Category: Science Group

We had an eclectic mix at the meeting on June 19^th.

The first half of the meeting was Bob McKewen who revealed ‘The Science of Golf.’

He explained that golf is a game built on elegant physics. Every shot begins with energy transfer: the club accelerates, storing kinetic energy that is released into the ball at impact.

The sweet spot maximises this transfer, giving higher ball speed with less vibration. Launch angle and spin then determine the ball’s flight. Backspin creates lift, helping the ball rise and stay stable in the air.

Dimples reduce drag by creating a thin, turbulent layer that lets the ball travel farther. On the green, friction, slope, and grass grain control how a putt breaks and slows. Even small changes in force or angle produce big differences in outcome, making golf a precise blend of biomechanics and physics.

Bob concluded by describing that many technical advances have filtered down from the professional game to grass roots level.

                               Cross section of an average quality golf ball.

After the break John Tedstone recounted the lives and scientific interests of:

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu born in 1689, at Holme Pierrepont Hall.

She was an early adopter of inoculation against smallpox and helped bring the practice to England, influencing others to adopt it too.

and Joseph Bramma who was born near Barnsley in 1749.

At 23, he walked to London to seek his fortune. Now called Joseph Bramah, he became a prolific inventor best known for his flushing water closet, ‘unpickable’ lock and hydraulic press.

To conclude David Vincent recounted some interesting and humorous aspects of Gypsum mining in Nottinghamshire and we had 3-minute invention talks from David Naylor with the safety pin and Sue Naylor with the electric kettle complete with her family heirloom of a shiny copper example.

Our next meeting is Friday July 17^th at JGC at 10.00am.

David Rose

Visit to Thackray Museum of Medicine Leeds

Our Science Group enjoyed a fascinating visit to the Thackray Museum of Medicine in Leeds on 15th May, a trip that proved both entertaining and wonderfully informative.

The museum’s immersive galleries brought the history of healthcare vividly to life, from the bustle of Victorian street medicine to the remarkable advances of modern surgery.

A highlight of the day was our group talk, Bloody Barbers and Splattered Surgeons, which explored the grisly world of early medical practice with plenty of humour and just the right amount of squeamish detail.

After the talk, members once again wandered through the galleries at their own pace, comparing past treatments with today’s science and sharing lively conversations along the way. We rounded off the visit with a relaxed chat in the busy café, reflecting on how far medicine has come. A thoroughly enjoyable and thought‑provoking outing for all.

Carry On Doctor

Some of the group members in front of the museum

David Rose

At the Science Group meeting on Friday 17th April, members enjoyed a fascinating illustrated talk entitled The City of Bees, given by Sandra Hart, a Nottinghamshire u3a member and experienced beekeeper.

Sandra invited us to see the beehive as a bustling city, where thousands of individual bees work together in a highly organised and efficient society. She explained the different roles within the hive, including the queen, workers and drones, and showed how each contributes to the survival and success of the colony.

The talk covered the lifecycle of honeybees, their remarkable methods of communication, and the complex cooperation that underpins hive life. Sandra also highlighted the crucial role bees play in pollination and the wider environment and touched on the challenges facing bee populations today.

Illustrated with objects and examples drawn from practical beekeeping experience, the presentation was both informative and accessible, prompting plenty of interest and questions from the group. It was an engaging and thought‑provoking talk that was much appreciated by members.

Following the break, the meeting continued with two of our regular ‘3-minute talks’ – Alan Newton with the Wind-Up Radio (together with some interesting facts about the inventor Trevor Bayliss) and Anne Murray who led us through the invention and development of the sewing machine. Anne is well known locally as a singer, and her apt final note was about the man who we most associate with sewing machines – Isaac Merritt Singer. This rounded off another enjoyable and varied Science Group session.

Next Month: 15^th May is our visit to The Museum of Medical History in Leeds

Briefly: Meet at 8.45am for the coach departure of 9.00am from Ogle Street

Full details will be sent out nearer the time.

David Rose

At our March meeting group member Jolanta Adamczewska gave a very interesting presentation about the life and work of Marie Curie who was a pioneering physicist and chemist.

Marie was renowned for her groundbreaking research in radioactivity. Born in Poland, she moved to France where she became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize—and the only person to win Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields. Her discoveries, including polonium and radium, greatly advanced medical science and nuclear physics. Her dedication to research and education left a legacy, inspiring generations of scientists.

Jolanta also clearly explained the complexities of atomic structure, the types of radioactivity and their properties.

After the break Sue Tedstone described how she and her grandson assembled a lizard robot from a challenging electronic model kit. The robot had a stroll around the room cleverly avoiding obstructions along the way.

John Tedstone then gave a short history of the invention and development of model making and our finale was a 3-minute video created and narrated by Christine Vincent about the invention of tarmacadam (tarmac) with some additional information about current research aimed at solutions to make it better (at repairing potholes!)

Next month Friday 17th April

We have a guest speaker Sandra Hart who is a Notts u3a member with a talk entitled

‘City of Bees’.

After the break we will continue with the 3-minute talks about inventions.

David Rose

At the February meeting John Tedstone described the history and development of Battersea Power Station, an Art Deco landmark on the Thames.

It once powered a fifth of London. Its iconic chimneys made it a cultural symbol, appearing in films and album covers. After decades of dereliction, it’s now a vibrant hub of homes, shops, leisure, and restored industrial heritage, blending past and present. John then concluded by comparing electrical energy sources between the 1950s and today.

We then went back in time to Shropshire, Coalbrookdale and the Iron Bridge which sit at the heart of the Industrial Revolution. Coalbrookdale’s pioneering ironworks powered new technologies, while the Iron Bridge, opened in 1779, became the world’s first cast‑iron bridge. Together they transformed engineering, reshaped global industry, and remain striking symbols of human ingenuity in the Severn Gorge.

Finally, we thank the 5 members who gave their ‘3-minute talks’ about the invention of:

Smoke alarms, pacemakers, wheelie bins, credit cards and the tin opener.

20^th March Meeting

Jolanta has prepared a very interesting presentation about the discovery and development of radioactivity with a focus on the work and life of Marie Curie.

There will be time for more ‘3-minute’talks after the interval and contributions from willing volunteers will be most welcome.

David Rose