Masha Levene
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mashalevene.bsky.social
Masha Levene
@mashalevene.bsky.social
Nature and science enthusiast, here to learn and discover
She/her
Reposted by Masha Levene
Learned today that “Galápagos” comes from a Spanish word for tortoise, meaning that “Galápagos Tortoise” is,

in fact,

a tortology
December 13, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Reposted by Masha Levene
Having appeared on it three times, I can 100% confirm that @robinince.bsky.social *IS* the #InfiniteMonkeyCage.

Without him, it doesn’t even exist as a concept 🤷🏾‍♂️
I just want to say @robinince.bsky.social is the very best of humans. How the BBC could have a problem with him is beyond me. The IMC will wither on the vine without the rich, nutritious value of Robin's brain. Go see him perform, and buy all his books. Your soul will feel like it has been hugged.
December 13, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Heartbreaking to loose such an incredible science communicator and host. One of my favourite podcasts comes to an end 😔
Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.
December 14, 2025 at 6:57 AM
Reposted by Masha Levene
Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.
December 13, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Reposted by Masha Levene
Diamondback Squids (Thysanoteuthis rhombus) lay their eggs in giant pink slinkies. These egg masses are made up of two threads of eggs wrapped around a cylinder of mucus.

These egg masses contain 35,000 to 75,000 eggs and have a length of 60 cm to 180 cm long with a diameter of 11 to 30 cm.
December 13, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Reposted by Masha Levene
Tonight into tomorrow night is the peak of the Geminids meteor shower. Look up. Weather permitting. 🔭 🧪
December 13, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Reposted by Masha Levene
Robin Ince reveals to last night’s audience at a recording of Infinite Monkey Cage that the BBC has forced him to resign over his support of trans people
December 13, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Reposted by Masha Levene
Who invented non-reflective glass?

American physicist & chemist Katharine Burr Blodgett in 1938.

It revolutionized optics--& led to the coatings used today in everything from eyeglasses to phone screens. She was the first woman to earn a PhD in #physics from Cambridge, 1926. #WomenInSTEM #inventor
December 12, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Reposted by Masha Levene
I saw a lot of people posting their favorite cover songs and thought I’d add mine to the mix
December 10, 2025 at 3:57 AM
Reposted by Masha Levene
Made a site comparing the sizes of living things :)

The great Julius Csotonyi spent 5 months painting over 60 illustrations for the site, no ai used

> neal.fun/size-of-life/
December 10, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Reposted by Masha Levene
Not all owls say "who".

The saw-whet owl may have gotten its name from the resemblance of its call to a saw being sharpened on a whet-stone.

Seems like a better name than "3rd-grade-recorder-practice owl."
December 10, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Reposted by Masha Levene
Like a moss 💚🌱Swipe to see the species and check if you’ve find them all! 💚
December 9, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Reposted by Masha Levene
Did you consume too much depressing news on your timeline? Here's your palate cleanser from @dradriansmith.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJNa...
Caterpillars Are THE BEST! Here’s why.
YouTube video by Ant Lab
www.youtube.com
December 9, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Reposted by Masha Levene
We're excited to announce the finalists of the #RSPPhotoComp 2025! 🎉 Starting with #microimaging and overall winner, 'Mesmerizing spider threads' by Dr Martin Ramirez, capturing two exceptional silk threads of the Australian net-caster spider (sample obtained by Dr Jonas Wolff @evoimec.bsky.social).
December 4, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Reposted by Masha Levene
My favourite grasshopper fact: Grasshoppers first appeared on the planet 250 million years ago.

Grass did not appear on the planet until 40 million years ago

Imagine it: 210 million years, hopping around on any random surface you can find, waiting for the grass that will make you truly yourself.
December 6, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Reposted by Masha Levene
Yes, Jared Diamond was wrong.

Rapa Nui's people did not suffer ecological and social collapse. They adapted to changed circumstances and thrived.

And they were nothing like "primitive"

phys.org/news/2025-11...
Studies show how the giant statues on Rapa Nui were made and moved—and what caused the island's deforestation
Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, is often portrayed in popular culture as an enigma. The rationale is clear: The tiny, remote island in the Pacific features nearly 1,000 enormous statues—the moa...
phys.org
November 30, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Reposted by Masha Levene
Australia has no woodpeckers, but striped #possums are tropical #marsupials that do the same job: their big ears detect beetle grubs tunnelling in wood, which they chip out with large incisors, then use their elongated 4th finger to hook them out of the tunnels (just like aye-ayes do in Madagascar).
December 5, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Reposted by Masha Levene
It's easy to forget we live in a future with a fully operating space station with multiple docking ports for various spacecraft.

www.space.com/space-explor...
For the 1st time ever, 8 spacecraft are docked to the International Space Station
It's the first time all the spacecraft docking ports on the current configuration of the ISS have been occupied.
www.space.com
December 3, 2025 at 6:18 AM
Reposted by Masha Levene
NOT A ASS OUT PASS OUT PHOTO They didn't have to do my guy like that
The masked burglar broke into the closed Virginia liquor store early on Saturday and hit the bottom shelf. The bandit was something of a nocturnal menace: bottles were smashed and alcohol pooled on the floor.

The suspect acted like an animal because, in fact, he's a raccoon.
Raccoon goes on drunken rampage in Virginia liquor store and passes out on bathroom floor
A raccoon broke into a closed Virginia liquor store and drank alcohol from the bottom shelves over the weekend.
bit.ly
December 3, 2025 at 4:34 AM
Reposted by Masha Levene
2025. #Bioacoustics - Bat 'besties' start to sound alike over time [reminds me of goat kids!] phys.org/news/2025-12...
Bat 'besties' start to sound alike over time, study finds
Ever suddenly realize you had picked up certain words or ways of speaking from a close friend? It turns out that humans are far from the only animals who copy the sounds of their closest companions—a ...
phys.org
December 3, 2025 at 3:27 AM
Reposted by Masha Levene
If you're trying to ditch NYT Games, which you should be since their games singlehandedly prop up the entire dogshit rag financially, you should switch to Puzzmo. An annual sub is 50% off today for a crazy $19 and as a bonus doesn't enable the genocides of Palestinians and trans people
Puzzmo — The (new) place for thoughtful puzzles.
Re-imagined mainstays like the daily Crossword Puzzle, modern classics like Really Bad Chess and SpellTower, and even a few brand new puzzles.
www.puzzmo.com
December 2, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Reposted by Masha Levene
Doodles for Hong Kong 🇭🇰

In response to the tragic Tai Po fire, I'm doing charity commissions. Anyone who puts over £25/250HKD into "Feeding Hong Kong" or Hong Kong SPCA can request a coloured doodle of any prehistoric animal 🙏
November 29, 2025 at 12:53 AM
Reposted by Masha Levene
hello. if you work at a university please ask your library to buy my book. it is all about books and libraries and also plants, museums, the Royal Society, and the ways we learn. I think it will be interesting to lots of people, hopefully. thank you www.cambridge.org/gb/universit...
Hans Sloane's Library Collection and the Production of Knowledge | Cambridge University Press & Assessment
www.cambridge.org
June 30, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Reposted by Masha Levene
pfft why see when you can be sexy instead
Love practically makes these birds go blind
Unusually obstructive plumage compromises the vision of two types of pheasants—a first in birds
www.science.org
November 26, 2025 at 9:46 AM