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SUMMARY:The Biochemistry of Autumn - Why do the leaves fall? - Prof Brian 
 J Ford (President of CSAR)
DTSTART:20111027T180000Z
DTEND:20111027T190000Z
UID:TALK31674@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:John O'Toole
DESCRIPTION:The flaming colours of autumnal leaves are a spectacular featu
 re of the seasonal landscape. Yet what does this complex biochemistry sign
 ify? We have been taught that the pigmented compounds in leaves are reveal
 ed as chlorophyll is withdrawn from the dead and dying leaves\, and that l
 eaves are shed to prevent damage during the long winter months. This prese
 ntation demonstrates how these conventional views can be challenged.\nA di
 fferent theoretical approach reveals that the loss of leaves has a profoun
 dly important physiological significance in the life of vascular plants\, 
 and this view is currently percolating through the annals of botanical sci
 ence. This illustrated presentation touches upon the many senses that plan
 ts possess\, and uses the internet to show how we can document the changin
 g status of a different approach to physiological theory.\n\nBrian J Ford 
 is President of the University of Cambridge Society for the Application of
  Research (CSAR). He has served at the Institute of Biology on Council and
  as Chairman of the Committee for the History of Biology\, and writes for 
 both the Biologist and the Journal of Biological Education. He has also se
 rved on Council of the Linnean Society\, where he was Zoological Secretary
  and is Honorary Surveyor of Scientific instruments. Ford was appointed Vi
 siting Professor at the University of Leicester in 2006\, is a Fellow and 
 Member of Court at Cardiff University\; Honorary Fellow of Keynes College\
 , University of Kent at Canterbury and former Fellow at the Open Universit
 y. He was a NESTA Fellow 2004-2008. He has written over 30 books and many 
 hundreds of papers. Ford’s research has been extensively published in jo
 urnals including New Scientist\, Scientific American\, Nature\, The Micros
 cope and the British Medical Journal. He has written for The Times and The
  Guardian and is the author over 30 scientific books\, many of which have 
 been translated and published internationally. He is well known for many p
 rogrammes on radio\, where he hosted the weekly Science Now\, and televisi
 on\, as host of series including ‘Computer Challenge’ and ‘Food for 
 Thought’.\n
LOCATION:Department of Chemistry\, Lensfield Road\, Cambridge
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