Michael Hassell
@mphsil.bsky.social
Past Presidents of British Ecological Society and Royal Entomological Society. A long time ago was an expert on the population dynamics of predator-prey and competitive interactions with an emphasis on insect host-parasitoid dynamics.
Reposted by Michael Hassell
UK billionaires added £182,000,000,000 to their wealth last year. That’s £35,000,000 every single day.
Their combined wealth is £795,361,000,000.
So don't let anyone tell you austerity is a “necessity”. There’s more than enough wealth to fund our NHS, public services & welfare.
Their combined wealth is £795,361,000,000.
So don't let anyone tell you austerity is a “necessity”. There’s more than enough wealth to fund our NHS, public services & welfare.
March 22, 2025 at 2:12 PM
UK billionaires added £182,000,000,000 to their wealth last year. That’s £35,000,000 every single day.
Their combined wealth is £795,361,000,000.
So don't let anyone tell you austerity is a “necessity”. There’s more than enough wealth to fund our NHS, public services & welfare.
Their combined wealth is £795,361,000,000.
So don't let anyone tell you austerity is a “necessity”. There’s more than enough wealth to fund our NHS, public services & welfare.
Reposted by Michael Hassell
PhD opportunity: Bdelloid rotifers are strange animals with no males and amazing stress tolerance. 10% of their genes came from bacteria, fungi via HGT, including antimicrobial genes that are unique in animals. Find out how/why and discover new antimicrobials too! www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
November 22, 2024 at 5:44 PM
PhD opportunity: Bdelloid rotifers are strange animals with no males and amazing stress tolerance. 10% of their genes came from bacteria, fungi via HGT, including antimicrobial genes that are unique in animals. Find out how/why and discover new antimicrobials too! www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Reposted by Michael Hassell
Remarkable progress. And one of the key figures in this was Tony Fauci. Yet over on X the same old conspiracy lies about him and us are being told.
March 18, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Remarkable progress. And one of the key figures in this was Tony Fauci. Yet over on X the same old conspiracy lies about him and us are being told.
Reposted by Michael Hassell
Thanks, Keir, for the warm welcome at 10 Downing Street.
At a time of great consequence for our country — one in which our sovereignty has been called into question — alliances and friendships like ours matter.
At a time of great consequence for our country — one in which our sovereignty has been called into question — alliances and friendships like ours matter.
March 18, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Thanks, Keir, for the warm welcome at 10 Downing Street.
At a time of great consequence for our country — one in which our sovereignty has been called into question — alliances and friendships like ours matter.
At a time of great consequence for our country — one in which our sovereignty has been called into question — alliances and friendships like ours matter.
Reposted by Michael Hassell
Every bird sighting, butterfly ID, and track traced in the mud...we owe so much to wildlife recorders! Their dedication helps piece together the bigger picture for nature.
Now it’s time to celebrate them. 💚
The #NBNAwards25 are open! Who deserves recognition?
Nominate now 👇
Now it’s time to celebrate them. 💚
The #NBNAwards25 are open! Who deserves recognition?
Nominate now 👇
Nominations are open for #NBNawards25 There are 7 Award categories… Which exceptional #Wildlife recorders or groups will you nominate? bit.ly/NBNawards25
Thanks to our 7 Award sponsors: RSPB, Opticron, Habitat Aid, Field Studies Council, William Collins, British Wildlife magazine & NHBS.
Thanks to our 7 Award sponsors: RSPB, Opticron, Habitat Aid, Field Studies Council, William Collins, British Wildlife magazine & NHBS.
March 7, 2025 at 11:39 AM
Every bird sighting, butterfly ID, and track traced in the mud...we owe so much to wildlife recorders! Their dedication helps piece together the bigger picture for nature.
Now it’s time to celebrate them. 💚
The #NBNAwards25 are open! Who deserves recognition?
Nominate now 👇
Now it’s time to celebrate them. 💚
The #NBNAwards25 are open! Who deserves recognition?
Nominate now 👇
Reposted by Michael Hassell
Really sad to report that our friend and colleague Richard Fortey passed away this morning after a short battle with cancer. We’ll all miss his wit and wisdom. Here he is checking out a dino footprint we found while filming together on the Isle of Wight
March 7, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Really sad to report that our friend and colleague Richard Fortey passed away this morning after a short battle with cancer. We’ll all miss his wit and wisdom. Here he is checking out a dino footprint we found while filming together on the Isle of Wight
Reposted by Michael Hassell
RES #ConservationScience team gathering for the Large Blue Butterfly Committee meeting to discuss the endangered #LargeBlue 🦋
www.royensoc.co.uk/about-us/con...
Stay tuned for updates #BigGive
@gloswildlife.bsky.social @nationaltrust.bsky.social @naturalengland.bsky.social @kingstrust.bsky.social
www.royensoc.co.uk/about-us/con...
Stay tuned for updates #BigGive
@gloswildlife.bsky.social @nationaltrust.bsky.social @naturalengland.bsky.social @kingstrust.bsky.social
March 7, 2025 at 3:29 PM
RES #ConservationScience team gathering for the Large Blue Butterfly Committee meeting to discuss the endangered #LargeBlue 🦋
www.royensoc.co.uk/about-us/con...
Stay tuned for updates #BigGive
@gloswildlife.bsky.social @nationaltrust.bsky.social @naturalengland.bsky.social @kingstrust.bsky.social
www.royensoc.co.uk/about-us/con...
Stay tuned for updates #BigGive
@gloswildlife.bsky.social @nationaltrust.bsky.social @naturalengland.bsky.social @kingstrust.bsky.social
Reposted by Michael Hassell
"When you hear about patients surviving stage 4 cancer because of immunotherapy, that was based on NIH research over many decades. When you hear about sickle cell disease being cured because of CRISPR gene editing, that was built on years of research supported by NIH"
apnews.com/article/nih-...
apnews.com/article/nih-...
Renowned geneticist Francis Collins retires from NIH, urging 'respect' for embattled workers
Dr. Francis Collins, a renowned geneticist, and former longtime director of the National Institutes of Health, is retiring from the government agency and urging “respect” for its embattled workers.
apnews.com
March 1, 2025 at 9:44 PM
"When you hear about patients surviving stage 4 cancer because of immunotherapy, that was based on NIH research over many decades. When you hear about sickle cell disease being cured because of CRISPR gene editing, that was built on years of research supported by NIH"
apnews.com/article/nih-...
apnews.com/article/nih-...
Reposted by Michael Hassell
US military starts facing consequences for abandoning Ukraine and supporting Putin.
Norwegian fuel supplier refuses U.S. warships over Ukraine
Haltbakk Bunkers will cease supplying fuel to U.S. forces in Norway and American ships docking in Norwegian ports, citing dissatisfaction with recent U.S. policy towards Ukraine.
ukdefencejournal.org.uk
March 1, 2025 at 9:44 PM
US military starts facing consequences for abandoning Ukraine and supporting Putin.
Reposted by Michael Hassell
Landelijke Vlinderdas 2025 - Dutch National Butterfly Day 2025 - 650 volunteers present.
March 1, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Landelijke Vlinderdas 2025 - Dutch National Butterfly Day 2025 - 650 volunteers present.
Reposted by Michael Hassell
Well, this is interesting... www.cam.ac.uk/research/new...
Solar-powered device captures carbon dioxide from air to make sustainable fuel
Researchers have developed a reactor that pulls carbon dioxide directly from the air and converts it into sustainable fuel, using sunlight as the power source.
www.cam.ac.uk
February 27, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Well, this is interesting... www.cam.ac.uk/research/new...
Reposted by Michael Hassell
A million times the man that Trump or Putin will ever be.
Zelenskyy offers to step down in exchange for peace and Ukraine’s Nato membership
https://www.ft.com/content/19d4bef2-51db-4f9a-b9d3-f8dd56468e90
https://www.ft.com/content/19d4bef2-51db-4f9a-b9d3-f8dd56468e90
Zelenskyy offers to step down in exchange for peace and Ukraine’s Nato membership
President’s comment comes a day before third anniversary of Russia’s full-blown invasion of Ukraine
www.ft.com
February 23, 2025 at 3:29 PM
A million times the man that Trump or Putin will ever be.
Reposted by Michael Hassell
It's taken just a month for the Republican administration to trash eight decades of US leadership in science and technology. TRIGGER WARNING: reading this article (by my esteemed colleagues, who have stronger stomachs than I do) made me feel physically ill. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Trump’s siege of science: how the first 30 days unfolded and what’s next
The breakneck pace and devastating impact of the administration’s policy changes has shocked researchers.
www.nature.com
February 21, 2025 at 8:48 AM
It's taken just a month for the Republican administration to trash eight decades of US leadership in science and technology. TRIGGER WARNING: reading this article (by my esteemed colleagues, who have stronger stomachs than I do) made me feel physically ill. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Michael Hassell
New:
DOGE's spending has been secret.
No longer.
My colleagues have uncovered it.
www.propublica.org/article/doge...
DOGE's spending has been secret.
No longer.
My colleagues have uncovered it.
www.propublica.org/article/doge...
February 20, 2025 at 9:00 PM
New:
DOGE's spending has been secret.
No longer.
My colleagues have uncovered it.
www.propublica.org/article/doge...
DOGE's spending has been secret.
No longer.
My colleagues have uncovered it.
www.propublica.org/article/doge...
Reposted by Michael Hassell
Now over 2200 signatures and still rising.
Tally just ticked past 1900 signatures. Please keep spreading the word about the letter & asking people to sign. It's important to make the Royal Society aware (at their meeting on 03 March) just how much the scientific community wants them to speak up for their values. forms.gle/SfsDemyS8QhP...
February 15, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Now over 2200 signatures and still rising.
Reposted by Michael Hassell
Tally heading towards 1500. Please keep going - share and sign.
Thanks to the more than *1100* members of the scientific community who have signed the letter to insist that the Royal Society remains true to values that we all hold dear but that Musk FRS has ridden roughshod over.
Please keep signing & sharing.
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Please keep signing & sharing.
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Open letter to the President of the Royal Society – time to stand up for your values
If you wish to show your support for the letter below regarding apparent inaction by the Royal Society in the face of breaches of its code of conduct by Elon Musk FRS, please sign below. I invite anyo...
docs.google.com
February 13, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Tally heading towards 1500. Please keep going - share and sign.
Reposted by Michael Hassell
I don’t think it’s good enough for the Royal Society to keep pushing the line that “issues raised about individual fellows are dealt with in confidence”, because Musk’s problematic actions are a matter of public record.
So please keep signing & sharing the letter: occamstypewriter.org/scurry/
So please keep signing & sharing the letter: occamstypewriter.org/scurry/
Reciprocal Space | Occam's Typewriter
occamstypewriter.org
February 13, 2025 at 5:11 PM
I don’t think it’s good enough for the Royal Society to keep pushing the line that “issues raised about individual fellows are dealt with in confidence”, because Musk’s problematic actions are a matter of public record.
So please keep signing & sharing the letter: occamstypewriter.org/scurry/
So please keep signing & sharing the letter: occamstypewriter.org/scurry/
Reposted by Michael Hassell
My open letter and FRS resignations reported in Nature: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Royal Society will meet amid campaign to revoke Elon Musk’s fellowship
More than 1,300 scientists have signed a letter calling on the world’s oldest science society to reassess the billionaire’s membership following cuts to US science.
www.nature.com
February 13, 2025 at 4:53 PM
My open letter and FRS resignations reported in Nature: www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Michael Hassell
Go to Google
Search "Gulf of Mexico"
Click the 3 little dots next to "Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)"
Choose "Send feedback"
Click "Gulf of America"
Click "Inaccurate content"
Click "Incorrect"
Tell Google the correct name
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of...
Search "Gulf of Mexico"
Click the 3 little dots next to "Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)"
Choose "Send feedback"
Click "Gulf of America"
Click "Inaccurate content"
Click "Incorrect"
Tell Google the correct name
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of...
Gulf of Mexico - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
February 12, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Go to Google
Search "Gulf of Mexico"
Click the 3 little dots next to "Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)"
Choose "Send feedback"
Click "Gulf of America"
Click "Inaccurate content"
Click "Incorrect"
Tell Google the correct name
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of...
Search "Gulf of Mexico"
Click the 3 little dots next to "Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)"
Choose "Send feedback"
Click "Gulf of America"
Click "Inaccurate content"
Click "Incorrect"
Tell Google the correct name
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of...
Reposted by Michael Hassell
Update: *1300* and still going…
Thanks to the more than *1100* members of the scientific community who have signed the letter to insist that the Royal Society remains true to values that we all hold dear but that Musk FRS has ridden roughshod over.
Please keep signing & sharing.
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Please keep signing & sharing.
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Open letter to the President of the Royal Society – time to stand up for your values
If you wish to show your support for the letter below regarding apparent inaction by the Royal Society in the face of breaches of its code of conduct by Elon Musk FRS, please sign below. I invite anyo...
docs.google.com
February 13, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Update: *1300* and still going…
Reposted by Michael Hassell
"These actions are not compatible with the conduct required of a fellow[…] They undermine the purpose of the Royal Society.
In an era of fake news, they are not a blip, they are part of a much broader pattern, yet the Royal Society’s leadership has not found a way to handle even this extreme case."
In an era of fake news, they are not a blip, they are part of a much broader pattern, yet the Royal Society’s leadership has not found a way to handle even this extreme case."
Interesting comment piece here from FRS resignee Andrew Millar, posing questions on whether the Royal Society needs to reform its processes so it’s fit to tackle mid-century challenges to science.
‘I do not want a fellowship that can include such actions.’
Elon Musk's fellowship is undermining the purpose of the Royal Society, writes resigning fellow @andrewmillar.bsky.social.
In this piece, he tells us why he feels enough is enough.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...
Elon Musk's fellowship is undermining the purpose of the Royal Society, writes resigning fellow @andrewmillar.bsky.social.
In this piece, he tells us why he feels enough is enough.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-v...
February 13, 2025 at 1:34 PM
"These actions are not compatible with the conduct required of a fellow[…] They undermine the purpose of the Royal Society.
In an era of fake news, they are not a blip, they are part of a much broader pattern, yet the Royal Society’s leadership has not found a way to handle even this extreme case."
In an era of fake news, they are not a blip, they are part of a much broader pattern, yet the Royal Society’s leadership has not found a way to handle even this extreme case."
Reposted by Michael Hassell
Tim Radford was unfailingly kind and helpful; allowed me to write pieces for the Guardian; and interceded with the paper’s ombudsman on my behalf when my private correspondence was aired in its pages without my consent (The paper printed an apology).
"When I started out in journalism in the early 80s, it was Tim Radford who gave me my first spot in a national newspaper." - @rogerhighfield.bsky.social
"Tim, I’m eternally grateful for that first break."
zurl.co/pU6ib
"Tim, I’m eternally grateful for that first break."
zurl.co/pU6ib
Tim Radford (1940-2025)
A formidable intellect, Tim was a genial company and never tried to impress. By Roger Highfield
zurl.co
February 13, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Tim Radford was unfailingly kind and helpful; allowed me to write pieces for the Guardian; and interceded with the paper’s ombudsman on my behalf when my private correspondence was aired in its pages without my consent (The paper printed an apology).
Reposted by Michael Hassell
Curating a Starter Pack that will hopefully be useful to folk coming over to BlueSky and looking for all of the UK conservation orgs and recording societies go.bsky.app/Nget1LP Will keep adding to this. DM or reply to be added and please share.
February 12, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Curating a Starter Pack that will hopefully be useful to folk coming over to BlueSky and looking for all of the UK conservation orgs and recording societies go.bsky.app/Nget1LP Will keep adding to this. DM or reply to be added and please share.
Reposted by Michael Hassell
Thanks to the more than *1100* members of the scientific community who have signed the letter to insist that the Royal Society remains true to values that we all hold dear but that Musk FRS has ridden roughshod over.
Please keep signing & sharing.
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Please keep signing & sharing.
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Open letter to the President of the Royal Society – time to stand up for your values
If you wish to show your support for the letter below regarding apparent inaction by the Royal Society in the face of breaches of its code of conduct by Elon Musk FRS, please sign below. I invite anyo...
docs.google.com
February 13, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Thanks to the more than *1100* members of the scientific community who have signed the letter to insist that the Royal Society remains true to values that we all hold dear but that Musk FRS has ridden roughshod over.
Please keep signing & sharing.
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Please keep signing & sharing.
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...