Category: Science Group

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

Our January 16^th meeting was mainly dedicated to medical developments since the Middle Ages and included an introduction by John Tedstone who talked about a recent visit to the medical history section at the very busy Science Museum in London.

Next was me to talk about a famous early Doctor/Surgeon John of Arderne

John of Arderne (1307–1392) born in Newark, was a pioneering English surgeon often regarded as the father of English surgery. He honed his skills as a surgeon supporting John ‘o Gaunt in the 100 years war in France and more formally at Montpellier University.

He developed effective treatments for anal fistulas, created early anaesthetic mixtures using hemlock, henbane, and opium, and wrote influential surgical texts. His work blended practical skill with ethical guidance, shaping medieval medical practice.

There is a Wetherspoons pub in Newark which is named after him.

Science Group Visit Friday May 15^th.

Our Science awayday is a visit to the Thackray Museum of Medicine in Leeds. It is housed in a beautiful building adjacent to St James’s University Hospital.

The Thackray is the UK’s largest independent medical museum. Two floors of exhibitions span galleries on the history of public health, medical innovation, the theatre, response to crises and living with disabilities (and so much more), and various events, activities and workshops bring it all to life, including one called “POO!”. A real highlight is “Disease Street”, a smelly, grimy depiction of what life used to be like in the slums of Leeds.

Preference for this visit is given to members of the science group; it will then be open to all u3a members. Details are in the February Newsletter.

Finally, we considered ‘small’ inventions since about 1850 and each group member has a chosen invention to research and prepare for a ‘3-minute talk’. Our next meeting is on Friday February 20^th 10am to 11.45am

David Rose