Frank Swain
@frank-swain.bsky.social
Freelance science writer | Managing Editor at CORDIS | frankswain.com
TIL about waterless concrete, a possible building material on Mars. But what are the mechanical properties of sulphur concrete bricks? What does Martian architecture look (and smell) like? www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Martian buildings: Feasible cement/concrete for onsite sustainable construction from the structural point of view
Colonizing other planets, like Mars, marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of a multi-planetary existence. Millions of people would settle on M…
www.sciencedirect.com
December 4, 2025 at 2:42 PM
TIL about waterless concrete, a possible building material on Mars. But what are the mechanical properties of sulphur concrete bricks? What does Martian architecture look (and smell) like? www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
UK bans looking at lighthouses
December 3, 2025 at 3:07 PM
UK bans looking at lighthouses
Reposted by Frank Swain
The important and unanswered question is how the WI intend to enforce this. People, including trans people, have a legal right to not disclose their gender, sex or trans status. And for those who have GRCs, they have legal protections against being outed. (1/x)
In the past 48 hours both Girl Guiding and the Women’s Institute (WI) have announced changed membership policies. After seeking legal advice, they felt left with no option but to exclude trans girls and women from membership.
December 3, 2025 at 1:03 PM
The important and unanswered question is how the WI intend to enforce this. People, including trans people, have a legal right to not disclose their gender, sex or trans status. And for those who have GRCs, they have legal protections against being outed. (1/x)
Reposted by Frank Swain
A aldeia Ipatsé no território Indígena do Xingu é cercada por dezenas de sítios arqueológicos descobertos nos últimos 30 anos por arqueólogos em parceria com os kuikuros. Juntos, eles mapearam mais de 20 cidades de até 1.500 anos em 1.200 km² de floresta
www1.folha.uol.com.br/ciencia/2025...
www1.folha.uol.com.br/ciencia/2025...
www1.folha.uol.com.br
December 2, 2025 at 2:57 PM
A aldeia Ipatsé no território Indígena do Xingu é cercada por dezenas de sítios arqueológicos descobertos nos últimos 30 anos por arqueólogos em parceria com os kuikuros. Juntos, eles mapearam mais de 20 cidades de até 1.500 anos em 1.200 km² de floresta
www1.folha.uol.com.br/ciencia/2025...
www1.folha.uol.com.br/ciencia/2025...
Reposted by Frank Swain
Oh wow - David Lammy really passed it. Imagine throwing away a process that's been in place for 800 years because people can't create a proper working process....?
This has been a right for literally a thousand years - stop framing underinvestment as somehow a thing we have to lose rights about. What. The. Fudge.:
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/nov...
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/nov...
MoJ to remove right to trial by jury for thousands of cases in controversial overhaul
Exclusive: Courts minister says change needed to stop criminals opting for juries to delay cases, sometimes by years, and clear huge backlog
www.theguardian.com
December 2, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Oh wow - David Lammy really passed it. Imagine throwing away a process that's been in place for 800 years because people can't create a proper working process....?
Reposted by Frank Swain
Absolutely maddening - and of course private equity is involved www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
‘I wish I could say I kept my cool’: my maddening experience with the NHS wheelchair service
The long read: After I was paralysed in a climbing accident, I discovered how inconsiderate, illogical and incompetent many wheelchair providers can be
www.theguardian.com
December 2, 2025 at 8:22 AM
Absolutely maddening - and of course private equity is involved www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
Reposted by Frank Swain
Hey space Bluesky, I'm looking for an expert on the Moon's formation to comment on a paper I'm reporting on.
If that's you, or you know someone, do let me know. Would be looking to chat later today. Thanks!
jdaoca[at]gmail[dot]com
If that's you, or you know someone, do let me know. Would be looking to chat later today. Thanks!
jdaoca[at]gmail[dot]com
December 2, 2025 at 6:39 AM
Hey space Bluesky, I'm looking for an expert on the Moon's formation to comment on a paper I'm reporting on.
If that's you, or you know someone, do let me know. Would be looking to chat later today. Thanks!
jdaoca[at]gmail[dot]com
If that's you, or you know someone, do let me know. Would be looking to chat later today. Thanks!
jdaoca[at]gmail[dot]com
TIL that it's only a "hole in the wall" if it's a 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀 cash machine (otherwise it's a sparkling ATM, I guess) www.bbc.co.uk/newsstylegui...
A
www.bbc.co.uk
December 1, 2025 at 4:09 PM
TIL that it's only a "hole in the wall" if it's a 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀 cash machine (otherwise it's a sparkling ATM, I guess) www.bbc.co.uk/newsstylegui...
Biohack shortlisted as word of the year? Of *this* year? Not 2015?
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Rage bait named word of the year 2025 by Oxford University Press
The phrase - meaning to get angry scrolling through social media - beats aura farming and biohack to the title.
www.bbc.com
December 1, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Biohack shortlisted as word of the year? Of *this* year? Not 2015?
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Imagine being the one who has to tell whales we genocided them to make candles
December 1, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Imagine being the one who has to tell whales we genocided them to make candles
As someone reliant on subtitles, I found this very deep dive into the technology, economics, business and artistry of on-screen text very interesting daiz.moe/crunchyroll-...
Crunchyroll is destroying its subtitles for no good reason
With the Fall 2025 anime season, Crunchyroll demonstrates zero respect for anime as a medium as the presentation quality of its subtitles reach an all-time low.
daiz.moe
November 27, 2025 at 11:10 AM
As someone reliant on subtitles, I found this very deep dive into the technology, economics, business and artistry of on-screen text very interesting daiz.moe/crunchyroll-...
This is indeed the correct order. If you stan ESB you're a walking red flag.
This is the correct list, you're welcome everybody
Return of the Jedi
A New Hope
The Empire Strikes Back
The Force Awakens
The Phantom Menace
Rogue One
Attack of the Clones
Revenge of the Sith
Solo
The Last Jedi
The Rise of Skywalker
Return of the Jedi
A New Hope
The Empire Strikes Back
The Force Awakens
The Phantom Menace
Rogue One
Attack of the Clones
Revenge of the Sith
Solo
The Last Jedi
The Rise of Skywalker
November 27, 2025 at 8:59 AM
This is indeed the correct order. If you stan ESB you're a walking red flag.
Yikes. Not just Pacific nations like Tuvalu planning for existential climate threats
Fascinating that countries are mulling plans about what to do if the AMOC collapses. Options for Iceland: (1) live under the ice, grow microbial proteins, use geothermal energy or (2) abandon the country and attempt to migrate the entire population south
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
Iceland deems possible Atlantic current collapse a security risk
Iceland has designated the potential collapse of a major Atlantic Ocean current system a national security concern and an existential threat, enabling its government to strategize for worst-case scenarios, the country's climate minister told Reuters.
www.reuters.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Yikes. Not just Pacific nations like Tuvalu planning for existential climate threats
Reposted by Frank Swain
Unprofessional Semi Emergency
I need 2 voice actors for a very short spoken role (theres like 6 lines) as I need to have a finished animatic for the 3rd Dec.
Zoey the Runaway Need a femme va who is comfortable with shouting and screaming
and Clementine, a soft spoken transwoman
I need 2 voice actors for a very short spoken role (theres like 6 lines) as I need to have a finished animatic for the 3rd Dec.
Zoey the Runaway Need a femme va who is comfortable with shouting and screaming
and Clementine, a soft spoken transwoman
November 25, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Unprofessional Semi Emergency
I need 2 voice actors for a very short spoken role (theres like 6 lines) as I need to have a finished animatic for the 3rd Dec.
Zoey the Runaway Need a femme va who is comfortable with shouting and screaming
and Clementine, a soft spoken transwoman
I need 2 voice actors for a very short spoken role (theres like 6 lines) as I need to have a finished animatic for the 3rd Dec.
Zoey the Runaway Need a femme va who is comfortable with shouting and screaming
and Clementine, a soft spoken transwoman
Q: is there a term for using an unusual but not technically incorrect construction (e.g. "the data are") _for the express purpose_ of stumbling the reader and drawing attention to that paragraph?
November 25, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Q: is there a term for using an unusual but not technically incorrect construction (e.g. "the data are") _for the express purpose_ of stumbling the reader and drawing attention to that paragraph?
Reposted by Frank Swain
1. Use a password manager to create unique, complex passwords
2. Don't use SMS for 2FA if at all possible: use an app or a hardware key
3. Never type your password into a site that's been sent to you as a link you weren't expecting
4. If your phone number stops working, go straight to your provider
2. Don't use SMS for 2FA if at all possible: use an app or a hardware key
3. Never type your password into a site that's been sent to you as a link you weren't expecting
4. If your phone number stops working, go straight to your provider
Scammers hacked her phone and hijacked her digital life - so how did they get her details? We tried to work out how 3 victims of scams were targeted and which data breaches criminals used. The results once again highlight how data breaches cause real harm to individuals
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Scammers hacked her phone and stole thousands of pounds - how did they get her details?
Sue Shore told the BBC how scammers targeted her - and we found her information had been leaked online.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 8:51 AM
1. Use a password manager to create unique, complex passwords
2. Don't use SMS for 2FA if at all possible: use an app or a hardware key
3. Never type your password into a site that's been sent to you as a link you weren't expecting
4. If your phone number stops working, go straight to your provider
2. Don't use SMS for 2FA if at all possible: use an app or a hardware key
3. Never type your password into a site that's been sent to you as a link you weren't expecting
4. If your phone number stops working, go straight to your provider
From the other side, the obvious Q is why stop at one 'writer'? I think it's entirely possible you could manage a whole roster of AI agents pitching and 'writing' articles.
Really worrying. I now frequently receive pitches that are clearly written by AI - the worrying part will be when that stops being clear. I'm fairly confident our editorial processes and numerous rounds of edits would eventually unmask an AI writer, but you never know... thelocal.to/investigatin...
Investigating a Possible Scammer in Journalism’s AI Era | The Local
A suspicious pitch from a freelancer led editor Nicholas Hune-Brown to dig into their past work. By the end, four publications, including The Guardian and Dwell, had removed articles from their sites.
thelocal.to
November 24, 2025 at 8:50 AM
From the other side, the obvious Q is why stop at one 'writer'? I think it's entirely possible you could manage a whole roster of AI agents pitching and 'writing' articles.
> "most progressive tax system in the developed world"
> taxes earnings not wealth
(* tbf I don't have a sub to FT so it's entirely possible the author addresses this)
> taxes earnings not wealth
(* tbf I don't have a sub to FT so it's entirely possible the author addresses this)
If I asked you which country has the most progressive tax system in the developed world — where high earners hand over an especially large share of their income relative to the average worker — what would your answer be?
The answer is in fact Britain. on.ft.com/4a5jIFc
The answer is in fact Britain. on.ft.com/4a5jIFc
November 21, 2025 at 10:40 AM
> "most progressive tax system in the developed world"
> taxes earnings not wealth
(* tbf I don't have a sub to FT so it's entirely possible the author addresses this)
> taxes earnings not wealth
(* tbf I don't have a sub to FT so it's entirely possible the author addresses this)
"There’s clearly something political about it but nobody knows what it is" is an incredible quote www.londoncentric.media/p/ai-artwork...
London's giant AI artwork to be torn down
The bizarre story of why a much-talked-about creation is being torn down. Plus: Docklands Light Railway extension, giant laser stalks the night sky, and more tales of Android phone theft rejection.
www.londoncentric.media
November 20, 2025 at 9:54 AM
"There’s clearly something political about it but nobody knows what it is" is an incredible quote www.londoncentric.media/p/ai-artwork...
not sure which I find more interesting- that Goldiee is just one persona of a content farm steadily building up its credentials, or that a young journalist switched to churning out AI articles in desperation. A troubling reflection on the industry either way.
holy crap... @nickhunebrown.bsky.social with some great, important work
Investigating a Possible Scammer in Journalism’s AI Era | The Local
A suspicious pitch from a freelancer led editor Nicholas Hune-Brown to dig into their past work. By the end, four publications, including The Guardian and Dwell, had removed articles from their sites.
thelocal.to
November 19, 2025 at 6:48 PM
not sure which I find more interesting- that Goldiee is just one persona of a content farm steadily building up its credentials, or that a young journalist switched to churning out AI articles in desperation. A troubling reflection on the industry either way.
A very telling word in this BBC article on the latest vibes-based UPF field; what does it mean to have 'good' in a food? What is the unit of good? Is UPF simply a moralising frame of food choices? (yes)
November 19, 2025 at 2:37 PM
A very telling word in this BBC article on the latest vibes-based UPF field; what does it mean to have 'good' in a food? What is the unit of good? Is UPF simply a moralising frame of food choices? (yes)
The latest UN World Urbanization Prospects is full of interesting tidbits:
* Jakarta replaces Tokyo as the world's most populous city (42m)
* 81% of us now live in towns and cities
* Urbanisation is expanding faster than population growth :(
joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/jrc-news-and...
* Jakarta replaces Tokyo as the world's most populous city (42m)
* 81% of us now live in towns and cities
* Urbanisation is expanding faster than population growth :(
joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/jrc-news-and...
World’s constructed areas expanding twice as fast as the population since 1975
While mere 20% of the world’s population lived in cities in 1950, today cities are home to 45% of the 8.2 billion people living on our planet.
joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu
November 19, 2025 at 9:55 AM
The latest UN World Urbanization Prospects is full of interesting tidbits:
* Jakarta replaces Tokyo as the world's most populous city (42m)
* 81% of us now live in towns and cities
* Urbanisation is expanding faster than population growth :(
joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/jrc-news-and...
* Jakarta replaces Tokyo as the world's most populous city (42m)
* 81% of us now live in towns and cities
* Urbanisation is expanding faster than population growth :(
joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/jrc-news-and...
when you need an artistic reconstruction of a woman mating with a goose scene do you like, hit up Behance or what?
Good morning www.newscientist.com/article/2504...
Ancient figurine may show sexual encounter between woman and goose
A 12,000-year-old clay sculpture found in Israel depicts a goose on the back of a woman, and archaeologists suggest it may be a depiction of an animistic mythological scene
www.newscientist.com
November 18, 2025 at 10:27 AM
when you need an artistic reconstruction of a woman mating with a goose scene do you like, hit up Behance or what?
Really enjoyed this feature from Starre Vartan on the many benefits (and surprising costs) of having two X chromosomes. www.newscientist.com/article/2501...
Women have supercharged immune systems and we now know why
Being born with two X chromosomes brings a host of health benefits, and recognising this could lead to personalised medical treatments for men and women
www.newscientist.com
November 18, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Really enjoyed this feature from Starre Vartan on the many benefits (and surprising costs) of having two X chromosomes. www.newscientist.com/article/2501...
Reposted by Frank Swain
Human rights are universal - if we start stripping away basic human rights from any section of society then none of us has rights – just privileges that can be taken away by people in power whenever they want
November 16, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Human rights are universal - if we start stripping away basic human rights from any section of society then none of us has rights – just privileges that can be taken away by people in power whenever they want