• Question: What's the best thing you have done as a scientist?

    Asked by spock to Antonia, Douglas, Hugh, Matt, Tom on 22 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Matthew Hurley

      Matthew Hurley answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      Make bacteria glow in the dark!

    • Photo: Douglas Blane

      Douglas Blane answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      Hard to say, cos I’ve been around a wee while now.

      One of the most satisfying was designing a new system for controlling minehunters – ships that destroy mines at sea using underwater robots.

      These ships have to hold very still while the robot investigates, which is hard to do when the wind’s blowing and the waves are crashing.

      I developed a mathematical model that worked out what was happening and what would happen next, and showed a picture to the guy on the bridge. This meant he could hold the ship very still while the robot did its job.

      Only problem was the week after I’d finished this new system for controlling minehunters, one of them lost control and crashed into Arran. This is the biggest island off the coast of Scotland – and very hard to miss.

      The ship wasn’t using my new super system. But my sons wouldn’t believe that when I told them. And they still don’t. 🙂

    • Photo: Tom Hardy

      Tom Hardy answered on 22 Jun 2010:

      I did some some research that has helped Police Scenes of Crime Offices (CSI’s) develop fingerprints at crime scenes. Until my research there wasn’t an guidance in a particular area of fingerprint development with powders, but I changed this and since then I am sure that criminals have been caught because of it, I think that is the best thing I have done.

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