Amid any talk of US exceptionalism we should include that government shutdowns don't happen in other countries. Political parties don't crash their societies to make a point.

Why does this keep happening to me.

Things I wish I'd known as a junior academic #37

In Icelandic we have 'Ókind' for monster. But the translation is un-sheep. So everything not a sheep is dangerous.

This is correct, with one important caveat - most decisions on funding, admin, publishing, career, are made (and can be derailed) by people who by definition benefited the most from these metrics and incentives, and stand to lose the most by changing them.

Only a few years ago @uniofnottingham.bsky.social liked to call themselves "Britain's global university". What kind of global institution stops teaching languages?

Got a bit stuck writing a proposal so I went for a walk outside to clear my head and came back with a pile of fresh ideas that are entirely irrelevant to this proposal. Does anyone else want them?

I have no idea who to credit for this, apologies. But fuck, that's so accurate based on recent workplace conversations I've overheard.

COP 30: La Via Campesina’s Manifesto – Land and Rights for Those Who Cool the Planet! https://viacampesina.org/en/2025/10/cop-30-la-via-campesinas-manifesto-land-and-rights-for-those-who-cool-the-planet This manifesto is our roadmap at this decisive moment […] [Original post on mastodon.social]

A huge boost for the United States to receive a direct cable link to West Cork. #SpeirGorm

Once again the LRB leads the way in its penetrating analysis of literary culture.

This is a brilliant panel and will be well worth listening to.

Academia or horror film plot? "Your monomaniacal focus and overweening perfectionism push you to the brink of delusional madness and self-harm. The more self-destructive your habits and the deeper your obsession, the more you are applauded by those around you."

It's great to see the kids so excited and R and coding.

They found the real Lying Cat! www.euronews.com/green/2025/1...

New Scientist is looking for a new features editor, ideally with a specialism in evolution, ecology, human sciences and biology - if there's you, take a look! www.dmgmedia.co.uk/careers/jobs...

I'm queasy about these appeals for the public to donate their cash to aristocratic landowners. UK land prices are completely out of kilter with reality, due to various policy drivers (tax, subsidies etc) - to the detriment of both farmers and conservationists.

There are at least 196 uncontacted indigenous groups around the world. This is by choice and we should respect their desire to remain separate. New report by @survivalinternational.org

Spending a grumpy Sunday morning scrubbing the sticky TPE off electronic devices to make them usable again. Pretty sure we never used to have this problem.

waiting to hear back on my submission

In France, we pride ourselves on enjoying life’s simple pleasures: food, drink, and the occasional grand larceny. To rush through these things would not just disrupt our leisurely schedule; it would be a sin. One must savor the moment, not run from robbery to robbery like a buffoon.

Dealer recommends that you should be taking less but better-quality drugs.

If you pay me enough, I can promise to close a few browser windows on my computer as Browser Window Compensation.

At this rate I'm well on track to reach net zero browser windows by 2030 and should be able to start reductions across all my devices thereafter.

Please pass along, I’m recruiting PhD students to join our Macroecology Lab @uofa-eeb.bsky.social We study phys ecology, macroecology, biodiversity - spanning scaling, trait-based ecology, theory, comparative biology & ecoinformatics. Several avenues for funding. Please reach out if interested🧪🌐🌾

This is the oldest surviving spherical representation of Earth, created in 1492. It's so old that the entirety of the Americas are missing, and other parts of the world are pretty hazy.

Did you know that Esperanto organisations were defiantly anti-fascist? I learnt this on my recent visit to the Esperanto Museum in Vienna, which is well worth a trip.

Warning: ducks ahead #SpeirGorm

I think we can all agree that this is the tribute his life's work deserves. #SpeirGorm

If you're looking for a book to introduce transgender identity to kids, this one is fantastic. It's fun to read, matter-of-fact on the issues, and both my kids (7 and 4) loved it.

This relatable image is my favourite from the 2026 @survivalinternational.org calendar. Photo by Ryan Redcorn. You can support indigenous peoples by ordering one now: shop.survivalinternational.org/collections/...

Most of the camera triggers from our coniferous plot are sika deer or lost hikers, so this pine marten is a welcome spot @biocomp-erc.bsky.social

That fungus definitely wasn't there when I set up the audio monitor six months ago. Wonder if we can hear it growing. @biocomp-erc.bsky.social

No surprise that there's so little regeneration of broadleaf trees in Glengarriff oak forest with all these sika deer around @biocomp-erc.bsky.social

As an ECR I heard the observation that ecologists tend to become more applied as they get older, and wondered whether I could resist the drive. Now I understand. 1/3

"You asked if we could mourn those we do not know – and, of course, we can and do. However, I suspect that much of our mourning is for ourselves, for the things we yearn for, the opportunities we have lost, and how we wish our lives could have been." No one writes better about grief than Nick Cave.

A useful reminder that love of nature does not correspond to any particular political outlook. The Hitler Youth were all about hiking and volunteering for conservation.

Would be happy to work with interested students to develop a fellowship proposal centered around phenology and ecophysiology! 🌿🌳🌎 www.simonsfoundation.org/grant/simons...

In honour of long tradition I have made my sacrifice to the travel gods by leaving my plug converter behind in the hotel. Every time.

Mordecai Ogada is never afraid of challenging received opinion and always worth listening to. Before mythologising Jane Goodall we should recognise that she wasn't a hero to everyone in conservation.

What day of the week was the Chicxulub impact that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs? I feel like it must have been a Thursday.

THEM: how's it going ME: pretty good, last month in india i only sold 61 fewer cars than tesla THEM: wait, you sell cars? ME: no

Hello, I'm Markus, I'm 47 years old, and I just made a Reply-All blunder to a large international network 🤦‍♂️

Please can we all stop asking for 'highly motivated' applicants. If they've made it through the convoluted application process for your position then you can assume they're motivated.

Oh, this one really boils my piss. I LOVE Books Upstairs — they a vast selection of affordable books. I will definitely be ordering online once I'm able to help support their remodeling costs. I invite y'all to join me. ❤️

Books Upstairs is a fine store with a particularly excellent poetry section. Why not support them by ordering your books online instead: booksupstairs.ie

What kind of absolute ghoul sets fire to a bookshop? Glad to hear the damage was largely only to the outside but fucksake.