Trop-Ex takes shape!

There’s a time-lapse film of one of the big displays for this year’s Kew Tropical Extravaganza on YouTube now:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AXpaltkdTg

I like these things; they give one a taste of the display and an idea of how much work is involved; and when they’re filmed at Kew I can play is-that-so-and-so? guessing games as well, as the figures flicker into sight and out again.

We also had a staff talk from the Director today – as ever, well-worth attending, but oh what a soporific room the Jodrell Lab’s big lecture theatre is! It’s a warm, unventilated space to begin with, and with 250-odd staff packed in it rapidly becomes seriously stuffy and humid. Prof Hopper is an interesting bloke and he had plenty to talk about, but I was having to scratch the palms of my hands to stay awake. At one point I was looking surreptitiously around for people I recognised, only to find myself watching my favourite choirmaster in the row in front as he fought to keep his eyes open, too… It’s one thing to nod off in a boring lecture, but really maddening when one isn’t bored and does want to hear everything.