Up on the Plateau

A while back I visited Chile, making films for Deep Sky Videos.

We visited various sites and telescopes associated with the European Southern Observatory, including the Very Large Telescope.

I've gradually been releasing the videos ever since (it is a big editing job).

This week's release was a real highlight - from our visit to Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA).

Located in the barren Atacama Desert, ALMA's main operations are at 2,900m. This means they are just low enough to avoid the designation of "high altitude" for work purposes.

On arrival, we were lucky enough to meet a Deep Sky Videos fan working at ALMA - scientist Denis Barkats.

After medical checks and collecting emergency oxygen cylinders (just in case), we drove up to 5,000m and the main ALMA site, on the Chajnantor plateau.

Not a llama at ALMA but a related vinuca

Parked among the array of dishes

Denis joined us and I co-opted him into being our star on camera - he was much better qualified than me to be "tour guide" for the video.

Me and Denis (ALMA in the background just the left of us)

The main ALMA site was remarkable, 60-odd radio antennae scattered across the moonscape like giant robotic chess pieces.

And they really are like chess pieces. Depending on scientific needs, the antennae are strategically moved around the giant chessboard (measuring 20km by 20km) to optimise there performance as an epic interferometer.  

Despite being slightly light-headed and needing to ensure we always moved slowly, I managed to film a few nice clips for the video.

But best of all (and quite unexpectedly), the ALMA staff even "turned on" the telescopes and swivelled them about. 

It was the ultimate high-tech ballet.

Pic: Clem & Adri Bacri-Normier (wingsforscience.com) / ESO

Namche Bazaar

The second big earthquake to hit Nepal had an epicentre reported to be near Namche Bazaar.

Details are still unknown, but this was especially sad news to me because Namche has been a special place on my travels (from 2012 and 2013).

Namche is where a trek to Everest Base Camp (on the Nepal side) really begins.

After landing at Lukla you walk along a valley for the first day. But things really start on Day Two when you cross the Hillary Suspension Bridge and walk up a mountain to Namche Bazaar.

It is on this climb you get your first distant glimpses of Everest.

The first glimpse of Everest through the trees while walking towards Namche Bazaar

View out the hotel window at Namche

Your first ascent is rewarded with the colourful sight of Namche's rooftops.

And the bustling village of Namche - a sort of the "capital" of the Everest region - is your last chance to really buy anything useful before you head higher and away from modern luxuries.

Shopping at Namche

Heading back from Everest, glimpsing Namche also feels like a homecoming.

Overlooking the town

It is the first place you can splash out and "go out for dinner".

Namche Bazaar is a pretty and bustling place, cradled in a bowl between towering mountains.

I hope the town and its people have not been hit too hard.

Namche Bazaar 2013

Penguins and Vader - Photos

Some snaps from our Hello Internet event at Bristol Zoo on Saturday, May 9.

The event was held at Bristol Zoo to raise money for penguin conservation. The weather was glorious and started with a special talk about penguins by one of the keepers.

As a special surprise, it was revealed a recently-born penguin chick has been named CGP Grey in thanks for Hello Internet's fundraising efforts. More about that in a separate blog post.

After watching the penguin feeding, we then retreated to a special room for the film screening!

Cue John Williams!

Guest of honour David Prowse answers questions after the film.

Hello Internet listeners helped raise over £3,000 for the zoo's penguin conservation project.

Darth Vader may be a one dimensional character (!) but not David.

Thanks to everyone at Bristol Zoo who helped arrange the event, but especially Abi.

 Then a chance to meet viewers, and even sign a few technology products (Kindles, iPads and iPhones)... Yes those a penguin feet!

Signing an iPad is high-stakes.

Quite a few iPhones were signed

Selfie with a disposable camera - old school

Signing Knut's poster for the event.

A few more photos

And home, where Grey finally meets Audrey!!!

CGP Grey the Penguin

Bristol Zoo has named one of its penguins CGP Grey.

CGP Grey on the left (dad on the right)

It was a token of thanks for Hello Internet's penguin conservation fundraising.

The chick was born on March 22, 2015.

Its official zoo ID number is 131471 and it wears the wing tag number A20583.

Watch the video.

It is very unusual for the zoo to give animals under these circumstances and a special honour for our podcast.

In an additional twist, the zoo has also made me (Brady) an official adopter of CGP Grey the Penguin.

We were both presented with certificates at the Star Wars/penguin event we hosted at the zoo on May 9.

It's official!

Make a donation to Bristol Zoo.

PS: The gender of CGP Grey remains unknown. This will be determined by tests to coincide with the bird's six-month health check-up. Watch this space.

(UPDATE: Grey is a girl)

(ANOTHER UPDATE: This penguin sadly died during a transfer to Tbilisi Zoo in 2017)

Election Day

As I post this, it is the 2015 General Election in the UK.

Only a vague link, but today I posted this video about a new way to "vote" on which astronomers get allocated time on telescopes.

Some extra footage from the interview answers a few other questions.

And speaking of elections, here's the entertaining Tom Scott on Computerphile.

Award for Chemists

Congratulations to two chemists at the University of Nottingham for picking up top awards.

The Royal Society of Chemistry prizes have been won by Stephen Liddle and Andrei Kholbystov.

Steve will be well-known to viewers of Periodic Videos, especially for his films about radioactive elements such as Uranium and Plutonium.

Andrei also made a brief cameo in the videos.

The pair both won the RSC's Corday-Morgan Prizes this year - apparently it's a pretty big deal in chemistry circles.

- University press release

Trademark Gloves

Objectivity fan Elias, from Germany, donned the white gloves when he paid a recent visit to the Royal Society.

He's seen here with head librarian Keith, who is fast becoming a cult hero in the videos.

I wear white gloves in all the videos (whether they are needed or not!) and they're used as a motif across the project.