Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
@drsurekhadavies.bsky.social
Historian of science, art, ideas.🗃
Words: Smithsonian, LA Times, TLS, Aeon, Nature, Science, Reactor.
Buy HUMANS: A MONSTROUS HISTORY now: https://www.surekhadavies.org/humans-a-monstrous-history
Newsletter: https://buttondown.com/surekhadavies?tag=bluesky
Words: Smithsonian, LA Times, TLS, Aeon, Nature, Science, Reactor.
Buy HUMANS: A MONSTROUS HISTORY now: https://www.surekhadavies.org/humans-a-monstrous-history
Newsletter: https://buttondown.com/surekhadavies?tag=bluesky
Pinned
Humans: A Monstrous History is a year old today! Here’s a 🧵 of some spinoff writings and interviews.
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🧪💙📚 🗃 #ancient #medieval #earlymodern #histsci #histmed #18thCentury #politics #HAMH
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🧪💙📚 🗃 #ancient #medieval #earlymodern #histsci #histmed #18thCentury #politics #HAMH
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
every British historian rn frantically trying to find examples of British royals being arrested that don’t end with their execution
February 19, 2026 at 10:39 AM
every British historian rn frantically trying to find examples of British royals being arrested that don’t end with their execution
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
They saw France bust down the doors of X for being pedophiles and immediately started developing the national sex crime VPN.
Exclusive: The US State Department is developing an online portal to enable people in Europe and elsewhere to see content banned by their governments including alleged hate speech and terrorist propaganda, sources told Reuters reut.rs/4cySsA6
Exclusive: US plans online portal to bypass content bans in Europe and elsewhere
The U.S. State Department is developing an online portal that will enable people in Europe and elsewhere to see content banned by their governments including alleged hate speech and terrorist propagan...
reut.rs
February 19, 2026 at 1:49 AM
They saw France bust down the doors of X for being pedophiles and immediately started developing the national sex crime VPN.
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
Old cold class-ridden Blighty doing rather better on elite impunity than the US these days www.bbc.com/news/live/c7...
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office - live updates
It comes after Thames Valley Police said they were assessing a complaint over the alleged sharing of confidential material by the former prince with Jeffrey Epstein.
www.bbc.com
February 19, 2026 at 10:45 AM
Old cold class-ridden Blighty doing rather better on elite impunity than the US these days www.bbc.com/news/live/c7...
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
It was the Fuck Around of Times, it was the Find Out of times
February 3, 2026 at 3:09 PM
It was the Fuck Around of Times, it was the Find Out of times
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
Vote for decency. Join the Greens.
🚀 Now we're really going!
🎉 We've hit 195,000+ members!
💚 And a week today - we can stop Reform and win another Green MP.
👉🏼 Join us: join.greenparty.org.uk
🎉 We've hit 195,000+ members!
💚 And a week today - we can stop Reform and win another Green MP.
👉🏼 Join us: join.greenparty.org.uk
February 19, 2026 at 10:38 AM
Vote for decency. Join the Greens.
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
I wrote an article on my website saying that hot dog eating is a surprisingly common pastime for tech journalists. I ranked myself number one, obviously
One day later, ChatGPT, Gemini and the AI Overviews in Google Search were telling the world about my talents But this isn’t just about hot dogs
One day later, ChatGPT, Gemini and the AI Overviews in Google Search were telling the world about my talents But this isn’t just about hot dogs
February 18, 2026 at 4:37 PM
I wrote an article on my website saying that hot dog eating is a surprisingly common pastime for tech journalists. I ranked myself number one, obviously
One day later, ChatGPT, Gemini and the AI Overviews in Google Search were telling the world about my talents But this isn’t just about hot dogs
One day later, ChatGPT, Gemini and the AI Overviews in Google Search were telling the world about my talents But this isn’t just about hot dogs
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
Goodness me.
The media is able to name him. The police do not say that he is white British, nor that his late father came from Greece. [Philip had a thirst for knowledge, but Andrew did not inherit this]
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c7...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c7...
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office
It comes after Thames Valley Police said they were assessing a complaint over the alleged sharing of confidential material by the former prince with Jeffrey Epstein.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 19, 2026 at 10:25 AM
Goodness me.
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
Every alt text tells a story...
THREAD.
Some excellent pigs I have met on walks in the British countryside.
You will find the caption to each photo in the alt text.
Some excellent pigs I have met on walks in the British countryside.
You will find the caption to each photo in the alt text.
February 19, 2026 at 9:40 AM
Every alt text tells a story...
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
This is just one of over 12,000 long reads from 1951 to the present waiting for you in History Today’s digital archive. We add new content every week so subscribe now for only £5/$9 and enjoy unlimited access
www.historytoday.com/subscription...
www.historytoday.com/subscription...
Subscribe from only £5!
Buy a subscription to Britain’s leading history magazine and enjoy significant savings on the shop price.
www.historytoday.com
February 19, 2026 at 9:48 AM
This is just one of over 12,000 long reads from 1951 to the present waiting for you in History Today’s digital archive. We add new content every week so subscribe now for only £5/$9 and enjoy unlimited access
www.historytoday.com/subscription...
www.historytoday.com/subscription...
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
First he came for anyone to the left of the Tories, and I felt confirmed in my decision to leave Twitter.
Then he came for Kimi Badenoch, and I felt somewhat conflicted.
Then he came for Nigel Farage, and I went to make a cup of tea.
Then he came for Kimi Badenoch, and I felt somewhat conflicted.
Then he came for Nigel Farage, and I went to make a cup of tea.
It's not too late for British politicians to stand up to Elon Musk, who is now coming for well-known globalist and social liberal Nigel Farage.
Elon Musk is talking about Nigel Farage's Reform Party: he says Reform are trying to eradicate white people in Britain.
He is a radicalised + increasingly racist lunatic - obsessed with theories of white racial extinction + promoting the idea of civil war in Britain
www.msn.com/en-gb/news/u...
He is a radicalised + increasingly racist lunatic - obsessed with theories of white racial extinction + promoting the idea of civil war in Britain
www.msn.com/en-gb/news/u...
February 19, 2026 at 9:43 AM
First he came for anyone to the left of the Tories, and I felt confirmed in my decision to leave Twitter.
Then he came for Kimi Badenoch, and I felt somewhat conflicted.
Then he came for Nigel Farage, and I went to make a cup of tea.
Then he came for Kimi Badenoch, and I felt somewhat conflicted.
Then he came for Nigel Farage, and I went to make a cup of tea.
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
Weeks ago a horrifying mass murder on a Sydney beach, committed falsely in the name of religion, was defied by one unarmed Muslim man. His act of courage was no more a religious act than that mass murder. Ahmed Al Ahmed acted from love (for humanity & total strangers), and the shooters from hate. 2
February 19, 2026 at 9:07 AM
Weeks ago a horrifying mass murder on a Sydney beach, committed falsely in the name of religion, was defied by one unarmed Muslim man. His act of courage was no more a religious act than that mass murder. Ahmed Al Ahmed acted from love (for humanity & total strangers), and the shooters from hate. 2
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
“my children might see the children I voted to put in shackles, how shall they grow up”
February 19, 2026 at 4:44 AM
“my children might see the children I voted to put in shackles, how shall they grow up”
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
British response to the film about Melania Trump: If they were screening it for free at the bottom of my garden I'd shut the curtains.
January 30, 2026 at 8:30 PM
British response to the film about Melania Trump: If they were screening it for free at the bottom of my garden I'd shut the curtains.
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
15 years ago today I arrived on Downing Street in a cage.
I've seen off Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss and Sunak and I'm still going strong.
Only two Prime Ministers have ever done longer stints here: William Pitt the Younger and Sir Robert Walpole.
Bill and Bob - I'm coming for you...
(Photos AP)
I've seen off Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss and Sunak and I'm still going strong.
Only two Prime Ministers have ever done longer stints here: William Pitt the Younger and Sir Robert Walpole.
Bill and Bob - I'm coming for you...
(Photos AP)
February 15, 2026 at 11:07 AM
15 years ago today I arrived on Downing Street in a cage.
I've seen off Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss and Sunak and I'm still going strong.
Only two Prime Ministers have ever done longer stints here: William Pitt the Younger and Sir Robert Walpole.
Bill and Bob - I'm coming for you...
(Photos AP)
I've seen off Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss and Sunak and I'm still going strong.
Only two Prime Ministers have ever done longer stints here: William Pitt the Younger and Sir Robert Walpole.
Bill and Bob - I'm coming for you...
(Photos AP)
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
I think the people of this country have had enough of tax-exile billionaires.
February 12, 2026 at 3:14 PM
I think the people of this country have had enough of tax-exile billionaires.
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
Worth checking out the article just for the image of Martin Waldseemüller’s 1507 world map.
New byline in @latimes.com on what a late medieval/Renaissance map has to do with politics today.
🗃 #maps #cartography #histsci #medieval #renaissance #earlymodern
www.latimes.com/opinion/stor...
🗃 #maps #cartography #histsci #medieval #renaissance #earlymodern
www.latimes.com/opinion/stor...
Contributor: What 'America' meant before 1776, and who 'Americans' are today
The label is often wielded now to exclude brown people, but these two continents have been a melting pot since long before the U.S. was founded.
www.latimes.com
February 18, 2026 at 12:29 PM
Worth checking out the article just for the image of Martin Waldseemüller’s 1507 world map.
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
'More than 60% of the global increase in synchronous fire weather days can be attributed to climate change from the burning of coal, oil & natural gas'.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Study finds global increase in hot, dry days ideal for wildfires
Dangerous days have nearly tripled in past 45 years – and increase largely driven by human-made warming
www.theguardian.com
February 19, 2026 at 5:47 AM
'More than 60% of the global increase in synchronous fire weather days can be attributed to climate change from the burning of coal, oil & natural gas'.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
all the doubters who thought substack couldn’t find a business model must be feeling PRETTY SILLY now that they’ve partnered with THE upscale predatory gambling application 😏
Substack, as expected, escalates toward hyper-disinfo.
Remember, folks: The tech bros tearing down our country are the major forces behind this monstrosity.
Choose your future wisely.
Remember, folks: The tech bros tearing down our country are the major forces behind this monstrosity.
Choose your future wisely.
February 19, 2026 at 5:48 AM
all the doubters who thought substack couldn’t find a business model must be feeling PRETTY SILLY now that they’ve partnered with THE upscale predatory gambling application 😏
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
Rather than ascribing agency to machines that are built by other humans getting rich off of doing that, we should ascribe the agency to those humans and talk about what they're doing via their companies: stealing data, killing the environment, exploiting labor, and deceiving the public.
February 19, 2026 at 3:19 AM
Rather than ascribing agency to machines that are built by other humans getting rich off of doing that, we should ascribe the agency to those humans and talk about what they're doing via their companies: stealing data, killing the environment, exploiting labor, and deceiving the public.
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
I'm gonna repeat my comment.
Talking about nonexistent "super intelligent" machines is like talking about the Cookie Monster rather than corporations creating real things causing harm. A non existent machine god bringing apocalypse or utopia is a framing that is harmful. Period.
Talking about nonexistent "super intelligent" machines is like talking about the Cookie Monster rather than corporations creating real things causing harm. A non existent machine god bringing apocalypse or utopia is a framing that is harmful. Period.
February 19, 2026 at 3:19 AM
I'm gonna repeat my comment.
Talking about nonexistent "super intelligent" machines is like talking about the Cookie Monster rather than corporations creating real things causing harm. A non existent machine god bringing apocalypse or utopia is a framing that is harmful. Period.
Talking about nonexistent "super intelligent" machines is like talking about the Cookie Monster rather than corporations creating real things causing harm. A non existent machine god bringing apocalypse or utopia is a framing that is harmful. Period.
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
Normalize laughing derisively in men's faces when they deserve it.
February 18, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Normalize laughing derisively in men's faces when they deserve it.
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
If you like bluegrass music, you might check out the Clements Brothers. They have a kickstarter campaign for their second album. I heard them live, close up, in 2014, during a magical summer in Cambridge, MA (they were part of the Lonely Heartstring Band then).
www.kickstarter.com/projects/the...
www.kickstarter.com/projects/the...
THE CLEMENTS BROTHERS MAKE A SECOND ALBUM!
Help us get this record made! We've got this thing in the air but need your help to stick the landing. You know the deal :)
www.kickstarter.com
February 17, 2026 at 10:05 PM
If you like bluegrass music, you might check out the Clements Brothers. They have a kickstarter campaign for their second album. I heard them live, close up, in 2014, during a magical summer in Cambridge, MA (they were part of the Lonely Heartstring Band then).
www.kickstarter.com/projects/the...
www.kickstarter.com/projects/the...
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
“Is there a technology the left is excited about?”
Yeah man, it’s called anything that can be useful and make my bills go down instead of a thing that can’t do anything without my help and doubles my electricity bill
Yeah man, it’s called anything that can be useful and make my bills go down instead of a thing that can’t do anything without my help and doubles my electricity bill
February 18, 2026 at 12:59 PM
“Is there a technology the left is excited about?”
Yeah man, it’s called anything that can be useful and make my bills go down instead of a thing that can’t do anything without my help and doubles my electricity bill
Yeah man, it’s called anything that can be useful and make my bills go down instead of a thing that can’t do anything without my help and doubles my electricity bill
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
The fact that so many billionaire Californians are each dedicating tens of millions of dollars to fighting a proposed wealth tax — rather than using those funds to pay the tax — demonstrates just how much play money they have and evidences the extent of their delusional entitlement
February 18, 2026 at 3:19 PM
The fact that so many billionaire Californians are each dedicating tens of millions of dollars to fighting a proposed wealth tax — rather than using those funds to pay the tax — demonstrates just how much play money they have and evidences the extent of their delusional entitlement
Reposted by Dr Surekha Davies, Historical Monster Consultant (she/her)
'America before 1776' must surely mean the founding of Los Angeles here? 😁
New byline in @latimes.com on what a late medieval/Renaissance map has to do with politics today.
🗃 #maps #cartography #histsci #medieval #renaissance #earlymodern
www.latimes.com/opinion/stor...
🗃 #maps #cartography #histsci #medieval #renaissance #earlymodern
www.latimes.com/opinion/stor...
Contributor: What 'America' meant before 1776, and who 'Americans' are today
The label is often wielded now to exclude brown people, but these two continents have been a melting pot since long before the U.S. was founded.
www.latimes.com
February 17, 2026 at 12:22 PM
'America before 1776' must surely mean the founding of Los Angeles here? 😁