Dr Helen Metcalfe | she/her
LightNews LightNews
banner
hmetcalfe1.bsky.social
Dr Helen Metcalfe | she/her
@hmetcalfe1.bsky.social
250 followers 390 following 17 posts

Ecosystems Modeller and Weed Ecologist at Rothamsted
๐ŸŒพ Agriculture ๐ŸŒฑ Ecology ๐Ÿ’ป Modelling
Living with ME/CFS

Videos
Agriculture 32%
Environmental science 29%
Posts Replies Media Videos

hmetcalfe1.bsky.social
Dr Helen Metcalfe | she/her @hmetcalfe1.bsky.social ยท Aug 6
It's just so validating, and I'm excited for what's to come

hmetcalfe1.bsky.social
Dr Helen Metcalfe | she/her @hmetcalfe1.bsky.social ยท Aug 6
๐Ÿ˜ญ

hmetcalfe1.bsky.social
Dr Helen Metcalfe | she/her @hmetcalfe1.bsky.social ยท Aug 6
This is so validating, and the much-needed first step into understanding the causes of ME. Candidate genes affecting the immune and nervous systems align with my and others' experience but now it's time to fund more in-depth research.
decodemestudy.bsky.social DecodeME @decodemestudy.bsky.social ยท Aug 6
Our initial DNA results! DecodeME have discovered that people with an ME/CFS diagnosis have significant genetic differences compared to the general population.
-
Summary of our results: shorturl.at/pgsjk
Check out our full preprint paper: shorturl.at/VwN3s
DecodeME: The Results announcement post. The graphic has a blue background with a DNA helix. In the centre of the graphic it says โ€˜We have released our initial DNA results! We have discovered that your genes contribute to your chances of developing ME/CFS.โ€™ At the bottom left of the graphic is an image of a research paper.

Reposted by Helen Metcalfe

decodemestudy.bsky.social
DecodeME @decodemestudy.bsky.social ยท Aug 6
Our initial DNA results! DecodeME have discovered that people with an ME/CFS diagnosis have significant genetic differences compared to the general population.
-
Summary of our results: shorturl.at/pgsjk
Check out our full preprint paper: shorturl.at/VwN3s
DecodeME: The Results announcement post. The graphic has a blue background with a DNA helix. In the centre of the graphic it says โ€˜We have released our initial DNA results! We have discovered that your genes contribute to your chances of developing ME/CFS.โ€™ At the bottom left of the graphic is an image of a research paper.

hmetcalfe1.bsky.social
Dr Helen Metcalfe | she/her @hmetcalfe1.bsky.social ยท Aug 6
What's the true value of a hedgerow? Or a diverse landscape when it comes to mitigating field edge yield declines? Our new paper out today might have some of the answers doi.org/10.1016/j.ag...
Redirecting
doi.org

hmetcalfe1.bsky.social
Dr Helen Metcalfe | she/her @hmetcalfe1.bsky.social ยท Mar 18
Started a new #ReverseMentoring relationship with a senior leader from @pirbrightinst.bsky.social this week. I love that BBSRC institutes are investing in EDI and I'm excited for our conversations about disability and chronic illness in the workplace #pwme #mecfs

Reposted by Helen Metcalfe

rothamsted.bsky.social
Rothamsted Research @rothamsted.bsky.social ยท Mar 17
The glyphosate debate: nice to see our own @hmetcalfe1.bsky.social quoted in this in-depth feature by @barbarapinho.com www.chemistryworld.com/features/the...
The glyphosate debate
The EU has recently approved the use of glyphosate for another decade. Bรกrbara Pinho examines the controversial pesticide's presence in British farming and considers the possibility of a ban in the UK
www.chemistryworld.com

hmetcalfe1.bsky.social
Dr Helen Metcalfe | she/her @hmetcalfe1.bsky.social ยท Jan 23
A brilliant example of the tradeoffs between soil health and weed control when thinking about min till

Reposted by Helen Metcalfe

nathannelson.bsky.social
Nathan Nelson @nathannelson.bsky.social ยท Jan 23
The plough has been a good scapegoat for wider systemic neglect of soils. I had some thoughts after learning the hard way about jumping too fast into removal of ploughing as a tool. nathannelson.co.uk/2022/10/soil...
In defence of the plough - Nathan Nelson
An interesting article on soil health and tech just popped up on BBC News. A great introduction to issues around soil health, it covers quite a bit around the emergence of new technology and how it ca...
nathannelson.co.uk

Reposted by Helen Metcalfe

newscientist.com
New Scientist @newscientist.com ยท Jan 17
Persistent droughts have become even drier and hotter in recent decades. www.newscientist.com/article/2464...
Severe droughts are getting bigger, hotter, drier and longer
Droughts lasting multiple years are becoming more common and extreme around the globe, expanding by about 50,000 square kilometres annually
www.newscientist.com

Reposted by Jutta Haider, Helen Metcalfe

newscientist.com
New Scientist @newscientist.com ยท Jan 17
The Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii has recorded the biggest annual jump in atmospheric CO2 levels since measurements started there in 1958. www.newscientist.com/article/2464...
Air monitoring station records biggest ever jump in atmospheric CO2
Wildfires and fossil fuel burning in 2024 contributed to the biggest annual rise in atmospheric CO2 levels ever recorded at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii
www.newscientist.com

Reposted by Helen Metcalfe

rothamsted.bsky.social
Rothamsted Research @rothamsted.bsky.social ยท Jan 13
UKโ€™s first glyphosate-resistant weed found on Kent farm. Rothamsted's @hmetcalfe1.bsky.social quoted www.theguardian.com/environment/...
UKโ€™s first glyphosate-resistant weed found on Kent farm
Scientist says case is warning for farmers to reduce reliance on controversial and common herbicide
www.theguardian.com

hmetcalfe1.bsky.social
Dr Helen Metcalfe | she/her @hmetcalfe1.bsky.social ยท Jan 10
Hopefully, and sustainable use of glyphosate following WRAG guidelines should safeguard its use so that cultural control options like delayed drilling remain viable in min till systems

hmetcalfe1.bsky.social
Dr Helen Metcalfe | she/her @hmetcalfe1.bsky.social ยท Jan 10
There's always a new challenge in Agriculture, let's not let the news today of glyphosate resistance in the UK prevent a positive transition toward more regenerative practices
mjflepage.bsky.social Michael Le Page @mjflepage.bsky.social ยท Jan 10
The transition to regenerative agriculture in the UK could be hampered by the evolution of weeds resistant to the herbicide glyphosate for the first time ๐Ÿงช ๐Ÿงต 1/

(they've long been a problem elsewhere in the world, of course)

www.newscientist.com/article/2463...
Glyphosate-resistant weeds have evolved in the UK for the first time
The herbicide glyphosate is helping farmers adopt more environmentally friendly practices, and resistant weeds will make this transition more difficult, experts say
www.newscientist.com

Reposted by Helen Metcalfe

mjflepage.bsky.social
Michael Le Page @mjflepage.bsky.social ยท Jan 10
The transition to regenerative agriculture in the UK could be hampered by the evolution of weeds resistant to the herbicide glyphosate for the first time ๐Ÿงช ๐Ÿงต 1/

(they've long been a problem elsewhere in the world, of course)

www.newscientist.com/article/2463...
Glyphosate-resistant weeds have evolved in the UK for the first time
The herbicide glyphosate is helping farmers adopt more environmentally friendly practices, and resistant weeds will make this transition more difficult, experts say
www.newscientist.com

Reposted by Helen Metcalfe

dpcarrington.bsky.social
Damian Carrington @dpcarrington.bsky.social ยท Jan 10
UKโ€™s first glyphosate-resistant weed found on Kent farm

- Scientist says case is warning for farmers to reduce reliance on controversial and common herbicide

Story by @priyabharadia.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
UKโ€™s first glyphosate-resistant weed found on Kent farm
Scientist says case is warning for farmers to reduce reliance on controversial and common herbicide
www.theguardian.com

hmetcalfe1.bsky.social
Dr Helen Metcalfe | she/her @hmetcalfe1.bsky.social ยท Jan 10
"The case [of glyphosate resistance in the UK] is a โ€œwarning signโ€ for farmers to reduce their reliance on glyphosate" www.theguardian.com/environment/...
UKโ€™s first glyphosate-resistant weed found on Kent farm
Scientist says case is warning for farmers to reduce reliance on controversial and common herbicide
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Helen Metcalfe

profgdfoster.bsky.social
Prof_GD_Foster @profgdfoster.bsky.social ยท Jan 10
Glyphosate-resistant weeds have evolved in the UK for the first time

www.newscientist.com/article/2463...
Glyphosate-resistant weeds have evolved in the UK for the first time
The herbicide glyphosate is helping farmers adopt more environmentally friendly practices, and resistant weeds will make this transition more difficult, experts say
www.newscientist.com

Reposted by Helen Metcalfe

adamvaughan.bsky.social
Adam Vaughan @adamvaughan.bsky.social ยท Jan 10
A glyphosate-resistant weed has been found on a UK farm for the first time, raising the spectre of a new pressure on British farmers.

Researchers have confirmed that Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) on a farm in Kent was resistant to the weedkiller glyphosate.

Story soon.

hmetcalfe1.bsky.social
Dr Helen Metcalfe | she/her @hmetcalfe1.bsky.social ยท Jan 6
First day back at work post Christmas break... what is it I do again? Asking for a friend

hmetcalfe1.bsky.social
Dr Helen Metcalfe | she/her @hmetcalfe1.bsky.social ยท Jan 1
What a reading year I've had! I can't believe I read 87 books in 2024! Choosing to read for an hour before bed instead of watching TV has been easier on my nervous system and reduced my sensory symptoms. I gave 15 books 5โญ๏ธ By diversifying my reading I 1discovered new favourite authors and genres!
A summary of my reading in 2024. The first book I read was Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle and the last book I read was Apple and Knife by Intan Paramaditha. The longest book I read in 2024 was A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon and the shortest book was Why Money Matters by Deborah Meaden in total. I read 87 books covering 28064 pages. The top genres were mystery, thriller, literary, fantasy and LGBTQIA+, my top authors were Saraa el-arifi, Eliza Clark, and Pascale Lacelle. Some of my five-star reads were Curious Tides, Tender is the Flesh, and Homegoing

Reposted by Helen Metcalfe

sconradi.bsky.social
Simone Conradi @sconradi.bsky.social ยท Dec 31
A classic proof without words showing that

1+3+5+...+(2n-1)=nยฒ

taking advantage of the fact that 2025 is a square and therefore it's the sum of all odd numbers from 1 to 89!

#MathArt #Mathematics #HappyNewYear
Made with #python #matplotlib

hmetcalfe1.bsky.social
Dr Helen Metcalfe | she/her @hmetcalfe1.bsky.social ยท Dec 31
Id love to be added please, thanks for creating this resource

hmetcalfe1.bsky.social
Dr Helen Metcalfe | she/her @hmetcalfe1.bsky.social ยท Dec 28
With just 3 days to go, I finished @thestorygraph.com reads the world challenge 2024! Already picking out titles for next years countries ๐Ÿ’™๐Ÿ“š
10 book covers from around the world with the countries listed below them

hmetcalfe1.bsky.social
Dr Helen Metcalfe | she/her @hmetcalfe1.bsky.social ยท Dec 21
I've loved trying out some new genres this year thanks to @thestorygraph.com genres challenge and I even found a couple of new favourites... I'll let you guess which ones!
10 book covers and their genres

Reposted by Helen Metcalfe

ipmmark.bsky.social
Mark Ramsden @ipmmark.bsky.social ยท Dec 16
Any #IPM #atdev here?
Our IPM Decisions platform is #opensource and all in #github here: github.com/H2020-IPM-De...
Ready to work with anyone wanting to get pest forecast models integrated and available to #agriculture #advisors anywhere in Europe #horizoneurope
H2020 IPM Decisions
H2020 IPM Decisions has 23 repositories available. Follow their code on GitHub.
github.com

hmetcalfe1.bsky.social
Dr Helen Metcalfe | she/her @hmetcalfe1.bsky.social ยท Dec 16
What about for example medical research data? Even with patient consent, some might be surprised to see info about the trial online, especially if there are very few subjects so the risk of identifiable info is greater

hmetcalfe1.bsky.social
Dr Helen Metcalfe | she/her @hmetcalfe1.bsky.social ยท Dec 16
It depends...if there are no privacy concerns or other such issues then probably! I think even obscured metadata might open up some trust issues

hmetcalfe1.bsky.social
Dr Helen Metcalfe | she/her @hmetcalfe1.bsky.social ยท Dec 16
After a week of lurking it's time for my blue-sky debut! For those who don't know me I'm an ecologist and modeller who loves data, sewing, and reading ๐ŸŒฑ๐Ÿ“ˆ๐Ÿงต๐Ÿ“š When I'm not doing those things I'm usually napping thanks to my ME/CFS ๐Ÿ˜ด

Reposted by Helen Metcalfe