Jeremy Farr
@jeremyfarr.bsky.social
Research Fellow on future food systems transformations ⚕️🌿 🏦 🌏 and archaeologist of past food systems 🔬🌾🏺
For context, total crop output revenue in the UK is about £10 billion. Losses in 2024 due to heat and drought were £600 million. Pretty bad.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
UK farmers lose £800m after heat and drought cause one of worst harvests on record
Many now concerned about ability to make living in fast-changing climate after one of worst grain harvests recorded
www.theguardian.com
December 4, 2025 at 3:36 AM
For context, total crop output revenue in the UK is about £10 billion. Losses in 2024 due to heat and drought were £600 million. Pretty bad.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Jeremy Farr
Migratory behavior may come and go throughout the deep history of an animal species.
Do Africa’s Mass Animal Migrations Extend Into Deep Time?
www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
Do Africa’s Mass Animal Migrations Extend Into Deep Time?
www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
Do Africa’s Mass Animal Migrations Extend Into Deep Time?
Isotopes in fossil teeth suggest ancient animals traveled less—making researchers rethink past human societies and future conservation.
www.sapiens.org
December 3, 2025 at 3:03 AM
Migratory behavior may come and go throughout the deep history of an animal species.
Do Africa’s Mass Animal Migrations Extend Into Deep Time?
www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
Do Africa’s Mass Animal Migrations Extend Into Deep Time?
www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...
Reposted by Jeremy Farr
New post by me on #MITPressReader @mitpress.bsky.social
On the 100th anniversary of the #ScopesMonkeyTrial
the ways we depict #evolution can still give an erroneous progressive view (that evolution leads to humans or ‘increased complexity’).
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/is-our-pictu...
On the 100th anniversary of the #ScopesMonkeyTrial
the ways we depict #evolution can still give an erroneous progressive view (that evolution leads to humans or ‘increased complexity’).
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/is-our-pictu...
December 1, 2025 at 5:56 PM
New post by me on #MITPressReader @mitpress.bsky.social
On the 100th anniversary of the #ScopesMonkeyTrial
the ways we depict #evolution can still give an erroneous progressive view (that evolution leads to humans or ‘increased complexity’).
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/is-our-pictu...
On the 100th anniversary of the #ScopesMonkeyTrial
the ways we depict #evolution can still give an erroneous progressive view (that evolution leads to humans or ‘increased complexity’).
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/is-our-pictu...
Interesting arguments here about persistent stress for humans in industrial societies - but misses out on highlighting all the weird health outcomes in human history that have been downstream from culture and society
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Homo sapiens, industrialisation and the environmental mismatch hypothesis
For the vast majority of the evolutionary history of Homo sapiens, a range of natural environments defined the parameters within which selection shaped human biology. Although human-induced alteratio...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 19, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Interesting arguments here about persistent stress for humans in industrial societies - but misses out on highlighting all the weird health outcomes in human history that have been downstream from culture and society
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Jeremy Farr
This was already demonstrated over half a century ago with the banning of DDT.
Why are we on repeat here?
share.google/tX0kljiyYfOn...
Why are we on repeat here?
share.google/tX0kljiyYfOn...
France’s birds start to show signs of recovery after bee-harming pesticide ban
Analysis shows small hike in populations of insect-eating species after 2018 ruling, but full recovery may take decades
share.google
November 17, 2025 at 8:40 PM
This was already demonstrated over half a century ago with the banning of DDT.
Why are we on repeat here?
share.google/tX0kljiyYfOn...
Why are we on repeat here?
share.google/tX0kljiyYfOn...
2 months ago I was speaking with a Neanderthal specialist and they brought up extinction.
I put it to them that if Neanderthals and humans were mixing and their DNA is present in Eurasian ancestry, is extinction the right word?
share.google/uVHOfFdQ6tPP...
I put it to them that if Neanderthals and humans were mixing and their DNA is present in Eurasian ancestry, is extinction the right word?
share.google/uVHOfFdQ6tPP...
Mathematical model indicates Neanderthal disappearance can be explained by genetic dilution
Currently, there are several hypotheses surrounding the disappearance of Neanderthals. While they all have at least some scientific support, researchers can't agree on which—or which combination—is mo...
share.google
November 12, 2025 at 12:53 PM
2 months ago I was speaking with a Neanderthal specialist and they brought up extinction.
I put it to them that if Neanderthals and humans were mixing and their DNA is present in Eurasian ancestry, is extinction the right word?
share.google/uVHOfFdQ6tPP...
I put it to them that if Neanderthals and humans were mixing and their DNA is present in Eurasian ancestry, is extinction the right word?
share.google/uVHOfFdQ6tPP...
Reposted by Jeremy Farr
If you thought drop bears weren’t terrifying enough. DROP CROCS.
Evidence of ancient tree-climbing 'drop crocs' found in Australia
Scientists say the crocodiles hunted like leopards by climbing trees and killing prey below.
www.bbc.com
November 12, 2025 at 11:09 AM
If you thought drop bears weren’t terrifying enough. DROP CROCS.
Definitely fine and no dangerous precedent or cascade of effects could occur from this
www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2...
www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2...
Farmers push to use Great Artesian Basin for irrigation in western Qld
The lack of reliable water sources outside the wet season across outback Queensland has some farmers looking towards hard-to-come-by irrigation allocations.
www.abc.net.au
November 11, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Definitely fine and no dangerous precedent or cascade of effects could occur from this
www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2...
www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2...
Reposted by Jeremy Farr
Oh, I love this. A new species of sea anemone was discovered recently that parks itself on top of a hermit crab shell like a hat. It seems to feed partly off the crab's faeces, but it also excretes a hard shell that extends the crab's home. In return, it's carried around the seafloor like a king.
November 10, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Oh, I love this. A new species of sea anemone was discovered recently that parks itself on top of a hermit crab shell like a hat. It seems to feed partly off the crab's faeces, but it also excretes a hard shell that extends the crab's home. In return, it's carried around the seafloor like a king.
For people interested in food systems and policy interactions, or if you just love Sankey diagrams, myself and colleagues from CSIRO made an interactive dashboard for Federal policies in Australia.
foodsystemhorizons.org/insights/pol...
foodsystemhorizons.org/insights/pol...
Australian Food System Policy Dashboard - Food System Horizons
Meeting growing aspirations for Australia’s future food system is going to depend, at least in part, on more coherent and […]
foodsystemhorizons.org
November 4, 2025 at 10:25 AM
For people interested in food systems and policy interactions, or if you just love Sankey diagrams, myself and colleagues from CSIRO made an interactive dashboard for Federal policies in Australia.
foodsystemhorizons.org/insights/pol...
foodsystemhorizons.org/insights/pol...
Reposted by Jeremy Farr
US used coffee breaks to personally threaten negotiators in global climate talks on shipping: “They went from delegation to delegation . . . threatening them. Telling them to go back and speak to their capitals, warning what would happen if they didn’t change their minds,” the diplomat said.
Trump administration officials warned of additional trade tariffs and made personal threats against negotiators from other countries to block a historic climate deal for shipping. on.ft.com/4p98Drd
November 2, 2025 at 1:52 PM
US used coffee breaks to personally threaten negotiators in global climate talks on shipping: “They went from delegation to delegation . . . threatening them. Telling them to go back and speak to their capitals, warning what would happen if they didn’t change their minds,” the diplomat said.
Reposted by Jeremy Farr
If climate policy had a “best buy,” it might be methane cuts
Global methane mitigation has a benefit–cost ratio >6:1, even before accounting for near-term climate feedbacks
A strong case: it’s among the most efficient levers in climate policy
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Global methane mitigation has a benefit–cost ratio >6:1, even before accounting for near-term climate feedbacks
A strong case: it’s among the most efficient levers in climate policy
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Global methane action pays for itself at least six times over
We provide a comprehensive assessment of the economic benefits and costs of global methane emissions abatement, anchored on the Global Methane Pledge. We use an integrated assessment model to estimate...
www.science.org
November 1, 2025 at 10:39 AM
If climate policy had a “best buy,” it might be methane cuts
Global methane mitigation has a benefit–cost ratio >6:1, even before accounting for near-term climate feedbacks
A strong case: it’s among the most efficient levers in climate policy
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Global methane mitigation has a benefit–cost ratio >6:1, even before accounting for near-term climate feedbacks
A strong case: it’s among the most efficient levers in climate policy
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Glad to report that nature is returning for the undergrads.
October 31, 2025 at 1:49 AM
Glad to report that nature is returning for the undergrads.
We're doing Nikolai Vavilov again but this time the whole biosphere is at stake.
October 28, 2025 at 10:41 PM
We're doing Nikolai Vavilov again but this time the whole biosphere is at stake.
Marshall McLuhan said "a light bulb creates an environment by its mere presence" - foods and food tech are likewise disruptive technologies that shape environments around them.
Baking was critical to the Lower Kingdom. It allowed the stationing of large forces to counter tribal raids into the fertile Nile region.
Bread production on that scale required advanced yeast filtering through linen bags.
If hadn't been for cotton-tied dough, they'd been harried long time ago.
Bread production on that scale required advanced yeast filtering through linen bags.
If hadn't been for cotton-tied dough, they'd been harried long time ago.
#Archaeologists discover massive ancient #Egyptian fortress.
Excavations also revealed a large bread oven and fossilized dough.
Link for more: www.popsci.com/science/arch...
Excavations also revealed a large bread oven and fossilized dough.
Link for more: www.popsci.com/science/arch...
October 28, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Marshall McLuhan said "a light bulb creates an environment by its mere presence" - foods and food tech are likewise disruptive technologies that shape environments around them.
Reposted by Jeremy Farr
Baking was critical to the Lower Kingdom. It allowed the stationing of large forces to counter tribal raids into the fertile Nile region.
Bread production on that scale required advanced yeast filtering through linen bags.
If hadn't been for cotton-tied dough, they'd been harried long time ago.
Bread production on that scale required advanced yeast filtering through linen bags.
If hadn't been for cotton-tied dough, they'd been harried long time ago.
#Archaeologists discover massive ancient #Egyptian fortress.
Excavations also revealed a large bread oven and fossilized dough.
Link for more: www.popsci.com/science/arch...
Excavations also revealed a large bread oven and fossilized dough.
Link for more: www.popsci.com/science/arch...
October 28, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Baking was critical to the Lower Kingdom. It allowed the stationing of large forces to counter tribal raids into the fertile Nile region.
Bread production on that scale required advanced yeast filtering through linen bags.
If hadn't been for cotton-tied dough, they'd been harried long time ago.
Bread production on that scale required advanced yeast filtering through linen bags.
If hadn't been for cotton-tied dough, they'd been harried long time ago.
Climate change is a major risk for food inflation but economics may be a more immediate risk in many cases.
www.ft.com/content/b5d7...
www.ft.com/content/b5d7...
Hedge funds to blame for coffee price surge, says Lavazza boss
Italian company chair blames speculators for ‘80 per cent’ of price rise that created ‘unbelievable’ volatility
www.ft.com
October 25, 2025 at 3:09 AM
Climate change is a major risk for food inflation but economics may be a more immediate risk in many cases.
www.ft.com/content/b5d7...
www.ft.com/content/b5d7...
Multispecies tern
📢 PhD opportunity at @cebc-chizelab.bsky.social @ifv-whv.bsky.social @unidue.bsky.social
🎓 Interactions between contaminants and parasites in common terns
📅 Apply by 12/12/2025 at euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/380142
#seabirds #ecotoxicology
@univ-larochelle.fr @commonternproject.bsky.social
🎓 Interactions between contaminants and parasites in common terns
📅 Apply by 12/12/2025 at euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/380142
#seabirds #ecotoxicology
@univ-larochelle.fr @commonternproject.bsky.social
October 22, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Multispecies tern
This is a really interesting paper led by the brilliant Alex Bertacchi using isotopes to understand landscape use by ancient foragers in Malawi. I had a very minor role in the fieldwork back in 2019. Good science can take a long time 🏺
www.nature.com/articles/s43...
www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Biogeochemical evidence for targeted landscape use in ancient foragers of Malawi - Communications Earth & Environment
Foragers hunted small game locally and procured most large prey in riparian habitats and Afromontane grasslands to the southeast of the Kasitu Valley of northern Malawi, suggesting that migratory beha...
www.nature.com
October 20, 2025 at 11:50 PM
This is a really interesting paper led by the brilliant Alex Bertacchi using isotopes to understand landscape use by ancient foragers in Malawi. I had a very minor role in the fieldwork back in 2019. Good science can take a long time 🏺
www.nature.com/articles/s43...
www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Reposted by Jeremy Farr
Oh oh (redux) ...
‘This is bad news’: Australian tropical rainforest trees switch in world first from carbon sink to emissions source.
Researchers say carbon emissions change in Queensland tropical rainforests may have global #climate implications.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘This is bad news’: Australian tropical rainforest trees switch in world first from carbon sink to emissions source.
Researchers say carbon emissions change in Queensland tropical rainforests may have global #climate implications.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘This is bad news’: Australian tropical rainforest trees switch in world first from carbon sink to emissions source
Researchers say carbon emissions change in Queensland tropical rainforests may have global climate implications
www.theguardian.com
October 15, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Oh oh (redux) ...
‘This is bad news’: Australian tropical rainforest trees switch in world first from carbon sink to emissions source.
Researchers say carbon emissions change in Queensland tropical rainforests may have global #climate implications.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘This is bad news’: Australian tropical rainforest trees switch in world first from carbon sink to emissions source.
Researchers say carbon emissions change in Queensland tropical rainforests may have global #climate implications.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Jeremy Farr
How is this repeatedly made into a policy issue - by *all* parties - when the blunt fact of the matter is that grown adults who are obliged to pay for their own education, and relentlessly pursued to repay their loans, should be able to study whatever the fuck they want.
October 8, 2025 at 8:20 AM
How is this repeatedly made into a policy issue - by *all* parties - when the blunt fact of the matter is that grown adults who are obliged to pay for their own education, and relentlessly pursued to repay their loans, should be able to study whatever the fuck they want.