@adskankster.bsky.social
Reposted
This picture has been making the rounds again, and is being misidentified again.
This is a GOOSEFISH.
This is NOT a tasselled wobbegong shark.
It’s a great pic. I get why people are very excited about it. But it’s as easy to give it the right name as the wrong one.
fullfact.org/online/tasse...
This is a GOOSEFISH.
This is NOT a tasselled wobbegong shark.
It’s a great pic. I get why people are very excited about it. But it’s as easy to give it the right name as the wrong one.
fullfact.org/online/tasse...
December 8, 2025 at 12:30 PM
This picture has been making the rounds again, and is being misidentified again.
This is a GOOSEFISH.
This is NOT a tasselled wobbegong shark.
It’s a great pic. I get why people are very excited about it. But it’s as easy to give it the right name as the wrong one.
fullfact.org/online/tasse...
This is a GOOSEFISH.
This is NOT a tasselled wobbegong shark.
It’s a great pic. I get why people are very excited about it. But it’s as easy to give it the right name as the wrong one.
fullfact.org/online/tasse...
Reposted
#StormBram on its final approach to the UK this evening..
December 8, 2025 at 10:59 PM
#StormBram on its final approach to the UK this evening..
Reposted
"Incidentally, in the 1960s and 1970s, when net migration was running at minus 50,000 a year, more than 85% of Britons still thought immigration was too high."
Last week's New World column ocncerned immigration to the UK.
Last week's New World column ocncerned immigration to the UK.
Nerd's Eye View: 11 things you need to know about immigration
Digging into the detail and data to separate the noise from the news
www.thenewworld.co.uk
December 8, 2025 at 11:36 AM
"Incidentally, in the 1960s and 1970s, when net migration was running at minus 50,000 a year, more than 85% of Britons still thought immigration was too high."
Last week's New World column ocncerned immigration to the UK.
Last week's New World column ocncerned immigration to the UK.
Reposted
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
December 7, 2025 at 5:17 PM
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
Reposted
5 TORRO tornado site investigations along the coastline of East and West Sussex since 2021 as shown by strava/statshunters.com
(Littlehampton had two tornadoes within weeks of each other in 2023)
(Littlehampton had two tornadoes within weeks of each other in 2023)
December 7, 2025 at 5:01 PM
5 TORRO tornado site investigations along the coastline of East and West Sussex since 2021 as shown by strava/statshunters.com
(Littlehampton had two tornadoes within weeks of each other in 2023)
(Littlehampton had two tornadoes within weeks of each other in 2023)
Reposted
The latest WMO regional climate report warns of a deadly climate future for northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula ... insideclimatenews.org/news/0412202...
December 7, 2025 at 9:51 AM
The latest WMO regional climate report warns of a deadly climate future for northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula ... insideclimatenews.org/news/0412202...
Reposted
The latest Eruptions newsletter is out! This week I talk about the Hayli Gubbi eruption, new activity at Puracé in Colombia, some candidates for volcanoes that may have started the cascades of events leading to the Black Death and Bob & Doug McKenzie: eruptions.beehiiv.com/p/eruptions-...
Eruptions Newsletter #24 for December 5, 2025
The aftermath of the Hayli Gubbi eruption, volcanoes may have triggered the Black Death in Europe and a beer in a tree.
eruptions.beehiiv.com
December 5, 2025 at 7:04 PM
The latest Eruptions newsletter is out! This week I talk about the Hayli Gubbi eruption, new activity at Puracé in Colombia, some candidates for volcanoes that may have started the cascades of events leading to the Black Death and Bob & Doug McKenzie: eruptions.beehiiv.com/p/eruptions-...
Reposted
Have you ever wondered what you would find if you could keep your eyes on a bee for more than a few meters? Us, too!
preprint (with videos!) + thread 🧵
Precise, individualized foraging flights in honey #bees 🐝 revealed by multicopter drone-based tracking
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
1/9
preprint (with videos!) + thread 🧵
Precise, individualized foraging flights in honey #bees 🐝 revealed by multicopter drone-based tracking
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
1/9
December 6, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Have you ever wondered what you would find if you could keep your eyes on a bee for more than a few meters? Us, too!
preprint (with videos!) + thread 🧵
Precise, individualized foraging flights in honey #bees 🐝 revealed by multicopter drone-based tracking
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
1/9
preprint (with videos!) + thread 🧵
Precise, individualized foraging flights in honey #bees 🐝 revealed by multicopter drone-based tracking
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
1/9
Reposted
Choice right now is between tech bro fuelled nationalist populists against flawed democracy just about delivering and I know which side I'm on.
December 6, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Choice right now is between tech bro fuelled nationalist populists against flawed democracy just about delivering and I know which side I'm on.
Reposted
A male rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) in winter plumage.
Ptarmigan is from Gaelic 'tarmachan' meaning "croaker". The p- was added when people mistakenly assumed it was a Greek word.
A bird forever warning people: "A werewolf!" (just in case of werewolves).
Ptarmigan is from Gaelic 'tarmachan' meaning "croaker". The p- was added when people mistakenly assumed it was a Greek word.
A bird forever warning people: "A werewolf!" (just in case of werewolves).
December 6, 2025 at 1:46 PM
A male rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) in winter plumage.
Ptarmigan is from Gaelic 'tarmachan' meaning "croaker". The p- was added when people mistakenly assumed it was a Greek word.
A bird forever warning people: "A werewolf!" (just in case of werewolves).
Ptarmigan is from Gaelic 'tarmachan' meaning "croaker". The p- was added when people mistakenly assumed it was a Greek word.
A bird forever warning people: "A werewolf!" (just in case of werewolves).
Reposted
Holy moly: The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope construction is completed! That's fantastic news — much needed right now — and I am very much looking forward to when this beast launches. It has 100X the field of view of Hubble.
One. Hundred. *At the same resolution*.
www.nasa.gov/image-articl...
One. Hundred. *At the same resolution*.
www.nasa.gov/image-articl...
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Completed - NASA
Two technicians look up at NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope after its inner and outer segments were connected at the agency’s Goddard Space Flight
www.nasa.gov
December 4, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Holy moly: The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope construction is completed! That's fantastic news — much needed right now — and I am very much looking forward to when this beast launches. It has 100X the field of view of Hubble.
One. Hundred. *At the same resolution*.
www.nasa.gov/image-articl...
One. Hundred. *At the same resolution*.
www.nasa.gov/image-articl...
Reposted
Rationally, though, in deciding how we should act, we should treat rough consensus of climate models as the optimistic assumption. And it's hard getting policy people to even think of them as the worst case!
December 4, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Rationally, though, in deciding how we should act, we should treat rough consensus of climate models as the optimistic assumption. And it's hard getting policy people to even think of them as the worst case!
Reposted
Jersey experienced some very photogenic funnel clouds today.
Sarah Willing sent in this photograph she took this afternoon from afar, showing at least three funnels.
Sarah Willing sent in this photograph she took this afternoon from afar, showing at least three funnels.
December 4, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Jersey experienced some very photogenic funnel clouds today.
Sarah Willing sent in this photograph she took this afternoon from afar, showing at least three funnels.
Sarah Willing sent in this photograph she took this afternoon from afar, showing at least three funnels.
Reposted
The onset of fast solar winds and a possible CME reaching Earth means that aurora sightings are possible tonight
This is most likely for northern Scotland with lower chances further south
Look to the northern horizon and take a peek ✨
This is most likely for northern Scotland with lower chances further south
Look to the northern horizon and take a peek ✨
December 3, 2025 at 5:03 PM
The onset of fast solar winds and a possible CME reaching Earth means that aurora sightings are possible tonight
This is most likely for northern Scotland with lower chances further south
Look to the northern horizon and take a peek ✨
This is most likely for northern Scotland with lower chances further south
Look to the northern horizon and take a peek ✨
Reposted
If it were steel works we would have a government bailout plan, yet losing thousands of jobs at unis is met with a shrug. & unlike steelworks universities were profitable when they had foreign students.
You are killing the golden goose… one of our best exports…
HOW IS THIS HELPING GROWTH?!
You are killing the golden goose… one of our best exports…
HOW IS THIS HELPING GROWTH?!
Every sympathy for University of Essex (and pressures facing them) but this is very bad news for Southend.
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... Essex university to cut 400 jobs as overseas student numbers plummet
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... Essex university to cut 400 jobs as overseas student numbers plummet
Essex university to cut 400 jobs as overseas student numbers plummet
Roles to be lost are part of wave of redundancy programmes across UK’s higher education sector
giftarticle.ft.com
December 3, 2025 at 8:14 AM
If it were steel works we would have a government bailout plan, yet losing thousands of jobs at unis is met with a shrug. & unlike steelworks universities were profitable when they had foreign students.
You are killing the golden goose… one of our best exports…
HOW IS THIS HELPING GROWTH?!
You are killing the golden goose… one of our best exports…
HOW IS THIS HELPING GROWTH?!
Reposted
This is a heads-up about fake AI accounts which have proliferated across social media.
The screenshot is from a genuine thread asking for advice on a mountain route; there are plenty of useful, real human replies.
The attempted reply (we stopped it) looks very real - but it is from an AI bot.
The screenshot is from a genuine thread asking for advice on a mountain route; there are plenty of useful, real human replies.
The attempted reply (we stopped it) looks very real - but it is from an AI bot.
December 1, 2025 at 10:20 AM
This is a heads-up about fake AI accounts which have proliferated across social media.
The screenshot is from a genuine thread asking for advice on a mountain route; there are plenty of useful, real human replies.
The attempted reply (we stopped it) looks very real - but it is from an AI bot.
The screenshot is from a genuine thread asking for advice on a mountain route; there are plenty of useful, real human replies.
The attempted reply (we stopped it) looks very real - but it is from an AI bot.
Reposted
SWL more willing than most commentators to say it bluntly:
"Fourteen years of Conservative government achieved two major economic goals: it crippled our public services in order to cut tax, and it crippled our economy by first macroeconomic mismanagement (austerity)) and then by leaving the EU. "
"Fourteen years of Conservative government achieved two major economic goals: it crippled our public services in order to cut tax, and it crippled our economy by first macroeconomic mismanagement (austerity)) and then by leaving the EU. "
New post: The Budget suggests the Chancellor is thinking too much about short term management and too little about long term legacy
mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-...
What is missing is any sense that the government has a long term plan and is putting in place the resources to achieve it.
mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-...
What is missing is any sense that the government has a long term plan and is putting in place the resources to achieve it.
The Budget suggests the Chancellor is thinking too much about short term management and too little about long term legacy
My posts come out on a Tuesday and Budgets are on a Wednesday. Not great timing, which is why in the past I’ve often done special posts on...
mainlymacro.blogspot.com
December 2, 2025 at 9:03 AM
SWL more willing than most commentators to say it bluntly:
"Fourteen years of Conservative government achieved two major economic goals: it crippled our public services in order to cut tax, and it crippled our economy by first macroeconomic mismanagement (austerity)) and then by leaving the EU. "
"Fourteen years of Conservative government achieved two major economic goals: it crippled our public services in order to cut tax, and it crippled our economy by first macroeconomic mismanagement (austerity)) and then by leaving the EU. "
Reposted
The report into the error notes that you get the publications process you pay for. You can criticise the OBR for not realising that it should bid for more money from HMT to fund that part of its activities better, but you can also criticise HMT for not realising it should pay the OBR more.
December 1, 2025 at 8:51 PM
The report into the error notes that you get the publications process you pay for. You can criticise the OBR for not realising that it should bid for more money from HMT to fund that part of its activities better, but you can also criticise HMT for not realising it should pay the OBR more.
Reposted
Structurally it's also interesting that, as the leak report also notes, the OBR has all these responsibilities but is about the scale of a small to medium-sized business, with a budget of £6.4mn and a team of 52 people, only six in what you'd call 'operations'. Not extending to a full IT department.
December 1, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Structurally it's also interesting that, as the leak report also notes, the OBR has all these responsibilities but is about the scale of a small to medium-sized business, with a budget of £6.4mn and a team of 52 people, only six in what you'd call 'operations'. Not extending to a full IT department.
Reposted
UK media must bear a large part of the blame. Profoundly unserious in what become stories. Time to face that particular truth.
December 1, 2025 at 7:20 PM
UK media must bear a large part of the blame. Profoundly unserious in what become stories. Time to face that particular truth.
Reposted
Two types of folk now, ones who resign for the most minor nothing, and ones that won't resign even when behaving outrageously.
December 1, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Two types of folk now, ones who resign for the most minor nothing, and ones that won't resign even when behaving outrageously.
Reposted
This is the hidden in plain sight heffalump trap in the Budget - Mahmood’s plan will deepsix whatever fiscal headroom the Chancellor has.
There is an actual interesting little deceit in the budget, namely ther have the OBR still forecasting based on increasing net immigration back to 300-350k whilst the Home Secretary is promising to bring it down from 200k, which does dissolve about half the headroom, but somehow we're doing vibes.
Think this is exactly right - political journalism that is completely abstracted from policy, which was not the norm before 2017, has become the default. Impossible to have a serious attempt to either shrink what the state does or widen the tax base (have to do at least one) on that basis.
December 1, 2025 at 4:53 PM
This is the hidden in plain sight heffalump trap in the Budget - Mahmood’s plan will deepsix whatever fiscal headroom the Chancellor has.
Reposted
Provisional figures show meteorological autumn was wetter and milder than average for the UK.
Details below on Autumn and November's weather statistics 🧵
Details below on Autumn and November's weather statistics 🧵
December 1, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Provisional figures show meteorological autumn was wetter and milder than average for the UK.
Details below on Autumn and November's weather statistics 🧵
Details below on Autumn and November's weather statistics 🧵
Reposted
Your yearly reminder that this Dec 1st date for the beginning of the pandemic is not correct: the case's symptom onset date was later corrected.
The case is well known, and there's basically no debate about this, even with hard-core leakers who have studied the data.
🖼️: 2021 WHO report, page 47
The case is well known, and there's basically no debate about this, even with hard-core leakers who have studied the data.
🖼️: 2021 WHO report, page 47
December 1, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Your yearly reminder that this Dec 1st date for the beginning of the pandemic is not correct: the case's symptom onset date was later corrected.
The case is well known, and there's basically no debate about this, even with hard-core leakers who have studied the data.
🖼️: 2021 WHO report, page 47
The case is well known, and there's basically no debate about this, even with hard-core leakers who have studied the data.
🖼️: 2021 WHO report, page 47
Reposted
I've now followed this Avon from trickling streams north of Pewsey, to the sea. Often only catching glimpses of it, other times embracing the river bank.
Only 3% of our rivers are accessible. As @righttoroam.bsky.social says:
Isn't it time more were opened up?
Only 3% of our rivers are accessible. As @righttoroam.bsky.social says:
Isn't it time more were opened up?
November 30, 2025 at 9:26 PM
I've now followed this Avon from trickling streams north of Pewsey, to the sea. Often only catching glimpses of it, other times embracing the river bank.
Only 3% of our rivers are accessible. As @righttoroam.bsky.social says:
Isn't it time more were opened up?
Only 3% of our rivers are accessible. As @righttoroam.bsky.social says:
Isn't it time more were opened up?