July 2022

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Lots going on in the UK this month, along side some astronomy news and if you want to get a £4 discount on my favourite book subscription service - keep reading!

Big News
It’s getting hot in here! Following on from last month the UK has been busy. During a record breaking heatwave the temperature rose to 40°C (104 Fahrenheit), something never seen before in the UK. In the short term this has caused severe problems, alongside the obvious discomfort (most people in the UK don’t have air conditioning to take the edge off) there were other more serious issues including a dangerous number of fires, technical difficulties at Google, and airport delays due to runway melting. Many people have also raised concerns about the long  term implications, pointing out that we are now reaping the consequences of global warming and are unprepared for the growing risks. 

Bubble bursts for Boris. The chaos continues for Britain as earlier this month Boris Johnson faced a revolt by senior members of staff which led to his eventual resignation. Things have moved quickly for the UK government over the last few weeks; this started with sexual misconduct allegations against an MP, which became an internal crisis which eventually led to a call for Boris Johnsons head. After a drawn out resignation the Conservative party began their search for a new Party leader, and future PM. As I write the two finalists have been announced, whittled down from an initial eight candidates. Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss will now compete to win over Conservative party members who will vote for their preferred candidate. The country now holds its breath for the better part of 6 weeks until the results are announced on the 5th of September.

Little News
James Webb. Iin galactic news the James Webb Telescope, an infrared space observatory launched last year, has been delivering its first batch of stunning images. Some of the shots provide sweeping views of galaxy clusters while others are breathtaking images of the Carina Nebula. The beauty of these pictures cannot be overstated; they demonstrate how small humanity is on a universal scale but also how innovative we are to be able to create technology that can capture such stunning visuals. 

What I’ve been enjoying this month
A Box of Stories. I’ve mentioned my love of reading many times before. For me there is nothing better than a surprise book. On and off for the last year I have been trying out different book subscriptions services. This month I started reading some of the books I got from my favourite book subscription service A Box of Stories. At regular intervals they will send you books that are going to be recycled or discarded, you get to choose either a specific genre or go for a mixed box. Like I said I’ve tried a few services out and this one is on of my favourites; it is easy to stop and start your subscription (I’m about to move house so currently my wife has but me on a book buying ban), the books are going to be destroyed so you get the satisfaction of knowing you did something good, and the books I’ve received have always been great reads. If you want to try a book subscription service then I recommend giving them a go, also if you want to get £4 off your first box use my referral link here.