<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I'm cycling from London to Brighton&nbsp; in aid of Deafness Research UK. I'm not doing it dressed as a chicken, but I won't be one of those folk with shaved legs and a lightweight bike either. So for me it will be just like my daily 2-mile ride to work in Cambridge, except for the extra 52 miles and the hills.</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If you're not familiar with Deafness Research UK, they're a small charity that does what their name suggests with a minimum of fuss. So if a scientist (like me) has a new idea that stands a chance of improving life for people with hearing problems, they can provide the initial boost to get&nbsp;the experiment&nbsp;up and running.</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If you're not a scientist, then you'll probably go at least a&nbsp;bit deaf sooner or later, or maybe suffer from tinnitus, so their research is well worth supporting.</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The image opposite comes from an idea I had after reading one too many Far Side cartoons. It was drawn by Jack Rogers, who used to be a Ph.D. student here in Cambridge, and who kindly gave me permission to include it on this page.</p>