Dr Leon B
@crashtronomy.bsky.social
Technogaian planning new habitats to mitigate flooding, pollution & increase habitat connectivity. PhD astronomy. Bass, marimba & percussion enthusiast. Humanitarian volunteer. AuDHD. I like music, geekery, cocktails & pulling stars from the sky (he/him)
Reposted by Dr Leon B
by my count the countries on this list actually have: six (6) kings, plus one queen regnant and an emperor
October 15, 2025 at 11:21 PM
by my count the countries on this list actually have: six (6) kings, plus one queen regnant and an emperor
Reposted by Dr Leon B
Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx erithaca): 13cm (5.1in). This spectacular Kingfisher is also known as the black-backed kingfisher or three-toed kingfisher and is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. Fantastic photo taken by Sanjeev Kapadia in India. #kingfisher #bird #birds #wildlife #nature
October 16, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx erithaca): 13cm (5.1in). This spectacular Kingfisher is also known as the black-backed kingfisher or three-toed kingfisher and is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. Fantastic photo taken by Sanjeev Kapadia in India. #kingfisher #bird #birds #wildlife #nature
Ok, that monument reminds me of a mish-mash of London stuff. The main arch off the Wellington Arch & the column murals off the Cenotaph. With its crown & torch; statue is supposed to be Lady Liberty... but with wings? It looks more like like the Victoria Memorial statue www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
What we know about White House plans for an 'Arc de Trump'
The Paris-inspired proposed monument in Washington DC is meant to commemorate the US 250th anniversary.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 16, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Ok, that monument reminds me of a mish-mash of London stuff. The main arch off the Wellington Arch & the column murals off the Cenotaph. With its crown & torch; statue is supposed to be Lady Liberty... but with wings? It looks more like like the Victoria Memorial statue www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Dr Leon B
Look who came with
September 18, 2025 at 5:28 AM
Look who came with
Reposted by Dr Leon B
MY GOD, I HAVE A NEW HERO. SHE HAD THEM SO HOOKED AND THEN BAM, SHE ATE THEM, BONES AND ALL.
September 17, 2025 at 9:50 PM
MY GOD, I HAVE A NEW HERO. SHE HAD THEM SO HOOKED AND THEN BAM, SHE ATE THEM, BONES AND ALL.
Reposted by Dr Leon B
Good to see and hope @scurry.bsky.social's efforts on this finally pay off.
Mini-scoop: After resisting pressure to strip Elon Musk of his fellowship for months, the Royal Society is meeting on 1 October to discuss his removal – following his decision to address Tommy Robinson's far-right rally on Saturday.
www.thenewworld.co.uk/james-ball-r...
www.thenewworld.co.uk/james-ball-r...
Royal Society to debate throwing out Elon Musk
One of the most prestigious scientific bodies in the world is considering expelling Musk after his appearance at Tommy Robinson’s extremist London rally
www.thenewworld.co.uk
September 17, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Good to see and hope @scurry.bsky.social's efforts on this finally pay off.
Led by Donkeys arrested. UK speed running descent into totalitarianism www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
September 17, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Led by Donkeys arrested. UK speed running descent into totalitarianism www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Dr Leon B
Farewells of Abu-Zayd and Al-Harith before the return to Mecca, 'Al Maqamat' by Al-Hariri, Syria or Iraq, c.1240
August 3, 2025 at 2:13 AM
Farewells of Abu-Zayd and Al-Harith before the return to Mecca, 'Al Maqamat' by Al-Hariri, Syria or Iraq, c.1240
As I [brown skin, beard, multicolour hair] walked to dance class, I passed a group [mid-20s, yt, glam clothes] exiting a house... 1 young man turns towards me, raises his fists to the sky & shouts "Free the hostages". I ignored him & walked on. QUESTION: what reaction was he _trying_ to elicit?
August 4, 2025 at 12:49 AM
As I [brown skin, beard, multicolour hair] walked to dance class, I passed a group [mid-20s, yt, glam clothes] exiting a house... 1 young man turns towards me, raises his fists to the sky & shouts "Free the hostages". I ignored him & walked on. QUESTION: what reaction was he _trying_ to elicit?
Reposted by Dr Leon B
It's so galling to realise that twenty, thirty years of feverish right wing conspiracy about the US government rounding up citizens and putting them in camps, of state surveillance and corruption was just a projection of what they'd do to others if they had the means. Three decades of wank fantasy
June 24, 2025 at 10:56 PM
It's so galling to realise that twenty, thirty years of feverish right wing conspiracy about the US government rounding up citizens and putting them in camps, of state surveillance and corruption was just a projection of what they'd do to others if they had the means. Three decades of wank fantasy
Reposted by Dr Leon B
Thrasonical [thruh-SAHN-uh-kul]
(adj.)
- Egotistical; arrogantly bumptious. Braggartly, given to boasting.
(adj.)
- Egotistical; arrogantly bumptious. Braggartly, given to boasting.
June 25, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Thrasonical [thruh-SAHN-uh-kul]
(adj.)
- Egotistical; arrogantly bumptious. Braggartly, given to boasting.
(adj.)
- Egotistical; arrogantly bumptious. Braggartly, given to boasting.
Reposted by Dr Leon B
tapping the sign
For decades the public has been told they can have US tax rates and European public services. If taxes are going to rise, the government might at least try to make a virtue out of honesty.
Starting my holiday in the traditional way: by promo-ing an NS column about fiscal policy.
Starting my holiday in the traditional way: by promo-ing an NS column about fiscal policy.
Labour needs to be honest about tax rises
For decades the public has been told they can have US tax rates and European public services.
www.newstatesman.com
June 25, 2025 at 2:50 PM
tapping the sign
Reposted by Dr Leon B
for reasons that made sense in my head I've just googled "Thomas the tank engine bus" and my god it's David Cameron
June 4, 2025 at 10:00 PM
for reasons that made sense in my head I've just googled "Thomas the tank engine bus" and my god it's David Cameron
Got reminded how macabre the lo-fi british Public Information Films of the 70s and 80s were the other night, with this one on outdoor swimming. An absolute masterclass in how to scare the absolute shit out of kids www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNPM...
The Spirit Of Dark And Lonely Water (Public Information Film 1973)
YouTube video by Zone Horror
www.youtube.com
April 25, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Got reminded how macabre the lo-fi british Public Information Films of the 70s and 80s were the other night, with this one on outdoor swimming. An absolute masterclass in how to scare the absolute shit out of kids www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNPM...
Reposted by Dr Leon B
AMAZING 🤩
April 25, 2025 at 8:16 AM
AMAZING 🤩
Reposted by Dr Leon B
Crisis at NASA
It's very bad news all round for NASA science, but the worst hit is Astrophysics (which includes cosmology) where the proposed cut is about two-thirds, which would be devastating.
It's very bad news all round for NASA science, but the worst hit is Astrophysics (which includes cosmology) where the proposed cut is about two-thirds, which would be devastating.
Crisis at NASA
It's very bad news all round for NASA science, but the worst hit is Astrophysics (which includes cosmology) where the proposed cut is about two-thirds, which would be devastating.
telescoper.blog
April 23, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Crisis at NASA
It's very bad news all round for NASA science, but the worst hit is Astrophysics (which includes cosmology) where the proposed cut is about two-thirds, which would be devastating.
It's very bad news all round for NASA science, but the worst hit is Astrophysics (which includes cosmology) where the proposed cut is about two-thirds, which would be devastating.
Reposted by Dr Leon B
This statement about the transphobic Supreme Court ruling by the UK's Crab Museum (yes a museum about crabs) is better than 99% of the statements I've seen on the topic
www.crabmuseum.org/visit
🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀
www.crabmuseum.org/visit
🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀
April 22, 2025 at 9:16 PM
This statement about the transphobic Supreme Court ruling by the UK's Crab Museum (yes a museum about crabs) is better than 99% of the statements I've seen on the topic
www.crabmuseum.org/visit
🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀
www.crabmuseum.org/visit
🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀
Reposted by Dr Leon B
The Providence bookstore/bar Riffraff -- where I had my book launch in April 2024 -- has a special cocktail for Indie Bookstore Day called the "Fuck Jeff Bezos 2.0."
I love this town, and I love indie bookstores.
I love this town, and I love indie bookstores.
April 24, 2025 at 7:29 PM
The Providence bookstore/bar Riffraff -- where I had my book launch in April 2024 -- has a special cocktail for Indie Bookstore Day called the "Fuck Jeff Bezos 2.0."
I love this town, and I love indie bookstores.
I love this town, and I love indie bookstores.
Reposted by Dr Leon B
I hope this clarifies the situation.
luxembourgish is not a real language, i refuse to believe it
April 22, 2025 at 3:43 PM
I hope this clarifies the situation.
Reposted by Dr Leon B
A more technical thread on some of the criticisms of the claimed detection
𝗡𝗼, 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗞𝟮-𝟭𝟴𝗯'𝘀 𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲.
K2-18b is back in the news, now with a bold claim that biosignature molecules (DMS and/or DMDS) have been 'detected at 3σ'.
Most exoplanet astronomers are extremely sceptical about these claims, let's see why (1/n).
🔭🧪🪐 #exoplanet
K2-18b is back in the news, now with a bold claim that biosignature molecules (DMS and/or DMDS) have been 'detected at 3σ'.
Most exoplanet astronomers are extremely sceptical about these claims, let's see why (1/n).
🔭🧪🪐 #exoplanet
April 18, 2025 at 5:40 AM
A more technical thread on some of the criticisms of the claimed detection
"Strongest evidence" to date in the streets;
"Possible biosignature... of low statistical significance" in the sheets...
"Possible biosignature... of low statistical significance" in the sheets...
An astonishing headline reporting on new observations from a team led to Nikku Madhusudhan claims they’ve found ‘hints of life’ on a planet orbiting a dwarf star some 124 light years away. What’s going on? (1/n) www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... 🔭 🧪
Promising hints of life found on distant planet K2-18b
Scientists find new but tentative evidence that a faraway world orbiting another star may be home to life.
www.bbc.co.uk
April 17, 2025 at 8:24 AM
"Strongest evidence" to date in the streets;
"Possible biosignature... of low statistical significance" in the sheets...
"Possible biosignature... of low statistical significance" in the sheets...
Reposted by Dr Leon B
What do they even mean by “biological women”? What sort of tests would I need to submit to before these bigots would let me try on a dress in a private cubicle? Chromosomal (not a reliable marker)? Hormonal (not a reliable marker)? I’m so fucking angry.
April 16, 2025 at 10:07 AM
What do they even mean by “biological women”? What sort of tests would I need to submit to before these bigots would let me try on a dress in a private cubicle? Chromosomal (not a reliable marker)? Hormonal (not a reliable marker)? I’m so fucking angry.
Reposted by Dr Leon B
Trans communities are devastated by today’s ruling. Instead of bringing clarity, the Supreme Court has made a ruling which appears to contain a number of contradictions. The intent seems clear: to exclude trans people from society.
Full statement: transactual.org.uk/blog/2025/04...
Full statement: transactual.org.uk/blog/2025/04...
Response by TransActual to Supreme Court ruling on Equality Act – TransActualAccessibility ToolsIncrease TextDecrease TextGrayscaleHigh ContrastNegative ContrastLight BackgroundLinks UnderlineReadable...
transactual.org.uk
April 16, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Trans communities are devastated by today’s ruling. Instead of bringing clarity, the Supreme Court has made a ruling which appears to contain a number of contradictions. The intent seems clear: to exclude trans people from society.
Full statement: transactual.org.uk/blog/2025/04...
Full statement: transactual.org.uk/blog/2025/04...
What happened GAK? Hope staff are ok. Acquired in Sept 2021 news.sky.com/story/entrep... . Full accounts to Sept 2022 (screenshot of pg.10) find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/0566...) show profits drop from ~2% to ~0.005%. Seems investor's new biz plan wasn't very bright
April 5, 2025 at 11:03 AM
What happened GAK? Hope staff are ok. Acquired in Sept 2021 news.sky.com/story/entrep... . Full accounts to Sept 2022 (screenshot of pg.10) find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/0566...) show profits drop from ~2% to ~0.005%. Seems investor's new biz plan wasn't very bright
