Richard Carter, FCD
@friendsofdarwin.bsky.social
Writer • #HebdenBridge offcumden • #CharlesDarwin fanboy • European
Interested in where #science, #histsci and #nature intersect. Writing book about looking at the world through #Darwin ’s eyes.
https://richardcarter.com
https://friendsofdarwin.com
Interested in where #science, #histsci and #nature intersect. Writing book about looking at the world through #Darwin ’s eyes.
https://richardcarter.com
https://friendsofdarwin.com
25-Nov: On this day in 1835, HMS Beagle entertained a royal visitor in the ‘large awkward’ shape of Queen Pōmarre of Tahiti. Here’s the story… friendsofdarwin.com/articles/roy... #histsci
25-Nov-1835: HMS Beagle entertains a royal visitor
...in the ‘large awkward’ shape of Queen Pōmarre of Tahiti.
friendsofdarwin.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:06 PM
25-Nov: On this day in 1835, HMS Beagle entertained a royal visitor in the ‘large awkward’ shape of Queen Pōmarre of Tahiti. Here’s the story… friendsofdarwin.com/articles/roy... #histsci
24-Nov: On this day in 1859 was published Charles Darwin’s ‘On the Origin of Species‘. As revolutionary science books go, it’s a damn fine read. Here’s my retrospective review: friendsofdarwin.com/reviews/book... #histsci
Book review: ‘On the Origin of Species’ by Charles Darwin (1st ed., 1859)
…or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life.
friendsofdarwin.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:17 PM
24-Nov: On this day in 1859 was published Charles Darwin’s ‘On the Origin of Species‘. As revolutionary science books go, it’s a damn fine read. Here’s my retrospective review: friendsofdarwin.com/reviews/book... #histsci
The sanctuary church of San Luca, high in the Bologna hills, which can be reached on foot from the city centre via the world’s longest continuous portico (666 arches, 2.3 miles)… We took a bus masquerading as a train! 🇮🇹
November 23, 2025 at 3:02 PM
The sanctuary church of San Luca, high in the Bologna hills, which can be reached on foot from the city centre via the world’s longest continuous portico (666 arches, 2.3 miles)… We took a bus masquerading as a train! 🇮🇹
Bologna’s Archaeology Museum. My kind of museum: no interactive display boards; no captions encouraging us to ‘imagine how it must have felt…’; just thousands and thousands of exhibits in old-fashioned glass cases.
November 21, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Bologna’s Archaeology Museum. My kind of museum: no interactive display boards; no captions encouraging us to ‘imagine how it must have felt…’; just thousands and thousands of exhibits in old-fashioned glass cases.
#HistSci on display in Bologna: the Anatomical Theatre of the Archiginnasio (1637). The theatre was destroyed in an air-raid in 1944, but reconstructed using all the original pieces recovered from the rubble.
November 21, 2025 at 3:59 PM
#HistSci on display in Bologna: the Anatomical Theatre of the Archiginnasio (1637). The theatre was destroyed in an air-raid in 1944, but reconstructed using all the original pieces recovered from the rubble.
#HistSci on display at the San Petronio Basilica, Bologna… A meridian line designed by Cassini to measure local noon, when sunlight entering through a hole in the church roof crosses the line. Cassini concluded observations made with this instrument were consistent with Kepler’s heliocentric theory.
November 21, 2025 at 3:41 PM
#HistSci on display at the San Petronio Basilica, Bologna… A meridian line designed by Cassini to measure local noon, when sunlight entering through a hole in the church roof crosses the line. Cassini concluded observations made with this instrument were consistent with Kepler’s heliocentric theory.
14-Nov: On this day in 1797, Sir Charles Lyell, Charles Darwin’s friend and inspiration, was born in Kinnordy, Forfarshire. #histsci
Charles Lyell - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
November 14, 2025 at 2:01 PM
14-Nov: On this day in 1797, Sir Charles Lyell, Charles Darwin’s friend and inspiration, was born in Kinnordy, Forfarshire. #histsci
07-Nov: On this day in 1913, Alfred Russel Wallace died. Wallace famously came up with a near-identical explanation for how evolution occurs independently of Charles Darwin. You can read about their friendship here: friendsofdarwin.com/articles/dar... #histsci
Modesty and candour: the Darwin-Wallace friendship
To mark the 200th anniversary of Wallace’s birth, an article exploring the friendship between Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace.
friendsofdarwin.com
November 7, 2025 at 6:54 PM
07-Nov: On this day in 1913, Alfred Russel Wallace died. Wallace famously came up with a near-identical explanation for how evolution occurs independently of Charles Darwin. You can read about their friendship here: friendsofdarwin.com/articles/dar... #histsci
04-Nov: Born on this day in 1816, poultry expert, beekeeper, friend of Charles Darwin and mini-hero of science, W.B. Tegetmeier…
friendsofdarwin.com/articles/teg... #histsci
friendsofdarwin.com/articles/teg... #histsci
W.B. Tegetmeier
For every giant that strides the scientific world like a colossus, there are many thousands more mini-heroes of science whose contributions are sometimes overlooked or forgotten. William Bernhardt Teg...
friendsofdarwin.com
November 4, 2025 at 2:26 PM
04-Nov: Born on this day in 1816, poultry expert, beekeeper, friend of Charles Darwin and mini-hero of science, W.B. Tegetmeier…
friendsofdarwin.com/articles/teg... #histsci
friendsofdarwin.com/articles/teg... #histsci
No sun—no moon!
No morn—no noon!
No dawn—no dusk—no proper time of day […]
November!
—Thomas Hood (1799–1845)
www.poemhunter.com/poem/novembe...
No morn—no noon!
No dawn—no dusk—no proper time of day […]
November!
—Thomas Hood (1799–1845)
www.poemhunter.com/poem/novembe...
November 1, 2025 at 12:54 PM
No sun—no moon!
No morn—no noon!
No dawn—no dusk—no proper time of day […]
November!
—Thomas Hood (1799–1845)
www.poemhunter.com/poem/novembe...
No morn—no noon!
No dawn—no dusk—no proper time of day […]
November!
—Thomas Hood (1799–1845)
www.poemhunter.com/poem/novembe...
Kind of wish I’d cashed in my retirement fund investment sooner… But I guess that’s the end of that for the nonce.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
October 31, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Kind of wish I’d cashed in my retirement fund investment sooner… But I guess that’s the end of that for the nonce.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Just sent out my latest science • history • nature newsletter. It features: Ice age art • Robert Macfarlane • Kathleen Jamie • medieval poems • lichen • Barbarian Conspiracy • the Shipping Forecast • escaping the entropy • and more…
open.substack.com/pub/richardc... #HistSci
open.substack.com/pub/richardc... #HistSci
These people knew mammoths!
Ice Age Art • Robert Macfarlane • Kathleen Jamie • medieval poems • lichen • Barbarian Conspiracy • the Shipping Forecast • escaping the entropy • and more…
open.substack.com
October 24, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Just sent out my latest science • history • nature newsletter. It features: Ice age art • Robert Macfarlane • Kathleen Jamie • medieval poems • lichen • Barbarian Conspiracy • the Shipping Forecast • escaping the entropy • and more…
open.substack.com/pub/richardc... #HistSci
open.substack.com/pub/richardc... #HistSci
24-Oct: On this day in 1852, Charles Darwin wrote to his cousin to commend the miraculous new substance chloroform… #histsci friendsofdarwin.com/darwin-on-ch...
24-Oct-1852: Darwin on the new miracle substance, chloroform
‘The grandest & most blessed of discoveries.’
friendsofdarwin.com
October 24, 2025 at 7:13 AM
24-Oct: On this day in 1852, Charles Darwin wrote to his cousin to commend the miraculous new substance chloroform… #histsci friendsofdarwin.com/darwin-on-ch...
24-Oct: Out later today, the latest rip-roaring roller-coaster edition of my 100%-free eponymous Rich Text science • history • nature newsletter. Look out for it in your inbox. richardcarter.substack.com/welcome/
October 24, 2025 at 6:48 AM
24-Oct: Out later today, the latest rip-roaring roller-coaster edition of my 100%-free eponymous Rich Text science • history • nature newsletter. Look out for it in your inbox. richardcarter.substack.com/welcome/
Subscribers to my TOTALLY FREE science • history • nature newsletter can look forward to finding it in their inboxes some time tomorrow afternoon (UK time).
If you’re not yet a subscriber, now would seem the perfect opportunity to remedy your lapse… SEIZE IT!
richardcarter.substack.com/welcome/
If you’re not yet a subscriber, now would seem the perfect opportunity to remedy your lapse… SEIZE IT!
richardcarter.substack.com/welcome/
science • history • nature | Richard Carter | Substack
Two free newsletters: ✏️ RICH TEXT (on science, history and nature writing) • 🪲 DARWIN newsletter (celebrating Charles Darwin’s view of life). Click to read science • history • nature, by Richard Cart...
richardcarter.substack.com
October 23, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Subscribers to my TOTALLY FREE science • history • nature newsletter can look forward to finding it in their inboxes some time tomorrow afternoon (UK time).
If you’re not yet a subscriber, now would seem the perfect opportunity to remedy your lapse… SEIZE IT!
richardcarter.substack.com/welcome/
If you’re not yet a subscriber, now would seem the perfect opportunity to remedy your lapse… SEIZE IT!
richardcarter.substack.com/welcome/
Transferring my stuff over to my new toy.
October 22, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Transferring my stuff over to my new toy.
Reposted by Richard Carter, FCD
Daniel Naroditsky (1995-2025) #chess
Daniel Naroditsky (1995-2025)
YouTube video by ChessNetwork
youtu.be
October 21, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Daniel Naroditsky (1995-2025) #chess
Reposted by Richard Carter, FCD
21-Oct: To mark #WorldEarthwormDay, here’s my review of *the* book on the subject: Charles Darwin’s final masterpiece, ‘The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Worms’.
#HisSci #NatureWriting
friendsofdarwin.com/reviews/darw...
#HisSci #NatureWriting
friendsofdarwin.com/reviews/darw...
Book review: ‘The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Worms’ by Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin's wonderful final book.
friendsofdarwin.com
October 21, 2024 at 9:37 AM
21-Oct: To mark #WorldEarthwormDay, here’s my review of *the* book on the subject: Charles Darwin’s final masterpiece, ‘The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Worms’.
#HisSci #NatureWriting
friendsofdarwin.com/reviews/darw...
#HisSci #NatureWriting
friendsofdarwin.com/reviews/darw...
Second-hand bookshop haul. Tiny shop; excellent photography section.
October 20, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Second-hand bookshop haul. Tiny shop; excellent photography section.
Lovely Ludlow.
October 16, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Lovely Ludlow.
@rhiggitt.bsky.social Spotted in Ludlow this morning.
October 16, 2025 at 1:13 PM
@rhiggitt.bsky.social Spotted in Ludlow this morning.
I’m currently visiting Shropshire, the county of Darwin’s birth. There’s a good choice of local beers available, but this one was the natural selection.
October 14, 2025 at 7:17 PM
I’m currently visiting Shropshire, the county of Darwin’s birth. There’s a good choice of local beers available, but this one was the natural selection.
10-Oct: On this day in 1881, Charles Darwin's final book, ‘The Formation of Vegetable Mould Through the Action of Worms, with Observations on their Habits’ was published. It was a magnificent swan-song. You can read my review here: friendsofdarwin.com/reviews/darw... #HistSci
Book review: ‘The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Worms’ by Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin's wonderful final book.
friendsofdarwin.com
October 10, 2025 at 5:43 PM
10-Oct: On this day in 1881, Charles Darwin's final book, ‘The Formation of Vegetable Mould Through the Action of Worms, with Observations on their Habits’ was published. It was a magnificent swan-song. You can read my review here: friendsofdarwin.com/reviews/darw... #HistSci
TFW you think, ‘I know, I’ll just bash out a quick blog post!’ and, two hours later, you find yourself deep down the old Research Rabbit Hole, annotating a PDF from Nature journal about the population genomics of post-glacial western Eurasia.
October 9, 2025 at 11:49 AM
TFW you think, ‘I know, I’ll just bash out a quick blog post!’ and, two hours later, you find yourself deep down the old Research Rabbit Hole, annotating a PDF from Nature journal about the population genomics of post-glacial western Eurasia.