Philip Ball
@philipcball.bsky.social
Science writer and author of books including Bright Earth, The Music Instinct, Beyond Weird, How Life Works.
I wrote this piece at the start of the year, so it's nice to see it finally out before the year's end! It looks at the notion of "hard steps" in evolution that allegedly make intelligent life rare in the universe, and why that might not be correct after all.
nautil.us/we-might-not...
nautil.us/we-might-not...
We Might Not Be So Strange
We Might Not Be So Strange: Perhaps intelligent life wasn’t so unlikely after all.
nautil.us
November 28, 2025 at 6:12 PM
I wrote this piece at the start of the year, so it's nice to see it finally out before the year's end! It looks at the notion of "hard steps" in evolution that allegedly make intelligent life rare in the universe, and why that might not be correct after all.
nautil.us/we-might-not...
nautil.us/we-might-not...
It was fun to do this interview in Barcelona with the wonderful Cristina Saez. A bit taken aback by the headline though - that statement is inevitably true, but doesn't take away from the fact that the current evidence points quite strongly to a natural origin.
en.ara.cat/science-tech...
en.ara.cat/science-tech...
Philip Ball: "We still cannot be 100% sure that the Covid virus was not a leak from a laboratory."
Writer and science communicator
en.ara.cat
November 28, 2025 at 6:03 PM
It was fun to do this interview in Barcelona with the wonderful Cristina Saez. A bit taken aback by the headline though - that statement is inevitably true, but doesn't take away from the fact that the current evidence points quite strongly to a natural origin.
en.ara.cat/science-tech...
en.ara.cat/science-tech...
"Vaguely revolting". Exactly that.
Even when there are no obvious artifacts, the generated images often have a weird uncanny sheen to them that I personally find vaguely revolting. I can’t really turn that reaction off.
November 28, 2025 at 4:50 PM
"Vaguely revolting". Exactly that.
Reposted by Philip Ball
Print version of @thelancet.com's review of #ScienceUnderSiege
November 28, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Print version of @thelancet.com's review of #ScienceUnderSiege
Badly, I fear. I don't have high hopes for the UK or Europe, but in the US I would fully expect catastrophe. Sorry, but there it is.
The opposite of readiness for the next pandemic
by @dwallacewells.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/o...
by @dwallacewells.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/o...
November 28, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Badly, I fear. I don't have high hopes for the UK or Europe, but in the US I would fully expect catastrophe. Sorry, but there it is.
For fans of colour and of 19th C natural history, this is a rather glorious read.
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Capturing colour on HMS Beagle: Charles Darwin and Werner’s Nomenclature of Colours (1821) | The British Journal for the History of Science | Cambridge Core
Capturing colour on HMS Beagle: Charles Darwin and Werner’s Nomenclature of Colours (1821)
www.cambridge.org
November 28, 2025 at 2:10 PM
For fans of colour and of 19th C natural history, this is a rather glorious read.
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
What a great story from Heidi. "“We need a molecular definition of what is normal.” In the light of this work, one has to wonder if the molecular is the right place to look for that at all.
One for the heredity scolds: construct a multi-tissue GRM where people
are differentially related to themselves.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
are differentially related to themselves.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
We are all mosaics: vast genetic diversity found between cells in a single person
Technical advances allow researchers to trace the genetic changes that occur over time.
www.nature.com
November 28, 2025 at 10:53 AM
What a great story from Heidi. "“We need a molecular definition of what is normal.” In the light of this work, one has to wonder if the molecular is the right place to look for that at all.
The Bohr effect had nothing to do with Niels but was discovered by his physiologist father Christian. Taught now as the first example of allostery in protein action, it touched on deeper questions about the nature of living organisms. My lastest column for CW
www.chemistryworld.com/opinion/the-...
www.chemistryworld.com/opinion/the-...
The wide-ranging influence of the Bohr effect
While not a Nobel prize-winning discovery in itself, this challenge to the reductionist view of physiology has links to several other winners
www.chemistryworld.com
November 28, 2025 at 10:48 AM
The Bohr effect had nothing to do with Niels but was discovered by his physiologist father Christian. Taught now as the first example of allostery in protein action, it touched on deeper questions about the nature of living organisms. My lastest column for CW
www.chemistryworld.com/opinion/the-...
www.chemistryworld.com/opinion/the-...
Very useful analysis of how the metaphors have changed over time.
This is my last post in the 'metaphors for AI' trilogy. I never thought there was so much to say about it all. But this is it for now! Comments welcome. #AI #metaphor makingsciencepublic.com/2025/11/28/o...
Observing shifts in metaphors for AI: What changed and why it matters
In my previous two posts I have made the case for an AI metaphor observatory and surveyed the recent academic landscape of studies dealing with metaphors for AI in the sense of GenAI and LLMs. In t…
makingsciencepublic.com
November 28, 2025 at 8:47 AM
Very useful analysis of how the metaphors have changed over time.
The nature of print cycles means this is rather late in appearing, but here are my thoughts on Hitler's DNA, for @thenewworldmag.bsky.social
www.thenewworld.co.uk/philip-ball-...
www.thenewworld.co.uk/philip-ball-...
Was analysing Hitler's DNA worth it?
There is no reason to suppose that we learn anything significant from the genetic data about what made the dictator the man he was
www.thenewworld.co.uk
November 28, 2025 at 8:43 AM
The nature of print cycles means this is rather late in appearing, but here are my thoughts on Hitler's DNA, for @thenewworldmag.bsky.social
www.thenewworld.co.uk/philip-ball-...
www.thenewworld.co.uk/philip-ball-...
Nature went to the MAHA Summit. It was wild. Can we please take a moment to appreciate how brilliantly Max nails it by simply presenting facts, expertly mashalled.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
November 27, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Nature went to the MAHA Summit. It was wild. Can we please take a moment to appreciate how brilliantly Max nails it by simply presenting facts, expertly mashalled.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Philip Ball
I chatted with Evan McLoughlin on The Giant's Shoulder podcast about the flaws that undermine claims of a link between autism and the microbiome cc @statsepi.bsky.social @deevybee.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie0S...
Dr Kevin Mitchell: What Really Causes Autism?, Tylenol & The Gut Microbiome!
YouTube video by Giant's Shoulder
www.youtube.com
November 27, 2025 at 4:34 PM
I chatted with Evan McLoughlin on The Giant's Shoulder podcast about the flaws that undermine claims of a link between autism and the microbiome cc @statsepi.bsky.social @deevybee.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie0S...
Reposted by Philip Ball
There's also currently a 50% off promo code FIFTY until 30th November. Bargain!
It's time to be thinking about Christmas presents, and what could be a finer gift than the set of beautiful books Quarto Press has created with me? First, and most recently, this illustrated history of alchemy.
yalebooks.co.uk/book/9780300...
yalebooks.co.uk/book/9780300...
Alchemy - Yale University Press London
Flush with hundreds of illustrations, this book revisits the histories of chemistry, medicine, ideas, and culture through the lens of alchemy “Ph...
yalebooks.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 12:09 PM
There's also currently a 50% off promo code FIFTY until 30th November. Bargain!
Reposted by Philip Ball
👍 And btw, Yale Press gives 50% off, 1–30 Nov, promo code FIFTY
November 27, 2025 at 11:44 AM
👍 And btw, Yale Press gives 50% off, 1–30 Nov, promo code FIFTY
It's time to be thinking about Christmas presents, and what could be a finer gift than the set of beautiful books Quarto Press has created with me? First, and most recently, this illustrated history of alchemy.
yalebooks.co.uk/book/9780300...
yalebooks.co.uk/book/9780300...
Alchemy - Yale University Press London
Flush with hundreds of illustrations, this book revisits the histories of chemistry, medicine, ideas, and culture through the lens of alchemy “Ph...
yalebooks.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 10:20 AM
It's time to be thinking about Christmas presents, and what could be a finer gift than the set of beautiful books Quarto Press has created with me? First, and most recently, this illustrated history of alchemy.
yalebooks.co.uk/book/9780300...
yalebooks.co.uk/book/9780300...
"I want every task that is possible to be automated with artificial intelligence to be automated with artificial intelligence." Trouble is, these people have no judgement about how to make those calls.You can in principle use AI to plan your child's birthday party.So...?
futurism.com/artificial-i...
futurism.com/artificial-i...
Nvidia CEO Says You're "Insane" If You Don't Use AI to Do Literally Everything
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said it was "insane" to suggest his employees not use AI to do everything possible.
futurism.com
November 27, 2025 at 10:02 AM
"I want every task that is possible to be automated with artificial intelligence to be automated with artificial intelligence." Trouble is, these people have no judgement about how to make those calls.You can in principle use AI to plan your child's birthday party.So...?
futurism.com/artificial-i...
futurism.com/artificial-i...
Looks timely.
Cover Reveal!
“The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy" arrives on August 4, 2026.
How extremist tech billionaires are dismantling democracy to crown themselves as kings—and what we can do about it.
Please pre-order! ➡️ www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Ne...
“The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy" arrives on August 4, 2026.
How extremist tech billionaires are dismantling democracy to crown themselves as kings—and what we can do about it.
Please pre-order! ➡️ www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Ne...
November 26, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Looks timely.
If you make a system that can self-replicate and is capable of mutation in a way that can respond to selective influences, that doesn't mean it's alive. Who agrees with that?
November 26, 2025 at 12:12 PM
If you make a system that can self-replicate and is capable of mutation in a way that can respond to selective influences, that doesn't mean it's alive. Who agrees with that?
Just read the Covid inquiry report. Crikey. In the general shitshow, this was one of the passages that stood out. So here (as elsewhere), Johnson lied under oath. Consequences? Don't hold your breath.
November 26, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Just read the Covid inquiry report. Crikey. In the general shitshow, this was one of the passages that stood out. So here (as elsewhere), Johnson lied under oath. Consequences? Don't hold your breath.
Abeba is right. FFS.
November 25, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Abeba is right. FFS.
Hm, just hearing at the Nature gathering tonight how intensely busy the US staff are right now with so much to cover. So glad Alex and the others are writing things like this.
Following Trump's DEI cuts, attendance has plunged at some conferences for scientists from underrepresented groups. The loss of federal support means fewer chances for people to network, share science, and develop new career paths.
Still, attendees say "the sense of solidarity remains strong".
Still, attendees say "the sense of solidarity remains strong".
‘Anti-woke’ policies blamed for falling attendance at some US conferences
Scientific meetings that support Black, Latino and Indigenous researchers are grappling with funding cuts and other restrictions.
www.nature.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Hm, just hearing at the Nature gathering tonight how intensely busy the US staff are right now with so much to cover. So glad Alex and the others are writing things like this.
Reposted by Philip Ball
Now live, and thanks to @erictopol.bsky.social for organising this!
Matthew Cobb (@matthewcobb2)
This was a terrific discussion with Eric about my new biography of Francis Crick.
substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Now live, and thanks to @erictopol.bsky.social for organising this!
Reposted by Philip Ball
NEWS --> BBC confirms to me that they did edit a line out of historian @rutgerbregman.com's speech. It called Trump "the most openly corrupt president in US history."
BBC also confirms this was done on the advice of lawyers. So Trump's threats worked.
New piece:
newrepublic.com/article/2036...
BBC also confirms this was done on the advice of lawyers. So Trump's threats worked.
New piece:
newrepublic.com/article/2036...
Trump’s Fury at BBC Gets Unnerving Results with Pro-MAGA Edit Stunner
First, British Broadcasting Corporation execs resigned after Trump complained about a segment. Now the BBC edited out a line from a historian that was critical of Trump. Where does this end?
newrepublic.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:10 PM
NEWS --> BBC confirms to me that they did edit a line out of historian @rutgerbregman.com's speech. It called Trump "the most openly corrupt president in US history."
BBC also confirms this was done on the advice of lawyers. So Trump's threats worked.
New piece:
newrepublic.com/article/2036...
BBC also confirms this was done on the advice of lawyers. So Trump's threats worked.
New piece:
newrepublic.com/article/2036...
Reposted by Philip Ball
Five years ago, Natalie Wolchover asked four physicists what makes gravity different from the other four forces of nature. She got four different answers.
Why Gravity Is Not Like the Other Forces
We asked four physicists why gravity stands out among the forces of nature. We got four different answers.
www.quantamagazine.org
November 25, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Five years ago, Natalie Wolchover asked four physicists what makes gravity different from the other four forces of nature. She got four different answers.
Reposted by Philip Ball
The BBC has so thoroughly culled its science team that the national broadcaster is now using journalists from other corporations as correspondents on its flagship Inside Science show, rather than the wealth of specialists I was able to draw from. What a sad loss
November 25, 2025 at 10:35 AM
The BBC has so thoroughly culled its science team that the national broadcaster is now using journalists from other corporations as correspondents on its flagship Inside Science show, rather than the wealth of specialists I was able to draw from. What a sad loss