 6th form at my son’s school not, for a change, about forgotten scientists but instead about a forgotten corner of modern Europe & why its stories may still matter to us. Even more delighted that they kindly gave me impromptu promotion!

Spotted this while waiting to change trains at Peterborough station recently & was prompted to post it after finishing series 2 of ‘Shrinking’ on AppleTV over Easter weekend. If you’ve seen the show, you’ll know what I mean - & well done to Steve, whoever you may be, for reminding us of this.

@girtoncollege.bsky.social 'The Eagle' in Cambridge has Watson & Crick, but delighted 'The Golden Beam' Headingley, Leeds now has Girton alumnus & physicist Florence Bell on their wall who, whilst working in Dept. of Textiles here in 1938, first showed X-rays could be used to reveal DNA structure!

@astburycentre.bsky.social If delegates to #AstburyConvo26 feel they need a break to take in some liquid refreshment & the historical roots of structural biology, then why not stroll up to ‘Golden Beam’ where Astbury’s fellow pioneer of X-ray methods in biology, Florence Bell now hangs on wall!!!

And resulted this week in me making what must surely be the first ever #DNA themed pub crawl - visiting both 'The Eagle' in Cambridge where Watson & Crick used to meet...and now Golden Beam in Headingley, Leeds - city where in 1938 Bell 1st showed that X-rays could be used to reveal DNA structure.

The print was based on a photo kindly provided by Mr Chris Sawyer, & made as a mosaic of tiny images from scientific papers by artist & staff member Kristina Keller & kindly sent to me by Sarah Moorehead @hhmijanelia.bsky.social. R Franklin may have a Mars Rover, but great to see Bell at the Beam!

A big thanks to manager Chris of The Golden Beam @wetherspoonspub.bsky.social in Headingley, Leeds for taking up my suggestion to hang portrait of DNA scientist Florence Bell alongside other distinguished former residents such as #JRRTolkien, #AlanBennett, as well as fair few cricketing legends...

What happens when, thanks to AI & synthetic biology, life becomes programmable? Speaking at 6pm GMT this eve to the Royal Society of Arts, Prof. @adrianwoolfson.bsky.social , author of 'On the Future of Species' offers an answer...v much looking forward to this - www.thersa.org/events/2026/...

Adrian Woolfson: on the future of species

Adrian Woolfson and Helen Czerski engage in a thought-provoking conversation on AI and synthetic biology at The RSA.

thersa.org

Big thanks to @adrianwoolfson.bsky.social for invitation to attend great launch event this week at Daunt’s bookshop, London for his new book ‘On the Future of Species’. Held on 11th Feb for Darwin’s birthday event was also mini Leeds HPS outing thanks to my colleagues Lizzie Schulz & Greg Radick!

With new book 'The Dawn Fisherman' out soon, delighted to have explained with co-author Ralf Dahm to @meganwollerton.bsky.social at National Geographic how pus, old bandages (& later, salmon gonads!) led to discovery of DNA in freezing cold castle kitchen! www.nationalgeographic.com/history/arti...

The discovery of DNA started with this overlooked scientist

In 1869, Swiss scientist Friedrich Miescher isolated a mysterious substance from cell nuclei—an overlooked finding that would later reshape biology and our understanding of life itself.

nationalgeographic.com

Staying on theme of #DesigningBiology have just enjoyed listening to @adrianwoolfson.bsky.social discuss his new book ‘The Future of Species’ on Radio 4 Start the Week - very much looking forward to going along to London launch event for this in a couple of weeks’ time! www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Start the Week - Biology, technology and the future - BBC Sounds

Adam Rutherford asks what it might mean if we can build human bodies and minds.

bbc.co.uk

Perfect timing! With #DesigningBiology as theme of #AstburyConvo26 @astburycentre.bsky.social have just written piece for @sciencehistory.org about molecular origami behind Astbury’s monkeynut coat as v early (albeit crude) example of redesigning biomolecules. www.sciencehistory.org/education/sc...

William Astbury

A pioneer in the field of molecular biology, Astbury used X-ray crystallography to study molecular structures within living organisms.

sciencehistory.org

A hearty round of applause to Canadian PM #MarkCarney for this speech. Reassuring to know that there is at least still one grown-up in the room. www.facebook.com/maninthemonk...

KT Hall

A round of applause from me to Canadian PM Mark Carney for this. Reassuring to know that there is still at least one grown-up in the room.

facebook.com

Christmas may be behind us but am very much enjoying one gift in particular that I received this year - new biog of Francis Crick by @matthewcobb.bsky.social Heard there may be new film adaptation of hit stage play 'Photo 51’ on the way - if so, scriptwriters would do well to read this book…