Jon Turney
@jonturney.bsky.social
Writer & editor, past lives in science policy, sci-comm etc. Retirement pastimes include managing climate anxieties. New writing at UKjazznews.com and @theartsdesk.bsky.social
jonturney.wordpress.com
See also https://bristoljazzlive.co.uk
jonturney.wordpress.com
See also https://bristoljazzlive.co.uk
My main feeling about the budget is to be pleased it’s finally here and we no longer have wade through piles of lobbying served up as journalism about what the Chancellor should do
November 26, 2025 at 11:24 AM
My main feeling about the budget is to be pleased it’s finally here and we no longer have wade through piles of lobbying served up as journalism about what the Chancellor should do
Reposted by Jon Turney
Y’know, believing there’s a kind of racism that isn’t hurtful or insulting is itself quite revealing.
November 26, 2025 at 10:52 AM
A favourite of mine since it came out - such a fine writer
Just finished reading this amazing history of biology by #massivelegendofscience Francois Jacob. Some of the evolutionary biology and microbiology is outdated, but the perspective is compelling and the breadth of scientific scholarship is amazing.
November 25, 2025 at 11:09 PM
A favourite of mine since it came out - such a fine writer
when headline writers just get carried away...
One of the world’s greatest news organisations has been brought to the brink of meltdown by… what, exactly? Three hours of MPs questions revealed nothing to write home about, writes @arusbridger.bsky.social.
A firestorm has ripped through the BBC—but no one will say why
Called before MPs, none of the characters who supposedly see so much wrong with the corporation would make a case for institutional bias
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 12:01 PM
when headline writers just get carried away...
Reposted by Jon Turney
Reach for the stars... New @backlisted.bsky.social, LAST AND FIRST MEN by Olaf Stapledon, with @mdeabaitua.bsky.social!
New episode up now. Last and First Men (1930) by Olaf Stapledon, with guest Matthew De Abaitua in conversation with Andy Miller and Una McCormack. @mdeabaitua.bsky.social @unamccormack.bsky.social @iammilliam.bsky.social www.backlisted.fm/episodes/253...
253. Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon — Backlisted
Writer and critic Matthew De Abaitua joins Andy, Una and Nicky to discuss Last and First Men: A Story of the Near and Far Future (1930), the astounding first novel by Olaf Stapledon. The...
www.backlisted.fm
November 25, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Reach for the stars... New @backlisted.bsky.social, LAST AND FIRST MEN by Olaf Stapledon, with @mdeabaitua.bsky.social!
Treasury source: “we will never tolerate error, fraud or waste in the welfare system”. Reality: the only error & fraud-free welfare system is no welfare system.
November 24, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Treasury source: “we will never tolerate error, fraud or waste in the welfare system”. Reality: the only error & fraud-free welfare system is no welfare system.
last bit of reviewing from London Jazz Festival - I didn't say "living legend", but I could have :)
ukjazznews.com/eddie-hender...
ukjazznews.com/eddie-hender...
Eddie Henderson Quartet at Pizza Express Soho - UK Jazz News
A bit more nostalgia than excitement, a friend said after this set, and that seems fair enough. Eddie Henderson is in his mid-80s, when trumpeters probably need to stick to mid-range, and mid-tempo to...
ukjazznews.com
November 22, 2025 at 3:31 PM
last bit of reviewing from London Jazz Festival - I didn't say "living legend", but I could have :)
ukjazznews.com/eddie-hender...
ukjazznews.com/eddie-hender...
Reposted by Jon Turney
My favorite moon landing conspiracy is that it was faked but they hired Stanley Kubrick to direct it and he was so dedicated to make it look real he demanded that they shoot on location.
November 21, 2025 at 5:22 PM
My favorite moon landing conspiracy is that it was faked but they hired Stanley Kubrick to direct it and he was so dedicated to make it look real he demanded that they shoot on location.
So prosecution pending… ?
Suspended Reform UK Councillor, Tom Pickup’s WhatsApp group called for "mass Islam genocide" and encouraged others to stockpile weapons to attack "lefties" and "migrants.”
Reform councillor suspended after 'Islam genocide' comments made in WhatsApp group | LBC
Tom Pickup claimed the comments he made were
www.lbc.co.uk
November 22, 2025 at 10:39 AM
So prosecution pending… ?
Reposted by Jon Turney
This week - the evolution of music!
We recreate the acoustics of prehistoric caves with Steve Pretty of Hackney Colliery Band www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKY3...
How Music Made Us Human
YouTube video by New Scientist
www.youtube.com
November 22, 2025 at 9:44 AM
This week - the evolution of music!
Now asking myself who in UK politics has anything to say to someone (I imagine a great many) under 35 who is seeing the world like this…
this week's newsletter is titled "aren't you tired of feeling insane all the time?" and I think it speaks for itself
it is also free to read
youngvulgarian.substack.com/p/arent-you-...
it is also free to read
youngvulgarian.substack.com/p/arent-you-...
November 21, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Now asking myself who in UK politics has anything to say to someone (I imagine a great many) under 35 who is seeing the world like this…
So Cummings’ line is that Covid inquiry “rewrites history”: funny that, as it accords perfectly with my recollection of decision-making in 2020, esp the prelude to 2nd lockdown
November 20, 2025 at 11:00 PM
So Cummings’ line is that Covid inquiry “rewrites history”: funny that, as it accords perfectly with my recollection of decision-making in 2020, esp the prelude to 2nd lockdown
Reposted by Jon Turney
My amazement continues: Waterstones has chosen Vanished as one of best books of the year. Especially pleased that history of science is being featured on these lists, and even more so as imperial history is even rarer on these lists. Hurrah!
www.waterstones.com/blog/the-bes...
www.waterstones.com/blog/the-bes...
The Best Popular Science Books of 2025 | Waterstones.com Blog | Waterstones
From Bill Bryson to Steven Pinker, here are the popular science and smart thinking books we've loved this year.
www.waterstones.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:04 PM
My amazement continues: Waterstones has chosen Vanished as one of best books of the year. Especially pleased that history of science is being featured on these lists, and even more so as imperial history is even rarer on these lists. Hurrah!
www.waterstones.com/blog/the-bes...
www.waterstones.com/blog/the-bes...
Reposted by Jon Turney
“There’s clearly something political about it but nobody knows what it is,” said the restaurant manager.
It’s the exclusive everyone wanted, the story that will win next year’s Pulitzer…
I can reveal London’s giant AI generated Christmas artwork, the subject of much online mockery, is being torn down - and I honestly *genuinely* think you’ll never guess why. www.londoncentric.media/p/ai-artwork...
I can reveal London’s giant AI generated Christmas artwork, the subject of much online mockery, is being torn down - and I honestly *genuinely* think you’ll never guess why. www.londoncentric.media/p/ai-artwork...
London's giant AI artwork to be torn down
The bizarre story of why a much-talked-about creation is being torn down. Plus: Docklands Light Railway extension, giant laser stalks the night sky, and more tales of Android phone theft rejection.
www.londoncentric.media
November 20, 2025 at 7:51 AM
“There’s clearly something political about it but nobody knows what it is,” said the restaurant manager.
Ach, modern jazz festivals: tonight’s foyer set in QEH is painfully LOUD
November 19, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Ach, modern jazz festivals: tonight’s foyer set in QEH is painfully LOUD
another whole category of things one might have attended to that will now have zero value for the properly cautious reader (although for online surveys not entirely sure this is a bad thing...?)
This is terrifying.
"[AI agents] can... infer a researcher's latent hypotheses and produce data that artificially confirms them."
...
"We can no longer trust that survey responses are coming from real people" [email protected]
"[AI agents] can... infer a researcher's latent hypotheses and produce data that artificially confirms them."
...
"We can no longer trust that survey responses are coming from real people" [email protected]
November 19, 2025 at 11:28 AM
another whole category of things one might have attended to that will now have zero value for the properly cautious reader (although for online surveys not entirely sure this is a bad thing...?)
Reposted by Jon Turney
I had a great conversation with the wonderful @zackpolanski.bsky.social on his podcast. Do please listen in. I don't think you'll have heard anything quite like it. And there's a LOT more here than the title suggests. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/h...
How Labour Negate Progressive Ideas Through ‘Divide and Rule’ | George Monbiot | Zack Polanski
Podcast Episode · Bold Politics with Zack Polanski · 19/11/2025 · 40m
podcasts.apple.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:14 AM
I had a great conversation with the wonderful @zackpolanski.bsky.social on his podcast. Do please listen in. I don't think you'll have heard anything quite like it. And there's a LOT more here than the title suggests. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/h...
I always said an idea for a (non-fiction) book comes up about once a week. The hard bit is deciding which ones deserve two years of your life...
I am not aware of a single author who has a shortage of book ideas. Words, yes. Ways to make the ideas become a book, yes. But I've never met an author who doesn't have ideas just raining down all the damn time.
November 19, 2025 at 11:06 AM
I always said an idea for a (non-fiction) book comes up about once a week. The hard bit is deciding which ones deserve two years of your life...
Reposted by Jon Turney
Checks out.
My whole friendship group was Labour at the last GE, albeit some reluctantly.
Pretty much all Green now. We'd all still vote for Sadiq, I think. But not Starmer. He's done here.
My whole friendship group was Labour at the last GE, albeit some reluctantly.
Pretty much all Green now. We'd all still vote for Sadiq, I think. But not Starmer. He's done here.
I've been out canvassing quite a lot in London lately. Labour's vote has absolutely evaporated.... it is quite extraordinary to go to places where Labour were on 50-60% of the vote at the last locals and find nobody, or virtually nobody, supporting them.
The phrase 'I voted Labour last time, but...
The phrase 'I voted Labour last time, but...
November 18, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Checks out.
My whole friendship group was Labour at the last GE, albeit some reluctantly.
Pretty much all Green now. We'd all still vote for Sadiq, I think. But not Starmer. He's done here.
My whole friendship group was Labour at the last GE, albeit some reluctantly.
Pretty much all Green now. We'd all still vote for Sadiq, I think. But not Starmer. He's done here.
Reposted by Jon Turney
‘The world of giant digital platforms often turns on surprisingly small matters, such as whether or not users are willing to spend a few seconds doing something they don’t absolutely need to do.’
Donald MacKenzie on the history and future of Google Search.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Donald MacKenzie on the history and future of Google Search.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Donald MacKenzie · The Future of Search: Will we still google it?
I’m starting to feel some pre-emptive nostalgia when I do a Google search. Yes, it’s true, search can sometimes take...
www.lrb.co.uk
November 18, 2025 at 5:50 PM
‘The world of giant digital platforms often turns on surprisingly small matters, such as whether or not users are willing to spend a few seconds doing something they don’t absolutely need to do.’
Donald MacKenzie on the history and future of Google Search.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Donald MacKenzie on the history and future of Google Search.
www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Reposted by Jon Turney
For @vittles.bsky.social, I wrote about what happens food photography - a practice steeped in stagecraft - meets the synthetic horrors of AI images. Gorgeous original illustration by Ibrahim Rayintakath. www.vittlesmagazine.com/p/you-want-t...
'You want to imagine what this tastes like? Fuck you, says AI'
Georgina Voss on how AI-generated images impact the way we look at photographs of food. Illustration by Ibrahim Rayintakath.
www.vittlesmagazine.com
November 17, 2025 at 10:42 AM
For @vittles.bsky.social, I wrote about what happens food photography - a practice steeped in stagecraft - meets the synthetic horrors of AI images. Gorgeous original illustration by Ibrahim Rayintakath. www.vittlesmagazine.com/p/you-want-t...
"unease"
The government's asylum plan confirms they intend to ramp up the deportation of families - including children. This aspect, in particular, causing unease among Labour MPs...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Shabana Mahmood plans to remove more families from UK in asylum shake-up
Home secretary will also consult on ending financial support for those with children if refused asylum, document shows
www.theguardian.com
November 17, 2025 at 5:10 PM
"unease"
really remarkable gig at QEH last night (and review with brilliant photos from John Watson :)
ukjazznews.com/michael-woll...
ukjazznews.com/michael-woll...
Michael Wollny Trio + Emma Rawicz’s Inkyra at the Queen Elizabeth Hall - UK Jazz News
Want to know what Michael Wollny, Eric Schaefer and Tim Lefebvre played on Sunday night? Sorry, I put aside my notebook after the first couple of minutes of this extraordinary gig. Their music demands...
ukjazznews.com
November 17, 2025 at 5:06 PM
really remarkable gig at QEH last night (and review with brilliant photos from John Watson :)
ukjazznews.com/michael-woll...
ukjazznews.com/michael-woll...