Matin Durrani - Science Journalist

About me

Quick, give me your life story.

Born in Canada, I grew up in Birmingham, UK, and got a BSc in chemical physics at the Unversity of Bristol before doing a PhD and post-doc at the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, in polymer science.

So how did you get into science journalism?

I've always enjoyed writing and, after doing a spot of student journalism during my PhD, I bagged a job at Physics World magazine in 1995. I intended to stay for just a couple of years but one thing led to another and I was appointed editor in 2006. It's been a fascinating time to be in science journalism, which has been transformed by the transition from print to digital.

And how has the digital world changed what you do?

Whereas I used to only write articles, now I also create videos, podcasts, audio interviews and online lectures -- and do a heap of social-media stuff. I've also helped to turn Physics World into an app-based digital product that's expanded our circulation around the globe. That in turn has seen me travel everywhere from China and India to Australia and Saudi Arabia.

I guess physics is hard to report on, right?

Yes, and thankfully I have years of experience in turning mind-bending physics concepts into easily digestible chunks. But the interesting thing about physicists -- the people I mostly report on -- is that they are (for better or worse) pretty much the same around the world. Physics is really an international endeavour -- and one that always throws up new surprises. It's not an easy subject by any means but it certainly has kept me on my toes.

So what's on this site then?

This website is my personal site and has some things about Physics World but also some other stuff I've done, while my blog is a place for general ramblings on what's currently interesting me.

And is it true you've been writing a book?

Yes, it's called Furry Logic: The Physics of Animal Life, published by the lovely people at Bloomsbury in October 2016 in the UK and in January 2017 in the US. Written with Liz Kalaugher, it looks at how animals use physics to eat, drink, mate and dodge death in the daily battle for survival. So if you want to find out how cats drink, why peacocks emit sounds we can't hear and how mosquitoes don't get killed when hit by raindrops, do check out our book website out.

How can I get in touch with you?

Please e-mail me on mail@matindurrani.net

Hope you enjoy this site.

Matin Durrani