Interesting if true

Our fortnightly digest of facts and rumours from the UK and beyond.

David trumps Goliath

Despite generating more column inches than any other science story lately, the Royal Institution is losing out in at least one popularity contest to a tiny research centre on the Isle of Cumbrae, off the west coast of Scotland. At the time of going to press, a House of Commons Early Day Motion opposing the closure of Millport marine biology station—which employs just 29 people—had attracted nearly five times as many signatures as another EDM to save the RI’s west London base. The 200-year old institution had only 10 MPs fighting its corner, while Millport had 48.