The Nobel Prize in Physics 2013 – Trams are go at Gogar -Full steam ahead on the railway – Pirates at the Scottish Seabird Centre this weekend – Sunshine on Leith
It may well be that The University of Edinburgh’s Professor Peter Higgs will be awarded The Nobel Prize in Physics 2013 later today. There are certainly some who think that he is the absolute favourite this year.
The Nobel Foundation was set up in 1900 following the terms of Alfred Nobel’s will. It awards prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Peace in accordance with this directive:-“prizes to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit to mankind.”
John Bardeen won the prize in Physics twice, so 193 individuals have been awarded this particular prize between 1901 and 2012. The formal citations contain words such as quarks, subatomic physics, semiconductors, fibres for optical communications and individual quantum systems.
This year, if the prize is awarded to the 84 year-old Edinburgh professor it will contain the word boson and perhaps not in the citation itself, but certainly everywhere else across the world’s media, the word Edinburgh will be on everyone’s lips.
We have no way of knowing that Professor Higgs is going to be the 19th UK recipient of The Nobel Prize in Physics, but we wish him well and are crossing our fingers! The last time that a UK scientist won the Nobel Prize in Physics was Anthony J Leggett in 2003.
You will be able to watch the announcement live here (it takes place at 11.45 am CET which is 10.45 am here in Edinburgh)
So come back here then – or watch the announcement live on this player which we have also embedded in the sidebar for your entertainment.
Professor Higgs was made a Companion of Honour in the 2013 New Year Honours List, and was the recipient of the Edinburgh Award in 2011.
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Look out there’s a tram coming. These ones will be out at Edinburgh Park and the Gyle though and will not carry any paying passengers….
Residents, commuters and pedestrians are being reminded that tram testing is due to begin between Gogar depot and Edinburgh Park Station today.
As part of the testing process, which will continue until the service is operational (targeted for May 2014), trams will cross the road at two locations, Lochside Avenue and South Gyle Broadway. Traffic lights and pedestrian crossings will be in operation and the normal rules of the road will apply.
The first tram will cross South Gyle Broadway just after 10:00am this morning.
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Bookings are steaming in for the first ever Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway ‘Fish & Chip Steam Train Specials’ as part of their Autumn Steam Gala. On Saturday 19 October, visitors can enjoy real ale from a local brewery and award-winning fish & chips, brought in especially for passengers on the evening steam hauled trains. There will be an on train buffet car available and services depart Bo’ness at 18:30, 19:40 & 20:50, something a bit different to enjoy with friends and family at this steam heritage railway.
The train travels along the spectacular foreshore at Bo’ness and in and out of woodland, across the Avon Viaduct and through the open fields to their new station Manuel and back and visitors are welcome to enjoy all three departures with their tickets and take in the scenery, good food and drinks as well as enjoy the rare opportunity to ride behind a nostalgic steam engine by night. The cost of enjoying a fish & chip supper on the journey between Bo’ness and Manuel is £18 per person with concessions available and must be pre-booked in advance.
The Autumn Steam Gala runs over the weekend of 19 & 20 October and will see an intensive timetable with many different steam trains in action, the icing on the cake for many train fans is a visiting steam locomotive which is the only surviving Great Northern Railway (GNR) Class N2, No. 4744.
A booking form and further information can be found on their new website www.bkrailway.co.uk.’
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Shiver me timbers! Pirate Weekend is back….bigger and better than ever before!
Don’t miss one of the highlights of the Seabird Centre’s events calendar as the swashbuckling fun weekend celebrating piracy on the high seas returns this Saturday and Sunday (12 and 13 October).
This year’s buccaneers will be in for a real treat with a whole host of new games, fun activities and top treasure to seek! Pirate storytelling and sea shanties will set the scene; then cannon fighting and pirate hook hoopla will put the lads and lassies to the test. This action-packed programme of activities will take place throughout both days from 10am to 5.30pm.
Explore the Discovery Centre, find out all about the pirate of the skies, the great skua, and the Firth of Forth’s very own treasure islands in a brand new trail. “Pieces of eight” will reward those who complete the adventure.
Our fancy dress competition will be held at 2pm each day with prizes for the best pirates or princesses. We’ll even have a comely wench or two on hand to help with painting faces, and there will be a specially themed arts and crafts so young pirates can make new items for their costumes as well as telescopes and pirate treasures. Sail the skies in the afternoon with your very own parakeet kite made with a host of recycled materials with a workshop with Alchemy Arts (2pm-3pm).
A real island adventure can also be experienced on Sunday 13 October as pirates take over the Seabird Centre’s family friendly catamaran on a treasure hunt around the island of Craigleith. Work with the Captain to find the black pearls with the help of the friendly Firth of Forth seals. Sailings are weather permitting; details can be found on the Scottish Seabird Centre website.
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Tonight at the Filmhouse you can watch the uplifting, amusing, tearjerking Sunshine on Leith, and marvel at the beauty of our city.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
