History professor finds huge Iron Age hoard. 🧪 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

SCRATCH MOSS is published five weeks tomorrow. I go in for cancer surgery not long before so I fully expect a sympathy vote and when I come out of hospital the book will be number one in the charts. Pre-order now to make sure of your part in this heartwarming tale. www.canelo.co/books/scratc...

This takes about 20 minutes, but taking the opportunity to respond to the UK government's consultation on its proposed immigration measures is worth it

In the 2010s, the Icelandic tv station Channel 2 accidentally added subtitles from a gritty crime drama to an episode of Teletubbies. I have translated some of the highlights

For Penguin Awareness Day, a Typology of Pingu expressions. Source: instagram.com/p/CKa390dD4TC/ Part of a 40th anniversary exhibition in Japan the other year.

Some Monday inspiration - the 14th century octagon tower at Ely Cathedral. As the height and width would not have supported a stone vault, the tower was constructed in wood following the collapse of the central Norman tower in 1322. 📸 My own. #MedievalMonday #ElyCathedral

I felt like making some art last night/today and could have made something beautiful and/or meaningful but I made this instead. It's a Barbie Yaga Malibu Dream Hut. No regrets. Can't defeat fascism without joy.

'Ellaline Terriss was a popular British actress [...] In 1915, she had starred as a vampire in Flames of Desire, a silent film shot on location in Jamaica and turned down by at least one censorship board due to its sensational content.' More at georgefergusonliverpool.wordpress.com/2026/01/18/1...

Hello, Sunday. How’d you fancy backing a six-part immersive audio project set in the folk horror world of Withered Hill? Cost you £18, all in. I know money’s tight but this is an absolute bargain. www.kickstarter.com/projects/tom...

Was wondering why I couldn't keep Rivers of London characters straight in my head - then realised 50 are introduced in the first book alone.

My home river is the Ouse - which has been granted Rights of River status by Lewes District Council, meaning the river is regarded as a "person" who can sue for eg pollution

I haven't used my Twitter account for a couple of years and now I've deactivated it completely.

Want a heritage job? In beautiful usually-there’s-not-this-much-snow #Orkney? As part of our community project to reopen the Neolithic Tomb of the Eagles to visitors, we now have three paid positions advertised for 2026. For more info follow the link. Applications close 5pm, 18 January. 🏺

Happpyyyyy new yearrrrrr audio fiction voice actors Well please lemme know if you have any fun #castingcalls for audio and I will share Liikkke….this one☀️ Gooooo geddemmm docs.google.com/document/d/1...

Acting is mostly auditioning…

Fine in morning but wet in afternoon. Fine & cushie. More on the #LiverpoolScottish on Christmas Eve 1915 during #WW1 and their Heath Robinson Xmas card at georgefergusonliverpool.wordpress.com/2025/12/24/2...

Massive news!!!! The Devil’s Sound - a six part immersive audio series, set in @davidmbarnett.bsky.social’s Withered Hill universe, is coming to Kickstarter January 9th. Sign up for updates: www.kickstarter.com/projects/tom... Follow the Devil’s Sound Instagram: www.instagram.com/thedevilssou...

The largest study so far into the genetics of chronic fatigue syndrome, or myalgic encephalomyelitis, has implicated 259 genes – six times more than those identified just four months ago

"Your paper "Methods and models..." explained through an analogy"??? What is going on with Academia-edu?

I once heard a cutting assessment of someone’s intellect in Argentinian Spanish that went jugas al tetris y giras el cuadradito. It means “you spin the square tile on Tetris.”

Closing out my year with a journal editor shocker 🧵 Checking new manuscripts today I reviewed a paper attributing 2 papers to me I did not write. A daft thing for an author to do of course. But intrigued I web searched up one of the titles and that's when it got real weird...

I have some grant funding for research assistance in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. If you know (preferably) history grad students who might be interested in working with me on the history of STEM education/professions in Soviet Central Asia, please send them my way. 🗃️

On the Third Sunday of Advent, we light three candles - perfect occasion to share the oldest preserved candles found north of the Alps. The candles were made from beeswax around 1,400 years ago. They were found in the early #medieval burial site in Oberflacht. The damp...🧵1/2 📷 me

Danes are sending their final Christmas cards — the last ever to be delivered by the national postal service. From the year-end, PostNord — which traces its history in Denmark back to 1624 — will cease carrying letters and handle only packages. www.ft.com/content/fecad9e1-5...

While we're on Christmas gift recommendations, you probably still have time to order a copy of Mark Wigan's gloriously illustrated Kat Godeu, from the Book of Taliesin. My own copy arrived recently, and it really is beautiful! www.markwigan.com/collections/...

Zizzi's now offers a dessert with a built-in cloud

Facebook AI making up random questions

For context the 'Middle England' referred to here is the 0.5% of households living in homes worth more than £2 million

The Boston Globe identified the companies in Massachusetts that employ the most SNAP recipients. A key stat: "In Massachusetts, 74% of working-age recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are employed, half of them full-time." Full article: www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/28/m...

Two very exciting sales through the weekend! For Spanish teachers/learners, VERBA Español for less than the original Kickstarter pricing ($25!) tpg-104198.square.site/product/span... For Dragon fans, Underlings of Underwing also for $25 tpg-104198.square.site/product/unde... Please share widely!

Does anyone want a survivorship bias shortbread

Looking out of my window at the pouring rain and thinking of my grandfather 110 years ago today marching through the rain on the Western Front.

OU academic Prof Bart Rienties has been honoured for saving a fellow athlete from drowning during the World Transplant Games triathlon this year! Read more here: https://research.open.ac.uk/news/ou-professor-honoured-after-rescuing-drowning-fellow-transplant-athlete

And still, there are those who say that Americans can’t do irony.

What do UK graduates do? Lots of information in this annual report. A reminder that Humanities graduates are quite employable. Compare unemployment rates for Biology (8.4%), Chemistry (5.9%) and Physics (8.0%) with English literature (6.4%), History (7.6%) and Languages (7.6%) for example.

@dougclow.bsky.social It's an amaryllis day!

Very frosty & cold. Whizbanged in afternoon. Saxons 187 quiet. Photo from corporal. Give anything for bulley New draft of 80. More on the #LiverpoolScottish and this unofficial truce 110 years ago on the 1915 #WW1 #WesternFront at georgefergusonliverpool.wordpress.com/2025/11/27/2...

i’m not crying you’re crying xkcd: Fifteen Years

It appears that it's going to be a slow news week for creator resources in the #audiodrama and #fictionpodcast sphere. Do you have a terrific strategy, tip, trick, or behind-the-scenes item to which I can link? Send it to me, gorgeous! forms.gle/H1hoF8kbAytG...

New article on larp, activism and deliberation in this collection, out in December!

Oops. Ooooooooooooops. I do hope that nobody has been given or denied a job/promotion based on their SpringerNature citation counts in the past 15 years. arxiv.org/pdf/2511.01675 h/t @nathlarigaldie.bsky.social

Am sure there will be some Dr Who fans here. For a local(ISH) cause... www.glasgowlive.co.uk/whats-on/fil...

This week, I withdrew from a speaking engagement at a public university because they sent me a list of prohibited “words & concepts.” I will not humor this censorship. It does a disservice to the stories I’m discussing & the audience, who deserve unfettered access to information & conversation.

👋We are looking for people with ME's experience of the medical system in the UK c.2012 - especially GET/CBT. Any first hand testimony would be greatly appreciated. It's research for a book & a chance to have your experience inform it's narrative. 🖇️👇 forms.gle/2qxLgWouTNJQ...

There were 93 homicides in London last year: population 9 million In New York - population 8.5 million - there were 391. London's homicide figure is 6 times lower than LA, 9 times lower than Miami, 17 times lower than Chicago. And it's falling year on year despite the population increasing

periodic reminder of the existence of Atkinson Hyperlegible, a free font available from the Braille Institute designed to improve readability for people with low vision I use it in talks because it's pretty and also because, as an audience member, I am perpetually squinting at people's slides