Paula Read
@paularead.bsky.social
Perpetual newbie.
PhD Creative Writing / Honorary Research Associate, University of Bristol
@bristol_writing
@the-independent.com @undark.org @LitroMagazine @huffpost.com @panoramajournal.bsky.social
paulareadwrites.com
PhD Creative Writing / Honorary Research Associate, University of Bristol
@bristol_writing
@the-independent.com @undark.org @LitroMagazine @huffpost.com @panoramajournal.bsky.social
paulareadwrites.com
Reposted by Paula Read
Charles Yang of Time for Three absolutely slaying me. I would lose my mind if I heard this live. Even crappy phone speakers made me scream and cry.
January 25, 2026 at 4:36 PM
Charles Yang of Time for Three absolutely slaying me. I would lose my mind if I heard this live. Even crappy phone speakers made me scream and cry.
Reposted by Paula Read
In need of a Sunday cake? Why not join my patreon for a recipe for the delicious Geneva Cottage Chocolate Biscuit Cake – made by Field Voles on a blustery autumn afternoon! There's also an archive of thousands of stories & Old Fox will send you a card when you sign up! patreon.com/posts/geneva...
September 21, 2025 at 11:48 AM
In need of a Sunday cake? Why not join my patreon for a recipe for the delicious Geneva Cottage Chocolate Biscuit Cake – made by Field Voles on a blustery autumn afternoon! There's also an archive of thousands of stories & Old Fox will send you a card when you sign up! patreon.com/posts/geneva...
Reposted by Paula Read
Ok need to crowdsource something-is there a list of orgs in Minneapolis/St. Paul that need assistance with $$$ to help support giving out food, bail, etc? If you can send these my way, I'd appreciate it! And I'll share these out.
January 25, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Ok need to crowdsource something-is there a list of orgs in Minneapolis/St. Paul that need assistance with $$$ to help support giving out food, bail, etc? If you can send these my way, I'd appreciate it! And I'll share these out.
Reposted by Paula Read
tfw when the imperialism is boomeranging
January 25, 2026 at 1:42 PM
tfw when the imperialism is boomeranging
Reposted by Paula Read
West from the mouth of Loch Moidart at sunset
January 25, 2026 at 9:19 AM
West from the mouth of Loch Moidart at sunset
Reposted by Paula Read
i’d also be super interested in talking to people at these companies about the vibe after your bosses ate popcorn with the president during a political assassination. signal in bio.
If you work at Apple, Zoom, Amazon and AMD (not to mention Palantir or Nvidia) i think you should organize, unionize, and hold your fascist enabling CEO accountable.
You are powerful together
You are powerful together
An insane, perfect encapsulation of it all:
The same day Trump’s agents kill a Veterans Affairs ICU nurse in broad daylight, the CEOs of Apple and Amazon join Trump to watch a private screening of a film about his wife directed by an alleged sexual abuser who was seen shirtless in the Epstein Files
The same day Trump’s agents kill a Veterans Affairs ICU nurse in broad daylight, the CEOs of Apple and Amazon join Trump to watch a private screening of a film about his wife directed by an alleged sexual abuser who was seen shirtless in the Epstein Files
January 25, 2026 at 9:20 AM
i’d also be super interested in talking to people at these companies about the vibe after your bosses ate popcorn with the president during a political assassination. signal in bio.
Reposted by Paula Read
This is a reminder that if you’ve just seen something traumatic, playing 15 min of a visually demanding game (Tetris is the go-to here, but maybe Set? Mah-jongg?) can impede memory formation and help stop it from developing into a trauma.
(This doesn’t work for complex trauma but discrete events)
(This doesn’t work for complex trauma but discrete events)
January 24, 2026 at 5:03 PM
This is a reminder that if you’ve just seen something traumatic, playing 15 min of a visually demanding game (Tetris is the go-to here, but maybe Set? Mah-jongg?) can impede memory formation and help stop it from developing into a trauma.
(This doesn’t work for complex trauma but discrete events)
(This doesn’t work for complex trauma but discrete events)
Reposted by Paula Read
So glad this is being used in schools and universities.
Latest ChatGPT model uses Elon Musk’s Grokipedia as source, tests reveal
Guardian found OpenAI’s platform cited Grokipedia on topics including Iran and Holocaust deniers
www.theguardian.com
January 24, 2026 at 2:40 PM
So glad this is being used in schools and universities.
Reposted by Paula Read
When it comes to climate, the Global South is the future of the Global North.
This week a cyclone hit the Med. “One in 50 yrs event” etc. The pics are immense, the damage mostly in Sicily/Calabria.
As the Global South knows well, the event was received with much silence by much Italian media.
This week a cyclone hit the Med. “One in 50 yrs event” etc. The pics are immense, the damage mostly in Sicily/Calabria.
As the Global South knows well, the event was received with much silence by much Italian media.
January 24, 2026 at 7:31 AM
When it comes to climate, the Global South is the future of the Global North.
This week a cyclone hit the Med. “One in 50 yrs event” etc. The pics are immense, the damage mostly in Sicily/Calabria.
As the Global South knows well, the event was received with much silence by much Italian media.
This week a cyclone hit the Med. “One in 50 yrs event” etc. The pics are immense, the damage mostly in Sicily/Calabria.
As the Global South knows well, the event was received with much silence by much Italian media.
Reposted by Paula Read
bsky.app/profile/dj-a...
Public service announcement of two things. Thing 1) buy Tom’s books because they are brilliant. Thing 2) buy them from an independent bookshop (not Amazon) and buy the Swift Press versions due to an unfortunate saga involving several sets of absolute publishing charlatans.
Public service announcement of two things. Thing 1) buy Tom’s books because they are brilliant. Thing 2) buy them from an independent bookshop (not Amazon) and buy the Swift Press versions due to an unfortunate saga involving several sets of absolute publishing charlatans.
OOINYA could have sold the remaining Unbound copies of the books to me, in bulk, & no longer have had to pay for warehouse space.
Instead, they have decided to sell them via Amazon, as new, interfering with my attempt to restart my career.
Please do not buy these. Buy the new Swift press versions.
Instead, they have decided to sell them via Amazon, as new, interfering with my attempt to restart my career.
Please do not buy these. Buy the new Swift press versions.
Unbound was a very dodgy publishing enterprise, treating its authors appallingly and failing to pay them. Sadly, the awful treatment continues even now they are gone.
January 24, 2026 at 9:51 AM
bsky.app/profile/dj-a...
Public service announcement of two things. Thing 1) buy Tom’s books because they are brilliant. Thing 2) buy them from an independent bookshop (not Amazon) and buy the Swift Press versions due to an unfortunate saga involving several sets of absolute publishing charlatans.
Public service announcement of two things. Thing 1) buy Tom’s books because they are brilliant. Thing 2) buy them from an independent bookshop (not Amazon) and buy the Swift Press versions due to an unfortunate saga involving several sets of absolute publishing charlatans.
Reposted by Paula Read
Southern Norway had vast oak forests, but they were cleared to build ships, & many were sold to form the foundations of one of the greatest cities of Europe
Amsterdam has 11 million wooden poles in place to stop the city sinking into the marshland it was built on
Amsterdam has 11 million wooden poles in place to stop the city sinking into the marshland it was built on
January 24, 2026 at 8:50 AM
Southern Norway had vast oak forests, but they were cleared to build ships, & many were sold to form the foundations of one of the greatest cities of Europe
Amsterdam has 11 million wooden poles in place to stop the city sinking into the marshland it was built on
Amsterdam has 11 million wooden poles in place to stop the city sinking into the marshland it was built on
Reposted by Paula Read
A great, in-depth article on @mongabay.com about our Earth Rover Program, and its transformative potential. news.mongabay.com/2026/01/eart...
Earth Rover Program seeks to track the world’s soil health
With a synchronized tap from run-of-the-mill hammers on metal plates resting on the ground, researchers kneeling in nine fields across four continents believe they’ve hit upon more than just the earth...
news.mongabay.com
January 23, 2026 at 9:39 AM
A great, in-depth article on @mongabay.com about our Earth Rover Program, and its transformative potential. news.mongabay.com/2026/01/eart...
So that whole life, liberty, pursuit of happiness thing is passé and we get lectured on the choices we are allowed for the finding greater meaning? And it's only having babies? Cool.
Reminds me of Ford's old adage about what color Model T you could buy.
Reminds me of Ford's old adage about what color Model T you could buy.
JD Vance: "To our fellow Americans we say, you're never gonna find great meaning in a cubicle or in front of a computer screen. But you will find great meaning if you dedicate yourself to the creation and sustenance of human life."
January 23, 2026 at 5:52 PM
So that whole life, liberty, pursuit of happiness thing is passé and we get lectured on the choices we are allowed for the finding greater meaning? And it's only having babies? Cool.
Reminds me of Ford's old adage about what color Model T you could buy.
Reminds me of Ford's old adage about what color Model T you could buy.
Reposted by Paula Read
This is the first example I’ve seen of an American government using AI to meaningfully misrepresent actual events with the intent to deceive the public. We are at Stalinesque levels of propaganda.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/past-the-b...
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/past-the-b...
January 23, 2026 at 2:23 PM
This is the first example I’ve seen of an American government using AI to meaningfully misrepresent actual events with the intent to deceive the public. We are at Stalinesque levels of propaganda.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/past-the-b...
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/past-the-b...
Reposted by Paula Read
“If you want a picture of climate breakdown, then imagine a boot stamping on a human face — forever.”
The UK gov has finally released the Global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national security report. We face catastrophe. Why aren't politicians acting? I think some are - but in ways perhaps just as frightening.
My latest for Technosphere Earth.
www.technosphere.earth/no-war-on-a-...
My latest for Technosphere Earth.
www.technosphere.earth/no-war-on-a-...
No war on a dead planet
If defence and intelligence agencies understand the risks from climate and biodiversity collapse, why can’t politicians?
www.technosphere.earth
January 23, 2026 at 2:55 PM
“If you want a picture of climate breakdown, then imagine a boot stamping on a human face — forever.”
Reposted by Paula Read
Telling people to ignore Black history isn't only morally wrong, but a massive strategic error. Trump's backers know Black history. That's why they're constantly trying to censor it. If people understand the history of selective autocracy against Black Americans, they can better fight autocracy now.
January 23, 2026 at 1:52 PM
Telling people to ignore Black history isn't only morally wrong, but a massive strategic error. Trump's backers know Black history. That's why they're constantly trying to censor it. If people understand the history of selective autocracy against Black Americans, they can better fight autocracy now.
Reposted by Paula Read
There's nothing theoretical about it melting. In 2025 100 billion tons of it flowed into the North Atlantic. The long-term trend is over 200 billion tons a year. The big uncertainty is where is the tipping point (may already have passed) & how long melt will last (hopefully centuries).
Its ice sheet could theoretically melt and raise the sea by 7 metres.
Why Greenland plays an outsized role in climate change science
Its ice sheet could theoretically melt and raise the sea by 7 metres.
tcnv.link
January 23, 2026 at 12:07 PM
There's nothing theoretical about it melting. In 2025 100 billion tons of it flowed into the North Atlantic. The long-term trend is over 200 billion tons a year. The big uncertainty is where is the tipping point (may already have passed) & how long melt will last (hopefully centuries).
Reposted by Paula Read
This is the kind of thing that more people need to see. Think about this, all those insects and arachnids of so many different species, found on one *single* tree.
January 23, 2026 at 1:09 PM
This is the kind of thing that more people need to see. Think about this, all those insects and arachnids of so many different species, found on one *single* tree.
Erasure in real time
The National Park Service has taken down an exhibit on slavery at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, the Interior Department said on Thursday, following President Trump’s directive to remove materials that promote “corrosive ideology.”
National Park Service Dismantles Slavery Exhibit in Philadelphia
The exhibit memorialized nine people enslaved by George Washington. The Park Service said it was being removed in accordance with a directive from President Trump.
nyti.ms
January 23, 2026 at 1:28 PM
Erasure in real time
Reposted by Paula Read
Encouraging news to kick off the year! 🦍 Twin mountain gorillas were born in Virunga National Park, DR Congo. Twin births are rare, occurring in just 1% of cases, and this moment marks hope for an endangered species.
Find out more: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c86v3y45pyyo
Find out more: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c86v3y45pyyo
Rare mountain gorilla twins born in DR Congo's Virunga National Park
Trackers in DR Congo's Virunga National Park spotted the babies being hugged by their mother on Saturday.
www.bbc.com
January 23, 2026 at 1:25 PM
Encouraging news to kick off the year! 🦍 Twin mountain gorillas were born in Virunga National Park, DR Congo. Twin births are rare, occurring in just 1% of cases, and this moment marks hope for an endangered species.
Find out more: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c86v3y45pyyo
Find out more: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c86v3y45pyyo
Pharma-llamas?
Precious llama antibodies could be the answer to a new generation of life-changing medicines — and drug developers are plowing billions into the industry. Read more: bloom.bg/4qLP8WH
📷️: Kevin Faingnaert/Bloomberg
📷️: Kevin Faingnaert/Bloomberg
January 23, 2026 at 10:47 AM
Pharma-llamas?
Reposted by Paula Read
How to grow hundreds of onions and shallots for about £3 - grow them from seed! It's easy but you have to start around now www.wildway.info/p/sow-and-gr...
Sow and grow annual onions and shallots from seed
Save money by growing hundreds of onions and shallots for only a few pounds
www.wildway.info
January 23, 2026 at 10:45 AM
How to grow hundreds of onions and shallots for about £3 - grow them from seed! It's easy but you have to start around now www.wildway.info/p/sow-and-gr...
Reposted by Paula Read
We’re using more water than nature can replenish, with irreversible consequences.
Lakes shrinking, aquifers declining, wetlands disappearing, glaciers losing ~1/3 of their volume.
4B people face water scarcity at least 1 month/year.
🔗 www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
#WaterCrisis #ClimateChange #UN
Lakes shrinking, aquifers declining, wetlands disappearing, glaciers losing ~1/3 of their volume.
4B people face water scarcity at least 1 month/year.
🔗 www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
#WaterCrisis #ClimateChange #UN
January 23, 2026 at 10:37 AM
We’re using more water than nature can replenish, with irreversible consequences.
Lakes shrinking, aquifers declining, wetlands disappearing, glaciers losing ~1/3 of their volume.
4B people face water scarcity at least 1 month/year.
🔗 www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
#WaterCrisis #ClimateChange #UN
Lakes shrinking, aquifers declining, wetlands disappearing, glaciers losing ~1/3 of their volume.
4B people face water scarcity at least 1 month/year.
🔗 www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
#WaterCrisis #ClimateChange #UN
Reposted by Paula Read
FULL UPDATE!: We learn from the Times in this morning’s paper that indeed as I surmised (see thread below) the Govt >haven’t< released an unredacted version of this bombshell report. What a scandal.
www.thetimes.com/uk/environme...
Without paywall: archive.ph/2026.01.23-0...
PLEASE SHARE WIDELY!
www.thetimes.com/uk/environme...
Without paywall: archive.ph/2026.01.23-0...
PLEASE SHARE WIDELY!
January 23, 2026 at 9:09 AM
FULL UPDATE!: We learn from the Times in this morning’s paper that indeed as I surmised (see thread below) the Govt >haven’t< released an unredacted version of this bombshell report. What a scandal.
www.thetimes.com/uk/environme...
Without paywall: archive.ph/2026.01.23-0...
PLEASE SHARE WIDELY!
www.thetimes.com/uk/environme...
Without paywall: archive.ph/2026.01.23-0...
PLEASE SHARE WIDELY!
Reposted by Paula Read
Morning all.
Outside the Divis Flats, Belfast, 1978.
Photographer Chris Steele-Perkins.
Outside the Divis Flats, Belfast, 1978.
Photographer Chris Steele-Perkins.
January 23, 2026 at 7:15 AM
Morning all.
Outside the Divis Flats, Belfast, 1978.
Photographer Chris Steele-Perkins.
Outside the Divis Flats, Belfast, 1978.
Photographer Chris Steele-Perkins.