A PHYSICIST demonstrated space oddities using everyday household items during a public science demonstration in Weymouth.

Retired Oxford University lecturer and Nasa researcher, Doctor Geoffrey Bath, explained his theories about gravity outside the Red Lion pub in Hope Square.

Doctor Bath says the complex experiment, using vessels containing water, elastic and a siphon, attempts to simulate and explain gravitational anomalies found in certain types of stars.

The physicist, of Newberry Road, Weymouth, says setting up the equipment in the right way produces unusual gravitational results in the water that surprise and intrigue those who see it.

He said: "It is tricky to explain but basically these experiments show that with the right input, objects can move up within gravitational fields.

"Under special conditions objects can become dynamically unstable and behave in a way that one would not expect.

"I have conducted this experiment in lectures and seminars before and it has always left people rather surprised."

Doctor Bath has lectured in physics at Merton and Wolfson Colleges, Oxford University, and worked as a research fellow with Nasa at Princeton University in America.

He believes his experiments offer an insight into how gravitational fields are formed in cataclysmic variable or CV stars, which consist of a primary white dwarf' and a secondary mass transferring' star.

In CV stars the gravity of the white dwarf distorts the secondary star, meaning the white dwarf grows in size by absorbing matter from its companion.

Dr Bath said: "There are no multi-million-pound applications for any of my work, unfortunately.

"There are no real applications for any of this on Earth but it's an interesting bit of physics nonetheless and I'm pretty sure that it helps explain what's going on inside these CV stars."

Dr Bath was born and studied in Poole before going on to complete a degree in physics at Oxford University.

He later went on to complete a 10-year research fellowship there as well as working at Princeton University before going to work for defence contractor Qinetiq.

He added that he retired from Qinetiq six years ago but still enjoys conducting physics experiments.