Alex Weatherall
@aweatherall.bsky.social
Physics Teacher (England and now Aotearoa New Zealand #NZEd #UKEd)
Technical-co-founder @teachertapp.bsky.com
Software dev for 12 years and teacher for 12.
Love music, the sky, and my new antipodean home.
Also on mastodon and no longer on twitter.
Technical-co-founder @teachertapp.bsky.com
Software dev for 12 years and teacher for 12.
Love music, the sky, and my new antipodean home.
Also on mastodon and no longer on twitter.
Reposted by Alex Weatherall
Kelly: "I never expected after serving 25 years in the Navy flying combat missions over Iraq and Kuwait, flying the Space Shuttle, that now I've got to worry about my personal safety and that of my wife, Gabby Giffords, who was already nearly assassinated, because of something the president said."
November 21, 2025 at 2:08 AM
Kelly: "I never expected after serving 25 years in the Navy flying combat missions over Iraq and Kuwait, flying the Space Shuttle, that now I've got to worry about my personal safety and that of my wife, Gabby Giffords, who was already nearly assassinated, because of something the president said."
Reposted by Alex Weatherall
Reposted by Alex Weatherall
Fixed it for you. Idiots! If the exclusion is based on appearance then it will certainly impact cis folks as well as trans folks.
November 20, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Fixed it for you. Idiots! If the exclusion is based on appearance then it will certainly impact cis folks as well as trans folks.
Wizards keep disappearing into the nether world? Problematic mage gap.
Actors keep falling into the orchestra pit? Problematic stage gap.
Angry person yelling at chill person who is responding by being calm, which makes the angry person even more mad? Problematic rage gap.
November 20, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Wizards keep disappearing into the nether world? Problematic mage gap.
People keep on falling out online? Problematic rage app.
River sensor knocked out by a flash flood? Problematic gage gap.
Actors keep falling into the orchestra pit? Problematic stage gap.
November 20, 2025 at 8:59 AM
People keep on falling out online? Problematic rage app.
Reposted by Alex Weatherall
Nothing to apologize for, Alom; it's the sort of story that can inspire improvement, by flagging up a 'gap in the market'.
Publishers' attitudes and assumptions may even be responsible for the industry DECLINE that's routinely blamed on the internet...
Publishers' attitudes and assumptions may even be responsible for the industry DECLINE that's routinely blamed on the internet...
November 15, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Nothing to apologize for, Alom; it's the sort of story that can inspire improvement, by flagging up a 'gap in the market'.
Publishers' attitudes and assumptions may even be responsible for the industry DECLINE that's routinely blamed on the internet...
Publishers' attitudes and assumptions may even be responsible for the industry DECLINE that's routinely blamed on the internet...
We should bar graph jokes. It's a slippery slope to someone making a funny pie chart about something series.
Lots of people telling me they love Dad jokes, but jokes about graph paper are where they draw the line.
Why shouldn't you trust someone you see drawing on graph paper?
They're definitely plotting something.
They're definitely plotting something.
November 15, 2025 at 11:59 PM
We should bar graph jokes. It's a slippery slope to someone making a funny pie chart about something series.
It's rude to show AI output to people by Alex Martsinovich via
@schiff.nz
distantprovince.by/posts/its-ru...
@schiff.nz
distantprovince.by/posts/its-ru...
It's rude to show AI output to people | Alex Martsinovich
Feeding slop is an act of war
distantprovince.by
November 15, 2025 at 6:09 AM
It's rude to show AI output to people by Alex Martsinovich via
@schiff.nz
distantprovince.by/posts/its-ru...
@schiff.nz
distantprovince.by/posts/its-ru...
Reposted by Alex Weatherall
"I did not have the good fortune of living with parents who loved reading or in a household filled with books, but I did have an excellent local library...now that I am an author, it is once again librarians who are helping me to flourish in the absence of other support" (scroll down to read my bit)
The GLL Literary Foundation One Year On – Books For Keeps
booksforkeeps.co.uk
November 14, 2025 at 11:22 AM
"I did not have the good fortune of living with parents who loved reading or in a household filled with books, but I did have an excellent local library...now that I am an author, it is once again librarians who are helping me to flourish in the absence of other support" (scroll down to read my bit)
Reposted by Alex Weatherall
a “Space Force”, if you will
November 13, 2025 at 2:27 PM
a “Space Force”, if you will
Imagine a government proudly releasing a draft science curriculum with no Electricity topic in either year 9 or 10, but still including the following in the required equipment for those years: batteries, wires, bulbs, switches, diodes, resistors, motors, solar cells.
(Reminds me of England 2014)
(Reminds me of England 2014)
November 14, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Imagine a government proudly releasing a draft science curriculum with no Electricity topic in either year 9 or 10, but still including the following in the required equipment for those years: batteries, wires, bulbs, switches, diodes, resistors, motors, solar cells.
(Reminds me of England 2014)
(Reminds me of England 2014)
A master of double negatives:
The president is trying to make the shutdown "as un-painless as possible".
The president is trying to make the shutdown "as un-painless as possible".
November 2, 2025 at 5:04 AM
A master of double negatives:
The president is trying to make the shutdown "as un-painless as possible".
The president is trying to make the shutdown "as un-painless as possible".
Reposted by Alex Weatherall
This isn't just about race or patriotism, it's about some of the worst people in our communities being given an excuse to act out their violent fantasies to give themselves some sense of meaning and purpose in their shitty, empty little lives.
Tensions over divisive flag displays have erupted into violence in Norfolk, as police face criticism for inaction | Owen Sennitt, Local Democracy Reporter
Police drop inquiry after man assaulted removing flags
Tensions over divisive flag displays have erupted into violence in Norfolk, as police face criticism for inaction
eastangliabylines.co.uk
October 30, 2025 at 8:44 AM
This isn't just about race or patriotism, it's about some of the worst people in our communities being given an excuse to act out their violent fantasies to give themselves some sense of meaning and purpose in their shitty, empty little lives.
Reposted by Alex Weatherall
After the dreichness of yesterday, today’s drive was in pretty much perfect conditions. Slightly longer route from Wanaka to Timaru as several of the higher more direct routes were still blocked by snow. Arrived in time to meet up with @aweatherall.bsky.social for dinner.
October 28, 2025 at 3:49 AM
After the dreichness of yesterday, today’s drive was in pretty much perfect conditions. Slightly longer route from Wanaka to Timaru as several of the higher more direct routes were still blocked by snow. Arrived in time to meet up with @aweatherall.bsky.social for dinner.
Reposted by Alex Weatherall
This is a talk from ResearchEd National in 2023 - an intro to the world of home education, what we do know, and what - in my view - would be interesting to find out. If you are like me and prefer to read (and skim if need be!), here you go: learnwhatyoulive.substack.com/p/home-educa...
Home Education: What do we know? (2023 edition)
My talk from ResearchEd 2023, posted for posterity before it's completely outdated.
learnwhatyoulive.substack.com
October 26, 2025 at 4:12 PM
This is a talk from ResearchEd National in 2023 - an intro to the world of home education, what we do know, and what - in my view - would be interesting to find out. If you are like me and prefer to read (and skim if need be!), here you go: learnwhatyoulive.substack.com/p/home-educa...
I wonder what is the primary cause of Lord Dampnut's military operations off the shores of Venezuela.
Perhaps he's worried about the authoritarian rule...
poor freedom of the press...
civil liberties...
corruption...
Or is it that it has the world's largest oil reserves?
Perhaps he's worried about the authoritarian rule...
poor freedom of the press...
civil liberties...
corruption...
Or is it that it has the world's largest oil reserves?
![From Wikipedia: Venezuela is officially a federal presidential
republic, but has experienced democratic
backsliding under the Chåvez and Maduro
administrations, shifting into an authoritarian
state.[3] It ranks poorly on international
measurements of freedom of the press, civil
[30]
liberties, and control of corruption.
Venezuela is a developing country, has the world's largest
known oil reserves, and has been one of the world's
leading exporters of oil.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:z4lz32yzh3norc7lx3obdfxw/bafkreiam3gpla45jvnskhmznzgxnmsaxs5fk62iybjj66fu27nntiv2jb4@jpeg)
October 26, 2025 at 11:16 PM
I wonder what is the primary cause of Lord Dampnut's military operations off the shores of Venezuela.
Perhaps he's worried about the authoritarian rule...
poor freedom of the press...
civil liberties...
corruption...
Or is it that it has the world's largest oil reserves?
Perhaps he's worried about the authoritarian rule...
poor freedom of the press...
civil liberties...
corruption...
Or is it that it has the world's largest oil reserves?
Reposted by Alex Weatherall
NEW: Has gender balance in A-Level physics improved?
This summer, 24% of those entering A-Level physics exams were female. Physics still has the second lowest percentage of female entrants of all A-Levels. - but that's the highest percentage for at least the last twenty years.
vist.ly/4bft7
This summer, 24% of those entering A-Level physics exams were female. Physics still has the second lowest percentage of female entrants of all A-Levels. - but that's the highest percentage for at least the last twenty years.
vist.ly/4bft7
Has gender balance in A-Level physics improved? - FFT Education Datalab
We look at whether A-Level physics is becoming more popular with female students.
ffteducationdatalab.org.uk
October 23, 2025 at 9:14 AM
NEW: Has gender balance in A-Level physics improved?
This summer, 24% of those entering A-Level physics exams were female. Physics still has the second lowest percentage of female entrants of all A-Levels. - but that's the highest percentage for at least the last twenty years.
vist.ly/4bft7
This summer, 24% of those entering A-Level physics exams were female. Physics still has the second lowest percentage of female entrants of all A-Levels. - but that's the highest percentage for at least the last twenty years.
vist.ly/4bft7
Reposted by Alex Weatherall
Yes the CO2 rise 2023-2024 was faster than we predicted at Mauna Loa and was a record rise there - now the WMO confirm the global mean rise was also a record
Also the rate of CO2 rise is now above the IPCC scenarios that limit global warming to 1.5C
www.carbonbrief.org/met-office-a...
Also the rate of CO2 rise is now above the IPCC scenarios that limit global warming to 1.5C
www.carbonbrief.org/met-office-a...
October 18, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Yes the CO2 rise 2023-2024 was faster than we predicted at Mauna Loa and was a record rise there - now the WMO confirm the global mean rise was also a record
Also the rate of CO2 rise is now above the IPCC scenarios that limit global warming to 1.5C
www.carbonbrief.org/met-office-a...
Also the rate of CO2 rise is now above the IPCC scenarios that limit global warming to 1.5C
www.carbonbrief.org/met-office-a...
Reposted by Alex Weatherall
This graph says it all: instead of starting to go down, the *annual increase* of atmospheric CO2 is setting new records. We're making climate change worse at a record rate.
Turning this around should be our top priority, and it's not.
From: www.carbonbrief.org/met-office-a...
Turning this around should be our top priority, and it's not.
From: www.carbonbrief.org/met-office-a...
October 18, 2025 at 7:33 PM
This graph says it all: instead of starting to go down, the *annual increase* of atmospheric CO2 is setting new records. We're making climate change worse at a record rate.
Turning this around should be our top priority, and it's not.
From: www.carbonbrief.org/met-office-a...
Turning this around should be our top priority, and it's not.
From: www.carbonbrief.org/met-office-a...
Reposted by Alex Weatherall
A multinational edu-publisher I worked for contacted me to say that, moving forward, they’ll be using AI to make new books etc. They offered me work checking the output but we parted ways because of our different views on AI, shall we say.
October 17, 2025 at 8:03 AM
A multinational edu-publisher I worked for contacted me to say that, moving forward, they’ll be using AI to make new books etc. They offered me work checking the output but we parted ways because of our different views on AI, shall we say.
Reposted by Alex Weatherall
Had interesting conversation with a very bright, able trainee teacher who has quickly identified that the overwhelming majority of teaching “resources” out there are shit. Which bodes really well for the future when new resources will be made by AI stealing from them.
October 17, 2025 at 6:49 AM
Had interesting conversation with a very bright, able trainee teacher who has quickly identified that the overwhelming majority of teaching “resources” out there are shit. Which bodes really well for the future when new resources will be made by AI stealing from them.
Reposted by Alex Weatherall
Reposted by Alex Weatherall
How to Play 'Fantastic Gymnastics!' - Hasbro Gaming
YouTube video by Hasbro
youtu.be
October 17, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Reposted by Alex Weatherall
![Vertical comic structured like flow chart. (1) Einstein had an insight that overturned physics, thus proving his value. (2) I hope *I* have value. I’ll try to have an insight that overturns physics, to check. (3) [Time Passes] (4) Oh no! My insight didn’t overturn physics! But I don’t think I’m worthless… [arrows to two different options] (5a) Healthy Path: Maybe this was not a well-thought-out test of my value. (5b) Path of Ruin: The establishment must be *suppressing* my insight!](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreihhxykbw72fblbjeupqscutarbdowk73mhsdkqrtzjwrpzqzamjem@jpeg)
October 16, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Reposted by Alex Weatherall
wikipedia's data shows that AI is siphoning traffic away from the site, which is a danger to its sustainability. ironically Wikipedia is more important than ever to users who want reliable information instead of slop, and to AI companies that need it for training data www.404media.co/wikipedia-sa...
Wikipedia Says AI Is Causing a Dangerous Decline in Human Visitors
“With fewer visits to Wikipedia, fewer volunteers may grow and enrich the content, and fewer individual donors may support this work.”
www.404media.co
October 17, 2025 at 1:15 AM
wikipedia's data shows that AI is siphoning traffic away from the site, which is a danger to its sustainability. ironically Wikipedia is more important than ever to users who want reliable information instead of slop, and to AI companies that need it for training data www.404media.co/wikipedia-sa...