Arete Roper
@areteroper.bsky.social
Dutch, love ( my 5) cats, English, books, science and crochet.
Pinned
Arete Roper
@areteroper.bsky.social
· Nov 21
"Wisdom is better than wit, and in the long run certainly has the laugh on her side"
Jane Austen
Jane Austen
Reposted by Arete Roper
The winner of ✨ #planetaryScience image of 2025 ✨ is
✨Uranus as seen by JWST✨
Taken on: October 6, 2025
Credit: NASA/ @esa.int /CSA/ @stsci.edu / @andrealuck.bsky.social
Full resolution: www.flickr.com/photos/19227...
🧪⚛️
✨Uranus as seen by JWST✨
Taken on: October 6, 2025
Credit: NASA/ @esa.int /CSA/ @stsci.edu / @andrealuck.bsky.social
Full resolution: www.flickr.com/photos/19227...
🧪⚛️
December 30, 2025 at 5:37 PM
The winner of ✨ #planetaryScience image of 2025 ✨ is
✨Uranus as seen by JWST✨
Taken on: October 6, 2025
Credit: NASA/ @esa.int /CSA/ @stsci.edu / @andrealuck.bsky.social
Full resolution: www.flickr.com/photos/19227...
🧪⚛️
✨Uranus as seen by JWST✨
Taken on: October 6, 2025
Credit: NASA/ @esa.int /CSA/ @stsci.edu / @andrealuck.bsky.social
Full resolution: www.flickr.com/photos/19227...
🧪⚛️
Reposted by Arete Roper
Reposted by Arete Roper
If you’re confused about Trump’s claim that the US bombed a facility in Venezuela last week, I wrote this tick-tock of the past few days:
Trump says US bombed alleged drug facility in Venezuela. No one knows if it’s true.
It could be a lie from social media, or a conflation of other stories. Either way, Americans need to know.
www.thehandbasket.co
December 30, 2025 at 4:44 AM
If you’re confused about Trump’s claim that the US bombed a facility in Venezuela last week, I wrote this tick-tock of the past few days:
Reposted by Arete Roper
“On the 6th day of Christmas, my true love sent to me… six geese a-laying”🎵
The geese are laying *chocolate* Easter eggs, and it’s not even January. “Hope they have at least 23% cocoa content,” moans CTB, “still 6-7 less than continental chocolate.” Snowman bursts into fits of giggles - “6,7,6,7!”
The geese are laying *chocolate* Easter eggs, and it’s not even January. “Hope they have at least 23% cocoa content,” moans CTB, “still 6-7 less than continental chocolate.” Snowman bursts into fits of giggles - “6,7,6,7!”
December 30, 2025 at 9:55 AM
“On the 6th day of Christmas, my true love sent to me… six geese a-laying”🎵
The geese are laying *chocolate* Easter eggs, and it’s not even January. “Hope they have at least 23% cocoa content,” moans CTB, “still 6-7 less than continental chocolate.” Snowman bursts into fits of giggles - “6,7,6,7!”
The geese are laying *chocolate* Easter eggs, and it’s not even January. “Hope they have at least 23% cocoa content,” moans CTB, “still 6-7 less than continental chocolate.” Snowman bursts into fits of giggles - “6,7,6,7!”
Reposted by Arete Roper
Want to win a free @robinince.bsky.social hardback book? Reply with how many album covers you can recognise in the background of the For the Record poster and we’ll pick a winner later this week.
December 29, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Want to win a free @robinince.bsky.social hardback book? Reply with how many album covers you can recognise in the background of the For the Record poster and we’ll pick a winner later this week.
Reposted by Arete Roper
"we need to have a serious talk about..." no we fucking don't. we absolutely do not. we need to have unserious talks about anything but this. music. art. film. theatre. books. things that bring joy. if you need to have a serious talk so badly you can make it about shut up.
December 29, 2025 at 3:53 PM
"we need to have a serious talk about..." no we fucking don't. we absolutely do not. we need to have unserious talks about anything but this. music. art. film. theatre. books. things that bring joy. if you need to have a serious talk so badly you can make it about shut up.
Reposted by Arete Roper
Reposted by Arete Roper
Reposted by Arete Roper
“On the fifth day of Christmas my true love sent to me… FIVE GOLD RINGS, offered as a Tolkien of affection” says Morten the Grey Nordic Gnome.
“𝑭𝒂𝒓 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒚 𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒅
𝑻𝒐 𝒅𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒍𝒅
𝑾𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒅𝒂𝒚
𝑻𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒈𝒐𝒍𝒅.”
#TwelveDaysOfChristmas
“𝑭𝒂𝒓 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒚 𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒅
𝑻𝒐 𝒅𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒍𝒅
𝑾𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒅𝒂𝒚
𝑻𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒈𝒐𝒍𝒅.”
#TwelveDaysOfChristmas
December 29, 2025 at 12:15 AM
“On the fifth day of Christmas my true love sent to me… FIVE GOLD RINGS, offered as a Tolkien of affection” says Morten the Grey Nordic Gnome.
“𝑭𝒂𝒓 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒚 𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒅
𝑻𝒐 𝒅𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒍𝒅
𝑾𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒅𝒂𝒚
𝑻𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒈𝒐𝒍𝒅.”
#TwelveDaysOfChristmas
“𝑭𝒂𝒓 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒚 𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒅
𝑻𝒐 𝒅𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒍𝒅
𝑾𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒅𝒂𝒚
𝑻𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒈𝒐𝒍𝒅.”
#TwelveDaysOfChristmas
Reposted by Arete Roper
Anyone looking for the full map or wondering who made it, it’s the work of Matt Brown and it’s here. open.substack.com/pub/londonis...
December 28, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Anyone looking for the full map or wondering who made it, it’s the work of Matt Brown and it’s here. open.substack.com/pub/londonis...
Reposted by Arete Roper
And a good morning to everyone reading the “later life” section of Brigitte Bardot’s wikipedia page for the first time
December 28, 2025 at 10:29 AM
And a good morning to everyone reading the “later life” section of Brigitte Bardot’s wikipedia page for the first time
Reposted by Arete Roper
This thread is why the gods invented BlueSky.
101. Jocelyn Bell Burnell has always been a huge supporter of poetry. In 2008, she co-edited Dark Matter, volume of poetry about space.
🧪 🔭 #PoetrySky #TabClosed2026 #WomenInSTEM
🧪 🔭 #PoetrySky #TabClosed2026 #WomenInSTEM
Dark Matter: Poems Of Space
Poems of space
gulbenkian.pt
December 28, 2025 at 7:30 AM
This thread is why the gods invented BlueSky.
Reposted by Arete Roper
It’s been 60 years since the first appearance of ‘The Warminster Thing’ on Christmas Day; frightening UFO phenomenon and mystery that lasted a decade in this little Wiltshire town. 🎄
In honour of the anniversary there’s a newish mural in the town.
Links to my two-part series are in this thread. 🛸👽🛸
In honour of the anniversary there’s a newish mural in the town.
Links to my two-part series are in this thread. 🛸👽🛸
December 28, 2025 at 9:47 AM
It’s been 60 years since the first appearance of ‘The Warminster Thing’ on Christmas Day; frightening UFO phenomenon and mystery that lasted a decade in this little Wiltshire town. 🎄
In honour of the anniversary there’s a newish mural in the town.
Links to my two-part series are in this thread. 🛸👽🛸
In honour of the anniversary there’s a newish mural in the town.
Links to my two-part series are in this thread. 🛸👽🛸
Reposted by Arete Roper
This is the best news I’ve seen in a while. Fingers crossed for speedy progress to approval and adoption
“This trial shows that this intranasal, shelf-stable H5N1 vaccine could play a major role in pandemic preparedness, offering a practical and scalable way to help protect people from evolving strains of the virus.”
Intranasal vaccine against H5 avian flu provokes broad immune response in adults in phase 1 trial
www.cidrap.umn.edu
December 28, 2025 at 9:31 AM
This is the best news I’ve seen in a while. Fingers crossed for speedy progress to approval and adoption
Reposted by Arete Roper
17 year old Monica Seles pulled out of Wimbledon to 'hide' in Mar-a-Lago to 'date' Donald Trump and end up in a jeans commercial.
Totally normal ofcourse.
Totally normal ofcourse.
December 28, 2025 at 9:09 AM
17 year old Monica Seles pulled out of Wimbledon to 'hide' in Mar-a-Lago to 'date' Donald Trump and end up in a jeans commercial.
Totally normal ofcourse.
Totally normal ofcourse.
Reposted by Arete Roper
PSA folks: Please add alt-text when you post an image! You can fiddle with your Bluesky settings to make the system remind you by requiring alt-text before you post an image.
The alt text is the christmas present you didn't know you wanted.
O holy night
December 28, 2025 at 8:59 AM
PSA folks: Please add alt-text when you post an image! You can fiddle with your Bluesky settings to make the system remind you by requiring alt-text before you post an image.
Reposted by Arete Roper
Het boek onthult het structureel falen van het ministerie van Landbouw en de Nederlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit bij het onafhankelijk invoeren en handhaven van wetten die mens, natuur en dier moeten beschermen. Over belangenverstrengeling, machtsmisbruik en wegkijken bij gruwelijk dierenleed
Het bedwelmingsapparaat
De overheid zegt de wet te handhaven. Maar wat als de pakkans klein is en het morele kompas stuk?
www.spectrumboeken.nl
December 28, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Het boek onthult het structureel falen van het ministerie van Landbouw en de Nederlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit bij het onafhankelijk invoeren en handhaven van wetten die mens, natuur en dier moeten beschermen. Over belangenverstrengeling, machtsmisbruik en wegkijken bij gruwelijk dierenleed
Reposted by Arete Roper
“On the fourth day of Christmas…” four colly birds land in the branches just after midnight, blackbirds singing in the dead of night. Snowman belts out “Back in black” before hitting the sack.
December 28, 2025 at 12:19 AM
“On the fourth day of Christmas…” four colly birds land in the branches just after midnight, blackbirds singing in the dead of night. Snowman belts out “Back in black” before hitting the sack.
Reposted by Arete Roper
"Amazingly" is sarcasm, right? Because duh
Amazingly, reaction times using screens while driving are worse than being drunk or high—no wonder 90 percent of drivers hate using touchscreens in cars. Finally the auto industry is coming to its senses.
Rejoice! Carmakers Are Embracing Physical Buttons Again
Amazingly, reaction times using screens while driving are worse than being drunk or high—no wonder 90 percent of drivers hate using touchscreens in cars. Finally the auto industry is coming to its…
wrd.cm
December 28, 2025 at 8:00 AM
"Amazingly" is sarcasm, right? Because duh
Reposted by Arete Roper
#OnThisDay in 1612, the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei first observed what turned out to be the planet Neptune. The long-held belief that he mistook it for a star and gave it no further thought has recently been challenged.
📸 Getty
📸 Getty
December 28, 2025 at 8:00 AM
#OnThisDay in 1612, the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei first observed what turned out to be the planet Neptune. The long-held belief that he mistook it for a star and gave it no further thought has recently been challenged.
📸 Getty
📸 Getty
Reposted by Arete Roper
The Bayeux Tapestry's estimated value: 800 million pounds.
Coming to the British Museum, Oct 2026-July 2027 or thereabouts (while its usual home in Bayeux is undergoing renovations).
🗃 #medieval #museums #arthistory #materialculture
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
Coming to the British Museum, Oct 2026-July 2027 or thereabouts (while its usual home in Bayeux is undergoing renovations).
🗃 #medieval #museums #arthistory #materialculture
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
Bayeux tapestry to be insured for £800m for British Museum exhibition
The 70-metre-long cloth about the Norman invasion has not been seen in England since it was created in 11th century
www.theguardian.com
December 28, 2025 at 7:56 AM
The Bayeux Tapestry's estimated value: 800 million pounds.
Coming to the British Museum, Oct 2026-July 2027 or thereabouts (while its usual home in Bayeux is undergoing renovations).
🗃 #medieval #museums #arthistory #materialculture
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
Coming to the British Museum, Oct 2026-July 2027 or thereabouts (while its usual home in Bayeux is undergoing renovations).
🗃 #medieval #museums #arthistory #materialculture
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
Reposted by Arete Roper
🧵An important article about this anti-abortion visiting schools in Scotland. I’m going to share more links about them spreading disinformation and their 🇺🇸 funding www.thenational.scot/news/2572424...
Anger as anti-abortion group 'gives talks and plays’ at Scottish schools
CONCERNS have been raised over an anti-abortion group giving talks and “performing plays” at Scottish schools ...
www.thenational.scot
December 28, 2025 at 7:30 AM
🧵An important article about this anti-abortion visiting schools in Scotland. I’m going to share more links about them spreading disinformation and their 🇺🇸 funding www.thenational.scot/news/2572424...
Reposted by Arete Roper
Vol trots kondigde Defensie dit jaar een samenwerking aan met dronebedrijf Destinus. De omstreden oprichter daarvan heeft een spoor getrokken van mislukte start-ups met schimmige financiering uit Rusland. Dus waarom doet Nederland zaken met deze man?
www.ftm.nl/artikelen/fr...
www.ftm.nl/artikelen/fr...
Fraude geen bezwaar: brokkenpiloot met schimmig verleden mag gewoon drones bouwen voor Defensie
Mikhail Kokorich wilde drones maken voor Defensie bij VDL in Limburg. In maart onthulde FTM dat de geboren Rus in de Verenigde Staten van fraude werd beschuldigd en een beroepsverbod kreeg. Nu mag zij...
www.ftm.nl
December 28, 2025 at 7:51 AM
Vol trots kondigde Defensie dit jaar een samenwerking aan met dronebedrijf Destinus. De omstreden oprichter daarvan heeft een spoor getrokken van mislukte start-ups met schimmige financiering uit Rusland. Dus waarom doet Nederland zaken met deze man?
www.ftm.nl/artikelen/fr...
www.ftm.nl/artikelen/fr...
Reposted by Arete Roper
I did a test to see if I could remember all the Roman numerals, but I forgot 1, 1000, 51, 6 and 500.
IM LIVID!
IM LIVID!
December 28, 2025 at 2:57 AM
I did a test to see if I could remember all the Roman numerals, but I forgot 1, 1000, 51, 6 and 500.
IM LIVID!
IM LIVID!
Reposted by Arete Roper
"The Guardian has now spoken to more than 30 school contemporaries of Farage who have given testimony of being on the wrong end of racist or antisemitic abuse or witnessing it at the school."
www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
‘Of course he abused pupils’: ex-Dulwich teacher speaks out about Farage racism claims
Exclusive: Chloë Deakin tells how she wrote to Dulwich college master to argue against Farage’s nomination as prefect
www.theguardian.com
December 28, 2025 at 7:03 AM
"The Guardian has now spoken to more than 30 school contemporaries of Farage who have given testimony of being on the wrong end of racist or antisemitic abuse or witnessing it at the school."
www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...