Will Tattersdill
@tattersdill.bsky.social
Writer and teacher. Literature and science, dinosaurs, fantasy/sci-fi, alternate history, worldbuilding, periodicals, museums, etc. Fiction as W. J. Tattersdill. He/him.
Reposted by Will Tattersdill
I regularly see people wondering how it's possible that there are so many musicians and writers and film makers and artists from a tiny nation like Iceland.
And the answer is really simple: State funding for art education and artists. I literally get a salary from the government to write books.
And the answer is really simple: State funding for art education and artists. I literally get a salary from the government to write books.
I’m constantly astounded at the sheer level of artistic production coming out of Iceland. Novels, movies, music. Amazing.
February 18, 2026 at 2:23 PM
I regularly see people wondering how it's possible that there are so many musicians and writers and film makers and artists from a tiny nation like Iceland.
And the answer is really simple: State funding for art education and artists. I literally get a salary from the government to write books.
And the answer is really simple: State funding for art education and artists. I literally get a salary from the government to write books.
Managed to miss that Darren did a Sherlock Holmes post! (petition for him to turn to the swamp adder, the lion's mane, and all the rest of the insane Holmes bestiary)
The formatting of the Tet Zoo BLACK DOG article - one of my most-read articles - has just been updated. The 'black dogs' discussed here are semi-mythical, apocryphal beasts of sometimes terrifying form, not merely dogs that are black... tetzoo.com/blog/2022/8/...
Legend of the Black Dog — Tetrapod Zoology
Of the several phantasmal creatures associated with the British and European countryside, among the most widespread and ancient is the Black Dog...
tetzoo.com
February 18, 2026 at 10:05 AM
Managed to miss that Darren did a Sherlock Holmes post! (petition for him to turn to the swamp adder, the lion's mane, and all the rest of the insane Holmes bestiary)
I urge your attention on this news story www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
UK ban on Palestine Action unlawful, high court judges rule
Protest group’s co-founder wins legal challenge against decision to proscribe it under anti-terrorism laws
www.theguardian.com
February 13, 2026 at 12:28 PM
I urge your attention on this news story www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
Reposted by Will Tattersdill
If you want to know what Reform would be like in power, look at how it threatened Bangor University | Gaby Hinsliff
If you want to know what Reform would be like in power, look at how it threatened Bangor University | Gaby Hinsliff
A debating society didn’t want to invite two figures connected to the party to speak. Cue an authoritarian response, says Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff
www.theguardian.com
February 13, 2026 at 6:47 AM
If you want to know what Reform would be like in power, look at how it threatened Bangor University | Gaby Hinsliff
Reposted by Will Tattersdill
Fatima's next job just ended on an all-hands zoom with the AI head of HR.
February 12, 2026 at 8:45 AM
Fatima's next job just ended on an all-hands zoom with the AI head of HR.
Reposted by Will Tattersdill
Really nice to see the final paperback jacket proof for the latest in @bloomsburylit.bsky.social 'Global Challenges...' series. Edited by Roman Bartosch, Ursula Heise & Kate Rigby, 'Unsettling Extinction': www.bloomsbury.com/unsettling-e...
February 11, 2026 at 11:51 AM
Really nice to see the final paperback jacket proof for the latest in @bloomsburylit.bsky.social 'Global Challenges...' series. Edited by Roman Bartosch, Ursula Heise & Kate Rigby, 'Unsettling Extinction': www.bloomsbury.com/unsettling-e...
If it were a tool, there'd be a button you'd press to use it. When it non-optionally appears in five separate parts of the window every time you open a document, it's a CULT
February 10, 2026 at 10:49 AM
If it were a tool, there'd be a button you'd press to use it. When it non-optionally appears in five separate parts of the window every time you open a document, it's a CULT
Reposted by Will Tattersdill
Reposted by Will Tattersdill
PhD students in the UK with a Victorianist bent will want to take particular note of the placement titled "Illustrated Newspapers: Beyond the Illustrated London News": cdn.sanity.io/files/v5dwki...
@rs4vp.org #Victorian
@rs4vp.org #Victorian
February 5, 2026 at 8:43 AM
PhD students in the UK with a Victorianist bent will want to take particular note of the placement titled "Illustrated Newspapers: Beyond the Illustrated London News": cdn.sanity.io/files/v5dwki...
@rs4vp.org #Victorian
@rs4vp.org #Victorian
Reposted by Will Tattersdill
'The University of York and Swansea University have became the seventh and eighth universities to confirm they will not take up a three-year deal with the world’s biggest academic publisher'. Sheffield, Lancaster, Surrey, Kent, Essex and Sussex have already opted out.
‘Silent decoupling’ under way as Elsevier talks near crunch point
York and Swansea latest to decline publisher’s offer, with latter also walking away from Springer Nature deal
www.timeshighereducation.com
February 6, 2026 at 7:01 AM
'The University of York and Swansea University have became the seventh and eighth universities to confirm they will not take up a three-year deal with the world’s biggest academic publisher'. Sheffield, Lancaster, Surrey, Kent, Essex and Sussex have already opted out.
Oh no what unpleasant news! Fortunately William Morris has a great suggestion
February 5, 2026 at 11:51 PM
Oh no what unpleasant news! Fortunately William Morris has a great suggestion
Yes; yup; yisss; yeah; oh yes; yes
Today's Classic Cover is Ship of Destiny by Robin Hobb! This is the UK First Edition, illustrated by John Howe.
February 4, 2026 at 4:38 PM
Yes; yup; yisss; yeah; oh yes; yes
Reposted by Will Tattersdill
Highlighting the speaker who stood in front of the Surprise mayor and told him to consider what the Mayor of Ohrdruf must’ve thought before he died by suicide: “He might have thought ‘how is this my fault I had no jurisdiction over this’ maybe he said ‘this site was not subject to local zoning.’”
February 4, 2026 at 6:43 AM
Highlighting the speaker who stood in front of the Surprise mayor and told him to consider what the Mayor of Ohrdruf must’ve thought before he died by suicide: “He might have thought ‘how is this my fault I had no jurisdiction over this’ maybe he said ‘this site was not subject to local zoning.’”
Reposted by Will Tattersdill
My inaugural lecture from November is live! If you want to listen to me talk about poetry and the Book of Jonah for the best part of an hour!
www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2026/po...
www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2026/po...
Poetry, prophecy and The Book of Jonah: Professor Luke Kennard's Inaugural Lecture - University of Birmingham
Professor Kennard discusses the research and thinking that led to his seventh poetry collection, The Book of Jonah.
www.birmingham.ac.uk
February 4, 2026 at 4:24 PM
My inaugural lecture from November is live! If you want to listen to me talk about poetry and the Book of Jonah for the best part of an hour!
www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2026/po...
www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2026/po...
Reposted by Will Tattersdill
Why are UK universities failing? A pretty good analysis that chimes with my experience as a governor.
blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...
blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...
Why are UK universities failing? - LSE Impact
The HE sector in the UK faces the prospect of a university going into administration. How have universities fallen so low and is change possible?
blogs.lse.ac.uk
February 2, 2026 at 8:17 AM
Why are UK universities failing? A pretty good analysis that chimes with my experience as a governor.
blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...
blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...
Reposted by Will Tattersdill
The British Labour Party has broken with even the most basic social democratic values... There are loads of public services I don't use and some I hope never to have to use but I want them to be there for those who need or want them. You'd imagine *the Labour Party* would understand that...
Rachel Reeves: "It is not right that people who don't go to university bear the cost for others to." I don't use local leisure centres and I don't drive, so will I be made exempt for taxation that pays for all that stuff? Or is it only education we'll be going after
January 29, 2026 at 11:51 PM
The British Labour Party has broken with even the most basic social democratic values... There are loads of public services I don't use and some I hope never to have to use but I want them to be there for those who need or want them. You'd imagine *the Labour Party* would understand that...
This is a platonic Lower Decks episode and the fact it doesn't exist is an attack against me personally
All I want for Star Trek's 60th anniversary is a time travel episode where they go to the events is The Trouble With Tribbles and have to avoid both the crew of the Enterprise and Deep Space Nine.
January 29, 2026 at 8:08 PM
This is a platonic Lower Decks episode and the fact it doesn't exist is an attack against me personally
Reposted by Will Tattersdill
REP. OMAR after being attacked with liquid: “We will continue! These fucking assholes are not gonna get away with this! Here is the reality people like this ugly man don’t understand — we are Minnesota Strong. We’ll stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us.”
January 28, 2026 at 1:47 AM
REP. OMAR after being attacked with liquid: “We will continue! These fucking assholes are not gonna get away with this! Here is the reality people like this ugly man don’t understand — we are Minnesota Strong. We’ll stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us.”
Reposted by Will Tattersdill
I don't want gen AI in my browser
I don't want gen AI in my pc
I don't want gen AI in my art
I don't want gen AI in my games
I don't want gen AI in my music
I don't want gen AI in my movies
I don't want gen AI in my books
I don't want gen AI in my cart
I don't want gen AI in my life
I don't want gen AI in my pc
I don't want gen AI in my art
I don't want gen AI in my games
I don't want gen AI in my music
I don't want gen AI in my movies
I don't want gen AI in my books
I don't want gen AI in my cart
I don't want gen AI in my life
December 16, 2025 at 10:57 PM
I don't want gen AI in my browser
I don't want gen AI in my pc
I don't want gen AI in my art
I don't want gen AI in my games
I don't want gen AI in my music
I don't want gen AI in my movies
I don't want gen AI in my books
I don't want gen AI in my cart
I don't want gen AI in my life
I don't want gen AI in my pc
I don't want gen AI in my art
I don't want gen AI in my games
I don't want gen AI in my music
I don't want gen AI in my movies
I don't want gen AI in my books
I don't want gen AI in my cart
I don't want gen AI in my life
Reposted by Will Tattersdill
the nyt style section vs. der spiegel
January 24, 2026 at 11:20 PM
the nyt style section vs. der spiegel
Reposted by Will Tattersdill
We have been told for nearly 30 years that America needed to tolerate mass shootings because the broad availability of guns would help us defend ourselves from an overreaching federal government. That day has come. The people who said this are supporting the federal agents. Many have joined them.
January 24, 2026 at 6:02 PM
We have been told for nearly 30 years that America needed to tolerate mass shootings because the broad availability of guns would help us defend ourselves from an overreaching federal government. That day has come. The people who said this are supporting the federal agents. Many have joined them.
Reposted by Will Tattersdill
The new conservative position on gun control is apparently that lawfully carrying a licensed handgun means you deserve to be executed in the street by masked federal agents
January 24, 2026 at 8:05 PM
The new conservative position on gun control is apparently that lawfully carrying a licensed handgun means you deserve to be executed in the street by masked federal agents
Reposted by Will Tattersdill
YES THAT'S WHAT MANY OF US HAVE BEEN SAYING FOR YEARS
AND THATS WHY WE DON'T USE IT
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
AND THATS WHY WE DON'T USE IT
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
January 22, 2026 at 8:04 PM
YES THAT'S WHAT MANY OF US HAVE BEEN SAYING FOR YEARS
AND THATS WHY WE DON'T USE IT
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
AND THATS WHY WE DON'T USE IT
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Yesterday it was cows using tools, today its penguins using satellite imagery.
January 21, 2026 at 4:16 PM
Reposted by Will Tattersdill
The book "Palaeontology in Public" is one year old today! 🦣🦖🦕🎂🎉
We've apparently had 7,756 downloads (!!), so many thanks to @uclpress.bsky.social for publishing it and making it open access, and to all the contributors, and to everyone who has read it so far
We've apparently had 7,756 downloads (!!), so many thanks to @uclpress.bsky.social for publishing it and making it open access, and to all the contributors, and to everyone who has read it so far
"Palaeontology in Public: Popular Science, Lost Creatures and Deep Time" is out today, and is freely downloadable as an open access pdf, published by @uclpress.bsky.social !
uclpress.co.uk/book/palaeon...
🎺🦕🦕🦕⚒️🎥🦖🦖🦖📖📰🦣🦣🦣🎺
uclpress.co.uk/book/palaeon...
🎺🦕🦕🦕⚒️🎥🦖🦖🦖📖📰🦣🦣🦣🎺
January 21, 2026 at 9:59 AM
The book "Palaeontology in Public" is one year old today! 🦣🦖🦕🎂🎉
We've apparently had 7,756 downloads (!!), so many thanks to @uclpress.bsky.social for publishing it and making it open access, and to all the contributors, and to everyone who has read it so far
We've apparently had 7,756 downloads (!!), so many thanks to @uclpress.bsky.social for publishing it and making it open access, and to all the contributors, and to everyone who has read it so far