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Irish Times
12-06-2025
- Science
- Irish Times
Inside the Stargazer's Palace by Violet Moller: A front seat at the birth of science
Inside the Stargazer's Palace: The Transformation of Science in 16th-Century Northern Europe Author : Violet Moller ISBN-13 : 978-0861547524 Publisher : Oneworld Guideline Price : £25 On the Danish island of Hven, Tycho Brahe used to sit in his palace tower, studying the night sky with his sextant. The wooden roof panels could be removed to expose the heavens. Brahe would sit watching stars and comets, surrounded by cross-staffs and astrolabes. Across the sea at his home by the Thames, John Dee was scribbling down astronomical observations and weather patterns in a vast library containing thousands of books on every topic from Kabbala to botany to metallurgy. A history of early science in northern Europe doesn't sound like the most glamorous of topics. But Violet Moller brings this overlooked story to life in Inside the Stargazer's Palace, a fascinating account of how scientific activity 'proliferated and flourished in the northern parts of Europe' during the 16th century. There is no Italian Renaissance here, no elegant frescoes or marble statues. Instead we glimpse inside glittering observatories and ramshackle laboratories to better understand how science was first formed. As an independent academic with a PhD in 16th-century intellectual history, Moller is a capable guide. In 2019 she published The Map of Knowledge, a historical account of how the ideas of Euclid, Galen and Ptolemy spread across Europe and the Islamic world. Following critical acclaim, Moller continues her study of scientific history with Inside the Stargazer's Palace, a rich and engaging examination of where early scientific activity occurred and the context in which it flourished. The work of Francis Bacon and René Descartes 'didn't fall out of the sky'. Before the traditional 'birth' of science in the 17th century, scientific endeavour was germinating in the 1500s. Craftsmen forged clocks and globes, anatomists reconstructed skeletons, alchemists studied minerals. And as the title suggests, astronomers fixed their gaze to the stars, using ever more precise instruments to chart the movements of the night sky. READ MORE Moller's approach to telling this story is highly deliberate. Her chapters are divided by places, rather than names, in order to 'draw a broader picture' that examines not only well-known individuals such as Brahe and Dee, but also 'the wider culture in which they operated'. Places such as Kassel and Hven will be less familiar to readers who associate 16th-century culture with Venice and Rome. But we are left under no illusions as to their historical importance. Kassel, for example, was a thriving German fortress city. It became home to Wilhelm IV's pioneering astronomical instruments, including his torquetums, brass quadrants and even an intricately engraved Wilhlemsuhr ('Wilhelm's clock'). Kassel became a centre of scientific learning that attracted scholars from across Europe. Moller uses astronomy to link together these centres of knowledge. In the 16th century, astronomy was 'the most prestigious of the mathematical disciplines'. Inside the Stargazer's Palace uses astronomy as a starting point to describe innovations across the sciences, from globe-making to Gemma Frisius's technique of triangulation (a survey method still used today). Astronomy also highlights the polymathy of the time, defined by a curious blend of science and superstition. The same scholars who carried out rigorous astronomical observations might also use astrology to predict pregnancies or find missing necklaces. But this is not a story defined by academia. Moller emphasises the intrinsic relationship between science and commerce. Hardworking craftspeople directly enabled the work of stargazers and anatomists. Workshops built instruments such as bronze spheres, giving scholars access to accurate materials for use in their research. Academics even learned how to build their own instruments and sell them on. In Louvain, Frisius was both a professor of medicine and the owner of a thriving workshop. This was helpful at a time when independent scholars relied on patronage from wealthy monarchs. Instrument-making became a 16th-century 'side hustle'. Amid this excitement, the violence of religious persecution is never far from Moller's history. Northern Europe was severely affected by the Reformation. Official religions could change overnight when a monarch died. Gerard Mercator, a renowned cartographer, fled his Louvain workshop when Charles V arrested 'suspicious people' accused of heresy. Mercator was imprisoned and narrowly escaped death. Such practical concerns severely impacted the scientific work of Mercator and others, but new discoveries had more profound implications too. In 1572 a new star appeared in the constellation of Cassiopeia. This event sparked a frenzy. Why? In the 1500s, most people believed that the stars were part of 'a perfect, unchanging heavenly realm'. The 1572 star led many to seriously question a reality that was grounded in Christian thought. These discoveries form part of a kaleidoscopic history that prioritises places and material history. Moller's vivid descriptions of smoky laboratories and bustling workshops are enlivening. Delightful passages abound, such as the anecdote about John Dee's manuscripts being used to wrap pies 'and other like uses'. The reader is immersed in the world of 16th-century scientific revolution. Inside the Stargazer's Palace invites us inside the observatory to see the formation of science for ourselves.
Geek Girl Authority
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
Sneak A Peek at THE LIBRARIANS: THE NEXT CHAPTER "And the Memory Crystal"
Are you hooked on The Librarians: The Next Chapter yet? We're only four episodes into the inaugural season, and our rag-tag found family of magic herders has already redeemed a drekavac, defeated a witch, solved a ghost story, and brought Cupid out of retirement. Talk about keeping busy. Next up is 'And the Memory Crystal,' and we've got a sneak peek clip for you! RELATED: Read our recaps of The Librarians: The Next Chapter For those of you not yet on this supernatural party wagon, The Librarians: The Next Chapter is the sequel series to The Librarians series, which spun off from the three The Librarian films starring Noah Wyle. In The Librarians: The Next Chapter, Vikram Chamberlain (Callum McGowan), a Librarian from 1847, inadvertently releases magic across the European continent in 2025 when he attempts to return to his own time. Banded together with a historian, a scientist, and a Guardian, he has six months to fix it. Photograph by Aleksandar Letic The Librarians: The Next Chapter, 'And the Memory Crystal' As teased by the TNT website, in the next adventure, ' the team goes to a college campus with a world-class observatory to discover who is using the Crystal of Dr. John Dee to steal people's memories, in order to own the future.' And — because who doesn't love a deep dive? — Here's the scoop on John Dee's Crystal: John Dee served as Queen Elizabeth I's court astronomer and alchemist. On his advice, England established colonies throughout the New World. He had one of the largest libraries in England (fittingly) and, like Connor (Bluey Robinson), left his comfortable court position to dig deeper into the occult and supernatural. He claimed the angel Uriel gave him his crystal in 1582 and used it for curing diseases, seeing the future, and spiritual communication. RELATED: Dean Devlin Dishes on The Librarians: The Next Chapter 's Magical Homecoming John Dee's story ends tragically, dying alone and impoverished, denied a return to court when James I succeeded Elizabeth I. His burial site is unknown. However, John Dee's Crystal currently resides in the Science Museum Group Collection in London. The Value of Memory In the sneak peek clip below, Vikram gets on a righteous soapbox about what he sees as the modern world's greatest failing — people's dependence on technology. Lysa (Olivia Morris) triggers the tirade by discounting the worth of memories. She postulates that they take up cognitive space in the brain that could be better utilized for something productive. Vikram scolds her, Connor, Charlie (Jessica Green), and all their contemporaries for giving away their humanity to the machines. 'No need to think, to know, to remember ANYTHING!' he chastises, shaking her cell phone at them. RELATED: Olivia Morris Shares How The Librarians: The Next Chapter Hooked Her From Page One He predicts technology will consume everything humankind has ever created. Eventually, it'll even take over human emotions. It's a grand, rousing speech, but it is immediately undercut by a passing student's description of his memory loss. The condition is spreading, and that can't be good. The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 1 Episode 5, 'And the Memory Crystal,' airs on TNT on Monday, June 16 at 9 pm ET . On Location: The Belgrade Fortress on TNT's THE LIBRARIANS: THE NEXT CHAPTER Diana lives in Vancouver, BC, Canada, where she invests her time and energy in teaching, writing, parenting, and indulging her love of all Trek and a myriad of other fandoms. She is a lifelong fan of smart sci-fi and fantasy media, an upstanding citizen of the United Federation of Planets, and a supporter of AFC Richmond 'til she dies. Her guilty pleasures include female-led procedurals, old-school sitcoms, and Bluey. She teaches, knits, and dreams big. You can also find her writing at The Televixen, Women at Warp, TV Fanatic, and TV Goodness.
BBC News
30-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Three charged with kidnap after man forced into car in Oxfordshire
Three people have been charged after a man was reportedly kidnapped and assaulted, leaving him with two broken Valley Police said three men assaulted the 40-year-old on Castle Street, Steventon around 22:15 BST on 20 May, before forcing him into a grey or silver convertible BMW driven by a said the victim was then forced out of the vehicle in Drayton and assaulted again before the car was driven men and a woman have been charged with kidnap and are due in court on 23 June. John Dee, 57, of Lyford Close, Drayton and Andrew Dee, 41, of no fixed abode, were both charged with one count of grievous bodily harm in addition to the kidnap have been remanded in Bolder, 59, of Stanley Close, Oxford, was charged with one count of kidnap and has been released on conditional victim was taken to hospital with two broken ribs and a hairline fracture to his left jaw. An old break in his arm was also reopened. He has since been have urged the public to come forward with any information and asked people to review CCTV or doorbell camera footage to see if they captured are particularly interested in footage between 22:00 and 23:59. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Residents set to sue NSW government and Sydney Water over 'Erin Brockovich-level scandal'
Residents in a tourist hotspot want free tests for cancer-causing 'forever chemicals' in their blood after a major investigation revealed they had been drinking from a contaminated water supply for decades. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of 15,000 highly toxic, synthetic chemicals resistant to heat, stains and grease, dubbed 'forever chemicals' because of their inability to break down. High-level contamination was detected in the drinking water catchment serving 30,000 people in the Blue Mountains in NSW in mid-2024. PFAS levels were found to be about 300 times higher than Sydney 's main drinking water source but they still met Australian guidelines for safe drinking water. An eight-month WaterNSW investigation released on Friday zeroed in on three potential sources of contamination, dating as far back as 33 years ago. John Dee, a veteran environmental activist, described the fallout as an 'Erin Brockovich-level scandal'. He's leading a group called Stop PFAS that will sue the NSW government and Sydney Water to get free PFAS blood testing for local residents and compensation for those affected. 'People in the Blue Mountains have been drinking toxic tap water for 32 years,' he told AAP. Results of tests paid for by some residents have found PFAS in the bloodstream nearly 50 times the level considered safe by chemicals manufacturer 3M. Local resident Nick A'hern had 46 nanograms per millilitre of PFAS, contained in firefighting foam and considered carcinogenic. While the value of individual blood tests is debated among scientists, exposure to PFAS increases the risk of testicular and kidney cancer, affecting the immune system and causing developmental damage in children. Mr A'hern has had prostate cancer while his wife has had bowel cancer and their 33-year-old son was diagnosed with testicular cancer. 'None of the cancers we've had have been in our family lineage,' he told AAP. 'It's a pretty insane coincidence. 'All the kids used to swim in the dams and the water catchments. We just want to know if they're safe.' A spokesperson for Sydney Water said it would work with other agencies to ensure it met the proposed Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. Health authorities say current drinking water meets existing guidelines and is safe to drink. The WaterNSW investigation found contamination of two dams used for Blue Mountains' drinking water may have occurred after separate motor vehicle accident sites on the Great Western Highway in 1992 and 2002 near the Medlow Bath township. The town's fire station was also a possible source of contamination. Test samples at all three sites revealed the chemical compound signature consistent with the historical use of PFAS-containing fire-fighting foam, banned nationwide in 2007. Medlow Dam and Greaves Creek Dam will remain disconnected from the water supply system until permanent mitigation measures are in place. Steep terrain, potential PFAS spread over a wide geographical region and extensive disturbance of high-value ecological habitat are all flagged as barriers to remediation. The report did not quantify the current rate of PFAS discharge from potential source areas in surface water and groundwater, nor the total mass of PFAS previously discharged. Risks to human health and the environment from exposure to PFAS at the source areas have also not been quantified. After community pressure, Sydney Water installed a $3.4 million mobile PFAS treatment plant at the Blue Mountains catchment in January. University of Western Sydney water scientist Ian Wright accused water agencies of having 'pretty average governance of water contamination'. The National Health and Medical Research Council drafted new drinking water guidelines in October, reducing the benchmark for the PFOA group of chemicals.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Chemical probe in pipeline amid clean water pressure
Residents in a tourist hotspot are awaiting the latest in a string of probes on cancer-causing chemicals in their water supply. PFAS, known as per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are a group of 15,000 highly toxic, synthetic chemicals resistant to heat, stains and grease, dubbed "forever chemicals" because of their inability to break down. High-level contamination was detected in the drinking water catchment serving 30,000 people in the Blue Mountains in NSW in mid-2024. PFAS levels were found to be about 300 times higher than Sydney's main drinking water source but they still met Australian guidelines for safe drinking water. A WaterNSW investigation into Blue Mountains drinking water is set to be released on Friday. John Dee, a veteran environmental activist who started the Stop PFAS group, has urged the buck-passing between various agencies such as Sydney Water, the NSW Environmental Protection Authority and WaterNSW to stop. "It's been shown that Sydney Water and WaterNSW have not been fully transparent with the PFAS testing of our local drinking water, "he told AAP. "You almost have to drag the information out of them before you find out what's really going on. "It's deliberately avoiding uncomfortable truths about the true state of water health in the Blue Mountains." He has called for a single, independent statewide authority with comprehensive responsibility for overseeing PFAS contamination management and removal. The identification of the chemicals prompted calls for free community testing to give insight into the potential health effects of exposure and a parliamentary inquiry has been set up delving into statewide contamination risks. Exposure to PFAS increases risk of testicular and kidney cancer, impacting the immune system and developmental damage in children. The National Health and Medical Research Council drafted new drinking water guidelines in October, reducing the benchmark for the PFOA group of chemicals from 560 to 200 nanograms per litre based on cancer-causing effects. One nanogram is about one drop in 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools. WaterNSW said in January that water testing results from monitoring of PFAS in the Greater Sydney catchment "continue to show trace levels in untreated, raw source water supplied from Blue Mountains dams". It carried out more than 250 water, soil and sediment samples at 37 sites in March around the Blue Mountains taking samples along water drainage lines, creek lines and reservoirs in the catchment. After community pressure Sydney Water installed a $3.4 million mobile PFAS treatment plant, which treats four megalitres of water daily, at the Blue Mountains catchment in January.
