It was encouraging to drum in the counterprotest to the far right march in #Taunton today. It was clear that many of the other protesters knew the kind of people marching from daily life, neighbours and workmates. They obviously wanted better. Good to see Gideon Amos, the local MP, there too.

My latest @chemistryworld.com story brings together AI, robots, chemistry and climate change - with a cautiously positive conclusion. Watch the reel below then check it out at www.chemistryworld.com/features/ai-... Thanks @variniabernales.bsky.social @fjduarte.bsky.social and everyone else! 🧪

Great to be in #Plymouth with the Devon Drummers for #PlymouthPride26. I love to see all the different flavours of people there.

In the UK this paper title evokes the opposite meaning to that intended

#Climate criminals in your refrigerator: The police are chasing criminals selling shady chemicals – and those chemicals might be in your kitchen. I talk to Environment Investigation Agency, which is chasing them, in my new Chemical and Engineering News story. You can read it at bit.ly/hfccrime

In my latest @chemistryworld.com World piece, I report on how science and global politics intertwine in the rivalry over the chemicals used as the cathode in the electric vehicle batteries. You can read more at bit.ly/Carcat. 🧪 1/3

As someone whose late partner was under 50 when she died of cancer, and a science writer, for me the i has the best coverage I've seen on the new paper looking at the factors behind the rise in cancer in young people. 🧪inews.co.uk/news/health/cancer-rates-under-50s-rising-no-one-sure-why-4382878

I'm getting this

In my latest @chemistryworld.com piece, I report that the low-emissions hydrogen industry either committed to final investment decisions or started building around a million tonnes per year of production capacity in 2025, but cancelled over 4.9 million tonnes’ worth. Read more at bit.ly/Hbubble 🧪

A not-so-small joy this week was getting a couple of my favourite pairs of trousers repaired by Quick Stitch in #Exeter - lovely to keep them going, and it would have been much more expensive to replace them

If you’re worried about microplastics, you may have found some of the recent coverage confusing. I attempt to explain from a level of how science works broadly in this video, and about the details of the methods involved in my Chemistry World piece at bit.ly/microspat 🧪

When we hear about the chemical industry we’re used to thinking about large, dirty oil processing facilities. But can Scotland make chemicals from…. whisky? Read more in my @chemistryworld.com World story at bit.ly/whischem 🧪

January saw a couple of amazing events in London with @absw.bsky.social The launch of the World Conference of Science Journalists at the Royal Society was amazing, as was the ABSW 'missed the deadline' Christmas party the following week. I had such a great time I barely remembered to take photos!

Really pleased to see defossilisation being covered by Nature and raising the need for more investment in this area. www.nature.com/articles/d41... 🧪

The $20 billion Dangote Refinery is undoubtedly hugely important to the economy of Nigeria and Africa – but truck fires in the local community are emblematic of many unseen costs and issues. Read the story by me and Olasunkanmi Arowolo in @cenmag.bsky.social at bit.ly/DanRef

I have been reading the amazing 12 Days of Christmas poems compiled by Carol Ann Duffy for @candlestickpress.bsky.social and today's is eerily appropriate....

Did you know that the gases in one tiny blue asthma inhaler can cause as much global heating as 30kg of CO2? You can read all about it in my @chemistryworld.com story at bit.ly/greeninhaler

This amazing-looking solar farm uses an exciting new technology now being manufactured in China. You can read about it in my new Chemical and Engineering News story at bit.ly/ChinaPerovskite It's good to share some positive news for a change! 🧪

Here's an idea that I had never heard about before from Google's Mevan Babakar at #abswss25 'Blind cynicism', a general loss of trust partly the aim of disinformation, including the people around us, one of the many risks

Enjoying hearing from Jon Roozenbeek at #abswss25 about the tobacco 'disinformation playbook' shared pseudonymously by a 'Mr Butss' with three elements: - Sow doubt - Counter attack - Don't lie (too much) Sound familiar?

Second takeaway: I was surprised to hear that chemistry calculations (DFT to those in the know) use 20% of all supercomputer time in the US. So AI alternatives could reduce energy usage.

First takeaway: it was interesting to me that one of my interviewees admitted that useability was a secondary consideration, the highest one was the ability to publish a new paper