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
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
They have waterproof feathers, nasal flaps that block water when submerged.
Rather than an insulating layer of fat, they just embrace the cold with a reduced metabolism and low critical temperature.
They can also load their blood with oxygen for extended dives/underwater walks.
Rather than an insulating layer of fat, they just embrace the cold with a reduced metabolism and low critical temperature.
They can also load their blood with oxygen for extended dives/underwater walks.
Responses to temperature in the dipper, Cinclus mexicanus
1.1. Dippers have an excellent insulation as indicated by their low thermal conductance (0.33 cal/g per hr per °C) and lower critical temperature (11.…
www.sciencedirect.com
February 18, 2026 at 2:27 PM
They have waterproof feathers, nasal flaps that block water when submerged.
Rather than an insulating layer of fat, they just embrace the cold with a reduced metabolism and low critical temperature.
They can also load their blood with oxygen for extended dives/underwater walks.
Rather than an insulating layer of fat, they just embrace the cold with a reduced metabolism and low critical temperature.
They can also load their blood with oxygen for extended dives/underwater walks.
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
The dog is called Nazgul. (presumably he is one of nine)
This GOOD BOY ran onto the course during the Women’s Cross-Country Skiing Team Sprint event, crossing the finish line and being automatically recorded by OMEGA’s photofinish camera 😆
February 18, 2026 at 2:06 PM
The dog is called Nazgul. (presumably he is one of nine)
But portraits of Ukrainian sportsmen killed by the Russians are not allowed.
A tour of the sick-ass helmets of skeleton: defector.com/a-tour-of-th...
February 18, 2026 at 1:48 PM
But portraits of Ukrainian sportsmen killed by the Russians are not allowed.
Cracking review by @jonhenley.bsky.social of what sounds like a brilliant expo of Capa photos. Time to go to Paris!
‘He invented a style’: war chronicler Robert Capa refashioned himself and revolutionised photography
A Paris exhibition showcases how the Magnum agency founder documented not just battle but also victims of war
www.theguardian.com
February 18, 2026 at 1:45 PM
Cracking review by @jonhenley.bsky.social of what sounds like a brilliant expo of Capa photos. Time to go to Paris!
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Wow!
2025: Host-specific leaf-mining behaviour of holometabolous insect larvae in the early #Permian
#ichnology #paleobotany #palaeobotany
Michael Laaß, Ludwig Luthardt, Steffen Trümper, Angelika Leipner, Norbert Hauschke & Ronny Rößler
2025: Host-specific leaf-mining behaviour of holometabolous insect larvae in the early #Permian
#ichnology #paleobotany #palaeobotany
Michael Laaß, Ludwig Luthardt, Steffen Trümper, Angelika Leipner, Norbert Hauschke & Ronny Rößler
February 18, 2026 at 12:28 PM
Wow!
2025: Host-specific leaf-mining behaviour of holometabolous insect larvae in the early #Permian
#ichnology #paleobotany #palaeobotany
Michael Laaß, Ludwig Luthardt, Steffen Trümper, Angelika Leipner, Norbert Hauschke & Ronny Rößler
2025: Host-specific leaf-mining behaviour of holometabolous insect larvae in the early #Permian
#ichnology #paleobotany #palaeobotany
Michael Laaß, Ludwig Luthardt, Steffen Trümper, Angelika Leipner, Norbert Hauschke & Ronny Rößler
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
1Died (alas!) on this day in 1455, Fra Angelico, the Angelic Friar. Here, Annunciation from the 1440s on the stair landing at the convent of San Marco, Florence.
February 18, 2026 at 12:19 PM
1Died (alas!) on this day in 1455, Fra Angelico, the Angelic Friar. Here, Annunciation from the 1440s on the stair landing at the convent of San Marco, Florence.
Get thee to Ecclesall Road! It does sound very relaxing.
‘Like an electrical gong bath!’ The Sheffield supermarket going viral for the symphonic sound of its freezers
Redditors are thrilled by the Co-op on Ecclesall Road, where a magnificent drone is reminiscent of Brian Eno’s ambient music. We take a visit to the back aisles
www.theguardian.com
February 18, 2026 at 12:49 PM
Get thee to Ecclesall Road! It does sound very relaxing.
@dbellingradt.bsky.social How was type set in the early modern period? I've just been reading Harvey's On Animal Generation (around 100k words) - did a bloke put in each of the letters by hand? I.e. they had no keyboard so what else could they do? Any accounts/studies of this from setter's pov?
February 18, 2026 at 12:05 PM
@dbellingradt.bsky.social How was type set in the early modern period? I've just been reading Harvey's On Animal Generation (around 100k words) - did a bloke put in each of the letters by hand? I.e. they had no keyboard so what else could they do? Any accounts/studies of this from setter's pov?
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Just got my hot-off-the-press copy of the new edition of Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved, written by @tetzoo.bsky.social and yours truly, with gorgeous new cover art from @bobnichollsart.bsky.social: finally, a sauropodomorph on the cover 🦕🦕🦕 On sale soon!
February 18, 2026 at 11:13 AM
Just got my hot-off-the-press copy of the new edition of Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved, written by @tetzoo.bsky.social and yours truly, with gorgeous new cover art from @bobnichollsart.bsky.social: finally, a sauropodomorph on the cover 🦕🦕🦕 On sale soon!
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Nudibranch Phyllidia
#gili #giliislands #lombok #diving #scuba #trawangan #diveandstay #giliair #pets #ocean #sealife #marinelife #padi #seaslug #nudibranch
#gili #giliislands #lombok #diving #scuba #trawangan #diveandstay #giliair #pets #ocean #sealife #marinelife #padi #seaslug #nudibranch
February 18, 2026 at 10:22 AM
Nudibranch Phyllidia
#gili #giliislands #lombok #diving #scuba #trawangan #diveandstay #giliair #pets #ocean #sealife #marinelife #padi #seaslug #nudibranch
#gili #giliislands #lombok #diving #scuba #trawangan #diveandstay #giliair #pets #ocean #sealife #marinelife #padi #seaslug #nudibranch
Ummm. From the Waterstone’s ad for Kate Atkinson’s book.
February 18, 2026 at 10:23 AM
Ummm. From the Waterstone’s ad for Kate Atkinson’s book.
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
This year, for Lent, I’m giving up.
February 18, 2026 at 9:56 AM
This year, for Lent, I’m giving up.
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
A Peacock mantis shrimp - Odontodactylus scyllarus
#gili #giliislands #lombok #diving #scuba #trawangan #diveandstay #giliair #pets #ocean #sealife #marinelife #padi #mantis #peacock
#gili #giliislands #lombok #diving #scuba #trawangan #diveandstay #giliair #pets #ocean #sealife #marinelife #padi #mantis #peacock
June 21, 2025 at 9:44 PM
A Peacock mantis shrimp - Odontodactylus scyllarus
#gili #giliislands #lombok #diving #scuba #trawangan #diveandstay #giliair #pets #ocean #sealife #marinelife #padi #mantis #peacock
#gili #giliislands #lombok #diving #scuba #trawangan #diveandstay #giliair #pets #ocean #sealife #marinelife #padi #mantis #peacock
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Welcome to the Brexit, sir
New data shows #Brexit has lowered UK GDP by 6-8% over the past decade. Investment down 12-18%, employment down 3-4%. It's even worse than economists had predicted pre-referendum, because they thought there would be a bounce-back long term. "Economists were roughly right on the
Brexit’s slow‑burn hit to the UK economy
The UK is once again debating why its economy has grown slowly since the mid‑2010s. This column examines the impact of the decision to leave the European Union in 2016. Using almost a decade of data s...
cepr.org
February 18, 2026 at 7:21 AM
Welcome to the Brexit, sir
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Recent Commissions!
Weird round dinosaurs inspired by cattle painting :3
Weird round dinosaurs inspired by cattle painting :3
November 3, 2024 at 12:18 PM
Recent Commissions!
Weird round dinosaurs inspired by cattle painting :3
Weird round dinosaurs inspired by cattle painting :3
Like others, I stumbled over the fact that this doesn’t seem to look like Sting from the Police, but I have mild face blindness so I gave up and assumed he was hench at some point. Turns out it’s a US wrestler, but that isn’t the point. What Far Side cartoon is he reading? Follow the thread…
what if i told you, through the power of forensic analysis, we are closer than ever to knowing the exact Far Side cartoon that is making Sting smile in this iconic photo. 🧵 👇
February 18, 2026 at 6:59 AM
Like others, I stumbled over the fact that this doesn’t seem to look like Sting from the Police, but I have mild face blindness so I gave up and assumed he was hench at some point. Turns out it’s a US wrestler, but that isn’t the point. What Far Side cartoon is he reading? Follow the thread…
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
New #PhD on #bees (BeeHd?)! Despite the ad saying "UK Students only", a limited number of scholarships are available for international candidates. So please apply!
New PhD alert! We'll be applying animal welfare ideas to look at how stress affects bees, looking at the effect on bee brains with @lenariab.bsky.social, and working with @sensibee.bsky.social developing new monitoring methods.
Please spread the word! #bees #PhD 🧪
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Please spread the word! #bees #PhD 🧪
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
The effect of stress on pollinator behaviour at Newcastle University on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - The effect of stress on pollinator behaviour at Newcastle University, listed on FindAPhD.com
www.findaphd.com
February 3, 2026 at 3:50 PM
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Historian of medicine here. Yes. Yes, they did.
before antibiotics did people just die all the time from everything?
February 17, 2026 at 5:47 PM
Historian of medicine here. Yes. Yes, they did.
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
In this short video I explain that parenting is about choosing to care for a child, helping them to become a member of the human community (a good citizen). Parenting is not first and foremost about genetics (passing on one’s genes). www.linkedin.com/posts/staten...
Vocies on bioethics - Françoise Baylis | Smer - Swedish National Council on Medical Ethics
Rådet möter många nationella och internationella experter. För att fler ska kunna få ta del av deras kunskap och insikter gör Smer nu en intervjuserie. I serien kommer du få möta ledande experter och ...
www.linkedin.com
February 17, 2026 at 6:44 PM
In this short video I explain that parenting is about choosing to care for a child, helping them to become a member of the human community (a good citizen). Parenting is not first and foremost about genetics (passing on one’s genes). www.linkedin.com/posts/staten...
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Years ago I was obsessed with these Antarctic "tulips"-eventually learned they were TUNICATES, Molgula pedunculata #tunicateTuesday Such crazy lookin' things! www.researchgate.net/publication/...
February 17, 2026 at 5:06 PM
Years ago I was obsessed with these Antarctic "tulips"-eventually learned they were TUNICATES, Molgula pedunculata #tunicateTuesday Such crazy lookin' things! www.researchgate.net/publication/...
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Anyone please aware of people here who might be experts on industrial trawling vessels? Looking for help with terminology and ship types, thanks!
February 17, 2026 at 6:12 PM
Anyone please aware of people here who might be experts on industrial trawling vessels? Looking for help with terminology and ship types, thanks!
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Girl next to me at this cafe: "Just say the thing you want to say and get it over with, and I'll say 'Wow Jeffrey that's interesting'."
Jeffrey: "Okay fine. So I figured out a way to calculate the area of a solid using an unconventional method."
Girl: "Wow Jeffrey that's interesting."
Jeffrey: "Okay fine. So I figured out a way to calculate the area of a solid using an unconventional method."
Girl: "Wow Jeffrey that's interesting."
February 17, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Girl next to me at this cafe: "Just say the thing you want to say and get it over with, and I'll say 'Wow Jeffrey that's interesting'."
Jeffrey: "Okay fine. So I figured out a way to calculate the area of a solid using an unconventional method."
Girl: "Wow Jeffrey that's interesting."
Jeffrey: "Okay fine. So I figured out a way to calculate the area of a solid using an unconventional method."
Girl: "Wow Jeffrey that's interesting."
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Back in the time when the sun was pink
February 17, 2026 at 4:42 PM
Back in the time when the sun was pink
Reposted by Matthew Cobb
Do folklore and digital tech seem like odd bedfellows? 'Father of the supercomputer' Seymour Cray attributed some of his success to advice he received from elves while digging a tunnel (if you don't stumble across an entrance to a subterranean otherworld, home-made is fine). 1/3
February 12, 2026 at 9:28 AM
Do folklore and digital tech seem like odd bedfellows? 'Father of the supercomputer' Seymour Cray attributed some of his success to advice he received from elves while digging a tunnel (if you don't stumble across an entrance to a subterranean otherworld, home-made is fine). 1/3