RSS Parrot

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4qsf3knwc2p

Published: November 3, 2025 19:54

Oocyte-like mouse cells made from stem cells even without the guiding signals from ovarian cells. Another step towards in vitro gametes. https://www.cell.com/developmental-cell/abstract/S1534-5807(25)00605-7

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4qb2mojw22w

Published: November 3, 2025 14:44

This is a job for referees, not AI. (And any referee worth their salt would see that this example is an interesting hypothesis worth testing, not wild speculation beyond the data.) [contains quote post or other embedded content]

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4puj2cnnc2w

Published: November 3, 2025 11:00

"Cobb is reliably excellent in maintaining the narrative momentum of a life in science that was anything but mundane. His gripping and accessible account is generous while calling out flaws as he sees them." Spot on from Georgina. [contains quote post or…

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4ofei46gs2c

Published: November 2, 2025 20:56

He is also a Fellow of the @royalsociety.org [contains quote post or other embedded content]

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4nkxs6c3s2p

Published: November 2, 2025 13:04

My excellent and astute friend Jonathan got me a 1993 copy of the Fortean Times for my birthday, and it is truly excellent. Like a paranormal Viz.

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4m74bnq4s2u

Published: November 1, 2025 23:59

This one I'm in two minds about. I'm always reminding daughter to read the question. But we both missed this, because it is literally a trick question: we read "calcium carbonate" as "copper carbonate", because the question totally sets you up to do that.…

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4lzumrz3c2e

Published: November 1, 2025 22:25

I stared and stared at this question in my daughter's GCSE revision and thought "Am I dumb, or is this question just wrong?" It's not me, right?

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4irgeiwfs2y

Published: October 31, 2025 15:16

Damn, I would have loved to be at this too! (I mean the Berlin meeting obvs, but yes, also the 1920 colloquium...) [contains quote post or other embedded content]

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4ir7fiuvc2y

Published: October 31, 2025 15:12

Here is the second part of my overview of the quantum computing industry for @physicsworld.bsky.social https://physicsworld.com/a/quantum-computing-on-the-verge-correcting-errors-developing-algorithms-and-building-up-the-user-base/

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4h4xd5nxk2a

Published: October 30, 2025 23:37

Bill McClintock just knocked it out of the park again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfJkMq4weG0

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4h4g27yp22c

Published: October 30, 2025 23:27

👇👇👇 But the BBC bosses don't think in these terms, sadly. [contains quote post or other embedded content]

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4h34yz5as2c

Published: October 30, 2025 23:04

This is such an interesting paper. Why? Because the binding of transcription factor (TF) proteins to DNA governs how our genes are turned on/off/up/down, & so is the primary issue for how our genes work in development and how our cells respond to just…

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4gsocmm6s2a

Published: October 30, 2025 20:33

This is such a crying shame, and so short-sighted. But there it is. [contains quote post or other embedded content]

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4fzkujz5c26

Published: October 30, 2025 13:03

I have to say that this sounds fun. https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/S/bo259056456.html

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4edz4bz4s2h

Published: October 29, 2025 21:05

I somehow got added to a newsletter mailing list of one Jonah Goldberg, who apparently positions himself on the "moderate centre right" of US culture, and oh God it explains a lot about what's happening.

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4dwvbnpp22c

Published: October 29, 2025 17:10

The familiar question: do tech barons say this stuff because they believe it, or just want us to? Also: why does the tech press lap it up? [contains quote post or other embedded content]

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4dvsy4mp22c

Published: October 29, 2025 16:51

Because mid-list authors have to exploit every conceivable opportunity to advertise their books, may I use Hallowe'en to recommend to you, first, The Modern Myths, which has all manner of things about Frankenstein, vampires, werewolves, and zombies...…

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4dggsqjg22k

Published: October 29, 2025 12:16

Lovely review. 🙏 "My only complaint would be that there’s not enough text—I wanted more detail than Ball had space to give." Yeah, same! [contains quote post or other embedded content]

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4ddyzglpc2i

Published: October 29, 2025 11:32

This much is true of this article: if one political side sticks to claims that are solidly backed by science while the other deals in lies and conspiratorial bullshit, science has a political problem. That's worth recognizing. But...…

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4bpecuui22r

Published: October 28, 2025 19:50

Frankenstein was not a "Dr". I'm just going to keep on saying this.

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4bm6752kk2r

Published: October 28, 2025 18:53

It is, and you should. [contains quote post or other embedded content]

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4beftddrk2x

Published: October 28, 2025 16:34

Becky points out now what I should have checked: Gulliver was published in 1726. (Yes, now I see it's right there in the image!) So: you still have time to prepare for the anniversary, Laputans! (The Royal Society at least should mark the event, as they…

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4bd4fj72k2f

Published: October 28, 2025 16:11

Hard to put a date on when the political and media normalizing of blatant racism and far-right views began, but surely it was something of a pivotal moment when the world's richest man gave a Nazi salute and all the media said "Well it's ambiguous". (As…

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4676p6ovk2x

Published: October 27, 2025 10:23

The opinion of Abraham Pais's Danish landlady on Heisenberg in 1946. Presented without comment 😉

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m4655uzflk2x

Published: October 27, 2025 09:46

A profile of Phil Anderson for the Biogr. Mem. FRS. www.arxiv.org/abs/2510.20865 https://www.arxiv.org/abs/2510.20865

https://bsky.app/profile/philipcball.bsky.social/post/3m447jdojn224

Published: October 26, 2025 15:23

If you're in or near Oxford on 7th November, why not come to the Annual Charles Simonyi Lecture, where I will be attempting to demystify quantum mechanics. https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/the-annual-simonyi-lecture-philip-ball