Brian Clegg
Encyclopedia
Brian Clegg is an English author and popular science writer. He has written a range of popular science books, covering topics including light, infinity, quantum entanglement
and surviving the impact of climate change, and biographies of Roger Bacon
and Eadweard Muybridge
.
, Lancashire
, UK, Clegg was educated at the Manchester Grammar School
and went on to read Natural Science
(specializing in experimental physics) at Cambridge University. After graduating, he spent a year at Lancaster University
where he gained a second MA in Operational Research, a discipline originally developed during the Second World War to apply the power of mathematics to warfare. It has since been widely applied to problem solving and decision making in business.
From Lancaster, he joined British Airways
, where he formed a new department tasked with providing all PC hardware, software and consultancy to the airline. When this was successfully running, he set up the Emerging Technologies Group, a team of the most eccentric but talented staff in the company, who researched and trialled technologies from fingerprint recognition to electronic cash. This emphasis on innovation led to training with Dr. Edward de Bono
, and in 1994 he left BA to set up his own creativity consultancy, running courses on the development of new ideas and products, and the creative solution of business problems. His clients include the BBC
, the Met Office
, British Airways
, GlaxoSmithKline
, Sony
, Royal Bank of Scotland
and many other blue-chips.
Clegg is a regular speaker and has spoken at a range of venues, from Oxford and Cambridge Universities to the Dana Centre
at the Science Museum (London)
. His book A Brief History of Infinity was launched with a sell-out lecture at the Royal Institution
in London. He is also a regular contributor to both radio and TV programmes and writes regular columns, features and reviews for numerous magazines, including PC Week, Computer Weekly
, Personal Computer World
, Innovative Leader, Professional Manager, BBC History Magazine, Good Housekeeping
, Nature
and House Beautiful
.
Clegg is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
.
His books have been translated into many languages, including German, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Polish, Turkish, Norwegian, Thai and Indonesian.
His latest UK book Inflight Science was published by Icon Books on 7 April 2011. In the US, his most recent title is Armageddon Science, published by St. Martin's Press
in August 2010.
Clegg lives in Wiltshire
with his wife and twin children.
Quantum entanglement
Quantum entanglement occurs when electrons, molecules even as large as "buckyballs", photons, etc., interact physically and then become separated; the type of interaction is such that each resulting member of a pair is properly described by the same quantum mechanical description , which is...
and surviving the impact of climate change, and biographies of Roger Bacon
Roger Bacon
Roger Bacon, O.F.M. , also known as Doctor Mirabilis , was an English philosopher and Franciscan friar who placed considerable emphasis on the study of nature through empirical methods...
and Eadweard Muybridge
Eadweard Muybridge
Eadweard J. Muybridge was an English photographer who spent much of his life in the United States. He is known for his pioneering work on animal locomotion which used multiple cameras to capture motion, and his zoopraxiscope, a device for projecting motion pictures that pre-dated the flexible...
.
Biography
Born in RochdaleRochdale
Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, UK, Clegg was educated at the Manchester Grammar School
Manchester Grammar School
The Manchester Grammar School is the largest independent day school for boys in the UK . It is based in Manchester, England...
and went on to read Natural Science
Natural science
The natural sciences are branches of science that seek to elucidate the rules that govern the natural world by using empirical and scientific methods...
(specializing in experimental physics) at Cambridge University. After graduating, he spent a year at Lancaster University
Lancaster University
Lancaster University, officially The University of Lancaster, is a leading research-intensive British university in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established by Royal Charter in 1964 and initially based in St Leonard's Gate until moving to a purpose-built 300 acre campus at...
where he gained a second MA in Operational Research, a discipline originally developed during the Second World War to apply the power of mathematics to warfare. It has since been widely applied to problem solving and decision making in business.
From Lancaster, he joined British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
, where he formed a new department tasked with providing all PC hardware, software and consultancy to the airline. When this was successfully running, he set up the Emerging Technologies Group, a team of the most eccentric but talented staff in the company, who researched and trialled technologies from fingerprint recognition to electronic cash. This emphasis on innovation led to training with Dr. Edward de Bono
Edward de Bono
Edward de Bono is a physician, author, inventor, and consultant. He originated the term lateral thinking, wrote a best selling book Six Thinking Hats and is a proponent of the deliberate teaching of thinking as a subject in schools.- Biography :Edward Charles Francis Publius de Bono was born to...
, and in 1994 he left BA to set up his own creativity consultancy, running courses on the development of new ideas and products, and the creative solution of business problems. His clients include the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, the Met Office
Met Office
The Met Office , is the United Kingdom's national weather service, and a trading fund of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
, British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
, GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline plc is a global pharmaceutical, biologics, vaccines and consumer healthcare company headquartered in London, United Kingdom...
, Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
, Royal Bank of Scotland
Royal Bank of Scotland
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is a British banking and insurance holding company in which the UK Government holds an 84% stake. This stake is held and managed through UK Financial Investments Limited, whose voting rights are limited to 75% in order for the bank to retain its listing on the...
and many other blue-chips.
Clegg is a regular speaker and has spoken at a range of venues, from Oxford and Cambridge Universities to the Dana Centre
Dana Centre
The Dana Centre on Queen's Gate, South Kensington, London is part of the Science Museum .Designed by MJP Architects, The Dana Centre, opened in 2003, is a public event venue in London for contemporary science debate, run largely by the Science Museum...
at the Science Museum (London)
Science Museum (London)
The Science Museum is one of the three major museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is part of the National Museum of Science and Industry. The museum is a major London tourist attraction....
. His book A Brief History of Infinity was launched with a sell-out lecture at the Royal Institution
Royal Institution
The Royal Institution of Great Britain is an organization devoted to scientific education and research, based in London.-Overview:...
in London. He is also a regular contributor to both radio and TV programmes and writes regular columns, features and reviews for numerous magazines, including PC Week, Computer Weekly
Computer Weekly
ComputerWeekly was a weekly magazine for IT professionals which was published by Reed Business Information for over 40 years. The magazine was available free to IT professionals who met the circulation requirements...
, Personal Computer World
Personal Computer World
Personal Computer World was a long-running British Computer magazine.Although for at least the last decade it contained a high proportion of Windows PC content , the magazine's title was not intended as a specific reference to this...
, Innovative Leader, Professional Manager, BBC History Magazine, Good Housekeeping
Good Housekeeping
Good Housekeeping is a women's magazine owned by the Hearst Corporation, featuring articles about women's interests, product testing by The Good Housekeeping Institute, recipes, diet, health as well as literary articles. It is well known for the "Good Housekeeping Seal," popularly known as the...
, Nature
Nature
Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general...
and House Beautiful
House Beautiful
House Beautiful is an interior decorating magazine that focuses on decorating and the domestic arts. First published in 1896, it is currently published by the Hearst Corporation, who purchased it in 1934...
.
Clegg is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
.
His books have been translated into many languages, including German, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Polish, Turkish, Norwegian, Thai and Indonesian.
His latest UK book Inflight Science was published by Icon Books on 7 April 2011. In the US, his most recent title is Armageddon Science, published by St. Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in the Flatiron Building in New York City. Currently, St. Martin's Press is one of the United States' largest publishers, bringing to the public some 700 titles a year under eight imprints, which include St. Martin's Press , St...
in August 2010.
Clegg lives in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
with his wife and twin children.
Science Books
new edition:External links
- Brian Clegg's website
- Brian Clegg's blog
- Further information on The Global Warming Survival Kit
- Feynman got it wrong article by Clegg on Roger Bacon's place in the history of science
- Global Warming Survival