After working in universities for 30 years as a biomedical scientist, I took early retirement in 2009 and moved to Devon. I am Emeritus Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Reading and writing is now my principal occupation. I write about science and about nature with a particular focus on how science fits in to society.
For more information visit http://philipstrange.wordpress.com/
Four years ago, a family of wild beavers were spotted on the river Otter in East Devon. This was the first report of the animal breeding successfully in the wild in England since the species had been hunted to extinction Read more »
Mistaken marriages, passionate affairs, tragic deaths, richly interwoven with folklore and superstition. This is the complex concoction contained in The Return of the Native, one of Thomas Hardy’s great novels. Hardy set his narrative on the semi-fictional Egdon Heath, a Read more »
For hundreds of years, colourful, flower-rich hay meadows were a defining feature of the British countryside and its way of life. The 20th century saw a tidal wave of agricultural intensification sweep through the countryside accompanied by increased use of Read more »
The Seafront Gardens in Lyme Regis Mature trees, richly planted borders, gently curving paths, a place to look and a space to think—the Seafront Gardens in Lyme Regis provide both an oasis of calm for humans and a safe haven Read more »
Runny nose, sore throat, hacking cough? Do you run to the pharmacy for a cough medicine that may or may not help? Many Bridport people remember the days when the remedy of choice was Fudge’s Mentholated Honey Syrup, or as Read more »
One of the more unusual features of the magnificent St Mary’s Church in Ottery St Mary is the ancient astronomical clock. Not only does it tell the time, it also shows the age and phase of the moon, and it Read more »
The west Dorset coast contains many wonders but one stands out above all others. This is Golden Cap, the distinctive steep-sided, flat-topped hill with its golden edge and cliffs falling precipitously to the sea. Visible for miles around and rising Read more »
Sunny days, long evenings, a barbecue at the beach? Sounds idyllic doesn’t it? But as we light the charcoal, do we ever think about where it comes from? I wanted to know, so I went to Higher Halstock to meet Read more »
‘Black Gold’ in Hardy’s Wessex – the surprising story of oil in Dorset by Philip Strange It’s difficult to believe but one of the most beautiful parts of Dorset is home to the largest on-shore oil field in Western Europe. Read more »
The snowdrop is one of the earliest flowers to appear, even in a hard winter. The pure white blooms anticipate the eventual arrival of spring and attract affectionate common names such as February Fair Maids, Dingle-dangle, Candlemas Bells, Mary’s Taper, Read more »