Stephen Wilson

Following up on my invited DFD talk last year, @jackwilliamb.bsky.social and I put together an overview of the "Propulsion and interaction of wave-propelled interfacial particles," now published at @prfluids.bsky.social !

doi.org/10.1103/353x...

Person in a hijab demonstrating a prosthetic arm in a clinical setting.

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Ich bin am 14. Februar 1862 in Venedig geboren, wo mein Vater damals also oesterreichischer Hauptmann in Garnison stand. Beide Eltern waren fibrigens Norddeutsche. 1866 kamen wir nach Troppau, 1871, nachdem mein Vater sich gesundheitshalber hatte in den Ruhestand versetzen lassen, nach Braunschweig, wo ich einige Jahre die staeidtische hoehere Maedchenschule besuchte. Damals fasste ich bereits ein leidenschaftliches Interesse ffir Naturwissenschaften, speziell Physik und hfitte gern studiert, doch gab es fuer Frauen noch keine Berechtigung zum Studium, und spaeter, als die ersten Anfaenge gemacht wurden, hielt mich doch der Wunsch meiner Eltern davon ab. Einen Doktortitel feuhre ich somit nicht. So suchte ich reich autodidaktisch weiter zu bilden, zunaechst durch ein kleines Lehrbuch von

Pouillet-Mueller, seit 1883 durch Buecher, die mir mein drei Jahre juengerer Bruder, der spaetere Professor der Physik: Friedrich Pockels, verschaffte, als er in Goettingen studierte. In der mathematischen Behandlung der Physik habe ich es jedoch auf diesem Wege nicht welt gebracht, so dab ich theoretische Sachen zu meinem Leidwesen nur wenig verstehe. 1881 machte ich die ersten Beobachtungen fiber die Oberflaechenstroemungen beim Eintauchen fester Koerper in eine Fluessigkeit und entdeckte die Veraenderlichkeit der Oberflaechenspannung im Zusammenhang mit der Stroemung beim Abreissen kleiner Knoepfchen, die an einem leichten hoelzernen Wagebalken aufgehfingt waren. 1882 kam ich auf alas Verfahren, eine Wasseroberflaeche dutch Verschieben eines fiber dieselbe gelegten Drahtes oder Metallstreifchens auszudehnen oder zu verkleinern, alles mit ganz primitiven Mitteln.

Eine Publikation war zunaechst ausgeschlossen; wusste ich doch gar nicht, ob die fraglichen Erscheinungen nicht schon laengst bekannt waren. Auch zeigten die Goettinger Physiker, denen ich Mitteilung machte, kein besonderes Interesse dafuer. Aber als ich 1890 noch weitere Beobachtungen gemacht hatte und von den aehnlichen Forschungen Lord Rayleigh's erfuhr, riet mir mein Bruder, doch an diesen zu schreiben, und Lord Rayleigh verhalf mir dann selbst zur Publikation in der ,,Nature". Hierdurch ermutigt, wagte ich darauf auch anderen deutschen Zeitschriften meine Arbeiten einzusenden, und habe noch etwa 10 Jahre mit Erfolg Untersuchungen ausgeffihrt. Durch Krankenpflege viel in Anspruch genommen, konnte ich nach 1902 nur selten Versuche anstellen, uebersetzte aber Sir Georges Darwin's ,,Tides" und schrieb Referate ueber Kapillaritaet fuer die yon meinem Bruder redigierten ,,Beiblaetter zu den Annalen". 1921 veroeffentlichte ich noch einmal Beobachtungen fiber Randwinkel.

Pockels is now recognised as one of the founders of surface science.

Here is part of her story in her own words (Kolloid-Zeitschrift, Jan 1932; link.springer.com/article/10.1...).

Remember the experimenters, and remember the translators too.

While carrying out domestic chores, Pockels had become interested in surface tension, designed her own apparatus, and carried out a sequence of experiments.

Local scientists were uninterested; John Strutt to his credit saw the importance of the work and forwarded her translated letter to Nature.

Also, this "Sh-Index" doesn't really work in Maths where the last author is often the LEAST important. Important last authors are more of Physics and Chemistry thing.

Rough underfoot conditions at Longleat for the #orienteering yesterday.

Old photograph showing a woman in late Victorian costume holding a book.

An image for #ALD25. This is Evelyn Strutt, Lady Rayleigh (www.npg.org.uk/collections/...).

She's not often numbered among "women in science", but she had a crucial role in the work attributed to her husband, because he didn't know German and she did.

#APSHonors

Bit niche I think, but apparently this parking spot is reserved for female rock climbers.

Historic victory for #Scotland on countback after the overall scores after two days were tied at the #Orienteering Veteran Home International held near Aberfoyle this weekend.

Veteran Home International #orienteering at Loch Ard today.

Jane Goodall, chimpanzee expert and animal rights campaigner, dies age 91 - follow live The primatologist was a "tireless advocate" for species protection, her institute says in a tribute.

This is very sad news.

We need more passionate advocates for science and our planet like Goodall.

I’m sad to hear the news that the wonderful Jane Goodall is no longer in the world. Her work with chimpanzees at Gombe in Tanzania taught us to look at other apes - and ourselves - differently. I was privileged to meet her later in life and tell her what an inspiration she was to me.

A blast from my #UEA past!

"What if tariffs, but we put them on our own exports?"

I’ve been involved with @mathsworld.com for over a decade, since its first inception.
I’m a trustee of the charity.

So it’s incredibly exciting to see our London venue MathsWorld almost ready for action ahead of the launch next month.

Get your tickets here: https://mathsworld.com/

Extract from the OS 25-inch map (1896) showing Moir Street and Spoutmouth either side of Gallowgate.

Things you notice while mentally reviewing old maps in the middle of the night: Moir Street, named for the notoriously verbose city councillor James Moir, sits directly opposite the ancient street called Spoutmouth.

I think I've detected a bit of sly late-Victorian shade.

The Covid Contracts: Follow the Money review – a devastating picture of the biggest spending scandal ever This rigorous look at the Tories’ ‘VIP lane’ for PPE suppliers during Covid raises questions about the motivations of those involved – ones that are almost too disgusting to contemplate

A hugely underreported scandal.

Those responsible still not adequately held to account.

An important, but infuriating watch.

Revisiting old haunts in #Glasgow this evening.

We've been named Sport University of the Year in the Times & Sunday Times Good University Guide!

www.bath.ac.uk/announcement...

A lively outdoor scene with multiple people relaxing and socializing on a grassy area under a clear blue sky, with the text "Welcome to Bath!" and the University of Bath logo in the top right corner.

It's arrivals weekend! A big welcome to all the students arriving to Bath over the next few days.

British students lack ‘drive’ of their American peers, says Business Secretary | LBC The Business Secretary has defended comments he made at a meeting with investors where he said British students lack the ‘drive’ and ‘vigour’ of their American peers.

“Too often people go to university to ‘explore research and knowledge’.”
- business secretary, Peter Kyle.

What do they want knowledge for? Heaven forbid that students go to university to learn something!

The flight attendant just asked me if a needed assistance when we land in Barcelona. I replied to say (1) no thanks, I don't need assistance, and (2) I'm on a plane to Gatwick!

Two individuals playing badminton in a gymnasium at the University of Bath, which is titled Sport University of the Year 2026 in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide.

🎉 We're delighted to have been announced as the Sport University of the Year 2026 in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide!

https://www.bath.ac.uk/announcements/bath-wins-sport-university-of-the-year-2026-in-the-times-and-the-sunday-times-good-university-guide/

The glamour of air travel at A Coruna this morning: just two officially checking the passports of an entire flight leading to a huge and very slowly moving queue. And I can't even blame #Brexit for this as everyone had to queue regardless of nationality!

Delighted that my former colleague and long-term collaborator Brian Duffy gets a positive (albeit brief) mention in "Flow" by Keith Moffatt, namely as "a very able post-doc ... who moved on to the University of Strathclyde after leaving Bristol". #fluiddynamics

Making good use of my time waiting in Departures reading "Flow" by Keith Moffatt, a book only he could have written. #fluiddynamics

Astonished by the number of young people still up and about on the streets of A Coruna at 6 am this morning!

Santiago de Compostela yesterday.

Generic conference gripes: (1) no, please don't sit at the end of the rows, (2) yes, you do need to use the microphone, and (3) no, please don't "whisper" to your friend during the presentations, it's rude and disrespectful.