📚💙 Hugh Walpole is another classic ghost writer who, since his initial success in the 1920s/30s, has fallen into obscurity. If you'd like to delve into his work "Mr Huffam" is an enchanting way to begin. You can also listen to some of his stories on the "Encrypted" podcast read by Jasper L'Estrange.

Don't eat fish.

I really enjoyed this so much. And secretly want you to hear it and conclude I'm a genius an that

How might aliens perceive the Universe? Daniel and Kelly talk about how aliens might experience the Universe and how it might shape their science, a topic from Daniel's new book "Do Aliens Speak Physics?" www.iheart.com/podcast/105-...

If you ever wondered how natural selection works: “Physicists have a huge evolutionary advantage because being a cool physicist makes everyone want to have your babies.” 😂 If you're interested in all things science then I can't recommend this podcast (and Daniel's book! see below) highly enough.

Are you looking for our Public Lecture Series? The 2024 and 2025 lectures are now available on this YouTube channel playlist. 🔭 🧪

Late to the party on this but billionaire “inventions” send my mind to that scene in Carry On Regardless where they’re demonstrating useless, life-complicating gizmos (that all go wrong) at the Ideal Home Exhibition.

💙📚 Star Trek jokes aside, this is a wonderful collection of ghost stories by Arthur Quiller-Couch (A Pair of Hands is particularly good). Every story read buoys up my belief that you can’t beat ghost story writers from the late Victorian period to 1920’s (ish). And I’m already pretty biased.

🫡

Indeed. The last thing this country wants is an educated great unwashed. They might start thinking and stuff and that would never do.

She's promised Israel/US that when she gains power she'll privatise all of Venezuela's oil and industry. As a huge supporter of Israel she said ‘If we win, we will move the Venezuelan embassy to Jerusalem to support Israel.’

Is it dystopian science fiction or UK HE? Always hard to tell.

Dr. Jane Goodall filmed an interview with Netflix in March 2025 that she understood would only be released after her death.

🔭 NGC 6960: The Witch's Broom Nebula Image Credit & Copyright: Brian Meyers apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap25100...

Who says you can’t combine turn of the century ghost stories and Star Trek! #Booksky

📚💙 October reads! If you’re squirrelling away books with a Halloween backdrop then I’d be chuffed if you’d consider my novel King Street Run. It’s a satire on the flogging of academia for profit but with gargoyles, time distortion, and lots of what the kids these days call “easter eggs”. #Books

The Green Party now has 78,000 members. Thats 10,000+ new members this month alone who want to draw the line. I know there are so many more people who want to take a stand. Join us: join.greenparty.org.uk

If we "stop the boats" it won't change a thing; energy will remain unaffordable, food will still be overpriced, & you'll still work crippling hours for peanut wages. Your life isn't rubbish because of small boats. It's rubbish because of predatory capitalism and the societal termites who endorse it

There are nearly 3000 food banks in the UK.

Despite the overwhelming evidence of Trump's criminality, his fascist policies, his support of Israel's genocide, his links with sex trafficking and his views that domestic violence isn't a crime, what were the standout looks of the state visit, BBC News?

Queen

🚨 RIGHT NOW opposite Labour Party HQ in London. We’ve turned their street into Jabaliya camp in Gaza. A genocide is happening, but the Labour government is supplying weapons, intelligence and diplomatic cover to the perpetrator. Protesting this is not terrorism.

Replace "Magician" and "Magic" with "Politician" and "Politics". (Excerpt from vintage 'how-to' magic book)

1/2 Eliza Brightwen (1830 –1906) was a self-taught Scottish naturalist, populariser of science, and wildlife advocate. The 19th century was awash (happily!) with books about natural history but they can be heavy going. 💙📚

I'll take your Cavendish 1666 and raise you Johannes Kepler's "Somnium" (1608).

📚💙 In the 19th century a common type of what we now call science outreach took the form of popular science books. This is a lovely example from 1896 by G.F. Chambers 🔭🧪

Always lovely to get a glowing review on Goodreads. Thanks to the brilliant David Hay who I know a little from X but who isn’t on here @elsewhen.press #booksky

🔭 The Spinning Pulsar of the Crab Nebula Image Credit: NASA: X-ray: Chandra (CXC), Optical: Hubble (STScI), Infrared: Spitzer (JPL-Caltech) apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap25082...

Is this the first sign of a zombie epidemic?

I heard a thousand blended notes, While in a grove I sate reclined, In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts Bring sad thoughts to the mind. To her fair works did Nature link The human soul that through me ran; And much it grieved my heart to think What man has made of man - William Wordsworth

📚💙 Robert Blatchford’s seminal work “Dismal England” is as relevant today as it was in 1899. It’s a scathing critique of social inequality in the late Victorian period with the same worries making it easily relatable. He encourages the working class to overthrow the capitalist system exploiting them

There are two galaxies in this image: the yellow one in the center and a second background galaxy that appears to warp around the foreground galaxy, creating an Einstein ring. This image combines data from the Hubble and #NASAWebb space telescopes. Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA. 🔭 🧪

Oh come on, even those of you with “its” have to chuckle. Jerome K. Jerome. From “Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow” 1886

I'm thinking of trying to establish a sovereign state for Palestinian refugees in West London. I think the ability to correctly read a sign saying 'I support Palestine Acton' would make a suitable threshold of competence for the met police. Not sure how many would cross it.

🔊 Sound on to experience things that go “bump” in the universe! #NASARoman will net 10,000+ exploding stars, including Type Ia supernovas that let us measure the expansion history of the universe: bit.ly/4ftjQip 🔭 🧪

@michaelspicer.bsky.social : Going where lesser satirists fear to punch “I’m not qualified to speak about what’s going on with Israel & Palestinians.I don’t have enough knowledge to have an opinion & that’s how I want it to stay.I don’t want an opinion. I don’t wanna know anything..Let me be thick”

🔭 Blue Arcs Toward Andromeda Image Credit & Copyright: Ogle et al. apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap25080...

📚💙 Should you find yourself near Grantham, Lincs this gem deserves a visit. Founded in 1598, the Trigge Library (located in the stunning St. Wulfrums church) was England’s first public library and was probably frequented by Isaac Newton (who attended the school next door).

Written in 1704, the preface to Jonathan Swift’s “The Battle of The Books” sums up why there’s no such thing as right wing satire. #Booksky

In 1962 Oswald Mosley wrote to Bertrand Russell in an attempt to persuade (or provoke) him into a debate. Russell’s response is a master class in how to deal with fascists.

📚💙 If anyone is interested in folklore (specifically Spanish) I have a wonderful account of the fish-man of Liérganes in a book from 1796. I’d be happy to scan the pages for you (the account is four pages in length). #Historian #Folklore #Spain #AcademicChatter

We don't have to push children into poverty. We don't have to make life harder for the sick and disabled. We don't have to aid and abet genocide. For too long, people have been denied a real political choice. Not anymore. Join us at yourparty.uk

Fancy supporting small presses? Quick plug for my short story collection from @elsewhen.press An Orchid in My Belly Button. Magical realism eco fiction. books2read.com/AnOrchidInMy... #booksky #amwriting If you respond with info about your newest book, I will RT it

This is a great read and goes to show that if you're looking for an intelligent/meaningful read, small press publications are the place to look.

A great podcast for those who love classic ghost stories. Encrypted features tales from the likes of M.R James, H.G Wells, E.F Benson etc along with lesser known authors. All beautifully read with plenty of atmosphere by Jasper L'Estrange. #Booksky #GhostStories

Satire holds power/injustice to account in a way that resonates with a wide audience. That's largely why the last 15 years or so have seen it reduced to anodyne quiz shows and back-slapping travel documentaries. Michael Spicer is an exception; genuine satire that's well observed & incredibly funny.

📚💙 Some 1950s gems. As pointed out in the intro by then British Museum director Gavin de Beer, the Piltdown hoax had an up side: "These latest investigations... make a successful repetition of a similar type of forgery virtually impossible but will be of further value in palaeontological research"