My ex-student James Cook just released a new bicycle safety helmet technology. A deceptively simple way to reduce the rotational impact forces that cause brain injury in crashes. Check it out: About RLS share.google/T1GY4iYSC32f...

Do biodegradable tree shelters work?Just back from installing samples of biodegradable tree shelters for field trials. The project is led by PhD student Aaron Jones, with me and Prof Helen Hailes as supervisors in partnership with Woodland Trust.

Nice bit of news. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

If you live in England, you can find where road runoff pollution is being released near you with our Watershed Pollution Map. Unfortunately, this data isn't publicly available for Scotland, Wales or NI, not for small roads that make up 97% of the network. watershedinvestigations.com/home/find-ou...

Okay I know this is a joke but I did 100% download a backup copy of wikipedia back in February (and you can, too!) kiwix.org

Rare consensus between Europe and EU that forever chemicals are bad news for humans and the environment. Chemical firms to be forced to pay for clean up running into billions. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/c...

UK - most of my October micro-tour dates are SOLD OUT. A few remain at Keymer and Gateshead: tickets available from my website. Next UK orbit is September 2026: don’t miss it!

IF YOU DRILL BABY DRILL 🇺🇲 HOW MANY WILL YOU KILL? 🚨BREAKING: We just disrupted Trump's oily backer's party - an exclusive Republican Overseas UK dinner, just around the corner from where Trump is staying - because his policies and their oily money is KILLING US

I love London so much. So much. Did you know that London has the lowest level of ethnic violence of any city of comparable size in the world? Multiculturalism has in fact worked here. They just don’t want it to be true because we happen to have a Muslim mayor.

RIP Robert Redford. A class act. This photo below is from the film Three Days of the Condor, which I rate as one of his best. He plays a book worm academic type who gets caught up in a CIA plot. I turned up my collars for months after seeing that film.

Even tertiary treatment can't remove PFAS. Swiss water authorities, like many around the world, are calling for a ban on PFAS. They say it's so incredibly hard to remove PFAS from water that the only way to prevent contamination is not to produce PFAS at all. 5/5 www.theguardian.com/science/audi...

We are presenting our data and analysis on the impact of disposable nappies on child health, school readiness, and pollution to MPs in UK Parliament on 5th Nov. If you want your local MP to attend please do contact them. Details here: senseaboutscience.org/evidence-wee...

The reality of airport expansion is that most of the flights will be taken by well-off people who already fly a lot, not 'ordinary families' taking their one holiday a year (as politicians want you to believe). Well-expressed by @zackpolanski.bsky.social 👇 www.standard.co.uk/comment/heat...

I am currently eating an aubergine sandwich. A fact I cant adequately explain.

Banning disposable condiments are low hanging fruit if we want to reduce plastic pollution. www.bbc.com/news/article...

If you are wondering why landfills create toxic liquid, its from things like batteries, electronics, waterproof clothing, cosmetics, shoes. 35% of UK waste ends up in landfills. Globally its more like 90%.

Seriously people. Just bathe. Stop worrying about what other people think and what these companies are trying to sell you, because that is all that it is... people trying to make money off you.

Don’t spray your bits with deodorant, folks. Keep it clean down there you won’t need it. Also for men, I’d recommend maybe trying out soap meant for women’s parts? It’s mild and won’t irritate the family jewels

It enters your blood no matter where you spray it.

Before you spray your genitals with deodorant I would strongly advise looking at the ingredients list first. A lot of nasty hormone disrupting chemicals are not banned for this use. www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Wisdom at its best here. Very much worth your time reading this. Also the word 'eschatology' is used!

"Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works." - Steve Jobs Lets see if they designed all these new products to be repairable 👀 #AppleEvent

The pesticide paraquat linked to Parkinsons disease is manufactured in Britain but banned for use here. It is also banned in the EU and China. But its legal in the USA and thats where we export it. Ethical or just cynical? www.nytimes.com/2025/09/08/o...

Disposable face masks used during Covid have left chemical timebomb, research suggests

During Covid we published our calculation of the environmental cost of the reusable Covid masks and compared them against the disposable ones. We found that using reusable masks creates >85% less waste, generates 3.5 times lower impact on climate change and incurs 3.7 times lower costs.

A lunar eclipse will be visible this evening as the Moon rises from around 19:30 BST 🌒 With the Moon low on the horizon, you may need to find a high spot with a clear view east for the best chance to see it

If you like observing and understanding our universe, you'll love the 2025 Christmas Lectures, supported by CGI, with space scientist Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock! Learn more: rigb.org/christmas-lectures

By the way the Art Deco Hackney Town hall where FixFest 2025 is being held is stunning and very beautiful.

Tear down of air pods at iFixit 2025. They are currently a disposable product but will have to have user replaceable batteries by 2027 by law in the EU.

Fixfest 2025: "laws passed in EU are helping promote repair economy globally" eg. The obligation to make batteries replaceable by the user in all products. This comes into force in July 2027. It will make all smartphones globally more repairable. share.google/Wd2ptOIGyJRQ...

Oh dear, sorry to hear that. Yet more dismantling of the truth in the U.S.

The Advertising Standards Authority have updated their guidance on using the terms 'biodegradable' and 'compostable' to sell plastics. They cited our research showing that biodegradable plastics rarely live up to their claims. www.asa.org.uk/news/disposi...

The Advertising Standards Authority have updated their guidance on using the terms 'biodegradable' and 'compostable' to sell plastics. They cited our research showing that biodegradable plastics rarely live up to their claims. www.asa.org.uk/news/disposi...

After high hopes, has the insurance industry become a deserter, possibly even an enemy in the fight against climate change? Just a thought tomheap.substack.com/p/insurance

The Royal Society's Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship scheme is now open for applications. This scheme offers a first step into an independent research career for early career scientists who require a flexible working pattern. Find out more and apply now: #RSGrants royalsociety.org/grants/dorot...

Lucy Van Dorp is one of the best scientists and people that I know. Join her lab, and do amazing work.

Ps. At the UCL Institute of Making we offer FREE ceramics and other art/science/engineering workshop access to all UCL students and staff. www.instituteofmaking.org.uk

Something I wrote a year ago that’s infuriatingly relevant

"Whenever I’ve needed it most – in education, in later life – art turned up and rescued me" so true from Jonny Vegas: www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/s...

Really pleased to announce Meeting the Moment on 26 Nov - a one day event for culture leaders about speaking up in troubled times www.watershed.co.uk/news/standin...

Posts about scientific research on Bluesky receive substantially more attention than similar posts on Twitter. More importantly, you're far less likely to get sexist or racist replies.

Save your money. Studies show that tap water works just fine. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/21/w...

Terroir becomes terror for the worms in monoculture vineyards.

So well deserved!

The global repair festival Fixfest begins next Friday. Highly recommended! I will be there talking about Right to Repair. fixfest.therestartproject.org

Should polluters pay for clean up? This policy consensus might be crumbling. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/c...

Do have a listen!

The first planned migration of an entire country due to climate change is happening! Tuvalu, a Pacific island nation, is at risk of being submerged under rising sea level, so it has signed an agreement with Australia to allow 280 Tuvaluans to settle in Australia as permanent residents each year.

Two decades of tireless work restoring habitat & creating eco-mooring sites (so boats' anchors don't tear seagrass out by the roots) by The Seahorse Trust & @noc.ac.uk, has paid off with a spectacular summer of seahorses off the Dorset coast this year 🌊 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

We are conducting a global citizen science study of disposable nappy use and how to reduce it while supporting parents and kids. If you have small people in nappies please do take part. Www.bigtoiletproject.org