Matthew Cobb
@matthewcobb.bsky.social
Professor Emeritus (University of Manchester), writes on biology, history of science & French Resistance. Most recent book: a biography of Francis Crick. Now writing THE IDEA OF HEREDITY.
Link to publications: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8258-4913
Link to publications: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8258-4913
ZEPPELIN!
February 19, 2026 at 8:47 AM
ZEPPELIN!
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Olympic highlight in this house.
February 18, 2026 at 5:36 PM
Olympic highlight in this house.
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
I said "I love you" to another flightless bird yesterday.
This one was a takahē on the predator-free island of Tiritiri Matangi near Auckland.
After finding this bird on the far end of the island, I lay down in the tall grass and waited. After a while he approached closely and lingered.
This one was a takahē on the predator-free island of Tiritiri Matangi near Auckland.
After finding this bird on the far end of the island, I lay down in the tall grass and waited. After a while he approached closely and lingered.
February 19, 2026 at 8:21 AM
I said "I love you" to another flightless bird yesterday.
This one was a takahē on the predator-free island of Tiritiri Matangi near Auckland.
After finding this bird on the far end of the island, I lay down in the tall grass and waited. After a while he approached closely and lingered.
This one was a takahē on the predator-free island of Tiritiri Matangi near Auckland.
After finding this bird on the far end of the island, I lay down in the tall grass and waited. After a while he approached closely and lingered.
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
'Much later, because there’s always a later, he’s sleeping on the floor of an empty flat in South London in his thirties, when he wakes and wonders what crystal meth reminds him of, and finds himself on the rocks in Malta by the salt pans. Not mugged by flashback. Simply carried on memory.'
February 19, 2026 at 8:37 AM
'Much later, because there’s always a later, he’s sleeping on the floor of an empty flat in South London in his thirties, when he wakes and wonders what crystal meth reminds him of, and finds himself on the rocks in Malta by the salt pans. Not mugged by flashback. Simply carried on memory.'
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
New paper from my team detailing a greatly expanded genomic database of Asgard archaea revealing of high energy metabolism those related to eukaryotes! Led by @katyappler.bsky.social lots of help from @jameslingford.bsky.social @valdeanda.bsky.social @kassipan.bsky.social doi.org/10.1038/s415...
February 18, 2026 at 4:00 PM
New paper from my team detailing a greatly expanded genomic database of Asgard archaea revealing of high energy metabolism those related to eukaryotes! Led by @katyappler.bsky.social lots of help from @jameslingford.bsky.social @valdeanda.bsky.social @kassipan.bsky.social doi.org/10.1038/s415...
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
📢📢📢Lectureships at Bristol!📢📢📢
We're hiring 3 x lecturers (=assistant professor) in Biological Sciences, across the discipline.
Great department, great colleagues, great building, great city
Details here:
www.bristol.ac.uk/jobs/find/de...
We're hiring 3 x lecturers (=assistant professor) in Biological Sciences, across the discipline.
Great department, great colleagues, great building, great city
Details here:
www.bristol.ac.uk/jobs/find/de...
February 18, 2026 at 8:16 AM
📢📢📢Lectureships at Bristol!📢📢📢
We're hiring 3 x lecturers (=assistant professor) in Biological Sciences, across the discipline.
Great department, great colleagues, great building, great city
Details here:
www.bristol.ac.uk/jobs/find/de...
We're hiring 3 x lecturers (=assistant professor) in Biological Sciences, across the discipline.
Great department, great colleagues, great building, great city
Details here:
www.bristol.ac.uk/jobs/find/de...
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Award-winning Native American Hopi pottery artist Rainy Naha #WomensArt
February 19, 2026 at 5:38 AM
Award-winning Native American Hopi pottery artist Rainy Naha #WomensArt
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Hazara embroidery from central Afghanistan, on cotton or silk material enlivened by very fine lines of cross or herringbone stitch #WomensArt
February 19, 2026 at 5:41 AM
Hazara embroidery from central Afghanistan, on cotton or silk material enlivened by very fine lines of cross or herringbone stitch #WomensArt
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Barracuda - Sphyraena
#gili #giliislands #lombok #diving #scuba #trawangan #diveandstay #giliair #pets #ocean #sealife #marinelife #Sphyraena #fish #barracuda
#gili #giliislands #lombok #diving #scuba #trawangan #diveandstay #giliair #pets #ocean #sealife #marinelife #Sphyraena #fish #barracuda
February 19, 2026 at 1:54 AM
Barracuda - Sphyraena
#gili #giliislands #lombok #diving #scuba #trawangan #diveandstay #giliair #pets #ocean #sealife #marinelife #Sphyraena #fish #barracuda
#gili #giliislands #lombok #diving #scuba #trawangan #diveandstay #giliair #pets #ocean #sealife #marinelife #Sphyraena #fish #barracuda
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
2026 basically
February 18, 2026 at 4:23 PM
2026 basically
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Winter light. Full of promise.
February 17, 2026 at 8:04 AM
Winter light. Full of promise.
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Look at the foot on this guy! This bivalve juvenile is old enough to have a fabulous appendage, called the foot, which it will use to move about and find somewhere to settle. You can also see the gills in the shell (the rib-looking things).
#marineplankton 🦑
#marineplankton 🦑
February 18, 2026 at 7:44 PM
Look at the foot on this guy! This bivalve juvenile is old enough to have a fabulous appendage, called the foot, which it will use to move about and find somewhere to settle. You can also see the gills in the shell (the rib-looking things).
#marineplankton 🦑
#marineplankton 🦑
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
As a general rule, because deep-sea assets are often loud and clunky, creating noise and dropping light on otherwise pitch black regions, we have categorically undersampled large, mobile fauna from the deep sea.
There are monsters in the abyss yet to be glimpsed.
There are monsters in the abyss yet to be glimpsed.
Scientists have captured footage of a sleeper shark farther south than ever before, suggesting this Antarctic ocean is not shark-free
Elusive sleeper shark seen off Antartica in a first
Scientists have captured footage of a sleeper shark farther south than ever before, suggesting this Antarctic ocean is not shark-free
www.scientificamerican.com
February 18, 2026 at 7:54 PM
As a general rule, because deep-sea assets are often loud and clunky, creating noise and dropping light on otherwise pitch black regions, we have categorically undersampled large, mobile fauna from the deep sea.
There are monsters in the abyss yet to be glimpsed.
There are monsters in the abyss yet to be glimpsed.
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
One of the biggest questions in biology is how complex cells evolved about 2 billion years ago. Here's my new story on how scientists are solving the mystery of eukaryotes like us. Gift link: nyti.ms/4qMbo22
nyti.ms
February 18, 2026 at 7:12 PM
One of the biggest questions in biology is how complex cells evolved about 2 billion years ago. Here's my new story on how scientists are solving the mystery of eukaryotes like us. Gift link: nyti.ms/4qMbo22
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Sol Violinsky, "The Eccentric Entertainer," from a 1929 Vitaphone short.
When's the last time you got to see a guy play the piano and the violin at the same time before some stupid Marvel Comic Universe picture? Huh? Never! Entertainment ain't what it usta be, I tell ya!
When's the last time you got to see a guy play the piano and the violin at the same time before some stupid Marvel Comic Universe picture? Huh? Never! Entertainment ain't what it usta be, I tell ya!
February 18, 2026 at 7:01 PM
Sol Violinsky, "The Eccentric Entertainer," from a 1929 Vitaphone short.
When's the last time you got to see a guy play the piano and the violin at the same time before some stupid Marvel Comic Universe picture? Huh? Never! Entertainment ain't what it usta be, I tell ya!
When's the last time you got to see a guy play the piano and the violin at the same time before some stupid Marvel Comic Universe picture? Huh? Never! Entertainment ain't what it usta be, I tell ya!
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
I imagine it was extremely disturbing
February 18, 2026 at 6:14 PM
I imagine it was extremely disturbing
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
February 18, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
This local Wolfdog joined an Olympic ski event and triggered the finish-line camera. This is Nazgul. He snuck into a cross-country skiing sprint this morning and raced the homestretch with some competitors before being escorted home. 14/10 someone get him a medal
February 18, 2026 at 5:48 PM
This local Wolfdog joined an Olympic ski event and triggered the finish-line camera. This is Nazgul. He snuck into a cross-country skiing sprint this morning and raced the homestretch with some competitors before being escorted home. 14/10 someone get him a medal
They said that about zeppelins.
February 18, 2026 at 6:11 PM
They said that about zeppelins.
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Roman parade helmet showing a winged cupid riding a chariot. The brass helmet was found at Trimontium Roman Fort, near Newstead in the Scottish Borders. Now part of the collections at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. 📸 My own. #ReliefWednesday #RomanScotland
February 18, 2026 at 8:41 AM
Roman parade helmet showing a winged cupid riding a chariot. The brass helmet was found at Trimontium Roman Fort, near Newstead in the Scottish Borders. Now part of the collections at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. 📸 My own. #ReliefWednesday #RomanScotland