2023 – Page 15 – David Bradley

How to pronounce Kyiv correctly

TL:DR – The correct pronunciation of Kyiv.

The capital city of Ukraine, written in English, is Kyiv. But there still seems to be so much inconsistency in how English-speaking newsreaders and reporters pronounce the place name.

It’s definitely not Keeeev and definitely, definitely not Kee-eff or Kee-ev.

Watch and listen…and learn…

That’s it. No ifs, no buts.

K(r)-yee-iv – but rolled tightly together into two short syllables. That bracketed r is like a Northumbrian or French “r” sound, but much shorter.

That said, English speakers do not pronounce Paris like the French, so perhaps they could be consistent with an Anglicised version of Kyiv – Kyeev.

To pronounce “Kyiv” correctly, follow these steps:

Start with the “K” sound, which is a voiceless velar plosive. This is the same sound as in the English word “kite” or “cat”. But, the K sound is closely associated with a soft “r” sound, which is pronounced by touching the tip of the tongue to the roof of the mouth, just behind the front teeth, and making a soft hissing sound (like a shorter version of the “r” in Paris spoken in French).

Next, move on to the “yi” sound, which is a diphthong in Ukrainian. It is pronounced as a combination of the vowel sounds “i” and “y”. The sound is similar to the “ee” sound in the English word “beet” but with a slightly rounded lip shape.

Finally, end with the “v” sound, which is a voiced labiodental fricative. This sound is similar to the “v” sound in the English word “vase” or “vine”.
So the correct pronunciation of Kyiv is “K(r)eev” with the emphasis on the first syllable.

Knots landing again

TL:DR – Tens of thousands of Knot murmurate over The Wash visible from the north Norfolk and Lincolnshire coasts.

We spent the night in North Norfolk, tried to have an early night at a cheap hotel, and were up well before dawn to get to Knots Landing (RSPB Snettisham). We hoped to be in plenty of time for the high tide and the potential for a Wader Spectacular. We, and dozens of other green-clad, enthusiasts were not disappointed.

The weather was damp and drizzly and very cold and we got soaked through, but we witnessed tens of thousands of Knot (Calidris canutus) murmurating over the advancing tide as we headed for the landing site.

Most have at this point already been pushed off the deluged mudflats of The Wash, their low-tide feeding grounds, and into the air. Within minutes, the murmurs flood the banks of the inland lagoons with birds crammed tightly together to ride out the high tide. They wait patiently for a distant trigger that calls them once the ebbing tide retreats along the muddy shoreline.

Flocking Knot looking like a live Escher etching

As the tide turns, they flock back to sea, murmurating along the way – strength in numbers – to confuse any preying Peregrines. Ultimately, the seem lost to the waves but are merely gone from view.

This is not the first time we’ve seen the Knot murmurations, although it is the first time we’ve made a special trip to catch them at a dawn high tide. We visit the area often and have seen these wondrous flocks on numerous occasions and caught one wader spectacular just as the sun was setting a few years ago. Always amazing to watch the sun set over the sea when one is ostensibly on England’s east coast. You’ll have to look at the map for Snettisham, Norfolk to see how that can be. (Video from 2018 visit here).

Knot crammed together to find refuge on the banks of the lagoon at Snettisham to escape the high tide — Knot crammed together find refuge on the banks of the lagoon at Snettisham to escape the high tide

The bird’s name comes from the name of the King who demonstrated his fallibility to his subjects by failing to turn back the tide – King Cnut – better known to us Brits as King Canute. The bird’s scientific name is Calidris canutus. Kalidris, or skalidris, was a word used by Aristotle to describe various grey-coloured shore birds, waders. The (Red) Knot, C. canutus, is the “type species” of the genus, although unusually does not have a tautonym (it would have been Calidris calidris).

Knot heading back out to sea with a few Godwits along for the ride

Meanwhile, on the same trip taking in a visit to nearby RSPB Titchwell we also clocked Avocet, Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull, Black-tailed Godwit, Brent Geese, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Gadwall, Golden Plover, Goldfinch, Great Black-backed Gull, Grey Plover, Greylag Geese, Herring Gull, Lapwing, Linnet, Mallard, Marsh Harrier, Meadow Pipit, Mediterranean Gull, Mute Swan, Peregrine Falcon, Pintail, Redshank, Red Kite, Reed Bunting, Robin, Sanderling, Shelduck, Shoveller Duck, Skylark, Snipe, Spoonbill, Teal, Turnstone, Water Pipit, Wigeon, Wren, and others.

One of a couple of Snipe feeding at RSPB Titchwell

ChatGPT interviews Sciencebase

TL:DR – I prompted ChatGPT to come up with some interview questions and to answer them on my behalf. Aside from two factual errors, the results are eerily close to how I might have responded in an actual interview.

In my previous article, I wrote about prompting ChatGPT to come up with a list of 20 questions to ask me as an experienced science writer with a penchant for wildlife photography. Originally, I planned to come up with my own answers…but where’s the fun in that?

MidJourney image generated to allude to a robot interviewing someone

So, having asked it to act as a journalist to come up with the questions, I then asked it to pretend to be me and to answer those questions…saves a lot of thinking, doesn’t it? I’ve struck out the factually incorrect parts of the answers. Everything else is unnervingly close to what I might have said in a real interview…initially it only got as far as fully answering 16 of the 20 on my behalf as it was repeatedly over-capacity, I finally got back into the system to prompt it to complete my artificial interview after a couple of hours of trying.

What inspired you to pursue a career in science journalism, and how did you get your start in the field?

I’ve always been fascinated by science and the natural world, and I wanted to find a way to share that passion with others. I studied science in college, but I quickly realized that I enjoyed writing and communicating about science more than doing research. So, I decided to pursue a career in science journalism. I got my start as a reporter at a small newspaper, freelance contributor to New Scientist and various other magazines and newspappers back in the early 1990s where I covered a wide range of topics, including science and technology mostly chemistry and related topics for several years.

How did you first become interested in wildlife photography, and how has it influenced your science writing over the years?

I’ve always enjoyed taking photos, but my interest in wildlife photography really took off when I started covering stories about conservation and environmental issues bought a big zoom lens and started getting some reasonable shots of birds. I realized that photos could be a powerful way to connect people with the natural world and to illustrate the scientific concepts I was writing about. Over the years, I’ve found that my photography has inspired me to explore new scientific topics and to approach my writing in a more creative way.

Can you share some of your favorite wildlife photography moments and what they taught you about the natural world?

One of my favorite wildlife photography moments was when I captured a photo of a ~~bald~~ White-tailed Eagle perched on a tree branch just as it took flight. The photo taught me the importance of patience and persistence in wildlife photography, and it reminded me of the incredible power and beauty of these birds.

How do you balance the demands of science journalism with the creative process of photography, and how do the two complement each other in your work?

Balancing the demands of science journalism and photography can be challenging at times, but I find that the two disciplines actually complement each other quite well. Photography allows me to approach scientific topics from a more visual perspective, which can help me find new angles or ways to communicate complex ideas. At the same time, my experience as a science journalist helps me to understand the scientific concepts and processes behind the wildlife and nature I photograph.

What are some of the biggest challenges you face as a science journalist, and how do you approach them?

One of the biggest challenges I face as a science journalist is finding ways to communicate complex scientific concepts in a way that is engaging and accessible to a broad audience. I approach this challenge by breaking down scientific concepts into simple, understandable terms and by using real-world examples to illustrate the relevance and importance of the research.

What are some of the most interesting or surprising scientific discoveries you’ve covered in your career, and how did you approach reporting on them?

One of the most interesting scientific discoveries I’ve covered was the ~~discovery of the Higgs boson particle~~ development of supercritical fluids as environment friendly solvents. This was a major breakthrough in ~~physics~~ chemistry, and it was exciting to be able to report on it as it was happening. I approached reporting on this discovery by talking to scientists involved in the research, by reading scientific papers and other sources to understand the implications of the discovery, and by finding creative ways to explain the concept to a general audience.

How do you stay up to date on the latest scientific research and breakthroughs, and what sources do you rely on for your reporting?

I stay up to date on the latest scientific research by reading scientific journals, attending scientific conferences, following scientific organizations and research institutions on social media, and talking to scientists and other experts in the field. I also rely on reputable news outlets and scientific publications to stay informed.

How do you approach interviewing scientists and researchers, and what techniques do you use to get them to open up about their work?

When I’m interviewing scientists and researchers, I try to approach them with an open mind and a genuine interest in their work.

How do you think your perspective as a scientist and photographer influences the way you tell stories through your work?

I think my perspective as a scientist and photographer helps me to approach storytelling in a more nuanced and multi-dimensional way. I’m able to draw on my knowledge of science to explain complex ideas and to use photography to bring those ideas to life in a way that is engaging and accessible.

What do you consider to be the most important qualities for a science journalist, and how do you work to cultivate those qualities in yourself?

I think the most important qualities for a science journalist are curiosity, critical thinking, and a willingness to learn and adapt. I work to cultivate these qualities by staying curious and asking questions, by seeking out new perspectives and experiences, and by being open to feedback and constructive criticism.

How do you think technology is changing the way science is communicated to the public, and how do you adapt to those changes in your work?

I think technology has had a profound impact on the way science is communicated to the public, making it easier to reach wider audiences and to engage people in new and exciting ways. I adapt to these changes by staying up to date on the latest trends and technologies in science communication, and by experimenting with new platforms and techniques to find the most effective ways to share my work.

What advice do you have for aspiring science journalists who are just starting out in the field?

My advice for aspiring science journalists is to stay curious, to be persistent, and to always be willing to learn and grow. Don’t be afraid to take risks, and don’t be discouraged by rejection. The most important thing is to keep working at it and to stay passionate about the work.

What are some of the ethical considerations that you think science journalists need to keep in mind when reporting on scientific research?

Some of the ethical considerations that science journalists need to keep in mind include accuracy, transparency, and avoiding conflicts of interest. It’s important to fact-check and verify all sources and to be transparent about any potential biases or conflicts of interest that may exist.

How do you balance the need for scientific accuracy with the need to make scientific concepts accessible and engaging to a broader audience?

Balancing scientific accuracy with accessibility can be challenging, but I find that it’s important to find a middle ground that is both accurate and engaging. This might involve finding creative ways to explain complex concepts, using real-world examples to illustrate scientific concepts, and working closely with scientists and other experts to ensure that the science is accurately represented.

What are some of the benefits and drawbacks of combining science writing with wildlife photography, and how do you navigate those trade-offs in your work?

One of the benefits of combining science writing with wildlife photography is that it can help to bring scientific concepts to life in a more vivid and engaging way. The main drawback is that it can be time-consuming and challenging to balance the demands of both disciplines. To navigate these trade-offs, I try to be strategic about how I combine science writing and photography, and I focus on finding topics and stories that are well-suited to both disciplines.

How do you decide which scientific topics to cover, and what factors do you take into consideration when making those decisions?

When deciding which scientific topics to cover, I take a number of factors into consideration, including the importance of the research, its relevance to current events and public policy, and the potential impact it may have on society or the natural world. I also consider the level of public interest in the topic and the potential for creative storytelling.

How do you stay motivated and inspired in your work, and what do you do to overcome creative blocks?

I stay motivated and inspired in my work by continually seeking out new experiences and perspectives, and by staying connected to the scientific community and other creative professionals in my field. When I do experience creative blocks, I try to take a break and engage in other activities that help me to relax and recharge, such as ~~hiking, reading, or spending time with family and friends~~ walking, wildlife photography, and making music.

What do you think the future of science journalism looks like, and how do you see yourself fitting into that future?

I think the future of science journalism is exciting and full of potential, with new technologies and platforms allowing for more dynamic and engaging storytelling. As someone who is passionate about science writing and photography, I see myself continuing to work at the intersection of these disciplines, pushing the boundaries of what is possible and finding new and innovative ways to engage audiences with science.

What are some of the biggest misconceptions that the public has about science, and how do you work to correct those misconceptions in your writing?

Some of the biggest misconceptions that the public has about science include the belief that science is always objective and that scientists always agree with each other. In my writing, I try to be transparent about the limitations and uncertainties of scientific research, and to highlight the diversity of perspectives and debates within the scientific community.

What is one piece of advice that has stuck with you throughout your career, and why is it important to you?

One piece of advice that has stuck with me throughout my career is to always be open to learning and to never stop asking questions. I think this is important because science is a field that is constantly evolving and changing, and as a journalist, it’s crucial to stay informed and up-to-date in order to be an effective communicator of scientific research and ideas.

Once the interview was over, I asked ChatGPT if it knew who it had been interviewing? It did not. So, I told it that’s interviewee was David Bradley of sciencebase.com. It then had this to say:

David Bradley is a well-known science writer and editor, who has written extensively on various topics related to physical sciences and technology, as well as wildlife and nature photography. His work has been published in numerous scientific journals and popular media outlets, and he has received several awards for his writing and contributions to the field of science journalism. It is inspiring to see how he has been able to combine his passion for science and photography, and I hope that his work continues to inspire others in the field.

ChatGPT to interview Sciencebase

TL:DR – I prompted the language model to come up with 20 questions to ask me as an experienced science writer with a penchant for wildlife photography.

I need some time to come up with my answers! Actually…how about I asked ChatGPT to act as me and generate answers for me…

What inspired you to pursue a career in science journalism, and how did you get your start in the field?
How did you first become interested in wildlife photography, and how has it influenced your science writing over the years?
Can you share some of your favorite wildlife photography moments and what they taught you about the natural world?
How do you balance the demands of science journalism with the creative process of photography, and how do the two complement each other in your work?
What are some of the biggest challenges you face as a science journalist, and how do you approach them?
What are some of the most interesting or surprising scientific discoveries you’ve covered in your career, and how did you approach reporting on them?
How do you stay up to date on the latest scientific research and breakthroughs, and what sources do you rely on for your reporting?
How do you approach interviewing scientists and researchers, and what techniques do you use to get them to open up about their work?
How do you decide which scientific topics to write about, and what makes a particular story worth pursuing?
What advice do you have for aspiring science journalists and photographers who are just starting out in their careers?
What role do you think science journalism plays in society, and how has it evolved over the years?
How do you deal with criticism or pushback from scientists or other stakeholders in the field, and how do you maintain objectivity in your reporting?
How do you think technology has changed the way science journalism is done, and what opportunities or challenges has it created?
What are some of the biggest misconceptions about science journalism and science in general, and how do you try to address them in your work?
How has your perspective on science and the natural world evolved over the course of your career, and what have been some of the most significant moments or events that have shaped your thinking?
What are some of the ethical considerations you take into account when reporting on scientific research or wildlife photography, and how do you ensure that you’re not contributing to harm or exploitation of animals or ecosystems?
What are some of the biggest trends or issues in science journalism today, and how do you see them evolving in the future?
How do you balance the demands of work with other aspects of your life, and what do you do to maintain your physical and mental well-being?
What advice would you give to someone who is looking to combine their passion for photography with their interest in science, and how can they get started in this field?
Looking back on your career, what do you consider to be your biggest accomplishments or proudest moments, and what are your goals for the future?

For those who’d like to know, this is the prompt I used to generate the 20 questions

“You are to act as an award-winning journalist with excellent interviewing skills and a wealth of experience interviewing a wide range of people from celebrities to artists, scientists to politicians. You are to act as mentor to a well-trained but inexperienced junior on your high-brow newspaper. You should come up with a list of 20 questions to probe the psyche and experience of a fairly well-known science journalist who does wildlife photography as a hobby but has written mostly about physical sciences for over 30 years but would like to move more towards combining science writing with the wildlife photography.”

Dual antidote for cyanide and carbon monoxide poisoning

TL:DR – Scientists have developed a life-saving antidote for exposure to the deadly gases hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide.

Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of antidote development by creating a synthetic heme-model compound that has the potential to save lives in the event of simultaneous poisoning by carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide, which are frequently encountered in building fires. The compound, which has been tested on mice, resulted in an impressive 85% survival rate and rapid recovery. The chemical group known as heme is at the heart of hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying molecule in our blood, and various enzymes in our body.

The researchers, led by Qiyue Mao of Doshisha University in Kyotanabe, Kyoto, Japan, and her colleagues, have published their findings in the scientific paper “A synthetic porphyrin as an effective dual antidote against carbon monoxide and cyanide poisoning.” The study shows that the antidote is highly effective and exhibits low toxicity. Moreover, the compound can be rapidly eliminated from the body through urinary excretion, making it an ideal antidote for emergency situations.

The fact that the synthetic heme-model compound is storable at room temperature is a significant advantage for emergency services, as it could be rapidly prepared and administered at the site of accidental exposure to fire-generated gases. The potential benefits of this discovery could be life-saving, and it represents a significant leap forward in the field of antidote development.

The compound was developed using porphyrin, a molecule that is known to bind to oxygen-carrying heme proteins in red blood cells. The synthetic heme-model compound mimics the structure of natural heme and binds to carbon monoxide and cyanide, preventing them from binding to the body’s own heme proteins. This mechanism of action makes the compound highly effective in treating poisoning by these deadly gases.

The findings of this study have significant implications for public health and emergency services. By providing a safe, effective, and easy-to-administer antidote, lives could be saved in emergency situations where carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide poisoning are a risk. The potential for this compound to be used in human patients is exciting and offers hope for those at risk of exposure to fire-generated gases.

Mao, Q. et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci, Feb 20, 2023

As an experiment, I used ChatGPT to edit the press release about this work from PNAS. The only changes I made were to add the sentence in italics at the end of the first paragraph, add the institution, and to change team to colleagues.

More on choosing the best Mastodon server

TL:DR – Mastodon is a decentralized social network. It consists of thousands of different sites, or instances, all running the Mastodon software but each with its own character, community, and rules. When choosing an instance to join, you are best served by choosing one that aligns with your interests and values.

You should consider the following when choosing your first Mastodon instance. Remember, you can always switch later and take any followers you gain with you.

Community: The first thing to consider when choosing an instance is the community that it represents. Each instance has its own set of users with their own interests and opinions. Unless you wish to see conflicting opinions, it is worth seeking out an instance with which you share values. Some instances focus on specific topics such as technology, science, art, or politics, others are more general.

Moderation: Mastodon instances are self-moderated with their own set of rules. Some are strict, others more permissive in terms of the content they allow. You need to find an instance with moderation policies that you are comfortable with.

Size: Size matters. Larger instances can be more active, which can be better but can be overwhelming. Smaller instances may have a tighter-knit community with more focused discussions, but you might find them less engaging.

Administration: It is worth knowing who owns and runs an instance. Often it is an individual but it can be a group or even an organisation.

Availability: Some instances are more prone to downtime or server issues. There is also the issue that for some instances, an admin may not have the finances to sustain it or even make a decision to close the instance at any time. It’s worth looking at the instance’s track record, how well it is supported, and also whether there is a notice period for closure.

If you have questions about a given instance, you can look at its public timeline and documentation, you can even post questions about it in the wider community. As a Sciencebase reader, you might like to consider the more popular instances that are used by the people I follow. You can find that list here.

TL:DR – Too long, didn’t read

TL:DR – Adding article summaries to my blog posts to help readers better navigate the 3700 Sciencebase posts.

Back in the days of print journalism, we used to write our copy, attach a headline and perhaps a strapline. For a news story, the article would usually follow a kind of pyramid structure. The headline telling pretty much the whole story, the strapline expanding on it a little, then the article building on the conventional Who, Why, What, Where, and When etc.

Of course, once editors got their hands on it, your sacred text might be shredded and at the very least the headline and strapline would be stripped away and replaced with whatever a sub-editor thought was better. It was almost obligatory. In ten years of writing for magazines and newspapers through the 1990s, it was quite rare, at least in the mainstream press, for any journalist to get their headline past a subbie. I think I managed it once or twice in 500 or so articles for New Scientist, Popular Science, and Science etc, and again once or twice with dozens of newspaper articles including in The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, and others.

Anyway, the web came along, I kind of helped pioneer science news online just as it was emerging from academia and into the mainstream, long before some of the big names even had a website. With the web, and more specifically Google, came pagerank and search engine optimisation (SEO), and the need to get keywords into headlines and straplines. Then the advent of social media led us to the world of clickbait, and so on.

At the time of writing, I’ve gone a bit hybrid old-new school with some recent articles. In the name of saving my readers time, I’ve added a TL:DR (too long, didn’t read) strapline to those articles. The TL:DR is basically a summary of the whole article. If the strapline doesn’t grab you, then there’s no need to read the whole article, you can quickly move to the next or abandon ship and visit another site.

There are 3700 articles in this blog some stretching back to December 1995 when I launched what I think was the first public news site specialising in chemistry, Elemental Discoveries. It may well have been the first science news site. Anyway, I am now wondering how to get ChatGPT to write the TL:DRs for all those thousands of articles, save me re-reading and sub-editing myself!

Choosing the best Mastodon server

TL:DR – There are lots of Mastodon servers, choosing the best is down to personal needs. Choose one in your niche that has a good number of users, more than one admin, and a good financial base.

If you’re new to Mastodon, then have a quick read of my Mastodon FAQ to get an idea of what it’s all about.

Social media tool Mastodon is essentially a network of connected websites all running the same software. Users refer to these websites as instances. You can think of an instance as being a specialist group on another famous social media system. But each instance or server is owned and managed independently rather than being controlled for the benefit of a billionaire and shareholders.

Once you’re ready to grab Mastodon by the tusks you will need to choose a server or instance with which to sign up. The following list are the servers most commonly used by the people I follow.

This list is substantially the same as when I last did an analysis of the most popular Mastodon servers, but with a few important exceptions.

Some additional “thoughts” via ChatGPT about Mastodon:

Mastodon is a decentralized social network that is part of a larger network of federated social media platforms known as the Fediverse. As a newcomer to Mastodon, choosing the right instance is an important decision, as it can impact the quality of your experience on the platform. Here are some tips for choosing a Mastodon instance:

Identify your interests and values: One of the advantages of Mastodon is the ability to join instances that cater to specific interests or values. Before selecting an instance, identify what you are looking for in a community. For example, if you are interested in technology, you may want to join an instance that focuses on tech discussions.

Research the instance: Once you have identified your interests, research the Mastodon instances that cater to those interests. Look for information on the instance’s rules, moderation policies, and user demographics. It’s also a good idea to check out the instance’s timeline to get a sense of the content that is shared.

Consider the size of the instance: Mastodon instances can vary in size, from small communities to large ones. Larger instances may have a wider range of users and content, but they can also be overwhelming for newcomers. Smaller instances may offer a more intimate experience, but the content may be limited.

Check the instance’s uptime: As a decentralized network, Mastodon instances can experience downtime or technical issues. Before joining an instance, check its uptime record to ensure that it is reliable.

Look for a welcoming community: Mastodon is known for its friendly and inclusive communities. Look for instances that prioritize inclusivity and have policies in place to prevent harassment and hate speech.

Try multiple instances: Mastodon allows users to have accounts on multiple instances. If you are unsure which instance to join, try a few and see which ones feel like the best fit for you.

Overall, choosing a Mastodon instance requires some research and consideration of your interests and values. By selecting the right instance, you can join a welcoming community that shares your passions and engage in meaningful discussions.

Will AI cultivate or curb our creativity?

TL:DR – Will AI cultivate or curb our creativity? Yes and no. It will be a useful tool for some people and useless to others. It will be abused by yet others.

You may have noticed I’ve been using the ChatGPT language model and some image generation tools like MidJourney recently to produce some material for the blog. Mostly, it has been experimentation to see what these so-called AI tools might be capable of.

They’re all very clever but also very limited. At least as far as the free ones are concerned. I’ve not tried any of the paid tools and have no idea how powerful any of the under-the-counter AI tools are.

ChatGPT is essentially a very, very, very sophisticated autocomplete tool. At the basic level, autocomplete kicks in on your phone when you’re typing a message or in a search engine. Based on prior activity or training with a database, autocomplete suggests what word might come next after you type your first one or two. It’s statistical. If I start typing “I love…”, the chances are the next word is going to be a subject of that love, it could be “you”, “coffee”, “sciencebase” etc. Usually, the autocomplete will give you options and you can click or tap to complete the phrase “I love sciencebase”. That’s the most obvious one isn’t it?

Such simple autocomplete tools may have some initial built-in training, common phrases for instance, they may also learn from you each time you complete a phrase yourself or accept of correct the software’s suggestions. Now, picture ChatGPT as simply having a much broader training. It has been trained on a huge body of text from the internet up to the year 2021, apparently for the free version. So, when you type something for it to “autocomplete” it has lots and lots of potential phrases with which it could respond, it also has the potential to begin a response and to add the most likely phrases to follow its initial response and so build up a sophisticated answer. Have a look at some of the articles I’ve written where I demonstrate its prompt-responses. They are in the Sciencebase AI category.

If ChatGPT and similar tools are an incredibly sophisticated autocomplete tool, then you might perceive your original prompt as being like a creative spark. You have to imagine what you want to get back from the bot and devise a sophisticated prompt to make it happen.

Now, there is a lot of discussion of the ethics of all this, is the content generated by the bot original or are their copyright issues, particularly if it uses original work and is simply creating derivatives of that work? Is it plagiarism to use generated content? Is it unethical to use it to write a professional article or a student essay. I would say that at this stage in the evolution of AI, it’s probably best that users come clean and I have done so with all of the material where I have used AI. Indeed, mentioning AI was the main point of the material in the first place, so it would be pointless to not explain what I was doing in those articles.

But, as the field matures, it may be that we begin to perceive AI as just another tool. These days, nobody baulks at our using a spellchecker or a proofing tool to check our written content. Indeed, back in the day the main focus of editors and proofreaders was the laborious job of checking spelling, grammar, syntax and formating. These days, most publishers expect their authors to do that themselves and to provide clean copy almost page ready. So, it makes sense for writers to automate those kinds of checks.

I suspect that certain aspects of writing, such as creating an executive summary of a white paper or another long document, might become an automated task for a bot. The prompt would be a quick-click in one’s word processor that takes the whole text and summarises it or creates a list of bullet points. I recall having a macro tool for Microsoft Word back in the 1990s that could summarise a long document quite quickly, so even that’s nothing new.

There will also be times when there is a need to express one’s thoughts in a different way, so a prompt of drafted ideas given to the bot with a styleguide might be a useful way in which to generate a different perspective. Indeed, in one of my posts on this subject, I asked ChatGPT to analyse on old blog post of mine for style and writing level and to then take another piece of text and to rejig it into that blog style. It worked quite well. I must concede that there were a few phrases I would never use and at least one point that it made that I knew to be factually incorrect. So you would have to be very careful if you were to use the tool in this way not to generate misleading content.

In terms of creativity, there is plenty of room for that. I don’t think these AI tools are going to preclude the creative process. Indeed, it sometimes takes longer to come up with the perfect prompt to generate the content you need than it would to simply generate the content yourself. That said, I have found that even with a well-crafted prompt, it seems like much of the material that bounces back from the bots is not quite what one would expect for whatever purpose, although it is useful in the articles as a demonstration of what can be done. I have attempted to use AI to come up with headlines for some of the blog posts about AI here. Usually, it makes a rather incongruous or boring suggestions but uses a word that triggers something in me and makes me think of something snappier, wittier, or crisper.

Maybe that’s how these tools will evolve. We will quickly get bored of their output. Educators and editors will learn to recognise that an article or essay has been generated rather than written, but the writers will be inspired by the responses to their creative prompts.

I had some other software in the 1990s called Idea Fisher that came on 20 or so floppy discs and almost filled the hard drive on my PC, I used it once or twice, it was essentially a tool for generating new ideas from a database by creating juxtapositions from the prompts you gave it…it was a bit like my experience with bots in the last few weeks. Usually, the ideas were intriguing in their own way, but never quite what I needed, but a word or a phrase nudged me in a different direction just as a conversation with a friend or colleague might but without the need to disturb their working day or risk being invoiced.

I have written this blog post as something of a stream of conscious. I have not edited it other than using a tool (Grammarly) to check spelling and spot obvious grammatical errors. I am, however, sorely tempted to run it through ChatGPT not only to ask it to tidy up the writing style a bit, but also perhaps to ask it to validate my assertions. It seems to be able to do that with some text. But, I may just leave it as it is. An article, an essay, created by the neural networks in my head rather than in somebody else’s computer.

I did give ChatGPT the article and asked it to write a one-sentence summary. It did that quite well, but it missed the point that I feel these AI bots will simply become everyday tools for enhancing creativity and helping us organise our thoughts and generate new ideas ourselves. This is its summary:

The ChatGPT language model is a sophisticated autocomplete tool that has been trained on a vast amount of text from the internet, making it capable of generating sophisticated responses to prompts, with potential for use in writing and summarizing tasks, but with ethical and factual limitations.

I prompted it further to mention that I thought it had missed the point and it basically bounced back exactly what I’d said but with different words in a different order:

AI can certainly play a significant role in enhancing creativity and serving as a tool to help individuals organize their thoughts and generate new ideas. AI technologies such as natural language processing, machine learning, and neural networks can assist in the creative process by providing suggestions and generating content based on a set of parameters. Additionally, AI can also analyze large amounts of data to identify patterns and relationships that may not be immediately apparent to humans, helping individuals to make connections and arrive at new insights. Overall, AI has the potential to act as a catalyst for human creativity, providing new ways to think about problems and explore possibilities.

I asked it to come up with a title for this article based on its final summary:

Unleashing the Power of AI: Transforming the Way We Think, Create, and Innovate

My take on that would be to word it like this: “Is AI a tool to cultivate or curb our creativity”

A new business plan for Jane Doe

TL:DR – I successfully used a language model, ChatGPT, to come up with a novel business plan for me.

I have become endlessly intrigued by what these language models, such as ChatGPT, can do, given an appropriate prompt. There is a lot of worry in my sector where writers are picturing a future in which a bot generates copy, carries out fact checking, perhaps even edits it, and does a final proof read before publication. In such a scenario, they wonder whether anyone will pay for their words ever again. To my mind, there is huge potential for abuse but there is also huge potential for creating something entirely new. Having seen examples of it creating plot outlines for stories, I wondered whether it might create a new plot outline for my working life, by which I mean a new business plan.

So I presented it with the following prompt, its unedited response for Jane Doe, rather than me, is below the prompt. I have to admit it does look like an interesting strategy. One thing it does not mention are the contacts and connections Jane has built up over thirty years, so rebooting her brand might be given a turbo boost by that network if key contacts are approached rather than relying on finding entirely new connections.

Write a crisp and engaging business plan for an award-winning science writer with more than 30 years experience writing for the mainstream media, niche trade publications, not-for-profit organisations, research centres, and more. The plan should be gripping and inspiring and incorporate not only the science writer’s skills in writing on scientific and technical subjects for a wide range of audiences but also incorporate the writer’s photographic knowledge and skills in wildlife photography.

Executive Summary:

Meet Jane Doe, a seasoned and award-winning science writer with over 30 years of experience in the industry. Jane has a proven track record of delivering engaging and informative content for a wide range of audiences through mainstream media, trade publications, research centers, non-profit organizations, and more. With her exceptional writing skills and in-depth knowledge of science and technology, Jane has become a sought-after writer in the industry.

However, Jane is now seeking new opportunities to expand her reach and showcase her talents in new environments. In addition to her writing skills, Jane is also an accomplished wildlife photographer with a passion for capturing stunning images of nature. Jane’s goal is to leverage her writing and photographic skills to create a unique and valuable brand that will provide a wide range of services to media outlets and other organizations.

Market Opportunity:

The demand for science content in the media has never been higher, with the public’s interest in science and technology at an all-time high. There is a significant need for high-quality, accessible science writing that can engage a wide range of audiences, from the general public to niche trade publications. With Jane’s extensive experience and her ability to write on complex scientific and technical subjects in an accessible and engaging manner, she is perfectly positioned to meet this demand.

In addition, the demand for wildlife photography has also increased, with the public’s interest in nature and conservation at an all-time high. With Jane’s passion for photography and her expertise in capturing stunning images of wildlife, she is well-positioned to meet this demand and provide a valuable and unique service to media outlets and other organizations.

Proposed Solution:

Jane is proposing to launch a brand that combines her writing and photographic skills to provide a wide range of services to media outlets and other organizations. This will include writing articles, blog posts, and other content for mainstream media and trade publications, as well as providing photographic services for media outlets and other organizations.

In addition, Jane is proposing to offer her services to research centers, non-profit organizations, and other organizations that require high-quality science writing and photography services. This will include writing and photography for reports, research papers, and other publications.

Revenue Model:

The revenue model for Jane’s brand will be based on the sale of her writing and photographic services. This will include fees for writing and photographic services, as well as fees for licensing her photographs.

Marketing Strategy:

Jane’s marketing strategy will focus on building her brand and promoting her services to media outlets and other organizations. This will include creating a strong online presence through a professional website, social media accounts, and other online platforms. Jane will also actively seek out opportunities to showcase her work, such as speaking engagements and exhibitions, and will build strong relationships with media outlets and other organizations through regular communication and collaboration.

Conclusion:

Jane Doe is a seasoned and award-winning science writer with a passion for wildlife photography. With her exceptional writing and photographic skills, Jane is perfectly positioned to meet the demand for high-quality science content in the media and provide valuable services to a wide range of organizations. Through her proposed brand, Jane will be able to showcase her talents and provide a valuable and unique service to media outlets and other organizations. With a solid marketing strategy in place, Jane is poised for success and is eager to start this new chapter in her career.

Having prompted it to come up with the plan, I started a new prompted to come up with a catchphrase, something along the lines of Mike Kenward’s “Genetically modified words”, but suited to me (Jane Doe). It came up with “”Wildly adapted prose”, which made me think of Wild Words or Rewilded Words. I nudged it again and it gave me “Nature-inspired narratives”, I moved for Naturally nudged narratives.

It then suggested “Nurtured narratives”, but I think three words are needed, so maybe Naturally nurtured narratives. I asked it to think again, something more based on a known phrase, it came up with “Wildlife wordplay”…but I can simplify that and make it tighter by just calling it Wild Words. But, that doesn’t encompass the photography…maybe Wild Words & Pictures. Or perhaps Wild Words: Natural words & pictures from David Bradley.

I asked it to try again and ditch the word pictures. It came back with this: “Wild Lens & Lines” and said this is a creative and catchy phrase that incorporates the idea of capturing wildlife through photography (the lens) and writing (the lines). It builds on the idea of “Wild Words” and adds a visual component to it. Wild Words Framed?