Y chromosomes in women who had given birth to sons. An extraordinary aspect of pregnancy. Also yet another indication of the complicated nature of our genetic makeup that does not fit within the binary oversimplifications of so many people peddling hatred as biological law.

How many decades, centuries, or millennia does your life stretch? Do you know your lunar birthday, and age? Or would you rather not know how much older she thinks you are compared to all that solar showiness?

It is breathtaking what some will do, or accept others doing, to avoid building a better future for all.

What an amazing place to work. The skies around my office always feel rather empty.

Nicolas Gourault's fantastic short experimental documentary film «Their Eyes» about the invisible human labor behind AI, which we showed and discussed at our «React & Respond» conference in Zurich last year, is now streaming on the NYT website www.nytimes.com/2026/01/02/o...

It's not surprising that a man who resigned over his abusive "jokes" about Diane Abbott also thought a British political prisoner a "joke" and colonial reparations a "distraction". The problem is that this casual racist disregard for human rights was, and remains, at the heart of Starmer's project.

Ideal time to post this lovely review of Vanished from Boston Birding Festival. I especially appreciate that my ‘arguments are built with steel’, this description of the emotional journey of reading the book, and the final exhortation. www.bostonbirdingfestival.org/posts/winter...

“In this case, the unidentified woman had varying proportions of male and female cells in different tissues. The most likely explanation for this is that she developed from a single egg that was fertilised by two sperm − one carrying an X chromosome and the other a Y, biologists told New Scientist.”

I will never apologize for a post

Being in a world where she exists is its own joy. Hoping to build a world in which she, and all life, thrives sustained my roars and refusals in Vanished and beyond all year. Whatever 2025 held for you, may 2026 offer even better.

A verified campaign to support Al Anwar Camp for Refugees, near Khan Younis. The weather has been dreadful in the last few days and needs are overwhelming. chuffed.org/project/1592...

Someone I know is completing a professional course and their final deadline is 31 December. *holiday expletive*

Joining the chorus of women reposting this.

Someone I know has decided to go to therapy in the hope 2026 will be better. If you’re in the same situation, here are some links that might be useful to search for one. Best of luck. www.bacp.co.uk/search/Thera... www.psychotherapy.org.uk www.counselling-directory.org.uk

This reality is so much closer than many realise.

Shout out to those celebrating a medical anniversary at this time of year. And a special thanks to all the nurses who looked after us when we needed them.

A thread from amazing Moudhy with lots of lovely book recommendations, including Vanished. If you haven’t checked out Moudhy’s book, follow her and track down Between Two Rivers. Apart from the gorgeous cover, there are so many wonderful insights into ancient worlds. Back to my break.

Time to vanish, for a while at least. Out-of-office message finally up. It’s been a wild year, but a brutal term and now it is time to grieve and recover. Have a good break. Whatever went before, good or bad, may the future bring better ahead.

I’m not sure I’ve seen extinction-themed wallpaper before (except dinosaurs). Although I’ve seen plenty of soft toys and luxury bedding. www.decoratingcentreonline.co.uk/products/cla...

This could apply to so many more people.

🚨 Call for Papers! 🚨 📣Join us @lancasteruni.bsky.social 1-3 July 2026 as we return to our original home to celebrate our 50th anniversary! We welcome proposals from historians at all career stages across 8 thematic strands. 📅 CfP deadline: 16/01/26 🔗 socialhistory.org.uk/events/confe... #CFP 🗃️

I saw a presentation today that pointed to problems with the costs of AI (clearly extracting resources is its goal) but reframing around this question is essential: who owns the AI dividend

While on the topic of @historyworkshop.org.uk issue 100, I was really pleased that Hiro Matsubara from Rekiken accepted our invitation to write about some exciting new initiatives in Japan. More cross-border and cross-linguistic historical knowledge sharing please! academic.oup.com/hwj/advance-...

The "Duck" in Avenida Place hotel, Barcelona, Spain

Something is deeply wrong at the Guardian. From trivialising deportation to adopting the slogans of the far-right, this is profoundly grim.

Do you recognise anyone in these photographs? We would love to hear your stories in the comments!

Something is deeply wrong at the Guardian. From trivialising deportation to adopting the slogans of the far-right, this is profoundly grim.

Started term with news of the horrific attack at Manchester Synagogue. Ending term with news of the horrific attacks at Brown and Bondi. I’m not sure I know many people who feel safe in public anymore. Such hatred and inhumanity.

Oh my word. I’ve been drawn as a dodo to accompany a review of Vanished in the Coburg Review. I can’t tell who the author is, but link to their website below. coburgreviewofbooks.wordpress.com/wp-content/u... coburgreviewofbooks.wordpress.com/2025/12/10/t...

Wearing masks and social distancing dramatically reduced flu so much during the pandemic that I saw discussion about its possible extinction. Vaccines, masks even if only worn when unwell, tissues, and good hygiene would do far more to protect us all than this strategy.

Work laptop (MacBook Air) updates automatically. Latest update seems to have removed the option to turn off co-pilot on Office. Can anyone help provide a solution for removing it on an apple device? Has this option been removed as an individual choice on enterprise versions of office 365?

posted about my Apple ID woes, please share widely? hey.paris/posts/appleid/

Always stunned at how little people know about the importance of Jesus and Mary along with Adam and Eve in Islam, including in the Quran, with Adam, Moses, Abraham, and Jesus all recognised as prophets. There is a reason that Jews and Christians are called The People of the Book in Islam.

So, El Fasher looks like one of the worst single event atrocities to happen this century so far, but the evidence has come in such a trickle it seems to only now be getting verified

In my 25yrs in the academy I 👀 the proliferation of expensive enterprise software that shifted the burden of sooo many basic administrative functions — reconciling receipts, paying honoraria, booking travel — from competent, efficient staff to faculty + students. I’d spend entire days on this crap.

“The work was emotionally exhausting, with chat users confiding intimate details about their real-life relationships, as well as their own emotional trauma, falsely believing they were talking to an unfeeling AI chatbot.”

Thinking of all the people existing in places where they are surrounded by people who are not only fine with rather a lot of competent cruelty, but rewarded for it. I’m confident many of us will have seen this happen or experienced it. Best of luck making it to safer places. Strength.

Bland doesn’t mean inoffensive. His triangulating, his pandering to Reform policies, his constant lying, his utter emptiness when it comes to principle, his willingness to throw vulnerable people under the bus all contribute to why he is so loathed.

The environment flows through our bodies, altering our trajectories in ways medicine is just starting to see. "Your 'environment' could be the refinery a town over, the lead in the paint of your mother’s home, the plastic sheath of a Hot Pocket you microwaved in 1996." www.wired.com/story/scient...

Andrew Solomon’s Far from the Tree would fit right into this kind of list. andrewsolomon.com/books/far-fr...

@drsurekhadavies.bsky.social have you seen this? 🥳 www.historytoday.com/archive/revi...

When will this crisis get any attention whatsoever!? A THOUSAND ACADEMIC STAFF AT ONE INSTITUTION SERVED REDUNDANCY RISK NOTICES! And that's not counting what's surely being visited on professional services staff too. This is an economic catastrophe, to say nothing of the intellectual catastrophe!

This workshop is now about half full (admission is rolling) and it’s shaping up to be a great cohort! Still plenty of time to apply; the deadline is Jan. 24.

Today plus there is a streaming link fyi forgeproject.com/programs/for...

A pomegranate juice stall is a thing of beauty. Remarkably, this one is a short walk from work, even in this wintry chill.

The story of this collection awaits its historian and fullest telling. It really is an amazing insight into multiple forms of historical erasure, neglect, and theft.

Reminder that the ECHR prevents people being expelled to face torture, inhuman treatment, slavery or death, and prevents splitting of families unless there's a strong enough public interest. European leaders are evidently comfortable with at least some of those things, at least for foreigners.

A really useful thread for those who want to know about the latest updates on REF. I suspect that this change to portability rules is the most important change that is worth knowing about for most people, especially those moving institutions or losing their jobs in the current awfulness.

It is telling that police described *reducing* the racial and gender bias of this technology as having a ‘significant negative impact on operational effectiveness’. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

It’s going to be fabulous. Come and join us for the celebrations, and thoughtful conversations.