Angela Cassidy
@angecass.bsky.social
Undisciplined scholar. Researching science, society+policy; humans-animals-environments; #OneHealth #microbes #STS #HistSTM #scicomm.
Author, 'Vermin, Victims and Disease: British Debates over Badgers and Bovine TB'
Author, 'Vermin, Victims and Disease: British Debates over Badgers and Bovine TB'
Pinned
Angela Cassidy
@angecass.bsky.social
· Nov 13
We've written a Researcher's Guide to Bluesky!
It's a bit like all those other useful guides to Bluesky, but with several useful insights from University of York academics about using the platform, and we'd love it if it was reposted far and wide...
>> blogs.york.ac.uk/library/2024...
🧵 below
It's a bit like all those other useful guides to Bluesky, but with several useful insights from University of York academics about using the platform, and we'd love it if it was reposted far and wide...
>> blogs.york.ac.uk/library/2024...
🧵 below
The Researcher’s Guide to Bluesky – The Library, Learning, Archives and Wellbeing Blog
blogs.york.ac.uk
Please please, GIVE ME A SIGN YOU'RE REAL!
"1. Fill out your profile BEFORE you start following people: issue is that accounts with generic avatars and no biography or introductory text are perceived as likely to be bots, so users not only eschew following back but they may even automatically block"
"1. Fill out your profile BEFORE you start following people: issue is that accounts with generic avatars and no biography or introductory text are perceived as likely to be bots, so users not only eschew following back but they may even automatically block"
Reposted by Angela Cassidy
Just a quick note to @greenparty.org.uk and @greenpartyhan.bsky.social - I was not consulted on being quoted on your leaflets and I have not endorsed your campaign (or any campaign in this seat). I think this note, like the bar chart next to it, is misleading and out of context.
February 4, 2026 at 11:47 AM
Just a quick note to @greenparty.org.uk and @greenpartyhan.bsky.social - I was not consulted on being quoted on your leaflets and I have not endorsed your campaign (or any campaign in this seat). I think this note, like the bar chart next to it, is misleading and out of context.
Reposted by Angela Cassidy
"The net worth of the 40 guests at my 2014 ‘billionaires dinner’ was equal to combined wealth of 60% of all Americans.” -Brockman in an email to Epstein www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
‘The smart, the rich, the powerful’: Epstein associated with Silicon Valley elite years after his release from prison
Billionaires and intellectuals attended events with the disgraced financier years after he served time for sex offense, files reveal
www.theguardian.com
February 4, 2026 at 9:35 AM
"The net worth of the 40 guests at my 2014 ‘billionaires dinner’ was equal to combined wealth of 60% of all Americans.” -Brockman in an email to Epstein www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Reposted by Angela Cassidy
I'm finding that searches on Google Books now don't even pick up metadata, including for books that I'd expect to be out of copyright. Searches return lots of periodical literature and little else.
winbuzzer.com/2026/01/28/g...
(what’s the betting that the answer to this mystery is LLMs and crawlers)
(what’s the betting that the answer to this mystery is LLMs and crawlers)
February 4, 2026 at 8:03 AM
I'm finding that searches on Google Books now don't even pick up metadata, including for books that I'd expect to be out of copyright. Searches return lots of periodical literature and little else.
Reposted by Angela Cassidy
I wonder if our university leadership team are grateful that we didn’t vote for their preferred candidate for Chancellor in 2015, Peter Mandelson, and elected Lemn Sissay instead.
Lord Mandelson in disgrace
The new Private Eye is out now.
The new Private Eye is out now.
February 4, 2026 at 8:23 AM
I wonder if our university leadership team are grateful that we didn’t vote for their preferred candidate for Chancellor in 2015, Peter Mandelson, and elected Lemn Sissay instead.
Reposted by Angela Cassidy
A devastating blow to academics everywhere (me) winbuzzer.com/2026/01/28/g...
Google Disables Search for Book Previews
Google has disabled search functionality for preview books on Google Books, leaving users unable to search through pages that remain visible on the platform.
winbuzzer.com
February 4, 2026 at 3:36 AM
A devastating blow to academics everywhere (me) winbuzzer.com/2026/01/28/g...
Reposted by Angela Cassidy
And for my colleagues in arts, humanities and social sciences it may be worth gearing up to be part of bigger cross disciplinary calls which are relevant to the industrial strategy priorities if that fits your work. Use the coming months to talk to colleagues in other disciplines so you are set up!
February 1, 2026 at 5:45 PM
And for my colleagues in arts, humanities and social sciences it may be worth gearing up to be part of bigger cross disciplinary calls which are relevant to the industrial strategy priorities if that fits your work. Use the coming months to talk to colleagues in other disciplines so you are set up!
Reposted by Angela Cassidy
A few (personal) reflections.
- It is very good to see curiosity driven research protected. This is a direct result of having Patrick Vallance as Science Minister as he understands the importance of researcher led work
- it’s not surprising that the more applied research is being pulled closer…
- It is very good to see curiosity driven research protected. This is a direct result of having Patrick Vallance as Science Minister as he understands the importance of researcher led work
- it’s not surprising that the more applied research is being pulled closer…
February 1, 2026 at 5:17 PM
A few (personal) reflections.
- It is very good to see curiosity driven research protected. This is a direct result of having Patrick Vallance as Science Minister as he understands the importance of researcher led work
- it’s not surprising that the more applied research is being pulled closer…
- It is very good to see curiosity driven research protected. This is a direct result of having Patrick Vallance as Science Minister as he understands the importance of researcher led work
- it’s not surprising that the more applied research is being pulled closer…
Reposted by Angela Cassidy
We're looking to capture experiences of what it means to be queer in the UK today! To do that we're collecting day diaries for 12th February. It doesn't matter what you get up to, or how you record it, we'd love to have it!🧵 (1/4) #LGBTplusHM #lgbthm26
In 1982, inspired by the work of MO the National Lesbian and Gay survey began, it sought to capture what everyday life was like for queer people living in the UK. For our latest open call we're continuing the work of NLGS and asking what does it mean to be queer every day?
#lgbtqhistory
#lgbtqhistory
February 3, 2026 at 5:00 PM
We're looking to capture experiences of what it means to be queer in the UK today! To do that we're collecting day diaries for 12th February. It doesn't matter what you get up to, or how you record it, we'd love to have it!🧵 (1/4) #LGBTplusHM #lgbthm26
Reposted by Angela Cassidy
Roses are red
Wild violets are free
Mind the frozen iguanas
Falling from that tree
www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/arti...
By @bittelmethis.bsky.social
Wild violets are free
Mind the frozen iguanas
Falling from that tree
www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/arti...
By @bittelmethis.bsky.social
Iguanas are falling out of trees in Florida—here's why
When temperatures drop, so do the invasive green reptiles. Here’s everything you need to know about cold-stunned iguanas.
www.nationalgeographic.com
February 3, 2026 at 7:27 PM
Roses are red
Wild violets are free
Mind the frozen iguanas
Falling from that tree
www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/arti...
By @bittelmethis.bsky.social
Wild violets are free
Mind the frozen iguanas
Falling from that tree
www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/arti...
By @bittelmethis.bsky.social
Reposted by Angela Cassidy
MA Food Studies opportunity - 5 scholarships 2026/27: @crpr-exeter.bsky.social & @exeter.ac.uk are offering a fee reduction of £5000 to 5 full time students. Programme led by @crpr-exeter.bsky.social Co-Director and @exeterfood.bsky.social lead Prof. Harry West www.exeter.ac.uk/study/fundin...
The Glanely Food and Farming Schola | University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is pleased to offer this scholarship, a fee reduction worth £5000, to up to five full time students enrolling on our MA Food Studies programme in 2026/2027.
www.exeter.ac.uk
January 27, 2026 at 8:40 AM
MA Food Studies opportunity - 5 scholarships 2026/27: @crpr-exeter.bsky.social & @exeter.ac.uk are offering a fee reduction of £5000 to 5 full time students. Programme led by @crpr-exeter.bsky.social Co-Director and @exeterfood.bsky.social lead Prof. Harry West www.exeter.ac.uk/study/fundin...
Reposted by Angela Cassidy
NEW
On the disclosure of Mandelson's emails
How to think about disclosed documentary evidence
By me at emptycity.substack.com/p/on-the-dis...
On the disclosure of Mandelson's emails
How to think about disclosed documentary evidence
By me at emptycity.substack.com/p/on-the-dis...
On the disclosure of Mandelson's emails
How to think about disclosed documentary evidence
emptycity.substack.com
February 3, 2026 at 9:47 AM
NEW
On the disclosure of Mandelson's emails
How to think about disclosed documentary evidence
By me at emptycity.substack.com/p/on-the-dis...
On the disclosure of Mandelson's emails
How to think about disclosed documentary evidence
By me at emptycity.substack.com/p/on-the-dis...
Reposted by Angela Cassidy
We're hiring!
Join our team on a project to share stories from our rural film archives with different audiences.
Find out more and apply today:
jobs.reading.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Join our team on a project to share stories from our rural film archives with different audiences.
Find out more and apply today:
jobs.reading.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Engagement Officer (BFI Project) :London Road Reading, UK
Part Time / Fixed Term till 30th October 2026
jobs.reading.ac.uk
January 28, 2026 at 1:38 PM
We're hiring!
Join our team on a project to share stories from our rural film archives with different audiences.
Find out more and apply today:
jobs.reading.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Join our team on a project to share stories from our rural film archives with different audiences.
Find out more and apply today:
jobs.reading.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Reposted by Angela Cassidy
I was living in Paris at the time and watched a weatherman on TV news confidently parrot the government line that the prevailing winds would take the radioactivity neatly around the frontiers of France, so we didn’t need to worry our little heads about it, or France’s massive nuclear power system.
It’s been 40 years since the Chernobyl explosion, but how much do you really know about the worst nuclear disaster in history?
Listen to Journey Through Time’s new series to find out.
Listen to Journey Through Time’s new series to find out.
February 2, 2026 at 6:44 PM
I was living in Paris at the time and watched a weatherman on TV news confidently parrot the government line that the prevailing winds would take the radioactivity neatly around the frontiers of France, so we didn’t need to worry our little heads about it, or France’s massive nuclear power system.
Reposted by Angela Cassidy
*drum roll*
Here is the cover for my book, which will be published by @cornellupress.bsky.social on 15 April 2026!
I thought it would be nice to share a bit of info on who these men were and how their lives and interests inspired the design...
Here is the cover for my book, which will be published by @cornellupress.bsky.social on 15 April 2026!
I thought it would be nice to share a bit of info on who these men were and how their lives and interests inspired the design...
February 2, 2026 at 4:26 PM
*drum roll*
Here is the cover for my book, which will be published by @cornellupress.bsky.social on 15 April 2026!
I thought it would be nice to share a bit of info on who these men were and how their lives and interests inspired the design...
Here is the cover for my book, which will be published by @cornellupress.bsky.social on 15 April 2026!
I thought it would be nice to share a bit of info on who these men were and how their lives and interests inspired the design...
Reposted by Angela Cassidy
Welcome to February.
January saw us have 4 named storms within 5 weeks in south west England. Not cold so much as extremely wet. And now everything is dank. Really dank.
The river Dart on such a morning.
#photography #landscape #Dartmoor
January saw us have 4 named storms within 5 weeks in south west England. Not cold so much as extremely wet. And now everything is dank. Really dank.
The river Dart on such a morning.
#photography #landscape #Dartmoor
February 2, 2026 at 5:05 PM
Welcome to February.
January saw us have 4 named storms within 5 weeks in south west England. Not cold so much as extremely wet. And now everything is dank. Really dank.
The river Dart on such a morning.
#photography #landscape #Dartmoor
January saw us have 4 named storms within 5 weeks in south west England. Not cold so much as extremely wet. And now everything is dank. Really dank.
The river Dart on such a morning.
#photography #landscape #Dartmoor
Ah. I'm clearly late to the party then (and virtual apologies to Donald)
February 2, 2026 at 9:59 AM
Ah. I'm clearly late to the party then (and virtual apologies to Donald)
Fry too small to be bothered with?
February 2, 2026 at 9:58 AM
Fry too small to be bothered with?
Evpsych + related fields featuring heavily but Epstein influence visible right across full spread of disciplines, esp via Brockman/Edge networks. Those of us studying public science need to not look away. #scicomm #sts #histSTM
bsky.app/profile/katj...
bsky.app/profile/katj...
Academics vying for a spot in Epstein‘s world. There are so many. I feel the need to make a thread, so I don’t keep confusing them. 1/
February 2, 2026 at 8:14 AM
Evpsych + related fields featuring heavily but Epstein influence visible right across full spread of disciplines, esp via Brockman/Edge networks. Those of us studying public science need to not look away. #scicomm #sts #histSTM
bsky.app/profile/katj...
bsky.app/profile/katj...
Reposted by Angela Cassidy
While these scholarships won't cover full costs of MA study, they will make things a fair bit easier, in turn creating critical access routes into PGR and academia, on an absolutely cracking course.
Please share widely! #HEaccess #sustainability #envpol #foodstudies
Please share widely! #HEaccess #sustainability #envpol #foodstudies
MA Food Studies opportunity - 5 scholarships 2026/27: @crpr-exeter.bsky.social & @exeter.ac.uk are offering a fee reduction of £5000 to 5 full time students. Programme led by @crpr-exeter.bsky.social Co-Director and @exeterfood.bsky.social lead Prof. Harry West www.exeter.ac.uk/study/fundin...
The Glanely Food and Farming Schola | University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is pleased to offer this scholarship, a fee reduction worth £5000, to up to five full time students enrolling on our MA Food Studies programme in 2026/2027.
www.exeter.ac.uk
January 27, 2026 at 9:37 AM
While these scholarships won't cover full costs of MA study, they will make things a fair bit easier, in turn creating critical access routes into PGR and academia, on an absolutely cracking course.
Please share widely! #HEaccess #sustainability #envpol #foodstudies
Please share widely! #HEaccess #sustainability #envpol #foodstudies
Reposted by Angela Cassidy
Donald MacKenzie on visions of infinite scaling in tech: "AI’s scale doesn’t matter just to specialists. The rest of us are being taken on a ride along the logarithmic curve too." (NB Mackenzie seems to have taken the hint from Shapin and is now writing essays for LRB, hurrah!) #sts #envhums #envsoc
"Data is not growing, because we have but one internet ... data is the fossil fuel of AI. It was like created somehow, and now we use it, and we’ve achieved peak data, and there’ll be no more." share.google/4EkXwYfGYz6r...
Donald MacKenzie · AI’s Scale
AI’s scale doesn’t matter just to specialists. The rest of us are being taken on a ride along the logarithmic curve...
share.google
January 31, 2026 at 12:55 PM
Donald MacKenzie on visions of infinite scaling in tech: "AI’s scale doesn’t matter just to specialists. The rest of us are being taken on a ride along the logarithmic curve too." (NB Mackenzie seems to have taken the hint from Shapin and is now writing essays for LRB, hurrah!) #sts #envhums #envsoc
Reposted by Angela Cassidy
Another gross thing about the files is that they show, once again, just how much one asshole can influence other people by being rich and saying shit.
I'm not being facetious. Epstein was apparently giving talking points to the people pushing anti trans rhetoric in the UK.
February 2, 2026 at 7:37 AM
Another gross thing about the files is that they show, once again, just how much one asshole can influence other people by being rich and saying shit.
Reposted by Angela Cassidy
There’s been some concern and speculation in recent days about the future of curiosity-driven and applied research in the UK.
This letter from UKRI CEO Ian Chapman provides some helpful context on what’s really going on. I hope you find it useful.
www.ukri.org/news/open-le...
This letter from UKRI CEO Ian Chapman provides some helpful context on what’s really going on. I hope you find it useful.
www.ukri.org/news/open-le...
Open letter from Ian Chapman to research and innovation community
UKRI Chief Executive outlines changes to UKRI investment approach, addressing concerns about research funding and the financial position of STFC.
www.ukri.org
February 1, 2026 at 4:52 PM
There’s been some concern and speculation in recent days about the future of curiosity-driven and applied research in the UK.
This letter from UKRI CEO Ian Chapman provides some helpful context on what’s really going on. I hope you find it useful.
www.ukri.org/news/open-le...
This letter from UKRI CEO Ian Chapman provides some helpful context on what’s really going on. I hope you find it useful.
www.ukri.org/news/open-le...
Reposted by Angela Cassidy
Happy LGBT+ History Month!
Robert Boyle (1627-1691) one of the founding members of the @royalsociety.org will be remembered this year. A bit of a queer black sheep, he was strongly against relationships with women, much to the dismay of his friends... 🏳️🌈🧵
#LGBTplusHM #lgbthm26
Robert Boyle (1627-1691) one of the founding members of the @royalsociety.org will be remembered this year. A bit of a queer black sheep, he was strongly against relationships with women, much to the dismay of his friends... 🏳️🌈🧵
#LGBTplusHM #lgbthm26
February 1, 2026 at 9:03 PM
Happy LGBT+ History Month!
Robert Boyle (1627-1691) one of the founding members of the @royalsociety.org will be remembered this year. A bit of a queer black sheep, he was strongly against relationships with women, much to the dismay of his friends... 🏳️🌈🧵
#LGBTplusHM #lgbthm26
Robert Boyle (1627-1691) one of the founding members of the @royalsociety.org will be remembered this year. A bit of a queer black sheep, he was strongly against relationships with women, much to the dismay of his friends... 🏳️🌈🧵
#LGBTplusHM #lgbthm26
Reposted by Angela Cassidy
Are you in UK and want to hear about my book Ghosts Behind Glass? 3 public talks in Feb:
Cambridge Museum of Zoology, 11 Feb www.museum.zoo.cam.ac.uk/events/talk-...
M Shed Bristol, 12 Feb www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/whats-on/m-s...
Oxford NatHist Museum, 13 Feb www.oumnh.ox.ac.uk/event/dead-a...
Cambridge Museum of Zoology, 11 Feb www.museum.zoo.cam.ac.uk/events/talk-...
M Shed Bristol, 12 Feb www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/whats-on/m-s...
Oxford NatHist Museum, 13 Feb www.oumnh.ox.ac.uk/event/dead-a...
Ghosts Behind Glass
How museums display extinct species—and what these exhibits say about us. While it’s no longer possible to encounter a dodo in the wild, we can still come face-to-face with them in museums. The rema...
press.uchicago.edu
January 12, 2026 at 10:44 AM
Are you in UK and want to hear about my book Ghosts Behind Glass? 3 public talks in Feb:
Cambridge Museum of Zoology, 11 Feb www.museum.zoo.cam.ac.uk/events/talk-...
M Shed Bristol, 12 Feb www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/whats-on/m-s...
Oxford NatHist Museum, 13 Feb www.oumnh.ox.ac.uk/event/dead-a...
Cambridge Museum of Zoology, 11 Feb www.museum.zoo.cam.ac.uk/events/talk-...
M Shed Bristol, 12 Feb www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/whats-on/m-s...
Oxford NatHist Museum, 13 Feb www.oumnh.ox.ac.uk/event/dead-a...