Hannah Fry to join Cambridge Maths Faculty

Professor Hannah Fry, award-winning science presenter, will be joining Cambridge as the first Professor of the Public Understanding of Mathematics in January. Fry, who has hosted popular science programmes including The Secret Genius of Modern Life, has said she is is “really looking forward to joining the Cambridge community”. “It’s so exciting to be in an environment where every single person you speak to is working on something absolutely fascinating,” she said. “I’d love to build and grow a community around excellence in mathematical communication at Cambridge – so that we’re really researching the best possible methods to communicate with people,” she added.

Singing librarian finds fame

Everyone knows there is just one rule when it comes to libraries – no talking. But what about singing? Lara Harris, a postgraduate student at Cambridge, has gone viral on TikTok for posting her singing announcements to customers. “I thought it would be funny if at closing time, instead of making the normal announcements, I sang it,” Harris told the BBC. The postgrad student wasn’t expecting a huge reaction, “but people seem to love them,” she said. Harris may be a student and librarian now, but has hopes of becoming a musician. “One day you come up with a good idea and you’re getting exposure and people like it,” she said. “It’s been a real blessing to use social media for this”.

Isaac Newton’s wealth ‘intimately connected’ with slavery

Sir Isaac Newton had close financial ties to the transatlantic slave trade, a new book has claimed. The Cambridge alumnus’ theory of gravity revolutionised science, but his personal wealth came from “gold from Brazil mined by enslaved peoples,” the book’s author, Nat Dyer, told The Guardian. After leaving the University in 1696, Newton took up a job at the Royal Mint, where he spent nearly three decades – and amassed great personal wealth. By 1702 he was earning the equivalent of £1.2 million a year.

Troubled water puts environment ‘at risk’

Cambridge is in deep water, environmental regulators have warned this week, after they raised serious concerns about Cambridge Water’s ability to meet local demand. Three environmental regulators have sent a joint letter to the water company calling for “immediate action” to make sure that demand is met without causing environmental damage. Some of the concerns highlighted included a worry that Cambridge Water is putting the environment “at risk,” as well as failing to meet goals around reducing leakage. Councillor Jean Glasberg said the letter was “shocking”, stating that“Cambridge water must move much faster to address its shortcomings.”