David Fisher
@dfishstats.bsky.social
Principal Research Fellow, MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, London. Medical statistician and meta-analysis methodologist. profiles.ucl.ac.uk/6604
Likes: cycling, hiking, maps, maths, whimsy. 90s-00s sad indie kid. Leftie woke blob adjacent.
Likes: cycling, hiking, maps, maths, whimsy. 90s-00s sad indie kid. Leftie woke blob adjacent.
Reposted by David Fisher
Have seen a number of the ads in this campaign around London.
It's fascinating how heavily targetted it is at the people who come up to London once in December, go to Oxford Street and Winter Wonderland, then spend the rest of the year banging on about how terrible London is.
It's fascinating how heavily targetted it is at the people who come up to London once in December, go to Oxford Street and Winter Wonderland, then spend the rest of the year banging on about how terrible London is.
December 21, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Have seen a number of the ads in this campaign around London.
It's fascinating how heavily targetted it is at the people who come up to London once in December, go to Oxford Street and Winter Wonderland, then spend the rest of the year banging on about how terrible London is.
It's fascinating how heavily targetted it is at the people who come up to London once in December, go to Oxford Street and Winter Wonderland, then spend the rest of the year banging on about how terrible London is.
Reposted by David Fisher
—I’ve been asked to baptise the King of Spain’s daughter
—Infanta?
—No, holy water as usual. Weird thing to ask honestly
—Infanta?
—No, holy water as usual. Weird thing to ask honestly
December 15, 2025 at 1:08 PM
—I’ve been asked to baptise the King of Spain’s daughter
—Infanta?
—No, holy water as usual. Weird thing to ask honestly
—Infanta?
—No, holy water as usual. Weird thing to ask honestly
Reposted by David Fisher
Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.
December 13, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.
Reposted by David Fisher
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 David Fisher
We drive global research to improve HIV care for the next generation.
On #WorldAIDSDay, we share a thread highlighting our latest #ClinicalTrials that are transforming treatment for children and young people living with #HIV, helping them lead healthier, happier lives.
🧵
On #WorldAIDSDay, we share a thread highlighting our latest #ClinicalTrials that are transforming treatment for children and young people living with #HIV, helping them lead healthier, happier lives.
🧵
December 1, 2025 at 1:10 PM
We drive global research to improve HIV care for the next generation.
On #WorldAIDSDay, we share a thread highlighting our latest #ClinicalTrials that are transforming treatment for children and young people living with #HIV, helping them lead healthier, happier lives.
🧵
On #WorldAIDSDay, we share a thread highlighting our latest #ClinicalTrials that are transforming treatment for children and young people living with #HIV, helping them lead healthier, happier lives.
🧵
Reposted by David Fisher
Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.
November 30, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.
Reposted by David Fisher
1. It's been A Year, hasn't it? Maybe this time we should start with something delightful and calming. In that spirit, here's Max Bruch's lovely lullaby, 'Wiegenlied der Hirten', cradle-song of the shepherds, as sung incredibly sweetly by the Gächinger Kantorei.
youtu.be/FqFwp_NiKAs?...
youtu.be/FqFwp_NiKAs?...
Max Bruch »Wiegenlied der Hirten« | Gaechinger Cantorey | Hans-Christoph Rademann
YouTube video by bachakademie
youtu.be
December 1, 2025 at 7:45 AM
1. It's been A Year, hasn't it? Maybe this time we should start with something delightful and calming. In that spirit, here's Max Bruch's lovely lullaby, 'Wiegenlied der Hirten', cradle-song of the shepherds, as sung incredibly sweetly by the Gächinger Kantorei.
youtu.be/FqFwp_NiKAs?...
youtu.be/FqFwp_NiKAs?...
Reposted by David Fisher
For those wondering how you get on and off a penny-farthing.
*A guy walking by said to his companion, “That looks incredibly dangerous.” 😅
*A guy walking by said to his companion, “That looks incredibly dangerous.” 😅
November 16, 2025 at 4:40 PM
For those wondering how you get on and off a penny-farthing.
*A guy walking by said to his companion, “That looks incredibly dangerous.” 😅
*A guy walking by said to his companion, “That looks incredibly dangerous.” 😅
Reposted by David Fisher
If the UK is on the brink of civil war, as Musk claims, it follows that in 300 years time there will be be a new generation of civil war re-enactment societies.
"Geoff,you defend Laurence Fox. Can you guys shout outside a hostel. Brian, i need you to relentlessly slag off Nish Kumar on Facebook."
"Geoff,you defend Laurence Fox. Can you guys shout outside a hostel. Brian, i need you to relentlessly slag off Nish Kumar on Facebook."
November 15, 2025 at 9:12 AM
If the UK is on the brink of civil war, as Musk claims, it follows that in 300 years time there will be be a new generation of civil war re-enactment societies.
"Geoff,you defend Laurence Fox. Can you guys shout outside a hostel. Brian, i need you to relentlessly slag off Nish Kumar on Facebook."
"Geoff,you defend Laurence Fox. Can you guys shout outside a hostel. Brian, i need you to relentlessly slag off Nish Kumar on Facebook."
Reposted by David Fisher
![[Scene is a kitchen - a middle aged woman called JANET is boiling peas at the stove. A younger more colourfully dressed woman named LIZ approached her.]
JANET:
Ugh...
LIZ:
What's up?
JANET:
I am so bored of cooking peas!
LIZ:
Have you tried...
AI peas?
JANET:
AI peas?
LIZ:
They're peas with AI!
[Liz holds up to us a packet of peas labelled: Pea-i AI - Peas with AI].
LIZ:
Al-powered peas harness the potential of your peas
JANET:
What
LIZ [Now a voiceover as we cut to a whizzy technology diagram of peas all connected by meaningless dotted lines]
Why not take your peas to the next level with Al Peas' new Al tools to power your peas?
[Show a techno diagram of a pea with a label reading 'AI' pointing to a random zone in it]
LIZ:
Each pea has Al in a way we haven't quite worked out yet but it's fine
[Show Janet and Liz now in a Matrix-style world of peas]
LIZ:
With Al peas you can supercharge productivity and make AI work for your peas!
JANET:
What
LIZ:
Shut up
LIZ:
Our game-changing Pea-Al gives you the freedom to unlock the potential of the power of the future of your peas workflow
From opening the bag of peas
to boiling the peas
to eating the peas
To spending millions on adding Al to the peas and then having to work out what that even means.
JANET:
Is it really necessary to-
LIZ [Grabbing Janet by the collar]:
THE PEAS HAVE GOT AI, JANET
[Cut to an advert ending screen, with the bag of peas and the slogan:
AI PEAS: Just 'Peas' for god's sake buy the AI peas.
[Ends]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4m3we4apbjayclzcnhwe3pfp/bafkreiayqa37f7kik7l7s7fbtfp2sir5ckb662ry2lylinyjrfa2rkvvka@jpeg)
Reposted by David Fisher
how did i go so long not knowing we were literally teaching people to read wrong. i knew something wasn't right but jesus christ www.apmreports.org/episode/2019...
How a flawed idea is teaching millions of kids to be poor readers
For decades, schools have taught children the strategies of struggling readers, using a theory about reading that cognitive scientists have repeatedly debunked. And many teachers and parents don't kno...
www.apmreports.org
November 11, 2025 at 6:18 PM
how did i go so long not knowing we were literally teaching people to read wrong. i knew something wasn't right but jesus christ www.apmreports.org/episode/2019...
Reposted by David Fisher
We’re going to see more of this ridiculous “they’re cancelling Christmas” narrative.
It’s basically Rage-Bait LAW from the 12th November, just as soon as Poppy Rage is over.
Try not to get sucked in👍🏼
It’s not good for your blood pressure to get so angry about imaginary problems
12/15
It’s basically Rage-Bait LAW from the 12th November, just as soon as Poppy Rage is over.
Try not to get sucked in👍🏼
It’s not good for your blood pressure to get so angry about imaginary problems
12/15
November 8, 2025 at 3:58 PM
We’re going to see more of this ridiculous “they’re cancelling Christmas” narrative.
It’s basically Rage-Bait LAW from the 12th November, just as soon as Poppy Rage is over.
Try not to get sucked in👍🏼
It’s not good for your blood pressure to get so angry about imaginary problems
12/15
It’s basically Rage-Bait LAW from the 12th November, just as soon as Poppy Rage is over.
Try not to get sucked in👍🏼
It’s not good for your blood pressure to get so angry about imaginary problems
12/15
Reposted by David Fisher
I'm just asking questions.
November 4, 2025 at 1:46 PM
I'm just asking questions.
Reposted by David Fisher
‘Study after study shows that students want to develop these critical thinking skills, are not lazy, and large numbers of them would be in favor of banning ChatGPT and similar tools in universities’, says @olivia.science www.ru.nl/en/research/...
‘Opposing the inevitability of AI at universities is possible and necessary’ | Radboud University
Since the widespread release of ChatGPT in December of 2022, AI has taken over much of the world by storm – including academia. Most of this happened with very little pushback, despite a myriad of iss...
www.ru.nl
November 1, 2025 at 10:26 PM
‘Study after study shows that students want to develop these critical thinking skills, are not lazy, and large numbers of them would be in favor of banning ChatGPT and similar tools in universities’, says @olivia.science www.ru.nl/en/research/...
Reposted by David Fisher
#Museum30
We're Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre.
We have been Amberley Chalk Pits and Amberley Working Museum.
We're in a disused chalk quarry on the South Downs.
We tell the story of the chalk pits and lime burning and host a wide selection of craft and industrial exhibitions.
We're Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre.
We have been Amberley Chalk Pits and Amberley Working Museum.
We're in a disused chalk quarry on the South Downs.
We tell the story of the chalk pits and lime burning and host a wide selection of craft and industrial exhibitions.
November 1, 2025 at 9:57 AM
#Museum30
We're Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre.
We have been Amberley Chalk Pits and Amberley Working Museum.
We're in a disused chalk quarry on the South Downs.
We tell the story of the chalk pits and lime burning and host a wide selection of craft and industrial exhibitions.
We're Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre.
We have been Amberley Chalk Pits and Amberley Working Museum.
We're in a disused chalk quarry on the South Downs.
We tell the story of the chalk pits and lime burning and host a wide selection of craft and industrial exhibitions.
Reposted by David Fisher
Tolkien fought in the Battle of the Somme. He saw the horrors of war, and the moments of bravery and fear within it up close.
And after all that. ALL that. He wrote Lord of the Rings. He declared true bravery and masculinity to be love, friendship and humbleness.
Musk is everything he hated.
And after all that. ALL that. He wrote Lord of the Rings. He declared true bravery and masculinity to be love, friendship and humbleness.
Musk is everything he hated.
October 29, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Tolkien fought in the Battle of the Somme. He saw the horrors of war, and the moments of bravery and fear within it up close.
And after all that. ALL that. He wrote Lord of the Rings. He declared true bravery and masculinity to be love, friendship and humbleness.
Musk is everything he hated.
And after all that. ALL that. He wrote Lord of the Rings. He declared true bravery and masculinity to be love, friendship and humbleness.
Musk is everything he hated.
Reposted by David Fisher
It should be called Hurricane Exxon.
To understand the climate connection to Hurricane Melissa, check out our real-time attribution page at @climatecentral.org: www.climatecentral.org/tropical-cyc...
"Climate change made the ocean temperatures along Melissa's path 500 to 900 times more likely."
"Climate change made the ocean temperatures along Melissa's path 500 to 900 times more likely."
October 28, 2025 at 3:49 PM
It should be called Hurricane Exxon.
Reposted by David Fisher
The hypocrisy of Reform going on TV to allege that certain groups are constantly over represented on TV is truly epic.
October 27, 2025 at 8:10 AM
The hypocrisy of Reform going on TV to allege that certain groups are constantly over represented on TV is truly epic.
Reposted by David Fisher
Happy #WorldStatisticsDay! 🎉 Celebrating the power of data and statistical thinking to drive discovery, research, and real-world impact across math, science, and beyond.
October 20, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Happy #WorldStatisticsDay! 🎉 Celebrating the power of data and statistical thinking to drive discovery, research, and real-world impact across math, science, and beyond.
Reposted by David Fisher
It’s World Statistics Day! 📊
We join institutions worldwide to celebrate this year’s theme “Quality statistics and data for everyone”. Statistics underpin all of our work. We’re committed to safeguarding their quality and providing trustworthy data for public debate.
We join institutions worldwide to celebrate this year’s theme “Quality statistics and data for everyone”. Statistics underpin all of our work. We’re committed to safeguarding their quality and providing trustworthy data for public debate.
October 20, 2025 at 8:30 AM
It’s World Statistics Day! 📊
We join institutions worldwide to celebrate this year’s theme “Quality statistics and data for everyone”. Statistics underpin all of our work. We’re committed to safeguarding their quality and providing trustworthy data for public debate.
We join institutions worldwide to celebrate this year’s theme “Quality statistics and data for everyone”. Statistics underpin all of our work. We’re committed to safeguarding their quality and providing trustworthy data for public debate.
Reposted by David Fisher
Here's to World Statistics Day 📊
Yes that's right, we've already got our eye on wrapping up 2025.
#RStats #Statistics #Statssky #DataScience
Yes that's right, we've already got our eye on wrapping up 2025.
#RStats #Statistics #Statssky #DataScience
October 20, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Here's to World Statistics Day 📊
Yes that's right, we've already got our eye on wrapping up 2025.
#RStats #Statistics #Statssky #DataScience
Yes that's right, we've already got our eye on wrapping up 2025.
#RStats #Statistics #Statssky #DataScience
Reposted by David Fisher
Reposted by David Fisher
I didn't expect to be proven right quite so fast. But i'm delighted i have been.
Khan's low emissions/climate stuff has been incredibly brave. Even in London a significant percentage of voters have car-brain.
It's made him a bogeyman outside of London to a lot of people as much as his religion.
Khan's low emissions/climate stuff has been incredibly brave. Even in London a significant percentage of voters have car-brain.
It's made him a bogeyman outside of London to a lot of people as much as his religion.
October 17, 2025 at 7:33 AM
I didn't expect to be proven right quite so fast. But i'm delighted i have been.
Khan's low emissions/climate stuff has been incredibly brave. Even in London a significant percentage of voters have car-brain.
It's made him a bogeyman outside of London to a lot of people as much as his religion.
Khan's low emissions/climate stuff has been incredibly brave. Even in London a significant percentage of voters have car-brain.
It's made him a bogeyman outside of London to a lot of people as much as his religion.
Reposted by David Fisher
The BBC are accidentally running the subtitles to Mrs Marple over the Mercury Prize, and it’s rather wonderful. A few of lines could plausibly have been written by Jarvis.
October 16, 2025 at 8:58 PM
The BBC are accidentally running the subtitles to Mrs Marple over the Mercury Prize, and it’s rather wonderful. A few of lines could plausibly have been written by Jarvis.
Reposted by David Fisher
Ten years ago today.
October 16, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Ten years ago today.