“The most obvious lesson of the railway manias is not that bubbles are good, but that hope springs eternal and greedy investors never learn.” We’re at the ‘everyone admits it’s a bubble but big investors haven’t cashed out yet so need to keep everyone else buying’ stage.

What's that? A Jackson & Livingstone style game book about William Shakespeare fending off the Old Ones?

I like how the caption on this photo reads as if he's making a claim that could not be independently verified.

I would not wish 1800s healthcare on my worst enemy.

Poverty and death in the wealthiest of nations www.thelancet.com/journals/lan... 2 studies are reminders of interplay between poverty, economic policy snd heealth outcomes Swift www.thelancet.com/journals/lan... Colvin www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Watched UHF with the kids. The 8 year old has declared it the best film she's ever watched. Smart kid that one.

This was about Rumours. Name other albums that meet this criteria. I'll start: Green Day - Dookie

Important for health journalists. I still remember during COVID how many people -- & even some reporters & medical professionals -- interpreted WHO's "no evidence of XX" to mean "Evidence that XX doesn't happen."

There are many companies offering dodgy blood testing (so they can sell you a ‘solution’). Testosterone is just one eg in a sea of fertility, menopause, ‘feeling tired’ nonsense. Yes it’s misinformation but also a slew of marketing that likely breaks ASA rules. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

One of the best things about autumn and winter : I get to cook chilli.

Latest post, on digital twins and digital spin: kucharski.substack.com/p/can-langua...

The farming of men's anxieties is very lucrative business and one done with very little care for the actual men it targets. Mens wellbeing discussion often comes served with a huge side order of biological essentialism, often leaving out the actual wellbeing bit www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

You know what we don't talk enough about? 80's homoerotic pro wrestling vignettes. Designed to introduce new 'heartthrob' wrestlers to an area, and especially to appeal to female fans to attend the live shows, promoters would make these vignettes to sell them and well... Judge for yourself.

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam... The Rise in Early-Onset Cancer in the US Population - More Apparent Than Real Epidemiology 101 All screening does harm, some screening does good etc Here is a telling example of harm And we wonder why there is a crisis in workload and workforce in cancer care

Almost 1 in 3 children in the UK grow up in poverty, harming their health, wellbeing and life chances. This cannot continue. The child poverty strategy must deliver real action now, writes Senior Economist Amrik Arshi. Read Amrik's blog ⬇️ https://bit.ly/47J3D59

congrats to everyone for thinking this through before signing very big contracts to put it on every student’s device at the school or university you run

When I lost the dictionary my wife asked if I looked upstairs I was like, “I can’t look up anything!”

Wonderful news everyone! Future Man is coming to Netflix!

You know that thing where people who've got problems with gambling can exclude themselves from betting shops? I need that but for buying custard creams from Aldi.

This vision may appeal to #cyclists!

Never has Betteridge’s Law been more right.

A rare challenging take from Betteridge's Law. Probably right nonetheless. Could be mostly vibes but there's more to it than that.

Also not sure about #2 - at least in public health and other policy relevant fields. Often what policymakers need most is a really good review article. If we want evidence to inform policy specifically reducing that type of study wouldn't be where I'd start.

Getting nervous for the talk I'm about to give at a workshop about "using AI to drive impact" which features slides such as these.

The Liverpool City Region has been growing strongly in recent years – not too far behind Greater Manchester and third in the leaderboard of Northern productivity growth. But why is this the case? And what can we learn for the UK productivity problem? Short 🧵 1/5

Not just that. Norway has a population more than ten times smaller than *England*, let alone the UK as a whole. Their GDP per capita is almost twice ours. Frankly, "it works in Norway" - whatever the policy being suggested - is only one away from "well, it worked in this novel I read"

In 2022 80% of abortions in England and Wales took place in independent sector, 99% of which were NHS funded. In 2022 there was also a 17% rise in number of abortions, to total of 251,377, compared to 2021. Increasing absolute poverty and that two child benefit cap? www.gov.uk/government/s...

"Jab at the Hut"

lol

Researching something in 1886. On just one page of one daily London newspaper: - woman kills herself in the woods - woman kills her baby - man kills himself in bed - man kills his wife - man killed by train - man killed by quarry - man ALMOST drowned - execution of a murderer - man kills cow

- riots and mutinies - mother throws child out of window - man with epilepsy falls in canal (survives) - false teeth stolen - man kicks wife unconscious - man attacks pony with iron (pony survives) - man steals loads of cows, flings one in 25ft deep pit JUST ONE PAGE. Those lovely good ol' days!

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC... Nice article on the Medical Officer of Health - forerunner of today's Director of Public Health with some still very relevant reflections on important aspects of the role and skills.

Much enjoyed the @healthfoundation.bsky.social health & #devolution conference today. Really interesting discussions around the roles of strategic authorities, ICBs, and councils around growth and health.

Charlie Mayfield's Keep Britain Working report out today. It sets out a clear case for better workplace health support, and a call to action for employers to lead the charge. V. important with over 4 million workers now with work-limiting health conditions www.gov.uk/government/p...

Massively effective interventions are relatively easier to provide evidence for. Failure to produce that evidence can only delay wider acceptance of what *you* are already certain works. So what are you waiting for? Could it be that your pet intervention isn't quite as amazing as you think? 🤔

How a relationship between two men was described during a trial in 1725. SO CUTE 🥲: "The Deceased and the Prisoner were such great Cronies before this Boxing Bout, that if the Deceased had but a Piece of Bread, and his Wife wanted it, he would give it to the Prisoner, and let his Wife go without."

Honestly, if this isn't your idea of fun, you need to take a long hard look at yourself.

‘So many things that sit with Strategic Authorities have the benefit of creating healthy communities’@jobibby.bsky.social Our driving better health through English #devolution kicking off today in Leeds.

Fixing Britain’s health-driven worklessness crisis will require employers to increase spending on workplace health to £6bn a year - landmark Mayfield review recommends: www.theguardian.com/business/202...

The Pennines are an unbroken chain of upland areas from near Stoke to Scotland. But looking closely at a map of protected landscapes like national parks – the chain is broken between the Peaks and the Dales. Why is this one area not protected - and should it be? Short 🧵 1/3

Peak Autumn

Latest National Child Measurement Programme data published today, highlighting worrying trends including the highest obesity prevalence seen in reception since measurements began in 2006 to 2007 (exc. pandemic peak) Read our full response here ⬇️ obesityhealthalliance.org.uk/2025/11/04/o...

Felt like a very old fart today in a conversation about predictive modelling I mentioned the combined predictive model which it turns out was finished in 2006. I swear I'm not even *that* old.

🧵Local authorities play a crucial role in putting together the building blocks of health. In this new blog, @sharlenemcgee.bsky.social​ explains how a 'health in all policies' approach provides a framework to consider the health implications of every decision ⬇️ https://bit.ly/3JFAtvX

Are rising costs of school trips proving difficult for you? Parents, students, teachers how is it affecting you and the school? [email protected] with name and phone number to tell us your story or DM me if you’re happy to share your experience. Thanks

An outbreak of Listeria which has caused 6 deaths so far has been linked to pasta meals sold in 18 US states. Listeria infections can especially severe in young children, pregnant women, the elderly and other immunocompromised persons. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

A total and utter hero

it hasn't helped sell any mags but it appears our nonsense on here has just pushed our account over 5K 'followers', so let's embrace that as some kind of achievement! Like & repost this to be in with a chance to win every in-print issue of Wyrd Science & a t-shirt of your choice*

A lifehack for turning "non-significant" results into pure gold? (ICYMI) statsepi.substack.com/p/one-simple...