Dr Mel T
@drmel.bsky.social
🇦🇺Microbiologist in 🇬🇧 again adrift from Academia…. Disabled STEMMinist who has grown weary of discrimination in STEMM. #FuckMS #OneHealth 🌈 pan&poly she/her
Pinned
Dr Mel T
@drmel.bsky.social
· Oct 18
Welcome to BlueSky! This is my vibe, new followers! (There will also be #SciComm #DisabilityInSTEM #OneHeakth #Microbiology and nostalgia for the quaint (now obsolete) concept of Public Health. Ah, remember when we cared for the vulnerable? And had IPC? THOSE WERE THE DAYS, my friends!
Reposted by Dr Mel T
Tuesday’s @theguardian.com front page: Victory for carers after inquiry into debt scandal
Incredible work by top colleagues @patrickjbutler.bsky.social & @joshhalliday.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Incredible work by top colleagues @patrickjbutler.bsky.social & @joshhalliday.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
November 25, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Tuesday’s @theguardian.com front page: Victory for carers after inquiry into debt scandal
Incredible work by top colleagues @patrickjbutler.bsky.social & @joshhalliday.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Incredible work by top colleagues @patrickjbutler.bsky.social & @joshhalliday.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Reposted by Dr Mel T
Did you know a "jiffy" is a real unit of time? Physicists define it as the time it takes light to travel a distance of one femtometre, which is a millionth of a millionth of a millimetre. This was my co-author's favourite fact she learned from working on "About Time". Read more in this interview:
About Time by Alom Shaha and Rebecca Struthers
We welcome co-authors Alom Shaha and Rebecca Struthers to the blog in an interview style format! Gain some insight into their work on About Time. Rebecca
fcbg.org.uk
November 25, 2025 at 7:02 AM
Did you know a "jiffy" is a real unit of time? Physicists define it as the time it takes light to travel a distance of one femtometre, which is a millionth of a millionth of a millimetre. This was my co-author's favourite fact she learned from working on "About Time". Read more in this interview:
Reposted by Dr Mel T
My experience of life in the UK has been of a successful multicultural society, which makes it mad that the broad consensus of the people in power is that we need to undo all this.
In 9 years so far in the UK I lived/worked/become friends with/married (just once 😉) people from England, Scotland, China, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Nigeria, Malawi, Russia, Germany, Greece, etc. We need to fight to preserve this against those who want to put an end to it.
November 25, 2025 at 8:11 AM
My experience of life in the UK has been of a successful multicultural society, which makes it mad that the broad consensus of the people in power is that we need to undo all this.
Reposted by Dr Mel T
The Trump administration has directed US embassies in allied countries to collect data on migrant crime to tackle what it argues is a global mass migration crisis, but is yet to raise the matter directly with Canberra www.afr.com/politics/fed...
US government order to collect Australian migrant crime data
The US State Department said it would name and shame Western governments whose policies “punish citizens” who object to continued mass migration.
www.afr.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:58 AM
The Trump administration has directed US embassies in allied countries to collect data on migrant crime to tackle what it argues is a global mass migration crisis, but is yet to raise the matter directly with Canberra www.afr.com/politics/fed...
Reposted by Dr Mel T
Pauline Hanson's provocation was part of a long-running campaign to ban the traditional Muslim garment in public.
Far-right politician prompts fury with burqa antics in Australian parliament
Pauline Hanson's provocation was part of a long-running campaign to ban the traditional Muslim garment in public.
bit.ly
November 24, 2025 at 10:30 AM
Pauline Hanson's provocation was part of a long-running campaign to ban the traditional Muslim garment in public.
Reposted by Dr Mel T
Reposted by Dr Mel T
Quite why Maya Forstater thinks her views are more important than the sizeable majority who voted to keep the ponds trans inclusive, as they always have been. But she does. She and her gazillionaire backers have a hearing in the High Court next month - and we're fighting back. goodlaw.social/vs0d
We’re standing with trans people against hate at Hampstead women’s pond | Good Law Project
It’s almost crunch time for a legal challenge from an anti-trans pressure group which could see trans people banned from Hampstead women’s pond. We’re not backing down.
goodlaw.social
November 22, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Quite why Maya Forstater thinks her views are more important than the sizeable majority who voted to keep the ponds trans inclusive, as they always have been. But she does. She and her gazillionaire backers have a hearing in the High Court next month - and we're fighting back. goodlaw.social/vs0d
Reposted by Dr Mel T
Unfortunately, I can confirm that this is true.
I have known Carl for 2 decades and he is smart, dedicated, and quite apolitical, focused on science and getting stuff done on important problems.
Huge unnecessary loss of leadership and expertise.
I have known Carl for 2 decades and he is smart, dedicated, and quite apolitical, focused on science and getting stuff done on important problems.
Huge unnecessary loss of leadership and expertise.
Hearing news that Carl Dieffenbach, the Director of the Division of AIDS at #NIH (NIAID), has been removed from his position because he was "not aligned with HHS/OMB."
Russell Vought continues to remove great scientists as part of the Project 2025 mission to politicize and destroy NIH.
🧪 1/
Russell Vought continues to remove great scientists as part of the Project 2025 mission to politicize and destroy NIH.
🧪 1/
November 24, 2025 at 5:49 AM
Unfortunately, I can confirm that this is true.
I have known Carl for 2 decades and he is smart, dedicated, and quite apolitical, focused on science and getting stuff done on important problems.
Huge unnecessary loss of leadership and expertise.
I have known Carl for 2 decades and he is smart, dedicated, and quite apolitical, focused on science and getting stuff done on important problems.
Huge unnecessary loss of leadership and expertise.
Reposted by Dr Mel T
Have England Spent The Last Four Years Practising How To Lose Faster?
Musings on the first Ashes Test from an anonymous former Australian Test cricketer #Ashes 🏏
newsletter.danliebke.com/p/have-engla...
Musings on the first Ashes Test from an anonymous former Australian Test cricketer #Ashes 🏏
newsletter.danliebke.com/p/have-engla...
Have England Spent The Last Four Years Practising How To Lose Faster?
Musings on the first Ashes Test from an anonymous former Australian Test cricketer
newsletter.danliebke.com
November 23, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Have England Spent The Last Four Years Practising How To Lose Faster?
Musings on the first Ashes Test from an anonymous former Australian Test cricketer #Ashes 🏏
newsletter.danliebke.com/p/have-engla...
Musings on the first Ashes Test from an anonymous former Australian Test cricketer #Ashes 🏏
newsletter.danliebke.com/p/have-engla...
Reposted by Dr Mel T
So many great Kate Beaton strips in this thread but I think all the time about how I want to go to the moon and blow up the earth, like all proper feminists.
November 24, 2025 at 6:17 AM
So many great Kate Beaton strips in this thread but I think all the time about how I want to go to the moon and blow up the earth, like all proper feminists.
Reposted by Dr Mel T
Honestly, the “genAI is a calculator” metaphor really falls apart because if your calculator gave you the wrong answer even 5% of the time, you’d be swearing at Casio to give you your money back, not fawning about how it’s so close to being revolutionary.
My calculator didn’t rely on bastardizing years of unrelated disciplines to give me the answer I remembered the right steps to calculate.
My calculator doesn’t remember 12 year olds typing “poo poo pee pee” into it and assume popularity equals correctness.
My calculator doesn’t remember 12 year olds typing “poo poo pee pee” into it and assume popularity equals correctness.
November 21, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Honestly, the “genAI is a calculator” metaphor really falls apart because if your calculator gave you the wrong answer even 5% of the time, you’d be swearing at Casio to give you your money back, not fawning about how it’s so close to being revolutionary.
Reposted by Dr Mel T
In Sussex, of all places. This is amazing.
Vanished 240 years ago, the UK’s largest bird of prey – the white-tailed eagle – just returned to English skies like it never left.
share.google/GTps20C2Op8T...
share.google/GTps20C2Op8T...
Vanished 240 Years Ago, the UK’s Largest Bird of Prey Just Returned to English Skies Like It Never Left
After vanishing from England centuries ago, a fearsome predator is now soaring back into southern skies—and it's not just passing through.
share.google
November 21, 2025 at 9:24 AM
In Sussex, of all places. This is amazing.
WHO COULD HAVE PREDICTED THIS???
Researching this week's column, I stumbled across something that amazed me:
the near-absence of reliable data about climate impacts over most of the
world. Due to the rich world's failure to fund research. We don't know
because our governments don't care. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
the near-absence of reliable data about climate impacts over most of the
world. Due to the rich world's failure to fund research. We don't know
because our governments don't care. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
There’s a catastrophic black hole in our climate data – and it’s a gift to deniers | George Monbiot
Climate sceptics tell us that more people die of extreme cold than extreme heat. What’s the truth? asks Guardian columnist George Monbiot
www.theguardian.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:52 AM
WHO COULD HAVE PREDICTED THIS???
Lizzie Bennett would have defo made a better pandemic leader than BoJo the Butcher et al. He was ‘Mrs Bennett’ - constantly having attacks of the vapours and keeping above stairs. Cummings was the dastardly Mr Wickham and Gove was the bumbling Mr Collins.
November 21, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Lizzie Bennett would have defo made a better pandemic leader than BoJo the Butcher et al. He was ‘Mrs Bennett’ - constantly having attacks of the vapours and keeping above stairs. Cummings was the dastardly Mr Wickham and Gove was the bumbling Mr Collins.
Reposted by Dr Mel T
Every time the shocking, perplexing tactic of “giving money to people who need it” is tried, it turns out to work.
And yet people who have more money than they could ever need remain baffled.
And yet people who have more money than they could ever need remain baffled.
An Oregon pilot program giving cash to homeless youths sees a staggering reduction in homelessness. The program gave participants $1,000 cash payments each month for two years, and at the end of the project's first phase, 91% of participants reported being in stable housing.
Oregon pilot program giving cash to homeless youths sees staggering reduction in homelessness
The state program gave participants $1,000 cash payments each month for two years. At the end of the project's first phase, 91% of participants reported being in stable housing.
www.streetroots.org
November 21, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Every time the shocking, perplexing tactic of “giving money to people who need it” is tried, it turns out to work.
And yet people who have more money than they could ever need remain baffled.
And yet people who have more money than they could ever need remain baffled.
Reposted by Dr Mel T
The module 2 confirms what we really knew that the leadership was inadequate and more most be done to prepare for a future pandemic. I hope this will be acted upon because way too many lives were risked and lost because of Johnson, Cumming, Hancock et al’s flaws
‘Chaotic and indecisive’: key findings of report on UK’s Covid response under Tories
Second pandemic report focuses on decision-making, organisation and messaging by senior politicians including Boris Johnson
www.theguardian.com
November 21, 2025 at 8:07 AM
The module 2 confirms what we really knew that the leadership was inadequate and more most be done to prepare for a future pandemic. I hope this will be acted upon because way too many lives were risked and lost because of Johnson, Cumming, Hancock et al’s flaws
Reposted by Dr Mel T
You're not asking trans people. You're asking all people. This affects us all. Anyone could be barred from services based on appearance. Since, surprisingly we all have a fecking appearance
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Trans people could be barred from services based on appearance
The new code of practice on access to single-sex services cannot gain legal force until it gets sign-off from ministers.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 21, 2025 at 1:15 AM
You're not asking trans people. You're asking all people. This affects us all. Anyone could be barred from services based on appearance. Since, surprisingly we all have a fecking appearance
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Dr Mel T
The entire university system has become more socially regressive and inequitable.
How did Australian universities go from free education to $50,000 arts degrees in 50 years?
theconversation.com/how-did-aust...
How did Australian universities go from free education to $50,000 arts degrees in 50 years?
theconversation.com/how-did-aust...
How did Australian universities go from free education to $50,000 arts degrees in 50 years?
Thanks to the Job Ready Graduates scheme, an arts degree today will cost over $50,000. How have five decades of government policy taken us from free education to this?
theconversation.com
November 19, 2025 at 11:09 PM
The entire university system has become more socially regressive and inequitable.
How did Australian universities go from free education to $50,000 arts degrees in 50 years?
theconversation.com/how-did-aust...
How did Australian universities go from free education to $50,000 arts degrees in 50 years?
theconversation.com/how-did-aust...
Reposted by Dr Mel T
It's all about priorities, and in Australian politics it seems, the future ain't one of them.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Labor MP Ed Husic urges own party to ‘pry open the jaws of Treasury’ after CSIRO announces job cuts
Husic, who oversaw CSIRO cuts as the former science minister, said some in government see scientific agency funding as a ‘cost’ not an ‘investment’
www.theguardian.com
November 19, 2025 at 11:09 PM
It's all about priorities, and in Australian politics it seems, the future ain't one of them.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Reposted by Dr Mel T
I know several of the women who were harassed by this guy. They had real courage to testify. He engaged in serious professional retaliation against women.
This needs to end. I've seen how many people curry favor with known sexual harassers and how the worst can still manage to leap from job to job.
This needs to end. I've seen how many people curry favor with known sexual harassers and how the worst can still manage to leap from job to job.
November 19, 2025 at 10:31 PM
I know several of the women who were harassed by this guy. They had real courage to testify. He engaged in serious professional retaliation against women.
This needs to end. I've seen how many people curry favor with known sexual harassers and how the worst can still manage to leap from job to job.
This needs to end. I've seen how many people curry favor with known sexual harassers and how the worst can still manage to leap from job to job.
Reposted by Dr Mel T
One of the giants of social psychology was a serial sexual harasser.
This new report reveals how Miles Hewstone touched, bullied, and sexual harassed numerous women during his 18 years at the University of Oxford. It's amazing how often bullying and sexual harassment go together in academia.
This new report reveals how Miles Hewstone touched, bullied, and sexual harassed numerous women during his 18 years at the University of Oxford. It's amazing how often bullying and sexual harassment go together in academia.
November 19, 2025 at 10:30 PM
One of the giants of social psychology was a serial sexual harasser.
This new report reveals how Miles Hewstone touched, bullied, and sexual harassed numerous women during his 18 years at the University of Oxford. It's amazing how often bullying and sexual harassment go together in academia.
This new report reveals how Miles Hewstone touched, bullied, and sexual harassed numerous women during his 18 years at the University of Oxford. It's amazing how often bullying and sexual harassment go together in academia.
Reposted by Dr Mel T
David Pope in Canberra Times
November 19, 2025 at 9:52 AM
David Pope in Canberra Times
Reposted by Dr Mel T
"Nearly 60% of special education teachers reported using AI to develop an IEP or Section 504 plan during the 2024-25 school year."
YIKES. AI has anti-disability biases, so this is bad.
www.k12dive.com/news/artific...
YIKES. AI has anti-disability biases, so this is bad.
www.k12dive.com/news/artific...
Heightened AI use in special education brings elevated risks
Nearly 60% of special education teachers reported using AI to develop an IEP or Section 504 plan during the 2024-25 school year, a CDT report finds.
www.k12dive.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:24 PM
"Nearly 60% of special education teachers reported using AI to develop an IEP or Section 504 plan during the 2024-25 school year."
YIKES. AI has anti-disability biases, so this is bad.
www.k12dive.com/news/artific...
YIKES. AI has anti-disability biases, so this is bad.
www.k12dive.com/news/artific...
Reposted by Dr Mel T
stealing and enshittifying human knowledge, attacking social connection, giving money to purveyors of slop for testing their black box bullshit machines, trashing the planet.
www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...
www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...
AI Is Supercharging the War on Libraries, Education, and Human Knowledge
"Fascism and AI, whether or not they have the same goals, they sure are working to accelerate one another."
www.404media.co
November 19, 2025 at 9:55 PM
stealing and enshittifying human knowledge, attacking social connection, giving money to purveyors of slop for testing their black box bullshit machines, trashing the planet.
www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...
www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...