Mike Sowden
@mikeachim.bsky.social
Writer (on science, travel & curiosity), Yorkshireman, tedious enthusiast, professional overthinker, Megathreader. Now: Scotland.
Writes Everything Is Amazing: https://everythingisamazing.substack.com/
Writes Everything Is Amazing: https://everythingisamazing.substack.com/
Pinned
OK, this is wild.
In September 2023, geophysicists across the world started monitoring a very odd signal coming from the ground under them.
It was picked up in the Arctic. And Antarctica. It was detected everywhere, every 90 seconds, as regular as a metronome, for *nine days*.
What the HELL?
1/
In September 2023, geophysicists across the world started monitoring a very odd signal coming from the ground under them.
It was picked up in the Arctic. And Antarctica. It was detected everywhere, every 90 seconds, as regular as a metronome, for *nine days*.
What the HELL?
1/
Okay, time for a much-requested thing: a THREAD OF THREADS. I've now written dozens of these sciencey threads now, and it's increasingly easy to lose them in the scrum of new stuff on here, so - here's a roundup.
First: the mystery of the BONG BONG BONG: bsky.app/profile/mike...
1/
First: the mystery of the BONG BONG BONG: bsky.app/profile/mike...
1/
Reposted by Mike Sowden
Hooray, an @xkcd.com about tides! Although only little ones, round here we can get a tidal range of 10 *metres* .
xkcd.com/3135/
xkcd.com/3135/
![[Single frame, with Megan and Cueball standing at a coastline with grass, with water and waves visible. They are looking at the ocean and are standing together.]
Cueball: Hey, where's that big island we were looking at this morning?
Megan: Oh, it's underwater. The ocean's depth here goes up and down by like ten feet every day.
Cueball: What?
Megan: It's because the planet has a big moon orbiting near the surface. It causes weird gravity effects.
Cueball: What???
[Caption below the frame:]
People here are used to them, but tides are one of the weirdest and most sci-fi elements of life on Earth.
Transcript thanks to explainxkcd](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:d67aicqw6nicsf7cjauvzuo3/bafkreibnctesneis67q7qz6tgdszao5vn2zzjlqzdblcy4h6vygipyclni@jpeg)
August 30, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Hooray, an @xkcd.com about tides! Although only little ones, round here we can get a tidal range of 10 *metres* .
xkcd.com/3135/
xkcd.com/3135/
Reposted by Mike Sowden
A fascinating thread about…. a rock in the middle of the ocean. Love these.
So, here's something mad.
Come with me far out to sea, to be battered by the largest waves ever recorded by scientific instruments in the open ocean - to make landfall at the final & maybe most ludicrous territorial acquisition of the British Empire.
Best hang onto your hat.
1/
📷: Al Elmes
Come with me far out to sea, to be battered by the largest waves ever recorded by scientific instruments in the open ocean - to make landfall at the final & maybe most ludicrous territorial acquisition of the British Empire.
Best hang onto your hat.
1/
📷: Al Elmes
November 11, 2025 at 3:02 PM
A fascinating thread about…. a rock in the middle of the ocean. Love these.
Reposted by Mike Sowden
As for how I structure these kinds of threads & how I use them to grow my newsletter readership, it's in my storytelling course, if anyone's interested: www.getyourstorystraight.co.uk
(I'm on my last day of accepting new students, so, grab a place if you're interested!)
Anyway. Back to it...
4/
(I'm on my last day of accepting new students, so, grab a place if you're interested!)
Anyway. Back to it...
4/
November 11, 2025 at 1:33 PM
As for how I structure these kinds of threads & how I use them to grow my newsletter readership, it's in my storytelling course, if anyone's interested: www.getyourstorystraight.co.uk
(I'm on my last day of accepting new students, so, grab a place if you're interested!)
Anyway. Back to it...
4/
(I'm on my last day of accepting new students, so, grab a place if you're interested!)
Anyway. Back to it...
4/
Reposted by Mike Sowden
Northwest of Ireland, the sea floor plummets.
Only in one place, 187 miles west of St Kilda, does it fully break the surface – a small nib of granite, the remains of a volcanic plug, poking just 20 metres (70 feet) above waves that occasionally burst right over it.
4/
Only in one place, 187 miles west of St Kilda, does it fully break the surface – a small nib of granite, the remains of a volcanic plug, poking just 20 metres (70 feet) above waves that occasionally burst right over it.
4/
November 10, 2024 at 1:18 PM
Northwest of Ireland, the sea floor plummets.
Only in one place, 187 miles west of St Kilda, does it fully break the surface – a small nib of granite, the remains of a volcanic plug, poking just 20 metres (70 feet) above waves that occasionally burst right over it.
4/
Only in one place, 187 miles west of St Kilda, does it fully break the surface – a small nib of granite, the remains of a volcanic plug, poking just 20 metres (70 feet) above waves that occasionally burst right over it.
4/
Reposted by Mike Sowden
Okay, time for a much-requested thing: a THREAD OF THREADS. I've now written dozens of these sciencey threads now, and it's increasingly easy to lose them in the scrum of new stuff on here, so - here's a roundup.
First: the mystery of the BONG BONG BONG: bsky.app/profile/mike...
1/
First: the mystery of the BONG BONG BONG: bsky.app/profile/mike...
1/
OK, this is wild.
In September 2023, geophysicists across the world started monitoring a very odd signal coming from the ground under them.
It was picked up in the Arctic. And Antarctica. It was detected everywhere, every 90 seconds, as regular as a metronome, for *nine days*.
What the HELL?
1/
In September 2023, geophysicists across the world started monitoring a very odd signal coming from the ground under them.
It was picked up in the Arctic. And Antarctica. It was detected everywhere, every 90 seconds, as regular as a metronome, for *nine days*.
What the HELL?
1/
November 11, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Okay, time for a much-requested thing: a THREAD OF THREADS. I've now written dozens of these sciencey threads now, and it's increasingly easy to lose them in the scrum of new stuff on here, so - here's a roundup.
First: the mystery of the BONG BONG BONG: bsky.app/profile/mike...
1/
First: the mystery of the BONG BONG BONG: bsky.app/profile/mike...
1/
Okay, time for a much-requested thing: a THREAD OF THREADS. I've now written dozens of these sciencey threads now, and it's increasingly easy to lose them in the scrum of new stuff on here, so - here's a roundup.
First: the mystery of the BONG BONG BONG: bsky.app/profile/mike...
1/
First: the mystery of the BONG BONG BONG: bsky.app/profile/mike...
1/
OK, this is wild.
In September 2023, geophysicists across the world started monitoring a very odd signal coming from the ground under them.
It was picked up in the Arctic. And Antarctica. It was detected everywhere, every 90 seconds, as regular as a metronome, for *nine days*.
What the HELL?
1/
In September 2023, geophysicists across the world started monitoring a very odd signal coming from the ground under them.
It was picked up in the Arctic. And Antarctica. It was detected everywhere, every 90 seconds, as regular as a metronome, for *nine days*.
What the HELL?
1/
November 11, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Okay, time for a much-requested thing: a THREAD OF THREADS. I've now written dozens of these sciencey threads now, and it's increasingly easy to lose them in the scrum of new stuff on here, so - here's a roundup.
First: the mystery of the BONG BONG BONG: bsky.app/profile/mike...
1/
First: the mystery of the BONG BONG BONG: bsky.app/profile/mike...
1/
Reposted by Mike Sowden
Every day is a school day on Bsky
Great stuff
Great stuff
This is Angel Falls in Venezuela, with its 807-metre sheer plunge - the tallest waterfall on our planet.
Except - it isn't. There's one that's bigger. MUCH bigger. And when I learned about it this week, my mind was fully blown.
OK. Buckle up! (Especially if you don't have a head for heights.)
1/
Except - it isn't. There's one that's bigger. MUCH bigger. And when I learned about it this week, my mind was fully blown.
OK. Buckle up! (Especially if you don't have a head for heights.)
1/
November 11, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Every day is a school day on Bsky
Great stuff
Great stuff
"Writers need to be VULNERABLE" they said.
"SHARE YOUR CRINGIEST MOMENTS" they also said.
I'm not sure they meant like this, but here goes.
everythingisamazing.substack.com/p/wet-legs-a...
"SHARE YOUR CRINGIEST MOMENTS" they also said.
I'm not sure they meant like this, but here goes.
everythingisamazing.substack.com/p/wet-legs-a...
Wet Legs At 5AM
One of my worst ideas. (And that's really saying something.)
everythingisamazing.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:07 PM
"Writers need to be VULNERABLE" they said.
"SHARE YOUR CRINGIEST MOMENTS" they also said.
I'm not sure they meant like this, but here goes.
everythingisamazing.substack.com/p/wet-legs-a...
"SHARE YOUR CRINGIEST MOMENTS" they also said.
I'm not sure they meant like this, but here goes.
everythingisamazing.substack.com/p/wet-legs-a...
Please come listen to me narrate one of my Worst Days Ever, in my natural low-budget Game Of Thrones accent. Thank you.
Reading this from @mikeachim.bsky.social has left me with a strange urge to either put the heating on or go back to bed, or both. But don't let that put you off; I heartily recommend reading it, if only so you can count your blessings afterwards.
Wet Legs At 5AM
One of my worst ideas. (And that's really saying something.)
open.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Please come listen to me narrate one of my Worst Days Ever, in my natural low-budget Game Of Thrones accent. Thank you.
Reposted by Mike Sowden
Boom!
A good deal of my time spent on the beach at Jökulsárlón is trying to capture waves hitting icebergs, without the iceberg moving (and being blurred). Occasionally it all comes together :)
#Iceland
A good deal of my time spent on the beach at Jökulsárlón is trying to capture waves hitting icebergs, without the iceberg moving (and being blurred). Occasionally it all comes together :)
#Iceland
November 8, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Boom!
A good deal of my time spent on the beach at Jökulsárlón is trying to capture waves hitting icebergs, without the iceberg moving (and being blurred). Occasionally it all comes together :)
#Iceland
A good deal of my time spent on the beach at Jökulsárlón is trying to capture waves hitting icebergs, without the iceberg moving (and being blurred). Occasionally it all comes together :)
#Iceland
Reposted by Mike Sowden
Both the dog’s cool confidence and the cat’s bitchiness are hilarious.
November 5, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Both the dog’s cool confidence and the cat’s bitchiness are hilarious.
Reposted by Mike Sowden
I'm sorry, but these images of the left of Kuala Lumpur's Petronas Towers are absolutely identical.
No, really.
What's happening to your brain is called the Leaning Tower Illusion (discovered in 2007), and it's never *not* going to work on you, however many times you look.
As I said: sorry.
No, really.
What's happening to your brain is called the Leaning Tower Illusion (discovered in 2007), and it's never *not* going to work on you, however many times you look.
As I said: sorry.
April 20, 2025 at 7:37 AM
I'm sorry, but these images of the left of Kuala Lumpur's Petronas Towers are absolutely identical.
No, really.
What's happening to your brain is called the Leaning Tower Illusion (discovered in 2007), and it's never *not* going to work on you, however many times you look.
As I said: sorry.
No, really.
What's happening to your brain is called the Leaning Tower Illusion (discovered in 2007), and it's never *not* going to work on you, however many times you look.
As I said: sorry.
Reposted by Mike Sowden
The truly maddening thing is that, unlike when I was a young man in science and the materials and engineering just weren’t there yet, the future is *right there.* The problem is *solved*. What’s holding us back is not just greed, but this bizarre nostalgia, an obsession with petro- masculinity.
Australia has so much electricity from solar power that it is going to start offering free electricity to everyone for at least three hours during the day as the wholesale price of power goes negative
electrek.co/2025/11/04/a...
electrek.co/2025/11/04/a...
Australia has so much solar that it's offering everyone free electricity
Australia's extensive solar power penetration makes so much energy that the government wants to offer free electricity at peak hours.
electrek.co
November 6, 2025 at 2:08 PM
The truly maddening thing is that, unlike when I was a young man in science and the materials and engineering just weren’t there yet, the future is *right there.* The problem is *solved*. What’s holding us back is not just greed, but this bizarre nostalgia, an obsession with petro- masculinity.
Reposted by Mike Sowden
Here's another one of these to absolutely mess with you. You're so very welcome.
April 20, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Here's another one of these to absolutely mess with you. You're so very welcome.
“Hope is not a lottery ticket you can sit on the sofa and clutch, feeling lucky. It is an axe you break down doors with in an emergency." - Rebecca Solnit.
There was certainly a lot of splintered wood flying around last night.
Well done, America. This feels like sanity returning. Keep it up.
There was certainly a lot of splintered wood flying around last night.
Well done, America. This feels like sanity returning. Keep it up.
November 5, 2025 at 2:15 PM
“Hope is not a lottery ticket you can sit on the sofa and clutch, feeling lucky. It is an axe you break down doors with in an emergency." - Rebecca Solnit.
There was certainly a lot of splintered wood flying around last night.
Well done, America. This feels like sanity returning. Keep it up.
There was certainly a lot of splintered wood flying around last night.
Well done, America. This feels like sanity returning. Keep it up.
Reposted by Mike Sowden
Every single county in Virginia shifted Blue.
November 5, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Every single county in Virginia shifted Blue.
Reposted by Mike Sowden
Just to pre-empt the pundits, I absolutely believe you could run a Mamdani in middle America and win
November 5, 2025 at 2:41 AM
Just to pre-empt the pundits, I absolutely believe you could run a Mamdani in middle America and win
Reposted by Mike Sowden
I always learn something amazing from @mikeachim.bsky.social
As someone who loves geology, I had no idea about the existence of this waterfall.
Fascinating thread 👍🏻
As someone who loves geology, I had no idea about the existence of this waterfall.
Fascinating thread 👍🏻
This is Angel Falls in Venezuela, with its 807-metre sheer plunge - the tallest waterfall on our planet.
Except - it isn't. There's one that's bigger. MUCH bigger. And when I learned about it this week, my mind was fully blown.
OK. Buckle up! (Especially if you don't have a head for heights.)
1/
Except - it isn't. There's one that's bigger. MUCH bigger. And when I learned about it this week, my mind was fully blown.
OK. Buckle up! (Especially if you don't have a head for heights.)
1/
November 3, 2025 at 5:46 PM
I always learn something amazing from @mikeachim.bsky.social
As someone who loves geology, I had no idea about the existence of this waterfall.
Fascinating thread 👍🏻
As someone who loves geology, I had no idea about the existence of this waterfall.
Fascinating thread 👍🏻
Reposted by Mike Sowden
This is Angel Falls in Venezuela, with its 807-metre sheer plunge - the tallest waterfall on our planet.
Except - it isn't. There's one that's bigger. MUCH bigger. And when I learned about it this week, my mind was fully blown.
OK. Buckle up! (Especially if you don't have a head for heights.)
1/
Except - it isn't. There's one that's bigger. MUCH bigger. And when I learned about it this week, my mind was fully blown.
OK. Buckle up! (Especially if you don't have a head for heights.)
1/
November 3, 2025 at 11:07 AM
This is Angel Falls in Venezuela, with its 807-metre sheer plunge - the tallest waterfall on our planet.
Except - it isn't. There's one that's bigger. MUCH bigger. And when I learned about it this week, my mind was fully blown.
OK. Buckle up! (Especially if you don't have a head for heights.)
1/
Except - it isn't. There's one that's bigger. MUCH bigger. And when I learned about it this week, my mind was fully blown.
OK. Buckle up! (Especially if you don't have a head for heights.)
1/
Reposted by Mike Sowden
...and as you can see, it has a combined plunge & downslope that's 11,500 feet, or almost two miles, high.
Here's that Burj Khalifa photo again.
Now please imagine *four* of these, stacked on top of each other, plus an extra few hundred metres on top.
BLIMEY.
7/
Here's that Burj Khalifa photo again.
Now please imagine *four* of these, stacked on top of each other, plus an extra few hundred metres on top.
BLIMEY.
7/
November 3, 2025 at 11:31 AM
...and as you can see, it has a combined plunge & downslope that's 11,500 feet, or almost two miles, high.
Here's that Burj Khalifa photo again.
Now please imagine *four* of these, stacked on top of each other, plus an extra few hundred metres on top.
BLIMEY.
7/
Here's that Burj Khalifa photo again.
Now please imagine *four* of these, stacked on top of each other, plus an extra few hundred metres on top.
BLIMEY.
7/
Reposted by Mike Sowden
I've stood on the rocky outcrop where this spectacular photo can be taken.
This is Angel Falls in Venezuela, with its 807-metre sheer plunge - the tallest waterfall on our planet.
Except - it isn't. There's one that's bigger. MUCH bigger. And when I learned about it this week, my mind was fully blown.
OK. Buckle up! (Especially if you don't have a head for heights.)
1/
Except - it isn't. There's one that's bigger. MUCH bigger. And when I learned about it this week, my mind was fully blown.
OK. Buckle up! (Especially if you don't have a head for heights.)
1/
November 3, 2025 at 11:15 AM
I've stood on the rocky outcrop where this spectacular photo can be taken.
This is Angel Falls in Venezuela, with its 807-metre sheer plunge - the tallest waterfall on our planet.
Except - it isn't. There's one that's bigger. MUCH bigger. And when I learned about it this week, my mind was fully blown.
OK. Buckle up! (Especially if you don't have a head for heights.)
1/
Except - it isn't. There's one that's bigger. MUCH bigger. And when I learned about it this week, my mind was fully blown.
OK. Buckle up! (Especially if you don't have a head for heights.)
1/
November 3, 2025 at 11:07 AM
This is Angel Falls in Venezuela, with its 807-metre sheer plunge - the tallest waterfall on our planet.
Except - it isn't. There's one that's bigger. MUCH bigger. And when I learned about it this week, my mind was fully blown.
OK. Buckle up! (Especially if you don't have a head for heights.)
1/
Except - it isn't. There's one that's bigger. MUCH bigger. And when I learned about it this week, my mind was fully blown.
OK. Buckle up! (Especially if you don't have a head for heights.)
1/
“Chatroom contributions are given equal status with serious academic work,” Evans, an expert on the Third Reich, told the Guardian, after being invited to test out Grokipedia. “AI just hoovers up everything.”
'Wikipedia-beater' my magnificent British ass.
'Wikipedia-beater' my magnificent British ass.
It's remarkably consistent which articles Gobbypedia lifts wholesale from Wikipedia and which it alters. It's editorial
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
In Grok we don’t trust: academics assess Elon Musk’s AI-powered encyclopedia
From publishing falsehoods to pushing far-right ideology, Grokipedia gives chatroom comments equal status to research
www.theguardian.com
November 3, 2025 at 9:50 AM
“Chatroom contributions are given equal status with serious academic work,” Evans, an expert on the Third Reich, told the Guardian, after being invited to test out Grokipedia. “AI just hoovers up everything.”
'Wikipedia-beater' my magnificent British ass.
'Wikipedia-beater' my magnificent British ass.
"Unlike cynicism, hopefulness is hard-earned, makes demands upon us, & can often feel like the most indefensible and lonely place on Earth. Hopefulness is not a neutral position - it is adversarial. It is the warrior emotion that can lay waste to cynicism."
- Nick Cave to Stephen Colbert, Aug. 2024.
- Nick Cave to Stephen Colbert, Aug. 2024.
November 2, 2025 at 11:15 PM
"Unlike cynicism, hopefulness is hard-earned, makes demands upon us, & can often feel like the most indefensible and lonely place on Earth. Hopefulness is not a neutral position - it is adversarial. It is the warrior emotion that can lay waste to cynicism."
- Nick Cave to Stephen Colbert, Aug. 2024.
- Nick Cave to Stephen Colbert, Aug. 2024.
You don’t get naturalists like the Very Reverend William Buckland (1784-1856) any more.
At least, I certainly hope not.
(Via everythingisamazing.substack.com/p/the-fun-is...)
At least, I certainly hope not.
(Via everythingisamazing.substack.com/p/the-fun-is...)
November 2, 2025 at 10:34 PM
You don’t get naturalists like the Very Reverend William Buckland (1784-1856) any more.
At least, I certainly hope not.
(Via everythingisamazing.substack.com/p/the-fun-is...)
At least, I certainly hope not.
(Via everythingisamazing.substack.com/p/the-fun-is...)