Washing up. It has to be done. Invariably, when this task has to be done (because there's not a clean pan, plate or fork anywhere to be seen), it takes about three hours to get done.

In the kitchen, Radio 4 is my usual companion. I've never really analysed why this is, but there's not much need really. As long as "The Archers" isn't on, I'll listen to pretty much anything that's on.

This evening I listened to a thirty-minute programme called Future Labs. Science isn't my favourite subject by any means, but Radio 4 has a habit of making most subjects pretty compelling anyway - as is the case with this programme.

To quote the synopsis from the Radio 4 website:

"These programmes tell the remarkable stories of the small groups of research scientists whose inventions in the fields of communications and computing, transport, materials and medicine, changed the world and gave us the modern technologies we enjoy today. Each programme looks at the 'glory days' of the lab and then brings the story up to date, paying particular attention to how science is managed in these much more commercially competitive days."

I caught the third programme in the series, about the Cavendish labs of Cambridge which had an interestingly different and daring approach to research - with the some pretty notable (and Nobel prize-winning) results. It's a very interesting and entertaining programme and I'm looking forward to listening to the first two shows at some point soon.

Made the washing up a lot more bearable, if nothing else.

The three programmes can be heared at the Radio 4 website.