During the winter my attention was attracted to the changes in the stars and planets in the sky.

It has been a privilege to pursue knowledge for its own sake and to see how it might help mankind in more practical ways.

I am still a keen mountain walker and an enthusiastic glider pilot.

I had a great time investigating the pigments of different mutant fruit flies by following experimental protocols published in Scientific American, and I also remember making my own beetle collection when it was still acceptable to make such collections.

I think it was this curiosity about the natural world which awoke my early interest in science.

Better understanding of the natural world not only enhances all of us as human beings, but can also be harnessed for the better good, leading to improved health and quality of life.

Scientific understanding is often beautiful, a profoundly aesthetic experience which gives pleasure not unlike the reading of a great poem.