This is an absolutely sensational Pride flag; there's a brief description of the source for each colour in the alt text and a link to a higher res version in the comments, if you want to print it.

There was a lovely view of Venus (lower down) and Jupiter just after sunset. It was only when I looked at the photo that I realised you can see Castor and Pollux above and to the right of Jupiter.

Every summer I repost this article on how to spot drowning. Please read it and pass on. In the last few years I’ve had SIX messages from people who saved a kid’s life after clicking on the link from my feed. slate.com/technology/2...

So we have full 2025 immigration stats - Total net down by 2/3rds in 2025 (3/4 from peak) - Small boat arrivals in 2026 down 40%. Asylum backlog down 48%; returns up 9% - Asylum seekers in hotels down 35% (down 48% from peak) YET PUBLIC PERCEPTION 49% think 2025 saw increase; only 16% know it fell

The state of things. A thread 🧵

John saw the Apollo effort in the T.V. room so he is happy.

We have a youth #MentalHealth crisis - and an ideology of rigid discipline like this is certain a contributor www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

ESA doing its comms really well again🚀 If you enjoyed following Philae you'll love this🛰️😎

Thought this was a model response from @celiarichardson.bsky.social to a pretty harsh article in the Spectator about the National Trust

I can't like this post but I can share how sad it makes me☹️. It's a great account to follow and was the reason we visited last year - I thought I'd remembered it being fabulous from visiting before social media and this account was a deciding factor.

🔴 NEW: Reform’s £4m crypto donor Ben Delo has dismissed his US conviction as a "non-crime" But court filings tell a different story Delo was a "leader of a criminal enterprise”, US prosecutors said He pled guilty to a charge and paid $10m fine democracyforsale.substack.com/p/reforms-4m...

You’re responding to the call to love our neighbours, near and far, in millions of acts of hope every day. It’s this hope that fuels Christian Aid Week, moving your church and thousands of others like it to fundraise, act and pray. And together, that hope changes everything.

I’ve been hearing so much anger and disappointment from frontline workers about the BBC investigation into fraudulent asylum claims. One of the most damning responses has come from one of the experts they interviewed, solicitor Ana Gonzalez. It’s really worth reading her response in full:

Our nine part docuseries For the Record: An Incomplete History of Music comes out two months from today! Over four years in the making, the entire history of music told over ten hours. Presented by Charlotte Ritchie & all ENTIRELY FREE on our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.con/cosmicshambles

It's St George's Day. Contrary to popular belief, his introduction to England had nothing to do with Richard the Lionheart. A free-to-read article I wrote for @historytoday.com www.historytoday.com/archive/slay...

Our new report: Richard Tice signed accounts wrongly claiming £98,000 of tax exemptions A 🧵 with the evidence:

Drax claimed record £999m in subsidies for burning trees in 2025, thinktank says

Kew Gardens looking lovely today on a sunny Bank holiday. It's busy but doesn't feel crowded and we've just had an excellent lunch in the Orangery #KewGardens

I downloaded the high-res version of this amazing picture from the Artemis crew and did a little edit to make it look more like what the astronauts might actually see! Enjoy the picture and then check out the thread below explaining what you’re looking at… 🧪 #artemis #artemisii #space #moon

Such an excellent letter to the BSB over its failure to take anti-trans hostility in the legal profession seriously 👇🏻

My colleague Maria is in the Guardian today explaining why more drilling for oil and gas won't help our energy security. Renewables good! www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Soon we may see 1 million more satellites in Earth's orbit. The consequences to astronomy would be devastating. Fighting for a fair & sustainable use of space for astronomy and humanity — that's Betty Kioko's job as ESO’s Institutional Affairs Officer 👉 www.eso.org/public/blog/... 🔭 🧪 #DarkSkies

I'm looking forward to the full audiobook from @dreochapman.bsky.social in a couple of weeks but I'm going to enjoy this taster on BBC Radio 4 this week (and already available on Sounds for the next 30 days) www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

For Audible UK customers who like their science read aloud a heads up that Emotional Ignorance by @drdeanburnett.bsky.social is their Daily Deal today, yours for £2.99 until midnight. If you love Dean's dulcet tones don't worry, Matt Addis catches his voice perfectly.

You can also buy Stone Lands on Google Play Books, where you can share it with others in your family library.

If you are in the UK, you/your kids can watch all of our BAFTA NOMINATED factual comedy sketch show here www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

In pushing Labour's extreme and hostile anti-asylum and anti-immigration policies the Home Secretary has lied. She has, deliberately or through ignorance, misled the public on fundamental aspects of both. That alone should surely be a resigning matter

This St David's day why not find out about Owain Glyndwr! ✅The Man ✅The Myth ✅The massive fantasy nerd ✅The incredibly gracious host ✅May have accidentally got into a huge rebellion to try to liberate Wales after a dispute with his neighbour got out of hand www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

As journalists working today many of us are taught to recognise disinformation when we see it and fight back against it. Unfortunately there are some who willingly seek it out and put it on their front pages. A disgrace to the profession.

Look @robinince.bsky.social we were at the Science Museum ten years ago! I have blurry photos of Helen Keen and FotSN too, including Steve Mould's fire tornado.

This is also how every call to "slash red tape" or "deregulate" should be handled. Regulations can always work better or be streamlined, but 98% of the time their purpose is still valid and the right wing clowns bloviating about it are the last people on earth you'd trust to iterate implementation.

The wonderful thing about Tyggers Is Tyggers are burning bright Their tops are made out of rubber In the forest of the night What bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy, Immortal hand or eye Did frame the most wonderful thing about Tyggers, Their fearful symmetry!

This is amazing💕

No organisation existing solely to eliminate trans people should be a charity. #DeregisterSexMatters

I want to quote the whole article but this seems particularly relevant. "The appeal of a ban lies in its simplicity. But complex social problems rarely yield to simple technological solutions." I also recommend reading 'Unlocked' by @peteetchells.bsky.social

The US granted visas to Jews but only allowed 30,000 in from Germany a year. You had to wait for your number to come up. Meet Robert Smallbones. An unassuming British diplomat who 'hacked' this system so effectively (saving 48 THOUSAND Jews) the UK government kept his scheme secret for decades /1 🧵

We're on holiday in the most southerly bit of mainland Britain and we still saw a spectacular aurora.

A dramatic sunrise at Prussia Cove #Cornwall

Following coverage over the weekend of Sir Paul Nurse's comments that suggested that the only reason that a Fellow should be expelled from @royalsociety.org is scientific misconduct, I have written to him to explain the risks such an attitude poses of increasing sexual harassment in STEM.

I'm really enjoying reading Ring the Hill at the moment and this is now another book on my to-read list. Ring the Hill is reminding me of growing up in many of the places it visits, 1983 is the year I moved north (though now I realise I'm really a north-midlander, albeit west of the Pennines).

We've had a bunch of messages lately asking what the best way to support Shambles and @robinince.bsky.social is post Monkey Cage and the best bet is to sign up to our Patreon which is how we fund all Shambles documentaries, podcasts and such. Plenty on the horizon for 2026.

This is certain to be excellent - the best people take part in Cosmic Shambles productions.

I know many of you who follow me don't work in climate science, but this is the biggest story in climate right now. Breaking up NCAR makes us all less safe and is another act of self-harm that will take decades to recover from.

This is the best response I've seen so far to the sad news about The Infinite Monkey Cage. But there are thousands of other fans who recognised that Robin Ince practically defines what the BBC used to be; entertaining, enthusiastic and informative but delivered with absolute integrity.

What a treat for December! #JaneAusten250

We loved going to Indesign in Chester, though we couldn't afford to buy much at the time. This is a great addition to Chester city centre, and not too far from the Welsh Rarebit in the cathedral café.

There's not much left of the rule of law if organisations can be financially bullied into not asserting their legal rights. goodlaw.social/sb50

We are mothers, daughters, friends and colleagues who stand together in support of trans people. Not In Our Name. Read our full statement here: notinourname.org.uk/trans-exclus...

This piece was greenlit and then killed by a British newspaper, so I’ve decided to publish myself instead. Trans People Deserve Better. "Gender critical" feminism doesn't help women but it does help the far right open.substack.com/pub/wellread...