Writing
The Rough Guide to the Brain has been my biggest project to date. A vast amount of information was researched and compiled into a format suitable for anyone who has ever wanted to understand more about what lies under their skull.
Starting (quite literally) at the beginning, the book starts with how it's thought we evolved such a large, powerful brain - and how we discovered what we know about how it works. From there, we launch into some of the most fundamental areas of mental exploration, from the nature of memory and intelligence to consciousness, mental health, and how we affect the brain through the use of drugs - from caffeine to cannabis. Acknowledging there's still much to learn about this remarkable organ, we then delve into less certain terrain, such as the power of positive thinking and extra sensory perception. Finally, we end at a new beginning, a chapter dealing with the future of our - still evolving - brain. What exactly are 'artificial intelligence' and 'neural networks' - how far are we from creating machines that can act as intelligently (or more so) than humans? Do videogames hold the key to what makes us believe something is 'alive' and will we one day succumb to silicon, using technology to augment our natural capabilities...
Interviews
The Times, April 26 2008: Grand Theft Auto IV Embodies the Future of Entertainment
The Times, September 29th 2007: Can a Video Game Really Improve Mental Agility?
Limited Edition Magazine, July 2007: Mind Over Matter
The Sun, June 7th 2007: Sun Health - Why Men Love Sport
News Coverage
Time Out, July 18-24th 2007: Health & Fitness - Mind Games
The Sun, April 27th 2007: First-date Sex Best
The Metro, April 27th 2007: Head Straight to Bed to Bag Love
Articles - print
The Sunday Times, November 24th, 2007, Supplement - Brain Puzzle Book
Engaging Science: Thoughts, deeds, analysis and action: a new, high profile publication from The Wellcome Trust. Featuring essays from leading researchers, practitioners and commentators in the realm of public engagment, 'Engaging Science' also includes summaries of key Trust-funded projects and initiatives, which I provided (July 2006).
The Lancet Neurology: Paycheck film review • Vol 3 • March 2004
The Lancet: Food minus exercise equals fat (concerning obesity in the UK) • Vol 363 • April 10, 2004
The Lancet Neurology: The Cognitive Neuroscience of Music book review • Vol 3 • May 2004
The Lancet Neurology: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind film review • Vol 3 • July 2004
The Science Reporter: Building a Blockbuster • 2004
Articles - web
Wellcome News 56, November 2008, Finding Pat Martino - an article about the forthcoming feature length documentary from director Ian Knox and neuropsychologist, Paul Broks, exploring the mind of legendary jazz guitarist, Pat Martino.
Nanomedicine: using nanotechnology to cure
Neuromarketing: seeing thoughts in action
Deadly snails?: how sea snails could revolutionize pain management
Neuroengineering: the mind-machine interface
machina - a movie script
A brilliant young man, a nanotechnology scientist, is coerced by the military into making an intelligent weapon to kill their enemy. When the weapon becomes indiscriminate, billions are killed, leaving the survivors to hide in vast underground cities. The scientist's nightmare gets exponentially worse when he discovers that the military have an ominous plan to enslave the survivors.
machina - synopsis:
War is raging. With increasingly sophisticated weapons being used, time is running out for one side - the Military turn to the scientist, Storm Blue. Brilliant but naive, Storm is forced to help the Military create the ultimate weapon: powerful microscopic killing machines. Left with no choice, Storm creates this terrifying new weapon, and together with an old girlfriend and Cirus, a sadistic soldier, they turn the tide of the war in their nation’s favour. However, the nanoweapons mutate, destroying most of humanity on the surface of the planet - including Storm’s close friend.
The survivors, ignorant of the truth, are forced to live in squalid underground cities. Storm, devastated, is desperate for redemption. Adding to Storm’s sense of persecution, an ambitious detective has connected him to a string of gruesome killings.
In a flash of inspiration, Storm creates a new breed of microscopic machine that will allow the survivors to return to the surface of the planet, freeing them from their underground hell. However, Cirus and his minions have other plans. Intending to use Storm's new technology to enslave humanity, Cirus captures Storm and the detective and exposes the city's inhabitants to a twisted form of Storm’s technology.
Out of options , Storm uses his latest invention to transform his own biology, allowing him to perform a superhuman escape from Cirus and to rescue the detective. After a ballistic battle against Cirus, Storm leaves him to suffer a terrible fate whilst he and the detective, now convinced of Storm's innocence, race against time to stop the population from being destroyed by Cirus’s handy-work.
Carrying the cure in his blood, Storm realises he must sacrifice himself to save what's left of humanity. He does so, leaving the world free to live on the surface again. The detective becomes a leader and symbol of hope for mankind, carrying her mysterious unborn child – could the technology she carries somehow have given Storm another shot at life...
SCRIPT AVAILABLE ON REQUEST