Nick Harkaway
@nickharkaway.com
Book-writin' man. Also husband, dad and occasional clothing-repairer, dog-walker, enthusiastic improviser of temporary solutions to random problems. Decreasingly rigorous on social media.
www.linktr.ee/harkaway
He/him
www.linktr.ee/harkaway
He/him
Pinned
Reposted by Nick Harkaway
Cities like Paris are showing that urban greening thru street & place transformation is just COMMON SENSE, for cooling cities that are getting hotter due to the #ClimateCrisis, and for reducing emissions, cleaning the air, and improving quality-of-life!
#ActionStartsHere @mayors4climate.bsky.social
#ActionStartsHere @mayors4climate.bsky.social
November 25, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Cities like Paris are showing that urban greening thru street & place transformation is just COMMON SENSE, for cooling cities that are getting hotter due to the #ClimateCrisis, and for reducing emissions, cleaning the air, and improving quality-of-life!
#ActionStartsHere @mayors4climate.bsky.social
#ActionStartsHere @mayors4climate.bsky.social
Reposted by Nick Harkaway
Humanity done proper.
November 25, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Humanity done proper.
Reposted by Nick Harkaway
A huge 89% majority of global people [56% even in the United States] want stronger action to fight the #ClimateCrisis, but mistakenly believe they’re in a minority.
People want action. Smart cities are taking action. Nations should support city action.
#ActionStartsHere @mayors4climate.bsky.social
People want action. Smart cities are taking action. Nations should support city action.
#ActionStartsHere @mayors4climate.bsky.social
Activate climate’s ‘silent majority’ to supercharge action, experts say
Making concerned people aware their views are far from alone could unlock the change so urgently needed
www.theguardian.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:18 PM
A huge 89% majority of global people [56% even in the United States] want stronger action to fight the #ClimateCrisis, but mistakenly believe they’re in a minority.
People want action. Smart cities are taking action. Nations should support city action.
#ActionStartsHere @mayors4climate.bsky.social
People want action. Smart cities are taking action. Nations should support city action.
#ActionStartsHere @mayors4climate.bsky.social
Reposted by Nick Harkaway
The reduction in the move on period has been shown to cause homelessness among refugees. It just is not possible for many to find a new place to live in 28 days, or for most people for that matter. It's a harmful, and cynical, manoeuvre by the government, and shifts support needs onto councils.
The government’s decision to halve the time limit for refugees to leave Home Office accommodation is driving people into homelessness and exploitation, according to migrant rights campaigners and homelessness charities
By me, for @theleaduk.bsky.social national.thelead.uk/p/new-asylum...
By me, for @theleaduk.bsky.social national.thelead.uk/p/new-asylum...
New asylum policies making homeless refugees “targets for the far right”
Labour’s abrupt return to the 28-day move-on period is pushing vulnerable people into rough sleeping and exposing them to fraud and abuse.
national.thelead.uk
November 25, 2025 at 5:01 PM
The reduction in the move on period has been shown to cause homelessness among refugees. It just is not possible for many to find a new place to live in 28 days, or for most people for that matter. It's a harmful, and cynical, manoeuvre by the government, and shifts support needs onto councils.
You’ve been kidnapped. The characters from the last TV show you watched are trying to rescue you. Who’s coming to save you?
Heh. I’m in decent shape.
Heh. I’m in decent shape.
November 25, 2025 at 4:28 PM
You’ve been kidnapped. The characters from the last TV show you watched are trying to rescue you. Who’s coming to save you?
Heh. I’m in decent shape.
Heh. I’m in decent shape.
And if you have to do QE, you give it to ordinary people to pay off their debt rather than feeding it into the ravenous maw of the financial system; that’s better all round, in the end.
No bailouts. The US should extort these companies when the crash happens so they get minimal compensation in return for nationalizing the entire panopticon industry and then destroying it once harvested for socially useful parts. It won’t happen but it should
when its definitely not a hostage situation
November 25, 2025 at 4:25 PM
And if you have to do QE, you give it to ordinary people to pay off their debt rather than feeding it into the ravenous maw of the financial system; that’s better all round, in the end.
Reposted by Nick Harkaway
Hey y’all Sydette really needs a boost. Can you help her out right now?
She is one of the smartest, kindest people I know and she has put a lot in with very little reward.
She is one of the smartest, kindest people I know and she has put a lot in with very little reward.
Welp it’s gotten real real if you can please help. If you can’t it’s really hard out here so share
gofund.me/a5ee0064
gofund.me/a5ee0064
November 25, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Hey y’all Sydette really needs a boost. Can you help her out right now?
She is one of the smartest, kindest people I know and she has put a lot in with very little reward.
She is one of the smartest, kindest people I know and she has put a lot in with very little reward.
Will the brain be going on an Eras tour?
Brain has five ‘eras’, scientists say – with adult mode not starting until early 30s
Brain has five ‘eras’, scientists say – with adult mode not starting until early 30s
Study suggests human brain development has four pivotal ‘turning points’ at around the ages of nine, 32, 66 and 83
Scientists have identified five major “epochs” of human brain development in one of the most comprehensive studies to date of how neural wiring changes from infancy to old age.
The study, based on the brain scans of nearly 4,000 people aged under one to 90, mapped neural connections and how they evolve during our lives. This revealed five broad phases, split up by four pivotal “turning points” in which brain organisation moves on to a different trajectory, at around the ages of nine, 32, 66 and 83 years. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Will the brain be going on an Eras tour?
Reposted by Nick Harkaway
When you've been given another study that shows it helps people to give them money.
November 25, 2025 at 11:52 AM
When you've been given another study that shows it helps people to give them money.
I‘m working crazy hard so I haven’t talked about the Spy stage play (which I’m seeing tomorrow) or the Losing Control comic which arrived on my desk last week. Promise I will but have to do the me stuff :)
November 25, 2025 at 11:28 AM
I‘m working crazy hard so I haven’t talked about the Spy stage play (which I’m seeing tomorrow) or the Losing Control comic which arrived on my desk last week. Promise I will but have to do the me stuff :)
Reposted by Nick Harkaway
I love the little detail in the BBC Tinker Tailor (but not in the original book, if I remember rightly) of having Bill Haydon try to steal Smiley’s Mont Blanc fountain pen (possibly a 221) in their final meeting at Sarratt:
November 25, 2025 at 11:25 AM
I love the little detail in the BBC Tinker Tailor (but not in the original book, if I remember rightly) of having Bill Haydon try to steal Smiley’s Mont Blanc fountain pen (possibly a 221) in their final meeting at Sarratt:
Reposted by Nick Harkaway
Oh, look. Science showing that gender affirming care dramatically reduces suicidality in trans kids. Listen to children! And scientists!
1. A landmark study was just published in The Journal of Pediatrics.
It found a 68% reduction in suicidality for trans youth getting HRT.
It also found only 7 of more than 400 stopped taking HRT... and of those that did, 4 still identified as gender-diverse.
Transgender care saves lives.
It found a 68% reduction in suicidality for trans youth getting HRT.
It also found only 7 of more than 400 stopped taking HRT... and of those that did, 4 still identified as gender-diverse.
Transgender care saves lives.
Study In The Journal Of Pediatrics Finds Trans Youth Care Lowers Suicidality, Few Detransition
The groundbreaking study found that suicidality dropped for transgender youth receiving hormone therapy by nearly 70%, with only 7 patients of 432 discontinuing treatment.
www.erininthemorning.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Oh, look. Science showing that gender affirming care dramatically reduces suicidality in trans kids. Listen to children! And scientists!
Somewhat notoriously, Dad loved all sorts of pens, including the Parker Rollerball.
To this day I have no idea why he taped the cap on the end.
To this day I have no idea why he taped the cap on the end.
November 25, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Somewhat notoriously, Dad loved all sorts of pens, including the Parker Rollerball.
To this day I have no idea why he taped the cap on the end.
To this day I have no idea why he taped the cap on the end.
Reposted by Nick Harkaway
America gave the world the Internet and now they’re turning it into a useless sewer and I for one welcome the silence of decay the slow fungal overgrowth of analogue reconsuming the information space get me some paper and a damn pigeon
November 25, 2025 at 9:57 AM
America gave the world the Internet and now they’re turning it into a useless sewer and I for one welcome the silence of decay the slow fungal overgrowth of analogue reconsuming the information space get me some paper and a damn pigeon
The original story is superb. Funny, alarming, quietly trenchant, with all the receipts on the page. I’d been aware of @londoncentric.media for a while, but hadn’t taken on board its sheer excellence.
(FWIW, Dad would have been sending the story to everyone he knew.)
(FWIW, Dad would have been sending the story to everyone he knew.)
I guess it’s a compliment that the top story on BBC London’s TV/online output today is a direct lift of a month-old London Centric story? But once again the BBC is consistently the worst news outlet for actually remembering to credit others.
November 25, 2025 at 9:42 AM
The original story is superb. Funny, alarming, quietly trenchant, with all the receipts on the page. I’d been aware of @londoncentric.media for a while, but hadn’t taken on board its sheer excellence.
(FWIW, Dad would have been sending the story to everyone he knew.)
(FWIW, Dad would have been sending the story to everyone he knew.)
Reposted by Nick Harkaway
My take on the general idea of having for-profit companies involved in the field:
Letting Silicon Valley Geoengineer the Atmosphere Will End Badly
We already have plenty of evidence of what happens when things better left to governments — which in this case might decide to never flip the switch at all — are ceded to private industry.
www.gravityisgone.com
November 23, 2025 at 10:36 PM
My take on the general idea of having for-profit companies involved in the field:
(Railing against liquid modernity, among other things)
"My beloved working class" - i.e. the one that exists in his head, but in real life has always rejected this particularly ugly strain of 'you don't deserve commercial television, nice holidays or little luxuries' whenever Labour have taken it to the public.
there's a lot to unpack here Lord Glasman
November 25, 2025 at 7:34 AM
(Railing against liquid modernity, among other things)
my god, my typos today
November 24, 2025 at 4:34 PM
my god, my typos today
I'm sorry, I didn't get much past "startup" before I started screaming.
A 25-person startup is developing technology to block the sun and turn down the planet’s thermostat.
The stakes are huge — and the company and its critics say regulations need to catch up.
Read more: politi.co/4iaojIc
The stakes are huge — and the company and its critics say regulations need to catch up.
Read more: politi.co/4iaojIc
November 24, 2025 at 4:03 PM
I'm sorry, I didn't get much past "startup" before I started screaming.
Reposted by Nick Harkaway
Net zero is cheaper than fossil fuel dependence.
That was my #1 takeaway from @iea.org's latest World Energy Outlook.
Don't let anyone tell you drill baby drill is about affordability.
✍️https://www.iisd.org/articles/explainer/five-lessons-iea-2025-world-energy-outlook
That was my #1 takeaway from @iea.org's latest World Energy Outlook.
Don't let anyone tell you drill baby drill is about affordability.
✍️https://www.iisd.org/articles/explainer/five-lessons-iea-2025-world-energy-outlook
Five Lessons From the IEA’s 2025 World Energy Outlook for the Transition Away from Fossil Fuels
New analysis examines the 2025 World Energy Outlook and what the reports scenario's could mean for the transition away from fossil fuels.
www.iisd.org
November 24, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Net zero is cheaper than fossil fuel dependence.
That was my #1 takeaway from @iea.org's latest World Energy Outlook.
Don't let anyone tell you drill baby drill is about affordability.
✍️https://www.iisd.org/articles/explainer/five-lessons-iea-2025-world-energy-outlook
That was my #1 takeaway from @iea.org's latest World Energy Outlook.
Don't let anyone tell you drill baby drill is about affordability.
✍️https://www.iisd.org/articles/explainer/five-lessons-iea-2025-world-energy-outlook
Reposted by Nick Harkaway
At’The Word for the World’ exhibition of Le Guin’s maps and it includes what reads as a very irate note to her cover artist about how a dragon should look.
November 24, 2025 at 12:59 PM
At’The Word for the World’ exhibition of Le Guin’s maps and it includes what reads as a very irate note to her cover artist about how a dragon should look.
All right, I’ve missed something. What’s the origin point for this latest round of discussion about piracy?
November 24, 2025 at 1:32 PM
All right, I’ve missed something. What’s the origin point for this latest round of discussion about piracy?
Government could start by not going out of its way to screw the entire knowledge work sector. Just spitballing here. Maybe back your creatives when they say they've been ripped off by huge tech firms instead of finding ways to give our work to megacorps free of charge? I dunno man it's a MYSTERY...
Ahead of the National Year of Reading, the Education Committee has launched a new inquiry to understand how reading can be nurtured following the decline in the number of children reading for pleasure 👇 #BookSky
MPs launch inquiry into how the joy of reading can be kept alive
ebx.sh
November 24, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Government could start by not going out of its way to screw the entire knowledge work sector. Just spitballing here. Maybe back your creatives when they say they've been ripped off by huge tech firms instead of finding ways to give our work to megacorps free of charge? I dunno man it's a MYSTERY...
Reposted by Nick Harkaway
Today in Canadians are hella smart:
November 24, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Today in Canadians are hella smart:
We used to use a very clunky monochrome library computer for search. All text, keywords. Then you got your book and went through the index (more keywords) and the bibliography and ordered up anything you could find from there that looked good.
The one thing I really miss about the 'older world' is browsing library stacks, and card catalogues. However much I appreciate databases and retrieving what I want in moments, the serendipity of 'the book next to the one I wanted' and 'the article in the same issue' cannot be replicated. #Libraries
November 24, 2025 at 11:53 AM
We used to use a very clunky monochrome library computer for search. All text, keywords. Then you got your book and went through the index (more keywords) and the bibliography and ordered up anything you could find from there that looked good.