Bugs, Drugs and Three-pin Plugs

Andrew Morris was a teacher of physics and mathematics for many years in Further Education and Sixth Form Colleges. He subsequently set up an experimental course for adults with little background in science at the Mary Ward adult education centre in Bloomsbury, London. Sessions started from the questions participants asked and followed the course of discussion they chose, rather than a fixed syllabus. He has continued to run these discussion sessions informally for over twenty years (online during the pandemic). Records of these discussion form the basis of this book. Dr Morris also works on the use of pedagogical research to inform teaching. In this capacity he became a research manager at the Further Education Development Agency and Director of the National Education Research Forum under Sir Michael Peckham. Dr Morris has a degree in physics from UCL and a PhD in molecular biophysics from the University of Leeds. He is an Honorary Associate Professor at UCL Institute of Education and a former President of the Education Section of the British Science Association.

Dedication. Acknowledgements. Biography. Praise for the Book. Introduction. 1. How do pills know where to go? 2. Singing and navigating – the extraordinary feats of ordinary 3. The colour of light 4. Why we look like our parents – a bit 5. Atmospheric rivers 6. The perennial question of sex 7. The geometry of ice 8. Very small and very busy: life inside the cell 9. Enzymes 10. Sugar, carbs and type-2 diabetes 11. Sticking together 12. A nice warm shower 13. Why your ears ‘pop’ 14. Making Decisions 15. COVID-19: viruses, lungs and epidemics 16. COVID 19: Immunity, vaccines and variants 17. Energy and the Climate Emergency 18. Electricity 19. Reflections