Frank Close

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Frank Close

Frank Close

@closefrank

Physicist, broadcaster, and author of DESTROYER OF WORLDS The Deep History of the Nuclear Age. On sale 12 June Beware imitiations. Support your local bookstore.

University of Oxford Katılım Mayıs 2012
617 Takip Edilen5.2K Takipçiler
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Always Take Notes
Always Take Notes@takenotesalways·
When @closefrank started writing about physics for Nature and later The Guardian, he improved his writing the same way any scientist would – asking the right questions, careful experimentation and learning which variables to tweak each time. alwaystakenotes.com/episodes/frank…
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Frank Close
Frank Close@closefrank·
This was great fun as the full length interview reveals. Thanks Simon, Rachel and @takenotesalways for making such a fascinating record of the origins of Destroyer of Worlds, and of science writing over the decades. @pew_literary @Walsh_e_Patrick @annabelhuxley @AllenLaneBooks
Always Take Notes@takenotesalways

NEW EPISODE: Theoretical physicist @closefrank speaks to Simon and Rachel live from EA Festival about making physics accessible for a general audience and the inspiration for his latest book “Destroyer of Worlds”, a history of the nuclear age. alwaystakenotes.com/episodes/frank…

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Frank Close retweetledi
Frank Close retweetledi
Basic Books
Basic Books@BasicBooks·
“Physicist Frank Close ventures beyond the Manhattan Project to tell the gripping story of the nuclear age.” "Destroyer of Worlds," by Frank Close (@closefrank), is a @guardian Best Book of 2025! See the full list: bit.ly/448a5C0
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Frank Close
Frank Close@closefrank·
@GeneDannen @brianclegg Very interesting! Now need to find if one in Southampton Row. If so then maybe their very novelty (and pedestrian uncertainty referred to) indeed stimulated his subconscious tho' his version of sequence seems illogical as described
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Gene Dannen
Gene Dannen@GeneDannen·
@closefrank @brianclegg Here are images of traffic lights at two locations, in 1931 and 1933, from another photo source where dates are given.
Gene Dannen tweet mediaGene Dannen tweet media
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Gene Dannen
Gene Dannen@GeneDannen·
@brianclegg @closefrank Frank, London traffic lights in 1933 were better than you realize. This is a photo from June 1931. Regards, Gene
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Frank Close
Frank Close@closefrank·
@GeneDannen @brianclegg p.s. Where does the Alamy photo link to? How sure of June 1931? Seems in conflict with the Piccadilly 1937 story.
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Frank Close
Frank Close@closefrank·
@GeneDannen @brianclegg The Ox Circus photo however does seem to qualify as "robot" so what story does this come from? How sure Alamy have right date? If correct seems conflict with the Piccadilly 1937 report...?
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Frank Close
Frank Close@closefrank·
@GeneDannen @brianclegg Also semaphore signals back in 1868. The first *fully automatic* electric traffic lights were Piccadilly Circus in 1937; "Crowds of people assembled .. to watch Minister of Transport, Wilfrid Ashley, switching on our first "Robot" traffic lights". 1931 Ox Circus peds had bells.
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