This story starts with an evening drive with a ranger in an open-top, open-sided vehicle in South Africa. Picture this: We came upon 2 lions probably a brother and a sister lying on the road track in front of us. The ranger stopped the vehicle and waited until the couple got up and started on their way. We followed at a cautious pace. It felt like they were leading us somewhere.

The female went ahead of the male and as I turned my gaze to the left, I sensed a presence up in the tree in front – hence I took this snapshot.

Some people in the vehicle wanted us to drive on regardless. My preference was to wait a little while (but for how long?). While the debate continued the lioness decided to jump down in front of the vehicle and continue her walk. But where was the male lion? He was nowhere to be seen.

While our attention had been diverted to the female – he had apparently disappeared. Then suddenly – there he was emerging from the undergrowth to the right on the other side of the road! Did he cross in front or behind the vehicle? No-one knew for sure. Suddenly we felt they were playing a game, and we were part of it. They were calm, confident, and in control. A passing thought was – maybe they were leading us back to the pride. Could it have been an invitation to join them for dinner?

But …. what or rather who would be on the menu?

However, they soon got bored and sauntered off. We all breathed a sigh of relief, and the ranger speeded up the vehicle, turned on to another dirt track and accelerated in a different direction.

After this somewhat scary moment we found some humour in the experience.

For a while there we certainly had not been in charge.

It was their game in their territory!

Maybe the lioness had climbed the tree to check us out – and then she didn’t feel quite that hungry after all 😉.

Or perhaps they just enjoyed playing a trick on us 😂.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 15/5/25

[Apparently ‘Lions don’t typically attack safari vehicles because they perceive the vehicle and its occupants as one large, solid object rather than distinct, moving individuals.’ An etiquette on safari is that animals are minimally disturbed hence the waiting for the lions to move on]

Whilst being forward-looking we can also learn a lot from history and reflection.

10 years ago, in May 2015 I was staying in Cape Town for a few days and I took the opportunity to visit the Heart of Cape Town Museum. I was profoundly moved by the exhibition. I wrote a blog about a dramatic and thought-provoking series of events in medical history, and I was inspired to reflect on some far-reaching issues of that time and to suggest some take home messages relating to other breakthroughs in Life Sciences and medical research.

Here is a link if you are curious to read more about this.

Faced with dilemmas and maybe also in troubling times consider what we can learn from history and reflection.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 12/5/25

Sometimes we only fully appreciate what we have once it’s gone.

It could be the loss of someone or something.

Loss of freedom in particular can be a scary prospect.

I thought it timely to reflect on being housebound during Lockdown 2020. On a day when we were allowed just a one-hour walk outside I captured my feelings in some snapshots and a short poem (see here).

There can be contentment in recognising the value of what we already have or what is readily available. Let’s not take things for granted. Understand their value.

Enjoy Nature and the joys of Spring 2025.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 9/4/25

P.S. How can the world after such universal deprivation and difficulty find itself in the sorry mess it is today?

A lot has happened in the world. Aside from political matters we had a worldwide pandemic. Big Pharma rose to the challenge and is continuing to adapt to new technologies.

Is gobbledygook still with us?

Here’s a link to the original article if it’s of interest.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 27/3/25

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Further comments.
Having re-read the article several times I would just like to add:

Industry has enormous potential to contribute to research and development in these changing times.

More comments to come…

LIFE SCIENCES, clinical research, and health research contribute to our knowledge and understanding; find solutions and give hope. In these rapidly changing times what will unfold in the future?

There is much meaningful work still to be done and deserving of support.

There are people with passion and integrity working individually or in collaborative and interdisciplinary projects.

There are insights and discoveries to share – because science is for everyone.

Whether it’s for policy development, practical application or for sheer curiosity – it matters.
There are reasons to be optimistic despite current events.

There will be stories to tell…

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 3/3/25

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When you capture an authentic moment in a photo you can revisit it time and time again, and relive the moment. Sometimes we tend to look for signs. I’d like to share 3 little stories:

Footprints in the snow: One very early morning I walked across a carpark which was covered in a carpet of snow and with no signs of any humans. I happened across some footprints presumably made by a bird. The pattern sparked my curiosity. Just as I was bending down to investigate further and imagine how this had come about, a van parked up nearby. The van driver wound down his window. ‘Interesting isn’t it?’ he called out to me. “It’s art – and it’s all free!” he added. “That’s true!” I replied. We both smiled and nodded in agreement.
 
 ‘Do you wanna build a snowman?’: I built this jolly snowman in the garden (with the help of one of my grandchildren). Happy times! On Day 1 Mr Snowman had a big happy smile. By Day 2 he looked curiously more animated with his head slightly tilted and a cheeky happy smile. Mr Snowman was with us a week and then gone but we have these fun fond memories captured on film.
 
A little bird told me so – centre stage: It was a robin on the garden fence that caught my eye. I focused in for a photo-shot of the robin only semi-aware of the wind-chimes. I did not set this up in advance and only on looking more closely at the photo afterwards did I see the possible likeness of the tree to my logo. It was the day before what would have been my mum’s birthday.
 
Were these messages, signs or just my imagination? Most probably the latter of course!

In reality they are just lovely moments, real memories, and authentic photos to look back on.
 
The simple authentic things around us can bring contentment and joy if we let them.

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 10/2/25

Who would have thought the world could turn out the way it has? On a positive note I was inspired to express some feelings in poetic verse.

AM I LIVING IN A SCI-FI FILM? ©

Am I living in a sci-fi film?
And is it only me
Thinking
‘Can this really be reality?’
Surely this surreality
Is not how it’s meant to be.

We have a right to determine how this story goes…

©Julie Charlesworth, 2025

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 03/02/25

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Here’s the Poem in postcard form:

Science can be spectacular, and I think an area to watch out for in 2025 is Quantum Science and Technology, particularly Quantum Computing.

Quantum Technology is relatively new. It has considerable potential to impact society and the future of sciences. Quantum Computing applies quantum concepts to information and its processing. There appears to be a race on in the field of computing – raising the question of how and when quantum technology will impact businesses.

This is a serious post about some serious science, but my purpose is just to give you the heads up for what may be to come and to stir your curiosity. Please note that on this particular subject I would defer to others more knowledgeable and experienced (some of whom are contacts of mine).

However, I have written about this subject generally a few times before. If you delve into this subject don’t worry if you find it challenging to understand – many of us do (indeed some experts do as well). A feeling of confusion sometimes shows you are learning and at least you are thinking about it.

My first post on this complex subject was in January 2021 ‘A Quantum Leap in my Learning’. It included some metaphors to aid understanding. I am repeating them again because I think they are still helpful in getting to grips with new ways of thinking which may be necessary.

‘Consider the challenge of finding your way out of a very complex maze or labyrinth. With a classical computer you can think of a stepwise process choosing Left or Right until you find the right path. However, with a quantum computer you can explore all paths at once – can be likened to flushing a bucket of water through the labyrinth.’ That explanation was an ‘aha moment’ for me! 💡

Elsewhere, I have heard that it is like ‘being able to read all the books in a library at once’. The speed and scope of this new technology viewed in this way becomes immediately more apparent to me.

Subsequently, during ESOF2022(EuroScience Open Forum) and beyond we were warned to beware the possible hype around this subject. I think this warning still applies. On the other hand, some possibilities which were deemed science fiction in the past may become reality.

On that note, I’ll finish by wishing you well in your exploration of this subject if it is new to you and I hope you found this helpful. Stay curious…

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 27/01/25

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See the following links referred to above.

A Quantum Leap to start 2022.

A quantum leap in my learning

5 things I learned about in 2022, and a quick recap from ESOF2022.

Well, things have certainly moved on since I posted on this subject in January 2023!

It seems everything is accelerating, and it can be exhausting just trying to keep up.

There are many aspects to AI – the science, the tools, benefits, risks etc. Here are a few thoughts to start this new year.

The applications and potential applications in clinical and medical research such as diagnostics are laudable and impressive. Of course, this is just one area and there are many others in many different fields. AI can facilitate research and management of large amounts of data rapidly and efficiently.

Globally, AI is being taken very seriously. Nationally, the UK government’s investment news in January 2025 demonstrates how seriously the potential of AI is being taken. I recall that at the World EXPO 2020 (hosted by Dubai) the UK Pavilion seemed a bit understated in comparison with some other pavilions but in hindsight I think its focus on AI was ahead of its time.

The enthusiasm for AI is palpable everywhere and it is indeed exciting. However, information overload can be overwhelming with what seems like an ever-increasing pace of what we are told or led to believe is progress. With the dizzying rate of tech change and AI development I think it is a time for some reality checks.

Is AI ‘artificial intelligence’ or is ‘augmented computation’ a better term in most instances?

Is artificial intelligence ‘still mostly an illusion’ as some researchers suggest?

Where is all this heading?
What do we really want?
What do we really need?
What do we not want?

Certain adages should be borne in mind regarding i) content: rubbish in – rubbish out. ii) algorithms: bias in – bias out.

I think healthy scepticism can be a good thing and even some self-mocking at times can foster a healthy perspective.

Then there is the pressing need for balance between technical innovation, and ethical and moral responsibility.

Is all this noise around AI making us any happier? I doubt it.

There are many AI tools being developed and opinions on their value or usability differ. Just because you can use them doesn’t mean you necessarily should. There are still a lot of questions to ask. Take care not to get sucked into something or give away personal data unintentionally.

Beware of hype or jumping on a bandwagon for fear of missing out. We can’t even get some simple basic things right. AI is not the solution to every problem.

AI offers enormous potential benefits for individuals and society. However, AI regulation is an important factor under debate. Protection is needed against potentially harmful effects particularly for adolescents and children.

Watch out for some great summits, conferences, and debates this year which should include the perspectives of people everywhere and at every level.

AI is here and there is enormous potential to benefit humankind. I am curious. There is much to learn and better understand. Opinions may change. Communication, education, and clarifications will be necessary

I think we can have a positive attitude regarding benefits or potential benefits of AI whilst proceeding with caution and eyes wide open.

It’s an interesting time. Let’s see what 2025 brings…

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 20/1/25

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Previous post in January 2023 Thoughts on Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Still twinkling and I have an inkling that the best is yet to come…

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Thank you once again to everyone who has supported and read my posts over the last twelve months.

I also extend my thanks to others whose posts I have enjoyed reading in an eventful year.

Wishing you all the best for 2025.

From Julie
A Tree of Life Sciences®

by Dr Julie Charlesworth 1/1/25