Those enjoying the #Olympic #curling may (or may not!) enjoy our preprint on the rock physics of curling stones. Not quite out of the peer review process, but it should help you get to sleep after all the excitement 😃
doi.org/10.5194/egus...
Congratulations to the person who designed the seats in the departures area of Luton Airport. Quite astonishingly uncomfortable.
Today is the birthday of the absolute Rolls Royce of fast bowlers - Michael Holding. A graceful run-up and action, searing pace, and absolute aggression. More lately one of the best commentators on the game. One of my favourite players I watched in my youth. #whisperingdeath
As a geologist who likes to read about history and archaeology, it's always a pleasure to be able to contribute to research papers on those topics.
Forza Azzurri! #6Nations #ItavSco
A good win for Italy against Scotland in some filthy conditions in Rome.
I remember them growing-up down south in God's own county of Kent. I believe that they used to come with a free wasp.
He was bound to drop that scarf in some time zone or other.
He's in Reform - it's a requirement to be a wrong-un.
A light dusting of snow on #Edinburgh castle today.
At least Bethell has shown he has the skill and temperament for test cricket... Just so long as it's the second innings of the game. #ashes
I've just watched the "highlights" from the 5th Test in Sydney. Will Jack's, can't bat, can't bowl, can't field. Potts was bowling like a loose popgun. England a shambles. Travis Head and Steve Smith played well for their tons. This has been a poor #Ashes series - poor cricket and some poor pitches.
York providing the scenery (and pubs) for the Xmas and New Year break.
I can't get excited about England winning at the MCG, even though it's the first win on Australian soil since 2011. It's not that the #Ashes is a dead rubber, it's more that the quality of cricket from both sides at the MCG was dismal. #bbccricket #TMS
Staying in an AirBnB. Very nice, and comfortable. BUT, there are 7 (seven!) pillows on the bed, including the decorative ones that are no f****** use to man nor beast, FFS. There are only 5 coat hangers in the wardrobe. WT actual F? Why would you do that?
Not to be confused with caledonite ... although I always do.
... And that concludes this year's synchrotron based research. Four hectic beamtime sessions covering the properties of energetic materials, damage and seismicity in real and synthetic rocks, plus some weird rocks from ocean drilling. I've earned my pint of Three Brewers Porter.
I can't recall a test match winning position (100+ runs ahead, 9 wickets in hand) being lost so comprehensively or so quickly. Just a handful of hours for England to slump to an 8 wicket #ashes2025 defeat. 🤡🤡🤡s
As it turns out, I didn't much enjoy listening to day 2 of #ashes2025 overnight. England's batters covering themselves in glory once again 🙄
Just watched the #Ashes2025 highlights from day 1 in Perth. A ridiculous day of cricket. Some shocking batting by England, although fair play to Mitchell Starc's bowling. Grand, aggressive fast bowling by England to come roaring back. Looking forward to listening to day 2 on the radio overnight.
Salisbury Cathedral today - I was avoiding the fringes of Storm Amy. Spectacular architecture, and Magna Carta (did she die in vain?).
Fake microscopy images generated by AI are indistinguishable from the real thing www.chemistryworld.com/news/fake-mi...
#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #ChatGPT #AcademicSky #AcademicChatter #Research #Ethics #Microscopy #Nanoscience #ScholarlyPublishing #AcademicPublishing #Misconduct #Fraud
Wainwright pub, Keswick. A pint of Sneck Lifter. Thought I'd never have one again after the Marstons vandalism of Jennings Brewery. Glad to see it back, and brewed independently. A Cumbrian classic. #camra #beer
F*** me gently! ... Just asked for a 1/3 of an imperial stout (just a third, it's 14% ABV after all). Was warned that it's £9 for a third. HOW MUCH!? That's 27 quid a pint!
Old codger alert, but I can recall when a fiver bought a night out (including a bag of chips).
British NIMBYism is truly a sight to behold.
“We are rejecting this solar farm, because one time I saw an electric vehicle on fire, which reminded me that decades ago a coal mining disaster killed lots of children”.
If you make loud phone calls using speakerphone while in a pub, it could be a sign that you're a c**t.
England were thrashed by SA earlier this week, and today England pulled off a record win against SA. It's like modern sides have little or no batting resilience - once a few wickets are lost, the collapse follows soon after. #bbccricket #tms #cricket #EngvSA
Saw this in the latest edition of Elements. A bit harsh, I think ... Molybdenite isn't *that* boring and it's a useful high temp lubricant (where would experiment al petrology be without it?).
From a pub in Brierly Hill - the Fox and Grapes. This was part of a photo montage celebrating the Baggies, including WBA greats like Cyrille Regis (among others). 1931 FA cup final ( WBA 2 Birmingham 1) ... They don't write advertising strap lines like this any more.
#EngvSwe #Lionesses Never in doubt, that one.
Another reminder today that Test Cricket is the absolute pinnacle of sport. Enthralling drama through the match building to a climax on the final day. #EngvInd #cricket
