Simon Blackburn
@simonrblackburn.bsky.social
Combinatorics, Algebra, Cryptography. Professor of Pure Mathematics at Royal Holloway University of London. Maths enthusiast. Cat enthusiast. Woking Rail Enthusiast.
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
It's a tad frosty in the land of the third rail rail this morning.
This is the fireworks show provided by an icy conductor rail when you are the first train of the day along the line.
This is the fireworks show provided by an icy conductor rail when you are the first train of the day along the line.
December 5, 2025 at 6:55 AM
It's a tad frosty in the land of the third rail rail this morning.
This is the fireworks show provided by an icy conductor rail when you are the first train of the day along the line.
This is the fireworks show provided by an icy conductor rail when you are the first train of the day along the line.
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
December 1, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
Which famous writer do you think would be the worst at BlueSky? I’m gonna say Shakespeare. Didn’t have a phone.
December 3, 2025 at 7:12 AM
Which famous writer do you think would be the worst at BlueSky? I’m gonna say Shakespeare. Didn’t have a phone.
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
When my wife told me Scandinavian languages don't have the letter 'R' I immediately thought: No way!
December 2, 2025 at 9:52 AM
When my wife told me Scandinavian languages don't have the letter 'R' I immediately thought: No way!
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
Sharing a moment :)
December 1, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Sharing a moment :)
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
Every year we make a free-to-download-and-print-off-yourself colouring-in Advent Calendar. This year’s heavily features Bigfoots. Please share!
Download it for free here… www.worldofmoose.com/pages/2025-b...
Download it for free here… www.worldofmoose.com/pages/2025-b...
November 29, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Every year we make a free-to-download-and-print-off-yourself colouring-in Advent Calendar. This year’s heavily features Bigfoots. Please share!
Download it for free here… www.worldofmoose.com/pages/2025-b...
Download it for free here… www.worldofmoose.com/pages/2025-b...
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
*goes to a natural history museum and holds up a bouquet to an Allosaurus skeleton so they can finally see some flowers*
I don’t know a lot.
But I know a lot about dinosaurs.
Now we all know dinosaurs lived for millions of years right?
But does you mind actually wrap around how long they dominated for?
Lets get a little perspective.
Did you know Allosaurus never saw flowers but T.rex did?
But I know a lot about dinosaurs.
Now we all know dinosaurs lived for millions of years right?
But does you mind actually wrap around how long they dominated for?
Lets get a little perspective.
Did you know Allosaurus never saw flowers but T.rex did?
November 29, 2025 at 11:28 PM
*goes to a natural history museum and holds up a bouquet to an Allosaurus skeleton so they can finally see some flowers*
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
For 200 years railways have enabled us to visit new places, form new friendships and make great memories.
Here’s picture 200 of 200 to celebrate those 200 years 🥳🚂❤️
Thanks for all your likes, reposts and comments guys, it’s been fun 😊
Here’s picture 200 of 200 to celebrate those 200 years 🥳🚂❤️
Thanks for all your likes, reposts and comments guys, it’s been fun 😊
November 29, 2025 at 8:07 AM
For 200 years railways have enabled us to visit new places, form new friendships and make great memories.
Here’s picture 200 of 200 to celebrate those 200 years 🥳🚂❤️
Thanks for all your likes, reposts and comments guys, it’s been fun 😊
Here’s picture 200 of 200 to celebrate those 200 years 🥳🚂❤️
Thanks for all your likes, reposts and comments guys, it’s been fun 😊
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
September 27, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
The hidden chemical attack that forced the Northern line’s extraordinary repair
www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/the...
www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/the...
The hidden chemical attack that forced the Northern line’s extraordinary repair
Thirty years ago, an entire section of the Northern line had to be replaced because it was under attack from acid, and hardly anyone noticed that it was happening.
www.ianvisits.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 7:03 AM
The hidden chemical attack that forced the Northern line’s extraordinary repair
www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/the...
www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/the...
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
Vintage Trains On The Metropolitan Line
Here's a little video from my visit to the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre. The museum is on the site of Quainton Road Station, which was once part of the Metropolitan line. Here are some photos from my visit.
Here's a little video from my visit to the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre. The museum is on the site of Quainton Road Station, which was once part of the Metropolitan line. Here are some photos from my visit.
November 23, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Vintage Trains On The Metropolitan Line
Here's a little video from my visit to the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre. The museum is on the site of Quainton Road Station, which was once part of the Metropolitan line. Here are some photos from my visit.
Here's a little video from my visit to the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre. The museum is on the site of Quainton Road Station, which was once part of the Metropolitan line. Here are some photos from my visit.
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
For anyone interested, I wrote a "how-to" guide for making this large string art cardioid. There's a link on my blog. I have also included the PDF files for laser-cutting the pieces. Enjoy! divisbyzero.com/2025/11/22/c...
Constructing a Large 251-Point String Art Cardioid
I recently designed and made a string art cardioid sculpture, which is now hanging in our mathematics department’s window. It is made from laser-cut plywood and yarn. I wrote a “how-to&…
divisbyzero.com
November 22, 2025 at 4:01 PM
For anyone interested, I wrote a "how-to" guide for making this large string art cardioid. There's a link on my blog. I have also included the PDF files for laser-cutting the pieces. Enjoy! divisbyzero.com/2025/11/22/c...
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
November 18, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
Forbidden subgraph earrings - wear a theorem on your ears! Kuratowski's theorem says that a graph is planar if and only if it contains neither a K5 nor a K3,3 as a subgraph. Here are those two forbidden subgraphs.
Available at hdsn.us/NE230.
#MathSky #mathjewelry #gomath
Available at hdsn.us/NE230.
#MathSky #mathjewelry #gomath
November 16, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Forbidden subgraph earrings - wear a theorem on your ears! Kuratowski's theorem says that a graph is planar if and only if it contains neither a K5 nor a K3,3 as a subgraph. Here are those two forbidden subgraphs.
Available at hdsn.us/NE230.
#MathSky #mathjewelry #gomath
Available at hdsn.us/NE230.
#MathSky #mathjewelry #gomath
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
#OnThisDay 65 years ago the formidable trailblazer that was Karen Harrison, Britain's first woman mainline train driver, was born. Honoured this year by 66710 being named after her at Greatest Gathering here's the equally formidable @bessbbe.bsky.social and the loco buff.ly/sYin6gL
November 16, 2025 at 5:00 AM
#OnThisDay 65 years ago the formidable trailblazer that was Karen Harrison, Britain's first woman mainline train driver, was born. Honoured this year by 66710 being named after her at Greatest Gathering here's the equally formidable @bessbbe.bsky.social and the loco buff.ly/sYin6gL
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
This week's newly unpaywalled post: What on earth is a “stink pipe”, when it's at home?
When a lamppost isn’t a lamppost
What on earth is a “stink pipe”, when it's at home?
jonn.substack.com
November 15, 2025 at 11:56 AM
This week's newly unpaywalled post: What on earth is a “stink pipe”, when it's at home?
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
Had a great time last night at an event in MathsWorld in London. Well worth a visit.
November 14, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Had a great time last night at an event in MathsWorld in London. Well worth a visit.
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
Extraordinary day and historic for the wrong reasons - a cyber attack featured in the GDP figures
November 13, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Extraordinary day and historic for the wrong reasons - a cyber attack featured in the GDP figures
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
A man has been found guilty of writing a stream of consciousness novel. He is about to start a 4 year sentence.
November 12, 2025 at 7:37 PM
A man has been found guilty of writing a stream of consciousness novel. He is about to start a 4 year sentence.
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
“I hope that we will get to a point in the future where a woman can be an excellent mathematician without it being remarked upon as something out of the ordinary.” - Ilse Fischer @randomstructures.bsky.social
➡️ hermathsstory.eu/ilse-fischer/
#Combinatorics #Europe #Math #Academia
➡️ hermathsstory.eu/ilse-fischer/
#Combinatorics #Europe #Math #Academia
November 12, 2025 at 11:01 AM
“I hope that we will get to a point in the future where a woman can be an excellent mathematician without it being remarked upon as something out of the ordinary.” - Ilse Fischer @randomstructures.bsky.social
➡️ hermathsstory.eu/ilse-fischer/
#Combinatorics #Europe #Math #Academia
➡️ hermathsstory.eu/ilse-fischer/
#Combinatorics #Europe #Math #Academia
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
Sky at Night always used to have an early repeat - and we're back, with our collaboration with the Curious Cases team on at 7pm tomorrow on BBC4. Please watch if you possibly can - support your local science program! www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Four - The Sky at Night, Space Mysteries: The Sky at Night Meets Curious Cases
Hannah Fry and Dara Ó Briain join the team to answer viewers' burning queries about space.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 12, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Sky at Night always used to have an early repeat - and we're back, with our collaboration with the Curious Cases team on at 7pm tomorrow on BBC4. Please watch if you possibly can - support your local science program! www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
Exciting train spot this afternoon: two class 37s, the best class all would agree, passing through Egham. 37508 on the back was a particular surprise.
November 11, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Exciting train spot this afternoon: two class 37s, the best class all would agree, passing through Egham. 37508 on the back was a particular surprise.
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
The reaction to the Panorama edit has been nothing short of hysterical. Yes the BBC has some impartiality problems. But its biggest isn't the one you think.
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
The truth about impartiality at the BBC
And the hysteria of the current "crisis"
open.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:22 PM
The reaction to the Panorama edit has been nothing short of hysterical. Yes the BBC has some impartiality problems. But its biggest isn't the one you think.
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
New piece from me.
open.substack.com/pub/goodalla...
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
Conservation work has started on one of the most unusual mausoleums in the Roman Catholic world -- the Bedouin tent shaped tomb of Sir Richard Burton and his wife, Lady Isabel.
www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/res...
www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/res...
Restoration of Burton’s Mausoleum starts with aim to reopen the tomb for visits
Conservation work has started on one of the most unusual mausoleums in the Roman Catholic world -- the Bedouin tent shaped tomb of Sir Richard Burton and his wife, Lady Isabel.
www.ianvisits.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 6:54 AM
Conservation work has started on one of the most unusual mausoleums in the Roman Catholic world -- the Bedouin tent shaped tomb of Sir Richard Burton and his wife, Lady Isabel.
www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/res...
www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/res...
Reposted by Simon Blackburn
Just 1️⃣ month to go until the LMS Computer Science Colloquium, which takes place on 9 Dec at De Morgan House and online.
This year's theme is 'Combinatorics and Computing' and features speakers on the cutting edge of mathematics and computer science.
➡️ www.lms.ac.uk/events/lms-c...
This year's theme is 'Combinatorics and Computing' and features speakers on the cutting edge of mathematics and computer science.
➡️ www.lms.ac.uk/events/lms-c...
November 9, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Just 1️⃣ month to go until the LMS Computer Science Colloquium, which takes place on 9 Dec at De Morgan House and online.
This year's theme is 'Combinatorics and Computing' and features speakers on the cutting edge of mathematics and computer science.
➡️ www.lms.ac.uk/events/lms-c...
This year's theme is 'Combinatorics and Computing' and features speakers on the cutting edge of mathematics and computer science.
➡️ www.lms.ac.uk/events/lms-c...