BBC Four - Storyville, Speechless, The New Campus Revolution Film exploring the culture wars and freedom of speech conversations on US campuses.

So, Storyville: Speechless, would be much better if it began by asking 'Is there racism & transphobia in HE? If so, what forms does it take, how many students does it affect & with what negative consequences? Is free speech alone capable of addressing these problems? If not, what's your Plan B?' 1/2

The vague metaphor of molecular biology?

I suspect we only get so invested in whether the Central Dogma is broken or not because Crick called it that. If it had been "the principle of protein synthesis" or the "rules of transcription & translation" or something, it would seem less of a big deal. Remember, it's not a "dogma" at all.

Annette Dolphin obituary Other lives: Neuroscientist whose research showed how individual molecules can affect neurological disorders

Obituary of Annette Dolphin @annieneuro.bsky.social written by her sister in The Guardian. www.theguardian.com/science/2026...

Judging by the program, it makes a lot of sense.

BBC Radio 4 - Archive on 4, The Evolution of The Naked Ape Ella Al-Shamahi revisits Desmond Morris’s controversial book The Naked Ape, six decades on

Fascinating BBC Radio 4 programme looks back at Desmond Morris’ book The Naked Ape. I must read this book. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

LGBTQIA+ people are not a problem to solve or a debate to win. They are part of the fabric of this world. Artists, thinkers, survivors, people who have had to understand themselves in ways most never question.

As Trump waddled into the room, his grotesque, corpulent mass shining luminous orange, Kip and his colleagues stood silently, angling their torsos towards the ruin of the nation, chins jutting out, daring the would-be dictator to lay eyes on the sacred words nestling at nipple height.

"A rational and independent examination of the facts tells us that, with alternatives available—even UK ones—the case to terminate the Palantir contract is resounding," writes @kamranabbasi.bsky.social in this Editor's Choice
www.bmj.com/content/393/...

"Are you saying to every black, brown person in Britain that if your child commits a crime & you haven't stopped them, that you're going to be deported.. most people will find that is odious, vile & racist"

Kevin Maguire on Robert Jenricks call to deport the parents of Axel Rudakubana

Also, how many people knew for sure that he had failed vetting? Surprising that nothing leaked to the press.

I wonder whether the new ‘duty of candour’ will change this tendency to cover up?

Thanks!

Had another trying few days but just one hurdle remains. I have tentatively booked a removal company for next month.

I wonder whether he was thinking of Doctor Who? Another all-powerful figure who seems to work miracles… #MakeGallifreyGreatAgain

RF Kennedy says Anthony Fauci should be more careful when talking about immunology.

With the confidence built through years of mansplaining, JD steps up to explain Catholicism to the Pope.

Announcing the 2026 Guggenheim Fellows — Guggenheim Fellowships: Supporting Artists, Scholars, & Scientists Since 1925, the Guggenheim Foundation has given Fellowships to exceptional artists, writers, scholars, and scientists, empowering them to pursue meaningful work under the freest possible conditions.

Congratulations to Regina Baucom, Amitav Ghosh, Heather Maynard, Natalia Molina, Rasmus Nielsen, Bridgett VonHoldt and all the other amazing 2026 #Guggenheim Fellows. @amitav.bsky.social

www.gf.org/stories/anno...

Hey yesterday I emailed an archivist with, and I quote, “do you know what ‘bundle dated 1190-1200,46’ might be?” And they emailed me back within an hour with the full text of a deed and a translation

so yeah, ask a librarian (and archivists)

For the avoidance of doubt, following the publication of the explicitly transphobic Scottish Labour manifesto this morning, I will not be campaigning for any Scottish Labour candidates in the upcoming election, and I will not be voting Scottish Labour either.

#NoVotesLabourInMay #TransRightsNow

Super happy to announce that the first book in our series, Race in Nineteenth-Century Literatures and Cultures, will be coming out this June. Check out Porscha Fermanis's _Settler Fiction from the Southern Hemisphere, 1820-1890_ and please ask your libraries to order?

More excellent stuff from @roberttalisse.bsky.social .

theconversation.com/as-a-philoso...

Halfway through reading Nobody Needs to Know by Pidgeon Pagonis. Very intense portrayal of their feelings when they finally discovered, understood, accepted (by degrees) being intersex (AIS). Waves of emotion and tears as I read these pages.

It's a fascinating listen, about the piece that most choral singers will know so well. #HandelMessiah

Amplifying voices New Cambridge grant to help under-represented scholars publish

Please share and/or consider applying to the Cambridge Amplifying Grant for underrepresented scholars. Applications are due next Monday, April 13. www.cambridge.org/us/universit.... This is a great opportunity!

Trans people are not a threat to society, TERFs are. Without realising it or realising it. They are eradicating women’s rights under all of your noses.

Jesus died for my sins and I’m going to make sure he gets his money’s worth

I was more surprised at how recent much of the African British Empire was. (Typo, I nearly said ‘Brutish’ - not so wrong).

You need to make AI guidelines for your lab Here's why you should, and how to start

I wrote about why every lab should have AI use guidelines, and how to do it.

open.substack.com/pub/blekhman...