Yeah okay, so maybe a non-trivial proportion of those influenza admissions are 'with' flu, but not actually admitted because of the flu. Where pre-COVID their incidental flu would go undocumented. Is there data on a cause of admission, to filter that out?

I expect the actual hospital admissions data is fairly consistent, not just an artifact of improving testing - you have to actually be very unwell to be admitted. And yes, this year may be no worse than the last couple of years, just a couple weeks earlier, we'll find out soon.

Why is the media not highlighting how the last few years are not 'normal' but much more impactful than the few years before COVID. That seems like a bigger story.

I think it's important to highlight the 2022/23 and 2024/25 were not normal! They are exceptional. Look back at 2016-17, 17-18 and 18-19 and the question becomes why have recent years been so much worse than last decade?

The media coverage is all about how this year is worse than the last couple of years, it is. But look further back. The last three years have been much much worse than 2016-17, 17-18 and 18-19. That's the bigger story IMO. Why is flu much more impactful these days compared to last decade?

The media coverage is all about how this year is worse than the last couple of years, it is. But look further back. The last three years have been much much worse than 2016-17, 17-18 and 18-19. That's the bigger story IMO. Why is flu much more impactful these days compared to last decade?

The media coverage is all about how this year is worse than the last couple of years,it is. But look further back. The last three years have been much much worse than 2016-17, 17-18 and 18-19. That's the bigger story IMO. Why is flu much more impactful these days compared to last decade?

The media coverage is all about how this year is worse than the last couple of years,it is. But look further back. The last three years have been much much worse than 2016-17, 17-18 and 18-19. That's the bigger story IMO. Why is flu much more impactful these days compared to last decade?

Once you're a multimillionaire let alone a multibillionaire you already have more money than you and your family can hope to spend/consume (can only have so many cars, houses, holidays etc). Then what? It becomes all about power and influence, hence the interest in the media.

Well, the cost to prepare the food, to serve the food, heat the building, pay the rent, wash the dishes etc is basically the same, so 80% the calories probably cost close to 100% the price of the man's portion.

Record lows in the winter don't have much of an albedo impact - as it's dark.

Am I right in thinking SMRs produce more nuclear waste per MWh than conventional reactors? Their smaller size leading to more neutron leakage and their spent fuel having more radiotoxicity? From a security aspect, SMRs create much larger attack surface.

3/4 though Graff's latest - it's great. I read the one above, When it all Burns a few weeks ago, a really remarkable book.

I'm 1/3 way though his book, great companion to yours, really fascinating. Just wish there was more acknowledgement of uncertainty. Too much stuff is presented as fact, where really there is significant uncertainty over what actually happened thousands of years ago. Archaeology isn't time machine!

Yeah, I'm 1/3 the way thought, it's really fascinating. I just wish there was more acknowledgement of the uncertainty. Too much stuff is presented as fact, where really, there is significant uncertainty over what actually happened thousands of years ago. Archaeology isn't a time machine!

Yeah, I'm 1/3 the way thought, it's really fascinating. I just wish there was more acknowledgement of the uncertainty. Too much stuff is presented as fact, where really, there is significant uncertainty over what actually happened thousands of years ago. Archaeology isn't a time machine!

Or you could grab Luke Kemp's new book, Goliath's Curse. Some fascinating stuff might be right up your street.

Europe needs a step change in STEM funding - offer a home to many great US researchers.

US is crazy, most of their 'success' over the last century has been on the back of STEM breakthroughs and development. US turning its back on science is madness.