What this blog is about / Contact

This blog is my space to write about some of the scientific and technical issues that interest me. I am a Chartered Physicist and Engineer.

I write about bad science, pseudoscience, misleading claims, philosophy, and anything else that takes my fancy.

I believe that the wonder in this universe is that it is a structured and ordered place. I hope that writing a blog will provide me the chance to explore some of this wonder and review elements of physics that have passed from my somewhat fallible memory.

Most of what I write is about checking out claims that people make. Personally, I think that’s quite a reasonable thing to do. If you don’t want claims you make to be examined, then don’t put them in the public domain. I realise that, of course, applies to me. So, if you think that I have written something on this blog that is not correct – please let me know. If you can show me the error of my ways, then I’ll correct what I’ve written. I will make mistakes from time to time, but hope to learn from them.

You will see that I write quite a lot about Complementary and Alternative medicine (CAM). I do this out of a spirit of exploration; to see whether the claims made on its behalf stand up to my basic scientific training and a little logic. I have also found that practises like homeopathy provide an excellent muse for reflections on the nature of science and evidence. My position on CAM is: if people want to use it at their expense, then that should be their prerogative. However, as a basic consumer rights issue, they should not be subjected to misleading claims or unsafe practices. As for me, I don’t like seeing my taxes wasted on medical practises that do not work or non-science being taught as science in universities. That’s my prerogative.

Please note that nothing on this blog constitutes medical advice, if you need that please consult a properly qualified and registered doctor.

I welcome well mannered and relevant comments. I reserve the right to edit or remove comments if I consider that their content is unduly offensive or overtly commercial.

If you post a comment I reserve the right to use it as the basis of an article.

If you want to get in touch you can e-mail me at apgmailbox-blog at yahoo dot co dot uk. However, I reserve to the right to publish any emails, or parts thereof.

I’m also on twitter as @apgaylard

The links that you will find on this blog are things that I have found interesting, though I do not necessarily endorse their content.

For the more conspiratorially minded: I do have a job, I am representing no one but myself, I am not paid for anything I write. This is just a hobby for me. Whatever (very small) expenses I incur are paid for out of my pocket.

Finally, I am employed by Jaguar Land Rover. Anything that I write here is expressing my personal views. They do not reflect the views of my employer.