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andy.compoundchem.com
Andy Brunning
@andy.compoundchem.com
2.8K followers 540 following 810 posts
🧪 Chemistry & Geology Subject Advisor
⚗️ #SciComm & infographics wizard at @compoundchem.com
👨‍👦‍👦 Dad to two boys, owner of two cats
💬 Part of the #ChatChemistry team
🎨 Occasional artist
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andy.compoundchem.com
Andy Brunning @andy.compoundchem.com · Nov 25
As I’ve hit 2K followers here, here’s a reintro 🧵

I’m Andy, a former chemistry teacher turned exam board chemistry advisor, but probably best known for my work communicating chemistry through infographics at @compoundchem.com
Four photos of Andy: 1. Selfie in a forest 2. Presenting a Cambridge Science Festival 3. Gesturing at a giant periodic table of element infographics. 4. Wearing a dark blue lab coat and pouring a liquid from a beaker into a conical flask
andy.compoundchem.com
Other confusing food terms that should be banned:

“Gummy bears” – disappointingly, not actual bears

“Chocolate coins” – bizarrely, not legal tender

“Gingerbread men” – surprisingly, not made from actual men
Ban on veggie ‘burgers’: plant-based products may lose meaty names in UK under EU law
Exclusive: Trade agreement means UK is subject to some food labelling rules, with vote on vegetarian food terms this week
www.theguardian.com
November 20, 2025 at 8:23 AM
andy.compoundchem.com
The Cambridge observation wheel virus has spread to Ely
Photo of a large observation wheel in front of Ely Cathedral
November 19, 2025 at 12:40 PM
andy.compoundchem.com
Field blewits, a lonely inkcap and some clustered mushrooms (maybe mica caps?) on the school run this morning #FungiFriends
Three photos of mushrooms. The top-left mushrooms are field blewits, with chestnut caps and purple-veined white stems. The right-hand photo is of an inkcap mushroom. The bottom-left photo is of a cluster of light brown mushrooms, possibly mica caps.
November 19, 2025 at 9:27 AM
andy.compoundchem.com
A bumper haul of field blewits finally showed up locally after the weekend rain
Photo of a number of field blewit mushrooms on a chopping board.
November 17, 2025 at 5:51 PM
andy.compoundchem.com
This year’s pumpkin carving efforts, inspired by the boys’ Pokémon obsession 🎃

Mine on the left, @vidosanna.bsky.social’s on the right, and our eldest’s Bulbasaur pumpkin in the middle.

Happy Halloween everyone!
Photo of three glowing carved pumpkins. One is of Gastly, Haunter and Gengar, oneis of Pikachu, and the third is a kid’s carving of Bulbasaur
October 31, 2025 at 7:04 PM
andy.compoundchem.com
Bought the cats a cheap secondhand cat tower and, in a shocking development, one of them is actually using it. Of course, the other cat couldn’t care less, but one out of two’s not a bad return #Caturday
Photo of a grey British shorthair cat sitting in a bowl-like portion of a cat tower
October 25, 2025 at 9:25 PM
andy.compoundchem.com
I love this time of year when sunrise coincides perfectly with nursery drop-off time. Here’s this morning’s sunrise over the outskirts of Ely 📷
Photo of the sun rising across a flat field. The sky is orange and a hay bale tower is visible on the left of the photo. Lens flare is visible around the sun in the centre of the photo.
October 21, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Reposted by Andy Brunning
benansell.bsky.social
Apropos of nothing, I really do think UK journalists and politicians need some reminding that mass deportation of LEGAL immigrants, particularly those with permanent status, is far more extreme than even Trump's America and would basically place Britain completely on its own among democracies.
October 19, 2025 at 11:32 AM
andy.compoundchem.com
After completely failing to find any in the forests of East Anglia last year, we found a whole colony of fly agaric today! #FungiFriends
Three photos of three fly agaric mushrooms. The first two have closed caps while the third is flat and curved slightly upwards
October 18, 2025 at 8:21 PM
andy.compoundchem.com
My self-imposed #scicomm challenge of putting together an infographic in a few hours on the Nobel Prize in Chemistry is concluded for another year!
compoundchem.com Compound Interest | Chemistry infographics @compoundchem.com · Oct 8
The 2025 #NobelPrize in Chemistry was awarded today for the development of metal-organic frameworks, molecular sponges with applications in gas storage, water purification and more: www.compoundchem.com/2025/10/08/2...

#ChemSky 🧪
Infographic on the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi for the development of metal-organic frameworks. The infographic explains that metal-organic frameworks are molecular sponges built up from metal ions and organic compounds that act as linkers. Small molecules such as gases can move into and out of cavities in these frameworks. The graphic highlights some of the MOFs the laureates have developed and concludes by looking at possible future uses of MOFs, including gas storage and extracting water from air.
October 8, 2025 at 9:18 PM
andy.compoundchem.com
It’s been a few years since I topped up the sloe gin reserves so I’m making up for lost time with a quadruple batch
Photo of four jars of future sloe gin sitting on a kitchen counter
October 1, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Reposted by Andy Brunning
compoundchem.com
What makes us sleepy, and what medicines can help when we can’t doze off? 😴

The latest edition of Periodic Graphics in C&EN examines drugs that combat insomnia and how they work: cen.acs.org/biological-c...
This graphic describes the hormone that helps us get sleepy and some medications that can treat insomnia. The graphic outlines different classes of drugs that can help people sleep, including antihistamines, benzodiazepines, melatonin analogs, and Z-drugs.
September 23, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Reposted by Andy Brunning
drnereide.bsky.social
🧵
What is all this pink about?

It is an explosion of extremely rare pink auroras over the skies of Norway!

How come?🤔

Well, pink auroras are a sign of nitrogen.

➡️ www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?...

©Markus Varik/Greenlander

🔭 🧪 #science
The image shows a rare pink aurora over the skies of Norway.
September 14, 2025 at 5:09 PM
andy.compoundchem.com
I took the familiar walk down Bathwick Hill and along the canal to the train station for the first time in a number of years this morning. Bath really is a ridiculously beautiful place!
Photo of the canal in Bath looking towards the church in Widcombe with canal boats and Bath stone buildings visible
September 13, 2025 at 8:00 AM
andy.compoundchem.com
It was great to be back in Bath yesterday for a fantastic day of talks at #BathChem25. Thanks to @bathchem.bsky.social for the invite and for putting together such an enjoyable and engaging day!
Photo of me presenting in a lecture theatre in front of a slide titled “making sense of molecules” showing two depictions of the molecule caffeine.
September 13, 2025 at 7:37 AM
andy.compoundchem.com
Back at Bath for #BathChem2025 today and look what I found in the chemistry building!
Photo of me standing in front of my IYPT2019 periodic table posters in the Bath Chemistry building
September 12, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Reposted by Andy Brunning
chemosensors.bsky.social
🎉 Today we welcome 170+ Bath Chemistry alumni + staff back to campus for #BathChem25! 🧪Talks, networking & evening fun with The Beakers and Quiz. We are Celebrating Bath Chem past, present & future 💛 🎶 Details can be found chem25.co.uk #BathChem25
Chem25@Bath | 25 Years of Discovery, Innovation & Community in 1 South
Chem25: Marking 25 Years of Innovation in the 1 South Chemistry Building, University of Bath
chem25.co.uk
September 12, 2025 at 7:46 AM
andy.compoundchem.com
Picked up a new breakfast time insult while navigating around London’s tube strikes this morning
Photo of a cafe in London named “eggslut”
September 11, 2025 at 11:21 AM
andy.compoundchem.com
We found some hare’s foot inkcaps while out and about today so we’re giving making mushroom ink a go.

Like other inkcaps, these should quickly self-digest to leave a black goo, a process called deliquescence. I wrote more about it last year here: www.compoundchem.com/2024/09/19/i...

#FungiFriends
Photo of a small number of mushrooms in a jam jar
September 6, 2025 at 6:20 PM
andy.compoundchem.com
Looking forward to this next week!
pjcgroupbath.bsky.social Petra Cameron @pjcgroupbath.bsky.social · Sep 4
Calling all former Bath Chemistry staff and students: last few days to register for our Celebration of @bathchem.bsky.social next week! Details at www.chem25.co.uk

150 people coming so far, but it's not too late to join us for a fantastic programme of alumni talks and evening entertainment.
Chem25@Bath | 25 Years of Discovery, Innovation & Community in 1 South
Chem25: Marking 25 Years of Innovation in the 1 South Chemistry Building, University of Bath
www.chem25.co.uk
September 4, 2025 at 1:13 PM
andy.compoundchem.com
Good luck to all teachers heading back this week!

If you're teaching @ocrexams.bsky.social A Level, GCSE or Entry Level qualifications this year, make sure you join our free online Subject Briefing next week to get all the key information you need for the year ahead: bit.ly/41yUlXr
Promo image showing two teachers looking at a screen with the subtitle "Join us for our subject briefings"
September 1, 2025 at 7:22 AM
andy.compoundchem.com
Fantastic double rainbow over Ely earlier today! 🌈
Photo of a double rainbow in a grey clouded sky. Several houses, illuminated by sunlight, are visible in the foreground.
August 29, 2025 at 10:22 PM
andy.compoundchem.com
Yesterday’s August 20th fireworks in Budapest 🎆
Photo of a gold, red and green firework exploding in the sky above Budapest’s castle at night
August 21, 2025 at 12:41 PM
andy.compoundchem.com
A 17 year wait for this counter to reset! #COYS
Screenshot of the “how long since Tottenham last won a trophy” website, showing it’s been a whopping 16 minutes and 56 seconds
May 21, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Reposted by Andy Brunning
alomshaha.bsky.social
A few years ago, I met the incredibly talented Dr Rebecca Struthers - the UK's only watchmaker with a PhD in horology. We immediately hit it off and became friends... and then wrote this book together. Out in August, available to preorder now! geni.us/AboutTimeDK
Cover of a book called "About Time": On the left, a drawing of a man in a purple shirt and blue trousers looking through a telescope. On the right, a drawing of a woman in a peach coloured shirt and grey trousers looking at a pocket watch, she is wearing a jewellers loupe over one eye. They are both standing on the face of a clock in the middle of which are the words "About Time". The "o" of about is the centre of the clock, where the hands are attached, telling the time 12:38
May 16, 2025 at 12:40 PM