Hotstopper Awareness

The Hello Internet campaign to raise Hotstopper Awareness has gone to a new level.

All is explained in episode 49 of Hello Internet (from 43'30).

Hotstoppers are small contraptions to block the hole in the lids of take-away coffees (and other hot drinks). They are also known as "splash sticks".

Pic via @mynombreisben

Pic via @mynombreisben

My fellow podcaster CGP Grey has been bemoaning the lack of hotstoppers in many Starbucks outlets in the UK - and he's campaigning to have them available universally.

In true rabble-rousing style, Grey even launched a Twitter campaign to pressure Starbucks UK into action.

But our latest campaign for Hotstopper Awareness is a fundraiser.

We are looking to raise money for the Children's Burn Trust in the UK.

While our podcasting rants are partly for fun, the issue of hot drink spillages is very serious.

On its website, the CBT lists one of its main goals as "working with others to raise awareness of burns and scalds, including prevention campaigns".

It also urges people to "Drink Responsibly", pointing out that a hot drink can still scald a small child 15 minutes after pouring.

Over half of all children hospitalised for burns have been burned by hot drinks, the trust says.

So while Hello Internet may be light-hearted in its calls for hotstoppers, do think seriously about hot drinks, especially when near children.

You can donate to the Children's Burn Trust via this Hello Internet Just Giving Page.

And, as discussed on the podcast, we are auctioning our Reunion Swamphen Fracture (signed by Brady and Grey) with proceeds also going to the trust.

Being auctioned for charity

Being auctioned for charity

Oh, and tell @StarbucksUK about it! :)

Drumming and Science

The latest Sixty Symbols video features Professor Phil Moriarty talking about his passions - physics, mathematics and drumming.

Phil discusses a great recent paper on the topic of drumming.

But perhaps even more exciting, in a second video he reveals plans for his own research project into the topic (well, with help from students).

Read more from Phil about it here.

His research depends of volunteers (maybe you?) contributing drum samples.

Also thanks to Sean Riley for being our last-minute drummer. Sean will be known to many as the man who creates nearly all the Computerphile videos.

Lastly, here is more of Phil being a wannabe rocker from a previous Numberphile video.

The Mace

The Royal Society's Mace is a special object.

It was donated to the society by its first patron, King Charles II, in 1663. Since then the mace has been in the room for almost every important meeting and moment in the society's history.

Even today it sits on a central table at every society meeting, as you'll see in our latest Objectivity video.

It was a great honour to hold the mace myself.

It was also fun to snap some "behind the scenes pictures" during our shoot, with Keith and James.

Objectivity camera/edit man James Hennessy captures the mace.

James and Keith awaiting a chance to film the council meeting.

Love this one... Society executive director Julie Maxted comes to retrieve the mace from Keith. Meanwhile former president Joseph Banks (in portrait) looks on. The mace is in the painting too (see below).

And here is the mace through the ages (reproduced with permission of the Royal Society)...