Alice Sheppard
@penguingalaxy.bsky.social
Citizen scientist, Brit in Sweden, endless maker of soup for babies. Galaxy Zoo turned me into a penguin. Always looking for more galaxies.
Whyyyyy is it that whenever I’m just settling down to sleep, my sister sends me a load of messages about various things and my husband starts a long stressed monologue about impending war or hypothetical horrors about what we might have to deal with one day? Yes, I regularly beg him not to.
January 4, 2026 at 9:43 AM
Whyyyyy is it that whenever I’m just settling down to sleep, my sister sends me a load of messages about various things and my husband starts a long stressed monologue about impending war or hypothetical horrors about what we might have to deal with one day? Yes, I regularly beg him not to.
Reposted by Alice Sheppard
I'd love to think that there is a future where authors can completely disengage from Amazon and still earn a living. Where they feel no pressure to view Amazon sales rank or total Amazon reviews as a barometer of their success. We are not there yet. But some of us can hope. bsky.app/profile/dj-a...
January 4, 2026 at 9:21 AM
I'd love to think that there is a future where authors can completely disengage from Amazon and still earn a living. Where they feel no pressure to view Amazon sales rank or total Amazon reviews as a barometer of their success. We are not there yet. But some of us can hope. bsky.app/profile/dj-a...
Reposted by Alice Sheppard
As of two weeks ago, most of the trucks entering Gaza (less than half the number agreed upon) are commercial, not aid. Our vigilance for survival funds is still exceptionally needed.
One way: help six families & a camp. Then act for their lives. chuffed.org/project/hope...
One way: help six families & a camp. Then act for their lives. chuffed.org/project/hope...
Keep Hope Alive: a Gaza Giving Circle
We are a team of volunteers in the US and UK, led by two sisters passionate about helping our friends on the ground keep their families and neighbors alive with food, water, & shelter. We saw that…
chuffed.org
January 3, 2026 at 6:00 PM
As of two weeks ago, most of the trucks entering Gaza (less than half the number agreed upon) are commercial, not aid. Our vigilance for survival funds is still exceptionally needed.
One way: help six families & a camp. Then act for their lives. chuffed.org/project/hope...
One way: help six families & a camp. Then act for their lives. chuffed.org/project/hope...
Reposted by Alice Sheppard
"The uncomfortable question is not whether a tyrant deserves to fall, but who decides when and how."
Best thing I’ve read this morning, from a human rights lawyer in Mexico. Translation is in the ALT-text.
January 3, 2026 at 6:18 PM
"The uncomfortable question is not whether a tyrant deserves to fall, but who decides when and how."
@eatyourgreens.org.uk oh hey I think we followed each other at the last place didn't we? Your name is familiar ...
January 3, 2026 at 6:20 PM
@eatyourgreens.org.uk oh hey I think we followed each other at the last place didn't we? Your name is familiar ...
Right, husband and I need to get ourselves and toddler dressed and go out in the snow as a hard distraction. We were going to have a nice, busy weekend and now we're reeling. Just yikes, to all of this. Hope as many folks as can be expected are OK. Love to all who want a better world.
January 3, 2026 at 10:35 AM
Right, husband and I need to get ourselves and toddler dressed and go out in the snow as a hard distraction. We were going to have a nice, busy weekend and now we're reeling. Just yikes, to all of this. Hope as many folks as can be expected are OK. Love to all who want a better world.
I wonder if they're planning to install that lady who won the Nobel Peace Prize as puppet dictator. And if the Nobel committee expected any of that ...
January 3, 2026 at 10:30 AM
I wonder if they're planning to install that lady who won the Nobel Peace Prize as puppet dictator. And if the Nobel committee expected any of that ...
OK, the news is like a million times as ridiculous and horrible as when I last looked an hour ago.
January 3, 2026 at 10:20 AM
OK, the news is like a million times as ridiculous and horrible as when I last looked an hour ago.
Just seen a horrifyingly upsetting thing that may be news or just another meme: apparently the Trump administration has ordered NASA to close its largest library and destroy the books. I hope it’s not true. And I hope that if it is, the librarians have got a book heist planned …
January 3, 2026 at 8:59 AM
Just seen a horrifyingly upsetting thing that may be news or just another meme: apparently the Trump administration has ordered NASA to close its largest library and destroy the books. I hope it’s not true. And I hope that if it is, the librarians have got a book heist planned …
I hope you can do this, America.
January 1, 2026 at 10:18 PM
I hope you can do this, America.
Reposted by Alice Sheppard
Stop.
Read the post below.
Do what it says.
Look at Earth - our home world - from the surface of Mars.
You are a terranaut on that fragile planet.
This moment brought to you courtesy of NASA Science.
Read the post below.
Do what it says.
Look at Earth - our home world - from the surface of Mars.
You are a terranaut on that fragile planet.
This moment brought to you courtesy of NASA Science.
Open up this picture fully.
Then look at the surface of Mars.
Then look up to the top right.
Spot Mars' moon Phobos high in the sky.
Then notice the bright spot beside Phobos.
That's Earth.
Then look at the surface of Mars.
Then look up to the top right.
Spot Mars' moon Phobos high in the sky.
Then notice the bright spot beside Phobos.
That's Earth.
December 31, 2025 at 1:05 AM
Stop.
Read the post below.
Do what it says.
Look at Earth - our home world - from the surface of Mars.
You are a terranaut on that fragile planet.
This moment brought to you courtesy of NASA Science.
Read the post below.
Do what it says.
Look at Earth - our home world - from the surface of Mars.
You are a terranaut on that fragile planet.
This moment brought to you courtesy of NASA Science.
2-year-old didn't want her nap, and then later was most displeased to then be woken up again after less time than planned because guests were coming over. So she went to faceplant in the cat bed and kick the floor. Five minutes later I found her still faceplanted in the cat bed, snoring. 😂😍
December 30, 2025 at 9:30 PM
2-year-old didn't want her nap, and then later was most displeased to then be woken up again after less time than planned because guests were coming over. So she went to faceplant in the cat bed and kick the floor. Five minutes later I found her still faceplanted in the cat bed, snoring. 😂😍
It worked BEAUTIFULLY, peeps! 🤩 It tasted nicer than brandy and it burned with bigger longer-lasting flames - amazing blue in the dark living room, the Christmas tree lights the only other light. Turned out our friends weren’t familiar with this stuff and LOVED it.
Whoops. Friends coming over for late British Christmas dinner this evening. Making brandy butter for Christmas pudding and hoping to set brandy on fire. Except … I thought we had brandy but what we’ve got is Cointreau. Orangey. Smells lovely. Hmmm … that’ll do, won’t it?
December 30, 2025 at 7:35 PM
It worked BEAUTIFULLY, peeps! 🤩 It tasted nicer than brandy and it burned with bigger longer-lasting flames - amazing blue in the dark living room, the Christmas tree lights the only other light. Turned out our friends weren’t familiar with this stuff and LOVED it.
Whoops. Friends coming over for late British Christmas dinner this evening. Making brandy butter for Christmas pudding and hoping to set brandy on fire. Except … I thought we had brandy but what we’ve got is Cointreau. Orangey. Smells lovely. Hmmm … that’ll do, won’t it?
December 30, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Whoops. Friends coming over for late British Christmas dinner this evening. Making brandy butter for Christmas pudding and hoping to set brandy on fire. Except … I thought we had brandy but what we’ve got is Cointreau. Orangey. Smells lovely. Hmmm … that’ll do, won’t it?
I was just messaging my sister and she was telling me about her somewhat poorly cat and what he eats, and she wrote “please give the cat a tuneful of spoona” 🤣 🐟 🎶 🥄
December 30, 2025 at 1:09 AM
I was just messaging my sister and she was telling me about her somewhat poorly cat and what he eats, and she wrote “please give the cat a tuneful of spoona” 🤣 🐟 🎶 🥄
Husband is feeding 2 year old. 2 year old pulled her sock off while sitting in the high chair. Husband took the sock and put it on her head like a hat. She ate sweet potato soup with a sock hat and looked fine with it for a minute or two before shaking it off. 😄
December 28, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Husband is feeding 2 year old. 2 year old pulled her sock off while sitting in the high chair. Husband took the sock and put it on her head like a hat. She ate sweet potato soup with a sock hat and looked fine with it for a minute or two before shaking it off. 😄
Good evening BlueSky, have some very peaceful swans.
December 28, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Good evening BlueSky, have some very peaceful swans.
WOW. Weather 🧵. I don't ever want to hear again that the weather is boring!
I'm reminded that yesterday, today and tomorrow are the 10 year anniversary of Winter Storm Goliath, the most aptly name storm in this history of USian storms. It was also my introduction to American Weather, which absolutely deserves to be capitalised.
It was the deadliest storm of 2015.
1/?
It was the deadliest storm of 2015.
1/?
December 27, 2025 at 8:39 PM
WOW. Weather 🧵. I don't ever want to hear again that the weather is boring!
Imagine if we all just stopped listening to those guys. I'd love that!
"In a year we will all be living in Mars."
- Guy who has trouble making cars where the doors open
"AI will be running the world in the next 12 months."
- Guy whose chatbot never gives the right answer
Why does anyone listen to these guys?
- Guy who has trouble making cars where the doors open
"AI will be running the world in the next 12 months."
- Guy whose chatbot never gives the right answer
Why does anyone listen to these guys?
December 27, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Imagine if we all just stopped listening to those guys. I'd love that!
My 2025's been pretty ghastly - apart from watching my amazing smiley baby turn into a proper toddler. Hoping to rest a little where I can, and gear myself up for 2026. Tell me something nice (or not so nice, if you're not feeling it) that's happened to you in 2025.
December 27, 2025 at 7:48 PM
My 2025's been pretty ghastly - apart from watching my amazing smiley baby turn into a proper toddler. Hoping to rest a little where I can, and gear myself up for 2026. Tell me something nice (or not so nice, if you're not feeling it) that's happened to you in 2025.
I actually got around to doing some sewing I'd meant to do for about 2 months. My favourite jumper and a cardigan for kid. Both woolly, both fraying and the holes needed closing. I got out the dark pink thread ... and along came Callisto the Cat, who thought it would be great to sit on everything.
December 27, 2025 at 7:47 PM
I actually got around to doing some sewing I'd meant to do for about 2 months. My favourite jumper and a cardigan for kid. Both woolly, both fraying and the holes needed closing. I got out the dark pink thread ... and along came Callisto the Cat, who thought it would be great to sit on everything.
Reposted by Alice Sheppard
Others have noted this before, but it's ENRAGING to see corporations and bosses give this bullshit "A.i." trash FAR more leeway for error and general crappiness than they'd ever give any human creator.
I've started to see arguments that we have to get used to AI Slop coding even if it isn't great, because it's fast. Humans could go faster, too, if they're allowed to turn in stuff that only sometimes works. Such a fascinating double standard that will in no way come back to haunt, naw.
December 26, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Others have noted this before, but it's ENRAGING to see corporations and bosses give this bullshit "A.i." trash FAR more leeway for error and general crappiness than they'd ever give any human creator.
When I was about 13 my younger sister said that I looked like a loser because my hair was all dangly around my face (I was growing my fringe out) and that eyes were windows to the soul and my eyes looked soulless.
We get on well now 😄
We get on well now 😄
What's an insult you'll never forget?
December 26, 2025 at 9:03 PM
When I was about 13 my younger sister said that I looked like a loser because my hair was all dangly around my face (I was growing my fringe out) and that eyes were windows to the soul and my eyes looked soulless.
We get on well now 😄
We get on well now 😄
Poor puss, but 🤣😂
December 26, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Poor puss, but 🤣😂
Our 2-year-old adores NOISE, so my husband I both got her drums for Christmas. I got her the manual sort she has to smack with her hand, and he got her the electronic toy sort you tap and that plays tunes, including Ode to Joy and William Tell. She loves both! Noise noise noise noise 😂
December 25, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Our 2-year-old adores NOISE, so my husband I both got her drums for Christmas. I got her the manual sort she has to smack with her hand, and he got her the electronic toy sort you tap and that plays tunes, including Ode to Joy and William Tell. She loves both! Noise noise noise noise 😂