John Barrett
@johnwbarrett.bsky.social
Emeritus Prof of Mathematical Physics, U of Nottingham. Expert on quantum gravity, experienced in political campaigning, novice on public health, #OliviaDean fan. This account for social posts, scientific stuff on Mastodon https://scicomm.xyz/@JohnBarrett
Reposted by John Barrett
One thing we've consistently seen is that if an emerging divergent variant competes evenly w/the most advanced circulating variants, it will eventually predominate. We saw this with XBB & BA.2.86, and a similar pattern holds among various minor lineages. 1/3
Seven new BA.3.2.2 from Germany today spotted by @JosetteSchoenma. They are genetically dispersed and are therefore clearly not a cluster. As @snpoehlm says, this is ~5% of all sequences and ~15% in North Rhine-Westphalia. Collection dates Nov 6-18.
One has a very interesting RBD mutation... 1/2
One has a very interesting RBD mutation... 1/2
December 3, 2025 at 1:54 PM
One thing we've consistently seen is that if an emerging divergent variant competes evenly w/the most advanced circulating variants, it will eventually predominate. We saw this with XBB & BA.2.86, and a similar pattern holds among various minor lineages. 1/3
Reposted by John Barrett
Pinched this video from @cjsnowdon.bsky.social on Twitter because Bluesky has to see it.
Nothing can prepare you for the punchline here.
Nothing can prepare you for the punchline here.
December 2, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Pinched this video from @cjsnowdon.bsky.social on Twitter because Bluesky has to see it.
Nothing can prepare you for the punchline here.
Nothing can prepare you for the punchline here.
Reposted by John Barrett
Huge news from the UK today: after UN climate talks in which there was a massive fight over language on fossil fuels, the UK government today announced that it will in fact be keeping many millions of barrels of oil & gas in the ground. Deeds rather than just words for a change! 🧵
November 26, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Huge news from the UK today: after UN climate talks in which there was a massive fight over language on fossil fuels, the UK government today announced that it will in fact be keeping many millions of barrels of oil & gas in the ground. Deeds rather than just words for a change! 🧵
Has Britain become an economic colony? US tech dominance was meant to bring prosperity - but disempowerment seems to be the result. By Tim Wu, Guardian 22.11.25
November 23, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Has Britain become an economic colony? US tech dominance was meant to bring prosperity - but disempowerment seems to be the result. By Tim Wu, Guardian 22.11.25
Reposted by John Barrett
Why do people think England flags have been raised on lampposts?
White adults
National pride: 26%
Anti-migrant/minority sentiment: 49%
Both: 19%
Ethnic minority adults
National pride: 15%
Anti-migrant/minority sentiment: 55%
Both: 20%
yougov.co.uk/society/arti...
White adults
National pride: 26%
Anti-migrant/minority sentiment: 49%
Both: 19%
Ethnic minority adults
National pride: 15%
Anti-migrant/minority sentiment: 55%
Both: 20%
yougov.co.uk/society/arti...
November 21, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Why do people think England flags have been raised on lampposts?
White adults
National pride: 26%
Anti-migrant/minority sentiment: 49%
Both: 19%
Ethnic minority adults
National pride: 15%
Anti-migrant/minority sentiment: 55%
Both: 20%
yougov.co.uk/society/arti...
White adults
National pride: 26%
Anti-migrant/minority sentiment: 49%
Both: 19%
Ethnic minority adults
National pride: 15%
Anti-migrant/minority sentiment: 55%
Both: 20%
yougov.co.uk/society/arti...
Reposted by John Barrett
Bellingcat’s contact email has always been a magnet for people with fairly unusual views; paranoid delusions, sprawling conspiracies, the works. But recently, the pattern has shifted, we’re seeing more and more emails clearly written with ChatGPT.
November 19, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Bellingcat’s contact email has always been a magnet for people with fairly unusual views; paranoid delusions, sprawling conspiracies, the works. But recently, the pattern has shifted, we’re seeing more and more emails clearly written with ChatGPT.
Reposted by John Barrett
"Seizing Brexit opportunities to deregulate" was mostly unspecified magic fairy pixie bullshit then, and it's not going to get any more realistic in the hands of a bunch of Reform clowns who don't know how anything works, don't care to learn and disdain anyone that might.
November 8, 2025 at 9:18 AM
"Seizing Brexit opportunities to deregulate" was mostly unspecified magic fairy pixie bullshit then, and it's not going to get any more realistic in the hands of a bunch of Reform clowns who don't know how anything works, don't care to learn and disdain anyone that might.
Reposted by John Barrett
X is designed to radicalise people.
The algorithm promotes Elon Musk's agenda to promote racists and people who want violence bought - specifically - to the streets of Britain.
Members of Parliament, major institutions and the media should not be there.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
The algorithm promotes Elon Musk's agenda to promote racists and people who want violence bought - specifically - to the streets of Britain.
Members of Parliament, major institutions and the media should not be there.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
news.sky.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:53 AM
X is designed to radicalise people.
The algorithm promotes Elon Musk's agenda to promote racists and people who want violence bought - specifically - to the streets of Britain.
Members of Parliament, major institutions and the media should not be there.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
The algorithm promotes Elon Musk's agenda to promote racists and people who want violence bought - specifically - to the streets of Britain.
Members of Parliament, major institutions and the media should not be there.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Reposted by John Barrett
Immigration, indecency, and incompetence. New post on my Brexit & Brexitism Blog. The ever-more indecent terms of the immigration 'debate' are another failure of Brexit, which links to the ever-more obvious incompetence of Reform in local government: chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2025/10/immi...
October 31, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Immigration, indecency, and incompetence. New post on my Brexit & Brexitism Blog. The ever-more indecent terms of the immigration 'debate' are another failure of Brexit, which links to the ever-more obvious incompetence of Reform in local government: chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2025/10/immi...
Reposted by John Barrett
It's that moment again for National Trust members to vote to keep the entryists out.
Quick and easy to vote and please do so by 31st of October
Quick Vote link keeps the AstroTurfers out.
Then share. Thank you.
secure.cesvotes.com/V3-3-0/nt25/...
Quick and easy to vote and please do so by 31st of October
Quick Vote link keeps the AstroTurfers out.
Then share. Thank you.
secure.cesvotes.com/V3-3-0/nt25/...
Log In
Welcome to the National Trust 2025 voting website, hosted by independent voting service provider Civica Election Services.
secure.cesvotes.com
October 25, 2025 at 10:11 AM
It's that moment again for National Trust members to vote to keep the entryists out.
Quick and easy to vote and please do so by 31st of October
Quick Vote link keeps the AstroTurfers out.
Then share. Thank you.
secure.cesvotes.com/V3-3-0/nt25/...
Quick and easy to vote and please do so by 31st of October
Quick Vote link keeps the AstroTurfers out.
Then share. Thank you.
secure.cesvotes.com/V3-3-0/nt25/...
Reposted by John Barrett
I’ve used WA Health’s COVID-19 wastewater surveillance page to estimate the number of infections of BA.3.2.
I estimate ~400 BA.3.2.* infections in Perth for the latest week, and ~4,600 over the 9 weeks since BA.3.2.* was first detected.
#COVID19 #SARSCoV2 #BA_3_2 #Australia #WA #Perth
🧵
I estimate ~400 BA.3.2.* infections in Perth for the latest week, and ~4,600 over the 9 weeks since BA.3.2.* was first detected.
#COVID19 #SARSCoV2 #BA_3_2 #Australia #WA #Perth
🧵
October 26, 2025 at 5:37 AM
Reposted by John Barrett
We are now in a significant COVID wave after a period of relative calm- excellent summary from @chrischirp.bsky.social
England is now experiencing a significant Covid wave, after 10 months of relative quiet
The latest Covid situation in England and a look at where NHS services are as we head into winter
open.substack.com
October 10, 2025 at 1:36 PM
We are now in a significant COVID wave after a period of relative calm- excellent summary from @chrischirp.bsky.social
Reposted by John Barrett
Nobody has Long COVID, but everybody has brain fog, cognitive decline and memory loss. I talk about the overwhelming scientific evidence that COVID damages the brain, and the overwhelming social unwillingness to acknowledge it in my latest:
www.thegauntlet.news/p/when-will-...
www.thegauntlet.news/p/when-will-...
When Will the Lion Concern Himself
Joking memes make light of the uncomfortable reality: everyone's got a little of that post-COVID brain damage these days
www.thegauntlet.news
October 5, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Nobody has Long COVID, but everybody has brain fog, cognitive decline and memory loss. I talk about the overwhelming scientific evidence that COVID damages the brain, and the overwhelming social unwillingness to acknowledge it in my latest:
www.thegauntlet.news/p/when-will-...
www.thegauntlet.news/p/when-will-...
Reposted by John Barrett
🔥 Finally an EU leader says it out loud:
“We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks that are controlled either by large American entrepreneurs or large Chinese companies, whose interests are not at all the survival or proper functioning of our democracies.”
“We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks that are controlled either by large American entrepreneurs or large Chinese companies, whose interests are not at all the survival or proper functioning of our democracies.”
President Macron: “Europeans, let's wake up!
We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks.”
defenddemocracy.eu/macron-democ...
We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks.”
defenddemocracy.eu/macron-democ...
October 4, 2025 at 11:37 AM
🔥 Finally an EU leader says it out loud:
“We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks that are controlled either by large American entrepreneurs or large Chinese companies, whose interests are not at all the survival or proper functioning of our democracies.”
“We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks that are controlled either by large American entrepreneurs or large Chinese companies, whose interests are not at all the survival or proper functioning of our democracies.”
Reposted by John Barrett
Brilliant article by a teacher highlighting the current dire situation for teachers and kids every winter when it comes to infection risk and spread. We continue to fight for our kids to have the right to breathe clean air.
stevebheadteacher.wordpress.com/2025/09/30/d...
stevebheadteacher.wordpress.com/2025/09/30/d...
Dear Bridget Phillipson, Please Can We Talk About Health?
Dear Bridget Phillipson, Please can we talk about health? It’s autumn 2025. We’re one month into the school year, in England. Two of my children are ill, again.With Covid, again.It̵…
stevebheadteacher.wordpress.com
October 3, 2025 at 6:28 AM
Brilliant article by a teacher highlighting the current dire situation for teachers and kids every winter when it comes to infection risk and spread. We continue to fight for our kids to have the right to breathe clean air.
stevebheadteacher.wordpress.com/2025/09/30/d...
stevebheadteacher.wordpress.com/2025/09/30/d...
Reposted by John Barrett
1/ There’s quite a lot of misunderstanding by good journalists about how right to work checks operate. It’s not illegal to work without having provided proof of your right, as James goes on to say later in the thread. And employers are not under a legal duty to conduct checks: ID is not mandatory.
Not sure day one of the latest ID card rollout went very well at all, not least because the government couldn’t answer the absolute core question about why they’re being introduced.
The case is that digital ID will be required for anyone to get work. The problem is ID is already mandatory. 🧵
The case is that digital ID will be required for anyone to get work. The problem is ID is already mandatory. 🧵
September 27, 2025 at 2:03 PM
1/ There’s quite a lot of misunderstanding by good journalists about how right to work checks operate. It’s not illegal to work without having provided proof of your right, as James goes on to say later in the thread. And employers are not under a legal duty to conduct checks: ID is not mandatory.
Reposted by John Barrett
Trial of X in Belgium for refusing to remove unlawful content. In the UK, X appears to be treated as above the law, as it actively defends so much extreme & unlawful content of many kinds, with so little challenge since those responsible for the rule of law seem to be indifferent or asleep
Trial against X starts today in Brussels for refusing to remove rape video in Belgium, based on Belgian criminal law prohibiting the dissemination of non-consensual intimate images (in Dutch) www.hln.be/binnenland/x...
X weigert verkrachtingsvideo Vlaamse vrouw te verwijderen en staat nu terecht: “Sociale media moeten verantwoordelijkheid nemen”
Er komt voor het eerst in ons land een openbaar strafproces tegen de sociaalnetwerksite X, het vroegere Twitter. Reden: het platform met ruim 600 miljoen gebruikers weigerde een video weg te halen waa...
www.hln.be
September 12, 2025 at 6:49 AM
Trial of X in Belgium for refusing to remove unlawful content. In the UK, X appears to be treated as above the law, as it actively defends so much extreme & unlawful content of many kinds, with so little challenge since those responsible for the rule of law seem to be indifferent or asleep
Reposted by John Barrett
"Having their first big conference about vaccines and Lucy Connolly – it was a stupid mistake... This was actually disastrous for Reform."
Did the Reform UK conference expose the party for what it really stands for?
www.thenewsagents.co.uk/article/the-...
Did the Reform UK conference expose the party for what it really stands for?
www.thenewsagents.co.uk/article/the-...
‘The conference was disastrous for Reform. It's easily their biggest misstep’ | The News Agents
Reform UK’s 2025 conference was a horror show of misinformation, with a celebration of admitted racist Lucy Connolly and lies about vaccines spread by a conspiracy theorist – both greeted with rounds…
www.thenewsagents.co.uk
September 8, 2025 at 3:59 PM
"Having their first big conference about vaccines and Lucy Connolly – it was a stupid mistake... This was actually disastrous for Reform."
Did the Reform UK conference expose the party for what it really stands for?
www.thenewsagents.co.uk/article/the-...
Did the Reform UK conference expose the party for what it really stands for?
www.thenewsagents.co.uk/article/the-...
Reposted by John Barrett
My analysis of Reform’s appeal to a mix of a toxic/radicalised core and more normal mainstream target voters
September 5, 2025 at 9:33 PM
My analysis of Reform’s appeal to a mix of a toxic/radicalised core and more normal mainstream target voters
Reposted by John Barrett
Why can you breathe Earth’s atmosphere?
The answer isn’t that the Amazon rainforest is producing excess oxygen on the surface. (It’s not.) It’s that fossil fuels exist. I didn’t understand this at all before reading @peterbrannen.bsky.social’s new book. heatmap.news/podcast/shif...
The answer isn’t that the Amazon rainforest is producing excess oxygen on the surface. (It’s not.) It’s that fossil fuels exist. I didn’t understand this at all before reading @peterbrannen.bsky.social’s new book. heatmap.news/podcast/shif...
September 3, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Why can you breathe Earth’s atmosphere?
The answer isn’t that the Amazon rainforest is producing excess oxygen on the surface. (It’s not.) It’s that fossil fuels exist. I didn’t understand this at all before reading @peterbrannen.bsky.social’s new book. heatmap.news/podcast/shif...
The answer isn’t that the Amazon rainforest is producing excess oxygen on the surface. (It’s not.) It’s that fossil fuels exist. I didn’t understand this at all before reading @peterbrannen.bsky.social’s new book. heatmap.news/podcast/shif...
Reposted by John Barrett
PM Starmer agrees with the SNP that "we had an [asylum] returns agreement with the whole of Europe. It was ripped up when we left the EU by people making promises" that were a fantasy
September 3, 2025 at 11:29 AM
PM Starmer agrees with the SNP that "we had an [asylum] returns agreement with the whole of Europe. It was ripped up when we left the EU by people making promises" that were a fantasy