Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · 3d

Here's my interview with #ScienceWriter @brianclegg.bsky.social about writing The Future of Agriculture earlier this year. Thanks, Brian!

#SciComm #Agriculture #UK
popsciencebooks.blogspot.com/2025/10/sara...

Sarah Bearchell - Five Way Interview

Sarah Bearchell is a science writer and educator who has created educational activities for charities, learned societies and science centres...

popsciencebooks.blogspot.com

1

Reposted by Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻

Robin Hayward 🌳 🏳️‍⚧️ @canopyrobin.com · 9d

The photoshoot for these ones was such a challenge! Hopefully I captured the colour-change background well enough but there's just so much beauty in the variation
canopyrobin.etsy.com/listing/4376...

The they/she pin worn on a black lapel. The background appears a very dark blue with multicoloured glitter flecks

A range of pronoun pins in colours from light blue to golden yellow

Pronoun pins for every combination of he, she, and they, with gold text and backgrounds from blue to red

The they/she pin worn on a black lapel. The background appears a sea green colour

3 12

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · 17d

If you are doing any kind of #engagement, this new guide helps you to examine your work and teaches you how to make it more equitable and inclusive.

#SciComm @big-stem-network.bsky.social

Dr Elodie Chabrol @eloscicomm.bsky.social · 17d

The reflexivity workbook : for individuals who are interested in or already doing science communication/engagement & want to make their efforts more equitable and inclusive. #scicomm
Download here www.reflexivityworkbook.org

A great ressource by @andrea-isabel.bsky.social & @moefeliu.bsky.social 👏

Reflexivity Workbook | Enhance Science Communication

Download tools for equitable, inclusive science communication. Ideal for both new and experienced science communicators focused on public engagement.

www.reflexivityworkbook.org

1 3

Reposted by Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻

Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · Sep 4

Sarah is not the target audience at all but it’s been wonderful to have so many professional scientists and science communicators read the book and say they got something out of it - just look at the reviews! It’s 99p on Kindle and £3 for a paperback at the moment www.amazon.co.uk/Why-Dont-Thi...

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · Sep 4

I'm reading this at the moment (I know, what took me so long?!). Alom has a lovely readable style, full of curiosity and great explanations. Worth a read for science centre explainers too. What a lovely offer!
@associationscied.bsky.social @sciencecentres.bsky.social

Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · Sep 4

Science Teachers! I’m trying to get a copy of “Why Don’t Things Fall Up?” into the hands of as many science teacher trainees as possible. If you know any, tell them to get in touch and I’ll send them a FREE copy!

5 5

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · Sep 4

I'm reading this at the moment (I know, what took me so long?!). Alom has a lovely readable style, full of curiosity and great explanations. Worth a read for science centre explainers too. What a lovely offer!
@associationscied.bsky.social @sciencecentres.bsky.social

Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · Sep 4

Science Teachers! I’m trying to get a copy of “Why Don’t Things Fall Up?” into the hands of as many science teacher trainees as possible. If you know any, tell them to get in touch and I’ll send them a FREE copy!

Why Don’t Things Fall Up?

Why Don’t Things Fall Up? delivers what every adult and schoolchild deserves, but often doesn’t get: an authoritative and accessible account of the key ideas in science. The book is rooted in Alom’…

alomshaha.com

1 1 3

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · Sep 3

Science Centres and their outreach teams are often the first scientists children encounter and they aim to build long term community relationships too. However, they do not receive goverment financial support in the same way as conventional museums and other cultural centres. This needs to change.

Association for Science and Discovery Centres (ASDC) @sciencecentres.bsky.social · Sep 2

Thank you to our patron @profaliceroberts.bsky.social for sharing our open letter.

Science and discovery centres are facing a lack of financial support. We are calling on the Government to implement policy changes that safeguard the sector's future.

Sign it ⬇️
www.sciencecentres.org.uk/openletter/

1 6 8

Reposted by Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻

Association for Science and Discovery Centres (ASDC) @sciencecentres.bsky.social · Sep 1

We've made it to Bluesky! Give us a follow for updates from our network of science centres, museums, and outreach organisations across the UK. We'll be posting about events, campaigns, and nationwide projects.

Any suggestions for who we should follow? Let us know! 🔽

2 10 18

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · Aug 28

Thanks Jennifer. It's my first actual book :) I'm sure you remember the feeling!

1

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · Aug 28

Day One of the Talking #Maths in Public Conference is under way online and @uni-of-warwick.bsky.social! Excellent thoughtful and thought-provoking keynote from @jonchaseraps.bsky.social.

@tmip.bsky.social am I right that its not too late to buy an online ticket?!

talkingmathsinpublic.uk/programme/

Programme - Talking Maths In Public 2025

talkingmathsinpublic.uk

1

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · Aug 28

Thanks for sharing @pneumofoils.bsky.social ☺️

1

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · Aug 28

Thanks for sharing @kodoandsangha.bsky.social 😁

1

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · Aug 28

Thanks for sharing @susieoftraken.bsky.social :) Its the kind of book I would have found useful to read before starting my botany degree!

1 1

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · Aug 28

It's actually happened! My book is out today! It's called the Future of Agriculture.
It considers how we can feed a growing population in a changing #climate. Political change will take time but there are actions we consumers can take now!
coles-books.co.uk/the-future-o...
#SciComm #Agriculture

The Future of Agriculture by Sarah Bearchell

Record rainfall and extreme weather has become a common occurrence around the world. The television news shows farmers standing in front of their flooded fields; the ground too wet to harvest one seas...

coles-books.co.uk

4 3 10

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · Aug 2

Glorious afternoon at the limestone pavement at @plantlifeuk.bsky.social Winskill Stones Reserve #Yorkshire #SciComm

A view along the gryke (channel) of a limestone pavement. You can see some very dry moss, the soft leaves of a Yorkshire fog grass seedling and a patch of herb Robert. In the distance is a hill called Ingleborough (I think!). It's gloriously sunny.

4

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · Jul 29

Delighted to be included in Jonathan Powell's article on the use of signing in astronomy teaching. One of the cover stories in the current issue of @senmagazine.co.uk
#BSL #Makaton #SciComm

The cover of SEN Magazine featuring a smiling white child with curly blonde hair. There is also a close up of the article with the words "I love it when audience members teach me new signs" and pictures showing how to sign moon: hold your dominant hand at head height with thumb and forefinger pinched together, then move them apart as you move your hand down, and back together again - it's like making a crescent moon.

2

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · Jul 21

Thank you for sharing this photo, Hazel. I shared it with my mum to prove that I'm a proper grown up now!

1 1

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · Jul 21

It was lovely to catch up with @joannadurrant.bsky.social at last months' #CheltenhamScienceFestival. We chatted about bubbles, clouds, #Makaton signing and my book launch next month.

Jo Durrant @joannadurrant.bsky.social · Jul 17

🎧 Ep 242 of Jo Durrant’s Beautiful Universe podcast is out now:

🤩 Dev Joshi & Roland Ellis talk about Relative Distance & their representation of the Moon

🫧 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social chats at Chelt Sci Fest

📲 podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/j...

💻 jodurrantsbeautifuluniverse.libsyn.com

Jo Durrant’s Beautiful Universe podcast artwork

Jo and Sarah sitting in green room at Cheltenham Science Festival

‘Phase’ - a wall mounted representation of the Moon

2 2

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · Jun 23

HUGE congratulations to @steckl.es - the force of nature (and mathematics) who has won this year's #UK Beetlestone Award. Such amazing energy and dedication to share her love of #maths

BIG - STEM Communicators Network, UK @big-stem-network.bsky.social · Jun 23

🌟 Beetlestone Award 2025 🌟

The Beetlestone Award Organising Committee is delighted to announce the 2025 winner of this prestigious Award, given for leadership and legacy in Communicating Science, is Dr Katie Steckles.

A white woman with short brown and purple hair, a blue top and a headset mic stands in front of a white background

1 5

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · Jun 20

A nectar thief! This buff-tailed #bumblebee, Bombus terrestris, landed on a Salvia flower, nibbled a hole in the flower tube, drank the nectar and flew to the next. Skipping pollination altogether. You can see identical holes in all the flowers. Cheeky!
@bumblebeetrust.bsky.social
#SciComm
#Nature

A nice fluffy bumblebee with a buff coloured abdomen end is resting on the underside of a scarlet flowered ornamental Salvia flower.

A white circle is drawn around one of the scarlet Salvia flowers. It highlights where a hole has been nibbled in the petals. Closer inspection shows this same hole is present on all the open or old flowers in the inflorescence of about 10 flowers.

4

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · Jun 17

New magnetic material discovered. Better tell the #GCSE and #ALevel examiners about this one!

#SciComm

Care instructions on cotton polyester sheet packaging. The highlighted text says "Due to the magnetic nature of polyester when in contact with fibres such as nylon, pilling may occur"

2

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · Jun 12

The #fasciation on this Veronica spicata has left me with an #earworm.

Sing it with me...MahNahMahNah!

#Muppets

Veronica spicata is a perennial plant. It has spikes of tiny bright purple flowers. The tip of each inflorescence is almost neon green/yellow. Fascination has caused some to form with a flat end but the one in focus has an o-shape. It looks like a moth on top of a purple Muppet!

The Muppets who sang MahNahMaNah. The central one is beardy but is not the one I remember most. The Muppets on either side have fluffy pink bodies, pink horns, googly eyes on top of their heads and bright neon green/yellow mouths. They look like the top of the Veronica inflorescence!

4

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · Jun 11

A great conference, thank you!

I've learned about using in-built apps as well and specialist technologies.

But the best part was how so many speakers talked about making the tech available to all learners, so everyone is comfortable using it, especially important in mainstream classrooms.

CALL Scotland @callscotland.org.uk · Jun 11

It’s been a brilliant morning at #ASLTechnolgy25. So much creativity, innovation and inspiration from our fabulous speakers. And time to talk to colleagues over lunch in the quad on warm sunny Edinburgh - bonus!

Photograph of an exhibition space with tables which have leaflets and assistive technology products. A banner says 'CALL Scotland'.

1 5

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · Jun 11

@kityates.bsky.social It was great to meet you at Cheltenham Science Festival. It's always lovely to put a real human to the name :)

1 2

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · Jun 10

My first Great Exhibition Road Festival - and what an audience!

Can you see the expressions on joy, awe & wonder on children & adults alike? Look even closer and you'll see an array of stickers and make-and-takes from the research activities provided by @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social #GERF

A backstage view of a packed audience at an outdoor festival. You can see a woman in a tartan dress and black cardigan from behind. She is making large bubbles. The audience facing her appear at first to be entirely children between toddlers and ten years old, but look closely and there are supportive adults in there too. The audience's faces are a mixture of awe, anticipation, delight and joy.

3

Dr Sarah Bearchell 🌻 @sarahbearchell.bsky.social · Jun 8

Popped in to see you...look at all those wonderful visitors!