Dom McDonald
@theoxforddom.bsky.social
By day, freelance sci-comm do-gooder. By night, korfball dinosaur, Human Scientist and Jersey bean, living in exile on the fens.
"Too nice a guy to be savaged by assholes" (Bill Bryson)
"Too nice a guy to be savaged by assholes" (Bill Bryson)
Reposted by Dom McDonald
My mate just sent me this lol
August 24, 2025 at 8:19 PM
My mate just sent me this lol
Reposted by Dom McDonald
Breaking news: Thousands of flags for the patron saint of Palestine put up accross the country as a sign of solidarity with Gaza.
August 24, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Breaking news: Thousands of flags for the patron saint of Palestine put up accross the country as a sign of solidarity with Gaza.
Reposted by Dom McDonald
1 like = 1 brief moment of validation from the giant skinner box
August 22, 2025 at 11:46 PM
1 like = 1 brief moment of validation from the giant skinner box
Good thread if you're interested in UK education
1/ Michael Gove reshaped English education more than any minister since 1944. His reforms continue to structure the present despite many changes of Government. A thread.
August 21, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Good thread if you're interested in UK education
Reposted by Dom McDonald
I started working for a non-profit. In my job, I have greater creative control and more freedom. But also, we keep having to make stupid decisions because it is what one person who will write a $100,000 check wants. And, even then, what if they decide they don't want to write that check...
August 17, 2025 at 5:16 PM
I started working for a non-profit. In my job, I have greater creative control and more freedom. But also, we keep having to make stupid decisions because it is what one person who will write a $100,000 check wants. And, even then, what if they decide they don't want to write that check...
Reposted by Dom McDonald
I like how this gag turned out.
August 16, 2025 at 11:40 PM
I like how this gag turned out.
Reposted by Dom McDonald
LOOKING FOR SCIENCE PERFORMERS OCT 8TH LONDON.
Fancy trying your hand at being funny at @scienceshowoff.bsky.social ? If you've not performed with us before pitch me your set of under ten minutes. Pays an equal split of the door money.
Fancy trying your hand at being funny at @scienceshowoff.bsky.social ? If you've not performed with us before pitch me your set of under ten minutes. Pays an equal split of the door money.
August 12, 2025 at 8:14 PM
LOOKING FOR SCIENCE PERFORMERS OCT 8TH LONDON.
Fancy trying your hand at being funny at @scienceshowoff.bsky.social ? If you've not performed with us before pitch me your set of under ten minutes. Pays an equal split of the door money.
Fancy trying your hand at being funny at @scienceshowoff.bsky.social ? If you've not performed with us before pitch me your set of under ten minutes. Pays an equal split of the door money.
Reposted by Dom McDonald
This is a very thoughtful critique of my piece on men and attraction, I got a lot from it open.substack.com/pub/noahberl...
Meritocracy (In Dating) Is a Myth
Pretending the left can get young men laid just exacerbates patriarchy.
open.substack.com
August 9, 2025 at 4:18 PM
This is a very thoughtful critique of my piece on men and attraction, I got a lot from it open.substack.com/pub/noahberl...
Reposted by Dom McDonald
I think that amplifies the backlash against J.K. Rowling, too. She is most hated by people who were children who grew up on her books, that seemed to be about underdogs and “commoners” banding together against racism and fascism, being decent and caring about each other in the face of hatefulness.
August 9, 2025 at 8:54 AM
I think that amplifies the backlash against J.K. Rowling, too. She is most hated by people who were children who grew up on her books, that seemed to be about underdogs and “commoners” banding together against racism and fascism, being decent and caring about each other in the face of hatefulness.
Reposted by Dom McDonald
One thing that I think lots of us found most abhorrent about Gaiman’s behaviour (second to the awful abuse) is that his writing was about *kindness*. He promoted kindness in a way that made readers believe in its power/importance. The contradiction between his writing and his actions is perverse 2/3
August 9, 2025 at 8:41 AM
One thing that I think lots of us found most abhorrent about Gaiman’s behaviour (second to the awful abuse) is that his writing was about *kindness*. He promoted kindness in a way that made readers believe in its power/importance. The contradiction between his writing and his actions is perverse 2/3
Reposted by Dom McDonald
Have you ever noticed that all of the telescopes looking for intelligent life are pointing away from Earth ???
August 9, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Have you ever noticed that all of the telescopes looking for intelligent life are pointing away from Earth ???
Reposted by Dom McDonald
Top presentation tip
To engage well humans need a bit of variety. We just cannon focus on something that stays the same for a long time.
For long presentations break them up with activities, polls, videos or anything that lets the audience focus on something else.
To engage well humans need a bit of variety. We just cannon focus on something that stays the same for a long time.
For long presentations break them up with activities, polls, videos or anything that lets the audience focus on something else.
August 8, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Top presentation tip
To engage well humans need a bit of variety. We just cannon focus on something that stays the same for a long time.
For long presentations break them up with activities, polls, videos or anything that lets the audience focus on something else.
To engage well humans need a bit of variety. We just cannon focus on something that stays the same for a long time.
For long presentations break them up with activities, polls, videos or anything that lets the audience focus on something else.
Reposted by Dom McDonald
The Roslin Institute is looking for a full time Engagement Officer. Great to see them highlight that you don’t need a research background or PhD.
My research background is a massive help to me in my career, but that is just one of many routes that people can take into engagement. We need all voices!
My research background is a massive help to me in my career, but that is just one of many routes that people can take into engagement. We need all voices!
August 7, 2025 at 2:27 PM
The Roslin Institute is looking for a full time Engagement Officer. Great to see them highlight that you don’t need a research background or PhD.
My research background is a massive help to me in my career, but that is just one of many routes that people can take into engagement. We need all voices!
My research background is a massive help to me in my career, but that is just one of many routes that people can take into engagement. We need all voices!
Reposted by Dom McDonald
Today, we'd like to show you what is probably the most deadly object in our collection: a tampon. Specifically, a Rely brand tampon, on sale between 1975 and 1980 in the USA.
August 7, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Today, we'd like to show you what is probably the most deadly object in our collection: a tampon. Specifically, a Rely brand tampon, on sale between 1975 and 1980 in the USA.
Statue of St Ozymandias on the church in Granville in Normandy.
Could also be Big Bird
Could also be Big Bird
August 2, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Statue of St Ozymandias on the church in Granville in Normandy.
Could also be Big Bird
Could also be Big Bird
Reposted by Dom McDonald
we can't engineer our way out of our problems
we've had the physical capacity to eradicate dangerous diseases, house/feed/clothe everyone, provide potable water, etc, for generations
it's politics, psychology, and ideology that make us not do this.
we *literally* need the humanities to survive.
we've had the physical capacity to eradicate dangerous diseases, house/feed/clothe everyone, provide potable water, etc, for generations
it's politics, psychology, and ideology that make us not do this.
we *literally* need the humanities to survive.
“When am I ever gonna need to learn about a humanities course?” - says a nation of illiterate, impoverished sociopaths
July 31, 2025 at 12:40 AM
we can't engineer our way out of our problems
we've had the physical capacity to eradicate dangerous diseases, house/feed/clothe everyone, provide potable water, etc, for generations
it's politics, psychology, and ideology that make us not do this.
we *literally* need the humanities to survive.
we've had the physical capacity to eradicate dangerous diseases, house/feed/clothe everyone, provide potable water, etc, for generations
it's politics, psychology, and ideology that make us not do this.
we *literally* need the humanities to survive.
Reposted by Dom McDonald
wikipedia like
July 27, 2025 at 5:46 AM
wikipedia like
Reposted by Dom McDonald
All famines are man-made, all famines are political. Historians of empire and humanitarianism have known this forever. Gaza is not starving, Gaza is being starved, by Israel, and this starvation is enabled by our government and by every other government that does not step in to force food and aid.
July 24, 2025 at 1:48 PM
All famines are man-made, all famines are political. Historians of empire and humanitarianism have known this forever. Gaza is not starving, Gaza is being starved, by Israel, and this starvation is enabled by our government and by every other government that does not step in to force food and aid.
Reposted by Dom McDonald
Maintaining a physical museum is expensive, but as the online world grows more hostile to educational content, a place like the Vagina Museum is essential. You can support our work by donating, becoming a member or volunteering - find out more here www.vaginamuseum.co.uk/support
Get Involved — Vagina Museum
www.vaginamuseum.co.uk
July 25, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Maintaining a physical museum is expensive, but as the online world grows more hostile to educational content, a place like the Vagina Museum is essential. You can support our work by donating, becoming a member or volunteering - find out more here www.vaginamuseum.co.uk/support
Reposted by Dom McDonald
Are you watching Rupert Lowe, Matthew Goodwin, Konstantin Kisin? Your theories took a hell of a beating!
July 22, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Are you watching Rupert Lowe, Matthew Goodwin, Konstantin Kisin? Your theories took a hell of a beating!
33rd...
Clioguesser: guess the year based on a political map, ranging from 1000 BCE to 2024 CE.
I am 15th on the leaderboard ;)
clioguesser.azurewebsites.net/leaderboard
I am 15th on the leaderboard ;)
clioguesser.azurewebsites.net/leaderboard
July 22, 2025 at 1:44 PM
33rd...
Reposted by Dom McDonald
There was a bit of a quarrel about this a few months back…
My take was and remains, if you can write in a way that is as inclusive as possible, even to people *within* your field, why not do it…?
Writing like that can be learned too… 😊
My take was and remains, if you can write in a way that is as inclusive as possible, even to people *within* your field, why not do it…?
Writing like that can be learned too… 😊
July 21, 2025 at 8:26 PM
There was a bit of a quarrel about this a few months back…
My take was and remains, if you can write in a way that is as inclusive as possible, even to people *within* your field, why not do it…?
Writing like that can be learned too… 😊
My take was and remains, if you can write in a way that is as inclusive as possible, even to people *within* your field, why not do it…?
Writing like that can be learned too… 😊
Reposted by Dom McDonald
I work in a very interdisciplinary field and I frequently come across bits of jargon that describe the same thing abut are different terms in the different fields.
July 21, 2025 at 8:51 PM
I work in a very interdisciplinary field and I frequently come across bits of jargon that describe the same thing abut are different terms in the different fields.
Reposted by Dom McDonald
5. The right-wing enthusiasm for AI science is not about doing better science faster. It’s about eliminating one of the most effective forms of societal resistance to authoritarian control.
July 21, 2025 at 2:32 PM
5. The right-wing enthusiasm for AI science is not about doing better science faster. It’s about eliminating one of the most effective forms of societal resistance to authoritarian control.