Richard Clare
@richardclare.bsky.social
Energy markets, railways, history
Twitter @RichardClare01
Twitter @RichardClare01
Reposted by Richard Clare
Sir Joseph Lister, 'father of antiseptic surgery', whose principles of cleanliness transformed medicine, born #OTD 1827; conducted first antiseptic operation 1865.
One of only two physicians to be accorded a London memorial.
Photo 1860 Wellcome Collection | Lord Lister memorial 1924, Portland Place
One of only two physicians to be accorded a London memorial.
Photo 1860 Wellcome Collection | Lord Lister memorial 1924, Portland Place
January 11, 2026 at 5:49 AM
Sir Joseph Lister, 'father of antiseptic surgery', whose principles of cleanliness transformed medicine, born #OTD 1827; conducted first antiseptic operation 1865.
One of only two physicians to be accorded a London memorial.
Photo 1860 Wellcome Collection | Lord Lister memorial 1924, Portland Place
One of only two physicians to be accorded a London memorial.
Photo 1860 Wellcome Collection | Lord Lister memorial 1924, Portland Place
Reposted by Richard Clare
Sir Hans Sloane, physician, botanist, Chelsea gardener, died #OTD 1753; benefactor of Chelsea Physic Garden, his collection founded British Museum.
Portrait by Slaughter 1736, National Portrait Gallery London | Hans Sloane Chelsea plate c.1755 Met Museum
Portrait by Slaughter 1736, National Portrait Gallery London | Hans Sloane Chelsea plate c.1755 Met Museum
January 11, 2026 at 5:46 AM
Sir Hans Sloane, physician, botanist, Chelsea gardener, died #OTD 1753; benefactor of Chelsea Physic Garden, his collection founded British Museum.
Portrait by Slaughter 1736, National Portrait Gallery London | Hans Sloane Chelsea plate c.1755 Met Museum
Portrait by Slaughter 1736, National Portrait Gallery London | Hans Sloane Chelsea plate c.1755 Met Museum
Reposted by Richard Clare
Founder of modern anatomy: Andreas Vesalius, Flemish physician, born #OTD 1514; author of groundbreaking work De Humani Corporis Fabrica, published in 7 volumes in 1543.
Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Orléans |
Wellcome Library London
Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Orléans |
Wellcome Library London
December 31, 2025 at 7:57 AM
Founder of modern anatomy: Andreas Vesalius, Flemish physician, born #OTD 1514; author of groundbreaking work De Humani Corporis Fabrica, published in 7 volumes in 1543.
Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Orléans |
Wellcome Library London
Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Orléans |
Wellcome Library London
Reposted by Richard Clare
The Dutch Hippocrates: Hermann Boerhaave, influential physician, chemist, botanist, humanist; founder of clinical teaching, ‘father of physiology’, born #OTD 1668.
Portrait by Cornelis Troost 1735
Boerhaave Museum | University of Leiden | Wellcome Library
Portrait by Cornelis Troost 1735
Boerhaave Museum | University of Leiden | Wellcome Library
December 31, 2025 at 7:58 AM
The Dutch Hippocrates: Hermann Boerhaave, influential physician, chemist, botanist, humanist; founder of clinical teaching, ‘father of physiology’, born #OTD 1668.
Portrait by Cornelis Troost 1735
Boerhaave Museum | University of Leiden | Wellcome Library
Portrait by Cornelis Troost 1735
Boerhaave Museum | University of Leiden | Wellcome Library
Reposted by Richard Clare
New analysis of the major qualitative differences between natural and artificial intelligence (via LLMs).
LLMs and humans form judgments differently across seven epistemological stages 🧵
osf.io/preprints/ps...
LLMs and humans form judgments differently across seven epistemological stages 🧵
osf.io/preprints/ps...
December 25, 2025 at 8:15 PM
New analysis of the major qualitative differences between natural and artificial intelligence (via LLMs).
LLMs and humans form judgments differently across seven epistemological stages 🧵
osf.io/preprints/ps...
LLMs and humans form judgments differently across seven epistemological stages 🧵
osf.io/preprints/ps...
Reposted by Richard Clare
Rain, Steam and Speed, The Great Western Railway, oil on canvas, 1844, by JMW Turner, great English Romantic artist, inspired Monet & other French impressionists; died #OTD 1851, buried at St Paul’s.
An early GWR broad gauge locomotive crossing Brunel’s Maidenhead Bridge.
National Gallery London
An early GWR broad gauge locomotive crossing Brunel’s Maidenhead Bridge.
National Gallery London
December 19, 2025 at 5:55 AM
Rain, Steam and Speed, The Great Western Railway, oil on canvas, 1844, by JMW Turner, great English Romantic artist, inspired Monet & other French impressionists; died #OTD 1851, buried at St Paul’s.
An early GWR broad gauge locomotive crossing Brunel’s Maidenhead Bridge.
National Gallery London
An early GWR broad gauge locomotive crossing Brunel’s Maidenhead Bridge.
National Gallery London
Reposted by Richard Clare
Sir Humphry Davy, English chemist, pioneered electrolysis, discovered new elements & alkali metals, invented miner’s safety lamp, born #OTD 1778.
Portrait by Thomas Phillips 1821
National Portrait Gallery
Royal Institution
Portrait by Thomas Phillips 1821
National Portrait Gallery
Royal Institution
December 17, 2025 at 6:04 AM
Sir Humphry Davy, English chemist, pioneered electrolysis, discovered new elements & alkali metals, invented miner’s safety lamp, born #OTD 1778.
Portrait by Thomas Phillips 1821
National Portrait Gallery
Royal Institution
Portrait by Thomas Phillips 1821
National Portrait Gallery
Royal Institution
Reposted by Richard Clare
Émilie du Châtelet, French Enlightenment mathematician & physicist, translator of Newton's Principia, born #OTD 1706.
Portrait by Maurice-Quentin de la Tour, c. 1740
Château de Breteuil
Portrait by Maurice-Quentin de la Tour, c. 1740
Château de Breteuil
December 17, 2025 at 6:03 AM
Émilie du Châtelet, French Enlightenment mathematician & physicist, translator of Newton's Principia, born #OTD 1706.
Portrait by Maurice-Quentin de la Tour, c. 1740
Château de Breteuil
Portrait by Maurice-Quentin de la Tour, c. 1740
Château de Breteuil
Reposted by Richard Clare
Book Christmas
Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social
Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social
December 15, 2025 at 5:59 AM
Book Christmas
Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social
Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social
Reposted by Richard Clare
Science Christmas
The Upturned Microscope
The Upturned Microscope
December 14, 2025 at 6:05 AM
Science Christmas
The Upturned Microscope
The Upturned Microscope
Reposted by Richard Clare
De nova stella: Tycho Brahe, great Danish astronomer, born #OTD 1546, identified first supernova in 1572; established Uraniborg observatory on island of Hven, with cornerstone laid in 1576.
Hand-coloured copper-plate engravings from Blaeu’s Atlas Maior 1662-5
National Library of Scotland
Hand-coloured copper-plate engravings from Blaeu’s Atlas Maior 1662-5
National Library of Scotland
December 14, 2025 at 6:04 AM
De nova stella: Tycho Brahe, great Danish astronomer, born #OTD 1546, identified first supernova in 1572; established Uraniborg observatory on island of Hven, with cornerstone laid in 1576.
Hand-coloured copper-plate engravings from Blaeu’s Atlas Maior 1662-5
National Library of Scotland
Hand-coloured copper-plate engravings from Blaeu’s Atlas Maior 1662-5
National Library of Scotland
Reposted by Richard Clare
Gemma Frisius, influential Dutch mathematician, cartographer, born #OTD 1508; acclaimed maker of mathematical instruments, astrolabes, astronomical rings & globes; pioneer of triangulation in surveying.
Portrait by Maarten van Keemskerck, c. 1540
Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam
Portrait by Maarten van Keemskerck, c. 1540
Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam
December 9, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Gemma Frisius, influential Dutch mathematician, cartographer, born #OTD 1508; acclaimed maker of mathematical instruments, astrolabes, astronomical rings & globes; pioneer of triangulation in surveying.
Portrait by Maarten van Keemskerck, c. 1540
Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam
Portrait by Maarten van Keemskerck, c. 1540
Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam
Reposted by Richard Clare
Ada, Countess of Lovelace, daughter of Lord Byron, mathematician & a pioneer of computing; born 1815, died #OTD 1852. #WomeninStem
Painted by Margaret Sarah Carpenter 1836
UK Government Art Collection
Painted by Margaret Sarah Carpenter 1836
UK Government Art Collection
November 27, 2025 at 6:07 AM
Ada, Countess of Lovelace, daughter of Lord Byron, mathematician & a pioneer of computing; born 1815, died #OTD 1852. #WomeninStem
Painted by Margaret Sarah Carpenter 1836
UK Government Art Collection
Painted by Margaret Sarah Carpenter 1836
UK Government Art Collection
Reposted by Richard Clare
On the Origin of Species: landmark work published #OTD 1859 by Charles Darwin, influential English naturalist, geologist and pioneer of evolutionary theory.
Portrait 1830’s by George Richmond
Bodleian Library @bodleian.ox.ac.uk
@tomgauld.bsky.social | @newscientist.com
Portrait 1830’s by George Richmond
Bodleian Library @bodleian.ox.ac.uk
@tomgauld.bsky.social | @newscientist.com
November 24, 2025 at 6:11 AM
On the Origin of Species: landmark work published #OTD 1859 by Charles Darwin, influential English naturalist, geologist and pioneer of evolutionary theory.
Portrait 1830’s by George Richmond
Bodleian Library @bodleian.ox.ac.uk
@tomgauld.bsky.social | @newscientist.com
Portrait 1830’s by George Richmond
Bodleian Library @bodleian.ox.ac.uk
@tomgauld.bsky.social | @newscientist.com
Reposted by Richard Clare
“Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.”
Aldous Huxley, English writer, author of Brave New World, died #OTD 1963.
Photo by Charles Sheeler, Michener Art Museum
Aldous Huxley, English writer, author of Brave New World, died #OTD 1963.
Photo by Charles Sheeler, Michener Art Museum
November 22, 2025 at 6:06 AM
“Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.”
Aldous Huxley, English writer, author of Brave New World, died #OTD 1963.
Photo by Charles Sheeler, Michener Art Museum
Aldous Huxley, English writer, author of Brave New World, died #OTD 1963.
Photo by Charles Sheeler, Michener Art Museum
Reposted by Richard Clare
”Bad money drives out good.”
Sir Thomas Gresham, English merchant & financier, adviser to Tudor monarchs, founded London’s Royal Exchange in 1565; died #OTD 1571, left bequest to found Gresham College, London’s first higher education institution est.1597.
Portrait by Anthonis Mor c 1560 Rijksmuseum
Sir Thomas Gresham, English merchant & financier, adviser to Tudor monarchs, founded London’s Royal Exchange in 1565; died #OTD 1571, left bequest to found Gresham College, London’s first higher education institution est.1597.
Portrait by Anthonis Mor c 1560 Rijksmuseum
November 21, 2025 at 6:01 AM
”Bad money drives out good.”
Sir Thomas Gresham, English merchant & financier, adviser to Tudor monarchs, founded London’s Royal Exchange in 1565; died #OTD 1571, left bequest to found Gresham College, London’s first higher education institution est.1597.
Portrait by Anthonis Mor c 1560 Rijksmuseum
Sir Thomas Gresham, English merchant & financier, adviser to Tudor monarchs, founded London’s Royal Exchange in 1565; died #OTD 1571, left bequest to found Gresham College, London’s first higher education institution est.1597.
Portrait by Anthonis Mor c 1560 Rijksmuseum
Reposted by Richard Clare
William Herschel, German-born British astronomer, born #OTD 1738; discovered planet Uranus in 1781, pioneered use of astronomical spectrophotometry, discovered infrared radiation; Fellow Royal Society, first President Royal Astronomical Society.
Portrait by Abbott 1785, NPG London
Herschel Museum
Portrait by Abbott 1785, NPG London
Herschel Museum
November 15, 2025 at 6:02 AM
William Herschel, German-born British astronomer, born #OTD 1738; discovered planet Uranus in 1781, pioneered use of astronomical spectrophotometry, discovered infrared radiation; Fellow Royal Society, first President Royal Astronomical Society.
Portrait by Abbott 1785, NPG London
Herschel Museum
Portrait by Abbott 1785, NPG London
Herschel Museum
Reposted by Richard Clare
Edmond Halley, English astronomer, mathematician, geophysicist, meteorologist, born #OTD 1656, sponsor of Newton’s Principia, computed orbit and periodicity of eponymous comet, mapped solar eclipse of 1715.
National Portrait Gallery | Royal Society
National Portrait Gallery | Royal Society
November 8, 2025 at 6:04 AM
Edmond Halley, English astronomer, mathematician, geophysicist, meteorologist, born #OTD 1656, sponsor of Newton’s Principia, computed orbit and periodicity of eponymous comet, mapped solar eclipse of 1715.
National Portrait Gallery | Royal Society
National Portrait Gallery | Royal Society
Reposted by Richard Clare
Marie Curie, Polish-French physicist, chemist, pioneer in radioactivity, first woman Nobel laureate & only winner of two Nobel prizes in different sciences (Physics & Chemistry); born #OTD 1867, buried in the Panthéon, Paris.
Nobel Prize | 5th Solvay Conference 1927 (colourised)
Nobel Prize | 5th Solvay Conference 1927 (colourised)
November 7, 2025 at 6:24 AM
Marie Curie, Polish-French physicist, chemist, pioneer in radioactivity, first woman Nobel laureate & only winner of two Nobel prizes in different sciences (Physics & Chemistry); born #OTD 1867, buried in the Panthéon, Paris.
Nobel Prize | 5th Solvay Conference 1927 (colourised)
Nobel Prize | 5th Solvay Conference 1927 (colourised)
Reposted by Richard Clare
William Stukeley, English antiquary, pioneered archaeological exploration of Stonehenge & Avebury sites, born #OTD 1687.
Society of Antiquaries, London
Society of Antiquaries, London
November 7, 2025 at 6:22 AM
William Stukeley, English antiquary, pioneered archaeological exploration of Stonehenge & Avebury sites, born #OTD 1687.
Society of Antiquaries, London
Society of Antiquaries, London
Reposted by Richard Clare
Greatest scientist between Newton & Einstein: James Clerk Maxwell, Scottish physicist, died #OTD 1879; formulated Theory of Electromagnetism, four equations which underpin modern information & communication technologies.
Monument George Street Edinburgh | James Clerk Maxwell Foundation Edinburgh
Monument George Street Edinburgh | James Clerk Maxwell Foundation Edinburgh
November 5, 2025 at 6:04 AM
Greatest scientist between Newton & Einstein: James Clerk Maxwell, Scottish physicist, died #OTD 1879; formulated Theory of Electromagnetism, four equations which underpin modern information & communication technologies.
Monument George Street Edinburgh | James Clerk Maxwell Foundation Edinburgh
Monument George Street Edinburgh | James Clerk Maxwell Foundation Edinburgh
Reposted by Richard Clare
Laws of thought: George Boole, influential mathematician, born #OTD 1815; Boolean logic laid foundation for computers & Information Age.
University College Cork
University College Cork
November 2, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Laws of thought: George Boole, influential mathematician, born #OTD 1815; Boolean logic laid foundation for computers & Information Age.
University College Cork
University College Cork
Reposted by Richard Clare
D’Alembert’s Principle: Jean-Baptiste Le Rond d'Alembert, French Enlightenment mathematician, philosopher & encyclopédiste, known for landmark work on laws of motion Traité de Dynamique (1743), wave equation & d’Alembert-Gauss theorem; died #OTD 1783.
Portrait by de la Tour 1753 Musée du Louvre
Portrait by de la Tour 1753 Musée du Louvre
October 29, 2025 at 6:15 AM
D’Alembert’s Principle: Jean-Baptiste Le Rond d'Alembert, French Enlightenment mathematician, philosopher & encyclopédiste, known for landmark work on laws of motion Traité de Dynamique (1743), wave equation & d’Alembert-Gauss theorem; died #OTD 1783.
Portrait by de la Tour 1753 Musée du Louvre
Portrait by de la Tour 1753 Musée du Louvre
Reposted by Richard Clare
”Falsehood flies & truth comes limping after it.”
Jonathan Swift, Anglo-Irish satirist, Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral Dublin, author of A Tale of a Tub, Gulliver's Travels, died #OTD 1745; champion of liberty, whose Saeva Indignatio inspired Voltaire, Yeats, Joyce, Orwell.
Trinity College Dublin
Jonathan Swift, Anglo-Irish satirist, Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral Dublin, author of A Tale of a Tub, Gulliver's Travels, died #OTD 1745; champion of liberty, whose Saeva Indignatio inspired Voltaire, Yeats, Joyce, Orwell.
Trinity College Dublin
October 19, 2025 at 5:06 AM
”Falsehood flies & truth comes limping after it.”
Jonathan Swift, Anglo-Irish satirist, Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral Dublin, author of A Tale of a Tub, Gulliver's Travels, died #OTD 1745; champion of liberty, whose Saeva Indignatio inspired Voltaire, Yeats, Joyce, Orwell.
Trinity College Dublin
Jonathan Swift, Anglo-Irish satirist, Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral Dublin, author of A Tale of a Tub, Gulliver's Travels, died #OTD 1745; champion of liberty, whose Saeva Indignatio inspired Voltaire, Yeats, Joyce, Orwell.
Trinity College Dublin
Reposted by Richard Clare
Justus Lipsius, influential Flemish philosopher & humanist, author of De Constantia, born #OTD 1547; portrayed in Rubens’ The Four Philosophers (1611), with artist, brother & third pupil under bust of Seneca; seen in Zoffany’s Tribune of Uffizi 1772-8.
Gallerie degli Uffizi #Pitti | Royal Collection
Gallerie degli Uffizi #Pitti | Royal Collection
October 18, 2025 at 5:07 AM