David Higgins
@davidhiggins.bsky.social
Professor of Environmental Humanities at the University of Leeds, UK. Working on culture and environmental crisis. Writing a book about birds, loss, and restoration. Worried parent. Luddite. Opinions my own. Reposts ≠ endorsement.
Pinned
David Higgins
@davidhiggins.bsky.social
· Oct 17
The book I'm writing -- on bitterns, loss, and hope -- has for a while seemed impossible. Today it seems merely improbable. I'm counting that as progress!
Reposted by David Higgins
Gloriously atmospheric… the blackbirds’ winterdink …
& though you only find space as light slips & rots it seems you work on avian time & it is noisy at purple hour as cloking pheasants alarm & blackbirds winterdink, corvids hold quorum & the robin repeats dawnsong - headlights on nearfarms swing: all prepare for dark
November 10, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Gloriously atmospheric… the blackbirds’ winterdink …
Reposted by David Higgins
SUPERB and angrily unvarnished response, by former BBC chairman, Lord Patten.
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
November 10, 2025 at 6:40 PM
SUPERB and angrily unvarnished response, by former BBC chairman, Lord Patten.
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
After the last few days, it’s hard to believe that there remains a single unexploded firework in Leeds and yet the explosions continue…
November 9, 2025 at 10:11 PM
After the last few days, it’s hard to believe that there remains a single unexploded firework in Leeds and yet the explosions continue…
As we approach COP30, and experience a crazily warm November in the UK, I feel pretty despondent. Emissions continue to rise and the projections are scary. The forces of denial and delay seem more powerful than ever. But I’m not preaching giving up — pessimism does not preclude positive action.
November 8, 2025 at 10:15 PM
As we approach COP30, and experience a crazily warm November in the UK, I feel pretty despondent. Emissions continue to rise and the projections are scary. The forces of denial and delay seem more powerful than ever. But I’m not preaching giving up — pessimism does not preclude positive action.
Sure, I may be lazier and less competent than many other birders, but I have developed an efficient system for counting in the field:
One
Two
Several
A few
Some
A small flock
A medium-sized flock
A large flock
Loads of
Cor blimey
Bloody hell
One
Two
Several
A few
Some
A small flock
A medium-sized flock
A large flock
Loads of
Cor blimey
Bloody hell
November 8, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Sure, I may be lazier and less competent than many other birders, but I have developed an efficient system for counting in the field:
One
Two
Several
A few
Some
A small flock
A medium-sized flock
A large flock
Loads of
Cor blimey
Bloody hell
One
Two
Several
A few
Some
A small flock
A medium-sized flock
A large flock
Loads of
Cor blimey
Bloody hell
The appetite of the people of Leeds for fireworks is both impressive and fucking irritating.
November 7, 2025 at 8:58 PM
The appetite of the people of Leeds for fireworks is both impressive and fucking irritating.
It's possible that I've totally lost it, but is this actually quite a sensible article about reforming our prescriptive, instrumentalised, exams-obsessed curriculum, by...
[checks notes]
Simon Jenkins?!
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
[checks notes]
Simon Jenkins?!
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
My verdict on the 'woke' review of England's school curriculum? It isn't radical enough | Simon Jenkins
When I heard it was dumbing down education, my heart sank. In fact, it’s outspoken about the chaos of Michael Gove’s reforms and the changes needed, says Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins
www.theguardian.com
November 7, 2025 at 6:30 PM
It's possible that I've totally lost it, but is this actually quite a sensible article about reforming our prescriptive, instrumentalised, exams-obsessed curriculum, by...
[checks notes]
Simon Jenkins?!
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
[checks notes]
Simon Jenkins?!
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
I am honestly sick of being told — at a university FFS — that we need to ‘embrace’ this profoundly unethical and irresponsible technology.
He started using ChatGPT for help with homework and eventually it ended up helping him to commit suicide...
"thank you for letting me ride with you to the end"
"may your next save file be somewhere warm"
"see you on the other side"
#NihilismAndTechnology
"thank you for letting me ride with you to the end"
"may your next save file be somewhere warm"
"see you on the other side"
#NihilismAndTechnology
November 7, 2025 at 7:40 AM
I am honestly sick of being told — at a university FFS — that we need to ‘embrace’ this profoundly unethical and irresponsible technology.
I keep seeing 1.5C described as a goal or a target. It’s not. It’s a LIMIT that we’re about to exceed, with very serious ramifications.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Still a chance to return to 1.5C climate goal, researchers say
Report calls for scaling-up of renewable energy and electrification of key sectors to limit peak of global heating
www.theguardian.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:15 AM
I keep seeing 1.5C described as a goal or a target. It’s not. It’s a LIMIT that we’re about to exceed, with very serious ramifications.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
If I see that quote from the Great Gatsby about Tom and Daisy being careless people one more time… I get it! They were rich and selfish and — look! — some people now are rich and selfish. Now stop being so lazy and post something you’ve thought of yourself!
November 5, 2025 at 10:22 PM
If I see that quote from the Great Gatsby about Tom and Daisy being careless people one more time… I get it! They were rich and selfish and — look! — some people now are rich and selfish. Now stop being so lazy and post something you’ve thought of yourself!
The most annoying night of the year.
November 5, 2025 at 9:41 PM
The most annoying night of the year.
Reposted by David Higgins
Forgive the direct tags - @tomgatti.bsky.social @robbiemillen.bsky.social @patrickbarkham.bsky.social @questingvole.bsky.social
If any journalists would like a copy of Electric Wind: An Energy History of Modern Britain to review, please get in touch w me /MUP. It's a rigorous history of wind energy written for a wide audience, with plenty to say about today's energy challenges. manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526182968/
Manchester University Press - Electric wind
Electric wind - Browse and buy the Paperback edition of Electric wind by Marianna Dudley
manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk
November 3, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Forgive the direct tags - @tomgatti.bsky.social @robbiemillen.bsky.social @patrickbarkham.bsky.social @questingvole.bsky.social
Ragwort, St Aidan’s nature reserve, West Yorkshire, 2/11/25. One of my favourite plants and unfairly maligned. #wildflowerhour
November 2, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Ragwort, St Aidan’s nature reserve, West Yorkshire, 2/11/25. One of my favourite plants and unfairly maligned. #wildflowerhour
A really beautiful morning for #UKbirding in the Aire Valley near Leeds. 60ish species, including a kingfisher giving excellent views and 6 great white egrets jostling for flight space with some grey herons. 2 peacock butterflies too. Pleasantly but also worryingly warm for November.
November 2, 2025 at 7:40 PM
A really beautiful morning for #UKbirding in the Aire Valley near Leeds. 60ish species, including a kingfisher giving excellent views and 6 great white egrets jostling for flight space with some grey herons. 2 peacock butterflies too. Pleasantly but also worryingly warm for November.
Reposted by David Higgins
Every day it feels more and more like a zombie apocalypse over on LinkedIn, in which you start a conversation with someone who you hope is an ordinary person and then a couple of turns in discover that they have surrendered their brains to the "AI" mass delusion.
November 2, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Every day it feels more and more like a zombie apocalypse over on LinkedIn, in which you start a conversation with someone who you hope is an ordinary person and then a couple of turns in discover that they have surrendered their brains to the "AI" mass delusion.
Reposted by David Higgins
Had a lovely time listening and learning about volcanic sublimity and coping with climate catastrophe last night with @bars.bsky.social 🌋Excellent papers from @dilarakalkan.bsky.social @katlion.bsky.social and Chloe Melvin! And huge thanks to our wonderful chair @davidhiggins.bsky.social
October 31, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Had a lovely time listening and learning about volcanic sublimity and coping with climate catastrophe last night with @bars.bsky.social 🌋Excellent papers from @dilarakalkan.bsky.social @katlion.bsky.social and Chloe Melvin! And huge thanks to our wonderful chair @davidhiggins.bsky.social
Reposted by David Higgins
This is quite horrifying to me, especially because I can’t think of a useful application of it for my work without it compromising my research integrity. And in addition, the use of LLMs is so highly unethical for the environment, intellectual property rights, etc.
the amount of academic research now using llms in research (synthetic data generation, to classify, annotate, or analyse large scale data, etc) is astounding. remember, just cus use of llms in research is becoming normalised does NOT erase the fact it degrades the research & undermine your results
October 30, 2025 at 9:50 AM
This is quite horrifying to me, especially because I can’t think of a useful application of it for my work without it compromising my research integrity. And in addition, the use of LLMs is so highly unethical for the environment, intellectual property rights, etc.
Reposted by David Higgins
Spent an hour on the floor in the wood today. Dogs (our own) knocked me flying & leg pain kept me fainting. Some lovely ladies with me (inc Mum) so I just slept for a bit among the golden yellow leaves & mud & was quite content really. Felt a lot like falling off a horse. Then I heard a flock 1/2
October 30, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Spent an hour on the floor in the wood today. Dogs (our own) knocked me flying & leg pain kept me fainting. Some lovely ladies with me (inc Mum) so I just slept for a bit among the golden yellow leaves & mud & was quite content really. Felt a lot like falling off a horse. Then I heard a flock 1/2
Why is this grant application 67 pages long and why did I agree to review it?
October 30, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Why is this grant application 67 pages long and why did I agree to review it?
I am old.
'The brilliance of Pulp was always to embrace the darkness of sex, the ooze and the horror, the guilt and the shame, the power and submission...'
Many Happy Returns to #Pulp’s Different Class, which turns 30 today!
buff.ly/w09aeU0
Many Happy Returns to #Pulp’s Different Class, which turns 30 today!
buff.ly/w09aeU0
October 30, 2025 at 4:40 PM
I am old.
I just escaped from my office to get a coffee and some nice Lebanese food and, as I walked along Woodhouse Lane, a peregrine falcon dived and soared over the traffic. A long working day considerably brightened.
October 30, 2025 at 3:49 PM
I just escaped from my office to get a coffee and some nice Lebanese food and, as I walked along Woodhouse Lane, a peregrine falcon dived and soared over the traffic. A long working day considerably brightened.
Reposted by David Higgins
Reposted by David Higgins
Minority representation on TV causes outrage
From the new Private Eye, in shops now.
From the new Private Eye, in shops now.
October 29, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Minority representation on TV causes outrage
From the new Private Eye, in shops now.
From the new Private Eye, in shops now.