Tim Wogan

After initially planning to study English at university, I decided that, just in case I turned out not to be the next Hillary Mantel, it might be better to devote my life to my other great love – science, where I believed I was sure to make great discoveries. Three years studying physics at Cambridge University disabused me thoroughly of that notion, and, having learned that I was never going to make a notable discovery of my own in a world full of infinitely better scientists than I was, I decided to return to plan A and make my living writing about theirs instead. I studied science communication at Imperial College London and, after a brief internship as a reporter on the European news desk of Science, I’ve been writing freelance. Since 2019, I’ve been living in the US.

Research
Semimetal study links spiral magnetism to Weyl fermions
2021-09-01T13:05:00
Findings may help explain spatial modulations seen in the magnetism of other rare earth intermetallic compounds
Research
Tusk isotopes reveal a mammoth’s life
2021-08-16T13:30:00
17,000 years after its death, scientists use strontium analysis to trace animal’s movements throughout its 28-year life
Research
There was more than simple oxygen depletion to ancient mass extinction event
2021-08-05T08:30:00
Thallium isotopes reveal that rapid swings in ocean oxygenation preceded the events that wiped out 90% of species 250 million years ago
Research
First fleeting glimpse of metallic water
2021-08-02T13:30:00
Electron doping briefly turns water into golden metal
Research
Chemists control reaction path with mechanical force
2021-07-15T08:30:00
Mechanochemical mechanism exploited to access unconventional trajectories on a reaction’s potential energy surface
Research
Best sighting yet of exotic crystals composed entirely of electrons
2021-07-05T08:30:00
2D materials used to stabilise Wigner crystals
Research
Quantum chemical reaction behind birds’ internal compass
2021-06-24T13:37:00
Can migratory robins ‘see’ Earth’s magnetic field at night?
Research
Reaction between ultracold molecules reveals limits of quantum statistics
2021-05-24T13:32:00
Real-world molecules don’t always follow the quantum-statistical model
Research
Surprise as nickel vapour is found in comet tails far too cold for metal sublimation
2021-05-20T10:33:00
Discovery points to unusual organometallic chemistry going on in deep space
Research
Integrated design gives lithium–air battery room to breathe safely
2021-04-28T09:32:00
Improved stability and cycling brings battery with highest theoretical energy density closer to market
Research
Ion trapping desalination membrane fishes out valuable materials
2021-04-15T18:02:00
Selectively trapping toxic or useful ions could reduce toxicity of brine waste and offset costs
Research
New injection moulding technique allows glass to be cast in any shape
2021-04-08T18:00:00
Energy costs of producing glass can also be cut by as much as 40%
Research
Photocatalytic process picks out precious metals from waste electronics
2021-04-01T08:34:00
Silver, gold, platinum and palladium can be retrieved sequentially from circuit boards and catalytic convertors
Research
High performance fabric that can be made from plastic bags could slash fashion’s huge emissions
2021-03-16T14:58:00
Polyethylene yarn can create clothes that are stain resistant, cool the wearer and are simple to recycle
News
Florida drinking water plant hack briefly raised sodium hydroxide levels 100-fold
2021-02-11T14:30:00
Security breach reveals industrial facilities’ control system vulnerabilities as remote work is normalised during the pandemic
Research
Twisted trilayer graphene supports existence of exotic superconductivity
2021-02-11T09:30:00
‘Magic angle’ twist in three layers of graphene offers new insight into superconductivity current models can’t explain
Research
Catalyst offers low temperature route to produce hydrogen
2021-01-22T09:30:00
Molybdenum carbide catalysts with low loadings of platinum can perform water–gas shift reaction at just above room temperature
Research
How tunnelling titanium turns a perfect crystal into a bad heat conductor
2021-01-05T09:30:00
Quantum tunnelling is key to solving the mystery of why some defect-free crystals have such low thermal conductivities
Research
Explosive imaging captures helium dimer’s wave function
2020-12-22T09:32:00
Technique could provide insight into other exotic states
Research
Experimental proof of liquid–liquid transition in supercooled water
2020-11-30T09:18:00
Diffraction measurements taken whilst laser heating pressurised water from an exotic frozen state

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