Seb Falk
Precision and accuracy in medieval astronomy
What is the difference between precision and accuracy? In modern English they are used almost interchangeably. But there is a...
top of page
Blog
Search
Seb Falk
Jan 18, 20152 min
Is the Moon a planet or a star?
It’s rare that shopping channels grapple with complex problems in astronomy – but miracles do happen. Here’s the contributors to QVC...
Seb Falk
Dec 16, 20143 min
String Theory – Medieval-style
Apologies for the long hiatus! I’ve been busy with lots of things, among them the birth of my first child. I’ll post his horoscope here...
Seb Falk
Oct 8, 20141 min
Ships, Clocks & Stars
I recently visited, and very much enjoyed, the exhibition at the National Maritime Museum about the quest for longitude. It’s on until...
Seb Falk
Aug 16, 20142 min
Running trail in Amman
One drawback of spending the summer in Amman is that it’s really hard to go out for a run. With temperatures of 30-35° during the day,...
Seb Falk
Jul 26, 20144 min
Comprehensible input: vocabulary vs. grammar
What is “comprehensible input“? What’s just the right amount of it to be able to learn a language? What’s the relative importance of...
Seb Falk
Jun 27, 20144 min
Arabic in Amman: Immersion?
This blog is taking a holiday from astronomical instruments, and turning its attention to language learning. That’s odd! I hear you...
Seb Falk
Jun 9, 20145 min
Launch of the Digital Equatorium
I wrote this post for the Peterhouse Perne and Ward Libraries blog. It is cross-posted from there with their kind permission. 28 May saw...
Seb Falk
May 30, 20141 min
Cambridge in 1945
I’ve just come across this fantastic propaganda film from 1945. It is a detailed picture of life in Cambridge as the second world war...
Seb Falk
May 30, 20142 min
How do you digitise a mortuary roll?
A few weeks ago I went on a fascinating course: Medieval and Modern Manuscript Studies in the Digital Age, run by the Digital Scholarly...
Seb Falk
May 8, 20143 min
Pigeons in the Prado
I’ve blogged before about my preference for museums that tell a clear story. I just don’t have the patience (or the creativity?) to form...
Seb Falk
Mar 22, 20143 min
An evolving gem of Paris
The last couple of times I wrote about museums on this blog (here and here), I was at least somewhat critical. So I’m pleased to report...
Seb Falk
Mar 19, 20141 min
London Marathon in a Gherkin costume
What can you make when you’ve finished your equatorium? Easy: a model of a famous building to use as a marathon costume! Regular readers...
Seb Falk
Mar 9, 20143 min
Navigating Aberdeen Maritime Museum
Do you like to be told what a museum’s all about, or would you rather make your own links between exhibits and draw your own...
Seb Falk
Feb 14, 20141 min
The Scholar as Craftsman: Notes and Records article
Regular readers of this blog (if there are any, I should apologise to them for my long silence) will be familiar with the story of King...
Seb Falk
Dec 18, 20134 min
Penguins Might Fly
Can an object be artistic and scientific at the same time? Can art have a place in science museums? Why do museum object labels matter?...
Seb Falk
Dec 12, 20134 min
Terror and Trabants in Berlin
What makes a memorable museum experience? As I’ve worked and researched in museums this year, I’ve thought a lot about that. And I...
Seb Falk
Dec 3, 20132 min
Stars Without Streetlights
I spend a lot of time trying to imagine what it must have been like for a medieval astronomer to use an astrolabe. It’s tricky. Apart...
Seb Falk
Dec 3, 20133 min
Touching, But What’s the Point?
by Jenny Bulstrode Astrolabes and Stuff is proud to present its first ever guest post! For this we must thank Jenny Bulstrode, a student...
Seb Falk
Nov 28, 20136 min
Hasok Chang and the disgruntled internalists
Regular readers beware: there are no astrolabes in this post! Instead we’ll be engaging with some hardcore historiography. Comments...
bottom of page