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Eva Amsen

@easternblot.bsky.social

1.2K followers 600 following 1K posts

I write about science in magazines, in a newsletter, in books, on social media and on loose scraps of paper.🔬🧬👩‍💻🎨🎻 🐈 Fun newsletter: https://mixture.substack.com Portfolio: https://evaamsen.com/writing/

mixture.substack.com

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Eva Amsen @easternblot.bsky.social · Nov 14

Re-intro! I’m a science writer in London (UK), doing a mix of journalism and #scicomm. In the past I worked at journals and even longer ago I was a biochemist. I was on #science blogs and Twitter for all those years and some of my old blog posts are now a book. I also play violin and have a cat.

Tabby cat looking very serious while he rests on a scratching posts in front of bookshelves and guitars

Eva posing with a violin in a recording space at Abbey Road. In the background are many chairs and other orchestra members. Everyone is dressed casually

Eva holding a book called “Hey, There’s Science In This”

Some news and magazine articles written by me this summer. One is called “a new ray of hope from a forgotten leukaemia drug” and the other is “thinking like a scientist”.

Eva Amsen @easternblot.bsky.social · 16h

But it IS refundable to the printers/me! The distributor just doesn't want to.

Eva Amsen @easternblot.bsky.social · 16h

There is also a reason why the book is not in indie stores in the UK: The distributor that controls the shipping of all books to UK bookstores has decided that ALL self-published titles are "non-refundable" which makes indie stores not want it.

Eva Amsen @easternblot.bsky.social · 16h

And on my website I listed a few more international places where you can order it. I haven't checked all the links recently, though, so YMMV.

evaamsen.com/HTSIT/

Hey, There's Science In This - Eva Amsen

Hey, There’s Science In This Hey, There’s Science In This is a collection of essays about unexpected science links to everyday topics. Rubber ducks at sea, a Japanese TV show or food-based paint techn...

Eva Amsen @easternblot.bsky.social · 16h

It's also in stock at the excellent Caversham Books and they can ship it to you right away! www.cavershambooksellers.com/search/eva+a...

www.cavershambooksellers.com

Eva Amsen @easternblot.bsky.social · 16h

And if you're in Canada, find a local indie bookstore that can order it for you for a much more reasonable price than Amazon. www.indiebookstores.ca/book/9781738...

Single Book - IndieBookstores

www.indiebookstores.ca

Eva Amsen @easternblot.bsky.social · 16h

Amazon's pricing of my book is so completely random. It's currently on the UK site for £2.24 and on the Canadian site for $32.75
One is about a quarter of the regular price and the other about double.

Anyway, if you're in the UK, get yourself a deal! www.amazon.co.uk/Hey-Theres-S...

Hey, There's Science In This: Essays about science in unexpected places eBook : Amsen, Eva: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

Hey, There's Science In This: Essays about science in unexpected places eBook : Amsen, Eva: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

www.amazon.co.uk

Eva Amsen @easternblot.bsky.social · 17h

Did you know that recent model iPhone Pros have a LiDAR sensor? You can use it to measure distances, and scientists in Spain used it to recreate a digital version of a cave filled with ancient cave art. 🧪 #scicomm www.forbes.com/sites/evaams...

Mapping Cave Art With A Cellphone

Researchers in Spain used Apple iPhone’s built-in LiDAR sensor to create a 3D map of a cave with hundreds of prehistoric cave paintings.

Reposted by Eva Amsen

The Linnean Society of London @linneansociety.bsky.social · 18h

It's #WorldOctopusDay! These beauties from our collection are both by French pharmacist and naturalist Jean Baptiste Vérany (1800-65).

Octopus vulgaris - the common octopus, which can grow to 9kg and change colour to match its surroundings.

Common octopus with brown and yellow colouring with hints of blue. It has yellow eyes and fills the image.

Eva Amsen @easternblot.bsky.social · 1d

“They taste like metal, but in a good way.” Me, describing the taste of walnuts and pecans to someone who already doesn’t like nuts and this is nor helping.

Reposted by Eva Amsen

James Briscoe @jamesbriscoe.bsky.social · 1d

Very sad news, John Gurdon has died.

A developmental biologist's developmental biologist, Nobel prize winner

His work is the foundation of much of today's dev & stem cell bio.

An inspiration to many, including me. Always asking questions & wanting the answers

www.magd.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...

Professor Sir John Gurdon FRS (1933-2025) | Magdalene College

Magdalene College is deeply saddened to announce the death of Professor Sir John Gurdon FRS, who served as Master of the College from 1995 to 2002.

www.magd.cam.ac.uk

Reposted by Eva Amsen

Oregon 🕎🎲 @oregonthedm.bsky.social · 1d

Boxes also work on bobcats

Eva Amsen @easternblot.bsky.social · 1d

He found out eventually when his wife (also hiking with him) turned her phone back on! www.theguardian.com/science/2025...

Scientist learns he has won Nobel prize while on digital detox in US mountains

Fred Ramsdell’s wife switched on her phone and screamed – it was full of messages congratulating her husband

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Eva Amsen

John Scalzi @scalzi.com · 3d

K-Pop Demon Hunters is legitimately the global cultural phenomenon of 2025 and honestly there are far worse things to be a cultural touchstone this year than a trio of young women fighting literal soul-sucking hegemony through the power of their art

E. Perkins 🎃 @hauntedpumpkin.bsky.social · 3d

Oh crap, it's back at #1 in movies again today on Netflix too. That's awesome!

Reposted by Eva Amsen

Mother Jones @motherjones.com · 5d

In one of her final interviews before she died, Jane Goodall emphasized that we know what’s killing the planet: industrial agriculture, including livestock, and burning fossil fuels.

She also reminded us that we don't have much time to save our planet.

Jane Goodall’s final, urgent, message

"Intelligent creatures don’t destroy their only home.”

www.motherjones.com

Eva Amsen @easternblot.bsky.social · 6d

I taught the cat to high-five by rewarding him with food, but now he keeps initiating high-fives every time he wants to eat.

Reposted by Eva Amsen

SCARE-in Dwyer aka Ginger Is A Construct @erindwyer.bsky.social · 8d

I don’t know how anyone can be anti-science in a world in which we have science to thank for scratch and sniff technology.

Photo of two cardboard bookmarks, one covered in Valentine’s Day candies and the other says “warm up with a good book!” above a red cup of cocoa. The Valentine’s one on the right smells like candies and the one on the right smells like cocoa.

Reposted by Eva Amsen

Ryan Marino, MD @ryanmarino.bsky.social · 8d

This is why we fund scientists to study things like oyster slobber even if you don’t think it sounds important

Leah McElrath @leahmcelrath.bsky.social · 9d

⚠️ Chinese researchers have invented bone glue that mimics how oysters stick to surfaces underwater.

The adhesive can reportedly repair orthopedic fractures in 2-3 minutes, even in blood-rich environments, and is bioabsorbable.

interestingengineering.com/science/chin...

China's oyster-inspired 'bone glue' bonds fractures in minutes

A new oyster-inspired Bone-02 adhesive can revolutionize bone repair without metal fasteners.

interestingengineering.com

Eva Amsen @easternblot.bsky.social · 8d

Post a fictional comedian who definitely would accept an invitation to the Riyadh Comedy Festival.

Eva Amsen @easternblot.bsky.social · 8d

They’re the same age but women usually live longer, so the odds are good I think! (Plus, Dolly actually listens to medical experts…)

Eva Amsen @easternblot.bsky.social · 8d

Back from holiday and having a catch-up day today before I go back to work. So far I’m caught up on groceries and the Riyadh Comedy Festival drama but not on sleep or clean clothes yet.

Eva Amsen @easternblot.bsky.social · 10d

So weird!

Eva Amsen @easternblot.bsky.social · 10d

Is it maybe people who haven’t opened your recent newsletters and didn’t realise you switched, then got spooked (no pun intended) by an unknown transaction and disputed it?

Eva Amsen @easternblot.bsky.social · 11d

Still on holiday, but here are some photos. Not shown: how hot and muggy it is.

Tropical plants and a lamp post

Rooster in the rain

Building surrounded by greenery

Eva standing in front of green plants

Eva Amsen @easternblot.bsky.social · 11d

Like when they mention how funny they find it that Canadian money uses different colours for each bill (like maybe every other country in the world does)