“This week, for one week only, Stromness will be the centre of Orkney. Some local merchants think it should be the centre of the islands all the time. ” – Islandman
Focus on Stromness – 1949, Part 1
Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen #OnThisDay
On 16th of July 1819 Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen set sail to explore Antarctica for Russian Tsar Alexander I.
Shelfspace: David Gregory ‘Of Practical Geometry – and Other Practicalities’
“David Gregory (1661-1708) came of an illustrious line of Scottish mathematicians and astronomers. His father, also David, was the younger brother of James Gregory, the inventor of the Gregorian reflecting telescope. “
Obituary: The Late Dr Winnie Ewing
“She was one of the most generous people one would ever meet, hosting meetings, dinners & other social events. She would send encouragement to local people of all ages setting up new businesses of all kinds. Winnie struck up lasting friendships with people like Marjorie Linklater, also an SNP supporter & women’s rights campaigner from her early years. “
Stromness Skies by Mirran Hall
Images by Mirran Hall of Stromness
Orkney’s Science Festival Tickets on Sale
Tickets for the 2023 Orkney International Science Festival will be on sale from Saturday 15 July at 12 noon.
Big Butterfly Count 2023: Just 15 Minutes to take part
Wildlife charity, Butterfly Conservation, is calling on people across the country to take part in this year’s Big Butterfly Count (14 July – 6 August) to help scientists understand the impact of climate change on our most-loved butterflies.
The Face of the Moon: How Old Is It?
Researchers from Norway and France have found a way of coordinating and recalibrating two conflicting systems of dating the surface of the Moon.
Scurvy, Smallpox, Syphilis: 18thC Living Conditions, Part 4
It has been estimated that smallpox was killing as many as 400,000 people per year in Europe by the end of the 18th century. Sadly, the majority of these deaths were children, as it was “chiefly a disease of infancy and early childhood”. However, even if some of the population survive the disease itself, they may well succumb to secondary infections such as bronchopneumonia and streptococcal septicaemia.
Teddy Bear’s Picnic Day
“today’s the day the teddy bears have their picnic”
