Michelle Bastian
@mhbastian.bsky.social
Senior Lecturer in Environmental Humanities at Edinburgh College of Art. Field philosopher working on clocks, phenology and questioning the charisma of our favourite time solutions. Image from artist David Horwitz
Woohoo. A great book. Cant wait to see the film
November 28, 2025 at 7:58 AM
Woohoo. A great book. Cant wait to see the film
Reposted by Michelle Bastian
ICE DETAINED MARILYN. Fuck these people. www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
‘Northern Exposure’ actor gave ICE agents in Redmond her tribal ID. They called it ‘fake,’ she says
Indigenous actor Elaine Miles of "Northern Exposure" was detained by ICE at a Redmond bus stop. When she showed them her Tribal ID, they told her it was fake.
www.seattletimes.com
November 27, 2025 at 4:35 PM
ICE DETAINED MARILYN. Fuck these people. www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
Reposted by Michelle Bastian
The Northern Exposure episode where the town marks Thanksgiving with Indigenous residents pummeling white people with rotten produce feels pretty apropos right now. 🍅
(Redmond is an affluent-ish suburb of Seattle & home to Microsoft & Nintendo, for those not in the know.)
(Redmond is an affluent-ish suburb of Seattle & home to Microsoft & Nintendo, for those not in the know.)
ICE DETAINED MARILYN. Fuck these people. www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
‘Northern Exposure’ actor gave ICE agents in Redmond her tribal ID. They called it ‘fake,’ she says
Indigenous actor Elaine Miles of "Northern Exposure" was detained by ICE at a Redmond bus stop. When she showed them her Tribal ID, they told her it was fake.
www.seattletimes.com
November 27, 2025 at 8:53 PM
The Northern Exposure episode where the town marks Thanksgiving with Indigenous residents pummeling white people with rotten produce feels pretty apropos right now. 🍅
(Redmond is an affluent-ish suburb of Seattle & home to Microsoft & Nintendo, for those not in the know.)
(Redmond is an affluent-ish suburb of Seattle & home to Microsoft & Nintendo, for those not in the know.)
Reposted by Michelle Bastian
Biodiversity, water, food, health and climate are linked more tightly than many realize.
Our new interactive, inspired by the @IPBES.net #NexusAssessment, shows how decisions ripple across the sectors and why integrated thinking matters now.
Check it out: www.besnet.world/a-nexus-appr...
Our new interactive, inspired by the @IPBES.net #NexusAssessment, shows how decisions ripple across the sectors and why integrated thinking matters now.
Check it out: www.besnet.world/a-nexus-appr...
November 27, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Biodiversity, water, food, health and climate are linked more tightly than many realize.
Our new interactive, inspired by the @IPBES.net #NexusAssessment, shows how decisions ripple across the sectors and why integrated thinking matters now.
Check it out: www.besnet.world/a-nexus-appr...
Our new interactive, inspired by the @IPBES.net #NexusAssessment, shows how decisions ripple across the sectors and why integrated thinking matters now.
Check it out: www.besnet.world/a-nexus-appr...
I really valued the basic bits of formal logic I did, and more general things like how to reconstruct an argumemt + informal logic. These parts I definitely think everyone should take.
One way I am quite philosophically conservative is I do basically think that knowledge of logic (like the traditional discipline including in its modern mathematical format) makes one better at following and reconstructing ordinary language arguments, and thus should be mandatory for grad students.
November 26, 2025 at 8:23 PM
I really valued the basic bits of formal logic I did, and more general things like how to reconstruct an argumemt + informal logic. These parts I definitely think everyone should take.
Just had the third bike accident of my life where I would have had a really bad head injury if not for my helmet.
I went through a deacde or so of being made fun of, particularly in Oz, for this. But after a plea from kids at my school who lost their friend at age 12, I committed to it.
I went through a deacde or so of being made fun of, particularly in Oz, for this. But after a plea from kids at my school who lost their friend at age 12, I committed to it.
November 26, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Just had the third bike accident of my life where I would have had a really bad head injury if not for my helmet.
I went through a deacde or so of being made fun of, particularly in Oz, for this. But after a plea from kids at my school who lost their friend at age 12, I committed to it.
I went through a deacde or so of being made fun of, particularly in Oz, for this. But after a plea from kids at my school who lost their friend at age 12, I committed to it.
Reposted by Michelle Bastian
Proud to see London is fast becoming a cycling city ⤵️
📈 Daily journeys are 12% up from last year to 1,500,000 trips
📈 Up by more than 40% since 2019
This is just the start, we’ll continue working with partners to improve safety and invest in more routes.
📈 Daily journeys are 12% up from last year to 1,500,000 trips
📈 Up by more than 40% since 2019
This is just the start, we’ll continue working with partners to improve safety and invest in more routes.
November 25, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Proud to see London is fast becoming a cycling city ⤵️
📈 Daily journeys are 12% up from last year to 1,500,000 trips
📈 Up by more than 40% since 2019
This is just the start, we’ll continue working with partners to improve safety and invest in more routes.
📈 Daily journeys are 12% up from last year to 1,500,000 trips
📈 Up by more than 40% since 2019
This is just the start, we’ll continue working with partners to improve safety and invest in more routes.
Reposted by Michelle Bastian
Since 2011 the fuel duty freeze has cost the Treasury £133 billion.
This huge amount could have paid for lower train and bus fares, better stations, safer walking, wheeling and cycling and much more!
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
This huge amount could have paid for lower train and bus fares, better stations, safer walking, wheeling and cycling and much more!
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Rachel Reeves will freeze fuel duty to dodge ‘political suicide’
The chancellor will also highlight a rise in the minimum wage and plans to cut energy bills as she tries to win over voters by focusing on cost of living
www.thetimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Since 2011 the fuel duty freeze has cost the Treasury £133 billion.
This huge amount could have paid for lower train and bus fares, better stations, safer walking, wheeling and cycling and much more!
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
This huge amount could have paid for lower train and bus fares, better stations, safer walking, wheeling and cycling and much more!
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Reposted by Michelle Bastian
Cameron Toll would be the ideal transport interchange - a covered, cross platform interchange with high capacity, rapid trams.
Would reduce the number of buses using the key Bridges corridor allowing more space for pedestrians along the line
Good for business too - if integrated with the centre?
Would reduce the number of buses using the key Bridges corridor allowing more space for pedestrians along the line
Good for business too - if integrated with the centre?
November 24, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Cameron Toll would be the ideal transport interchange - a covered, cross platform interchange with high capacity, rapid trams.
Would reduce the number of buses using the key Bridges corridor allowing more space for pedestrians along the line
Good for business too - if integrated with the centre?
Would reduce the number of buses using the key Bridges corridor allowing more space for pedestrians along the line
Good for business too - if integrated with the centre?
Reposted by Michelle Bastian
Meta halted internal research that purportedly showed (young) people who stopped using Facebook became less depressed and anxious, according to an unredacted legal filing released on Friday. www.cnbc.com/2025/11/23/m...
Meta halted internal research suggesting social media harm, court filing alleges
Meta is alleged to have halted internal research suggesting social media harm, according to court documents.
www.cnbc.com
November 24, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Meta halted internal research that purportedly showed (young) people who stopped using Facebook became less depressed and anxious, according to an unredacted legal filing released on Friday. www.cnbc.com/2025/11/23/m...
A great project, but gives people insight in a system where it will then be almost impossible for them to get officially diagnosed and given the right treatment.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
#adhd
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
#adhd
Cumbria Police ADHD scheme 'lightbulb moment' for offenders
A scheme to detect ADHD to prevent offenders from returning to custody is rolled out across Cumbria.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 8:11 AM
A great project, but gives people insight in a system where it will then be almost impossible for them to get officially diagnosed and given the right treatment.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
#adhd
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
#adhd
Reposted by Michelle Bastian
November 23, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Reposted by Michelle Bastian
*All-time record* set at the Omni Centre cycle lane on the 7th November - 2,265 cycle journeys.
I can only speculate that the rollout of Voi e-bikes has significantly boosted cycling in Edinburgh this autumn, bucking the seasonal trend.
I can only speculate that the rollout of Voi e-bikes has significantly boosted cycling in Edinburgh this autumn, bucking the seasonal trend.
November 21, 2025 at 7:35 PM
*All-time record* set at the Omni Centre cycle lane on the 7th November - 2,265 cycle journeys.
I can only speculate that the rollout of Voi e-bikes has significantly boosted cycling in Edinburgh this autumn, bucking the seasonal trend.
I can only speculate that the rollout of Voi e-bikes has significantly boosted cycling in Edinburgh this autumn, bucking the seasonal trend.
Reposted by Michelle Bastian
Two exciting postdoc positions available!
Historical windstorms - working with two insurance companies to explore UK wind risks: jobs.reading.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Extreme event storylines - working as part of a EU collaboration on event attribution: jobs.reading.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Historical windstorms - working with two insurance companies to explore UK wind risks: jobs.reading.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Extreme event storylines - working as part of a EU collaboration on event attribution: jobs.reading.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
November 21, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Two exciting postdoc positions available!
Historical windstorms - working with two insurance companies to explore UK wind risks: jobs.reading.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Extreme event storylines - working as part of a EU collaboration on event attribution: jobs.reading.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Historical windstorms - working with two insurance companies to explore UK wind risks: jobs.reading.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Extreme event storylines - working as part of a EU collaboration on event attribution: jobs.reading.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Reposted by Michelle Bastian
Looks like LLMs are *very* vulnerable to attack via poetic allusion: "curated poetic prompts yielded high attack-success rates (ASR), with some providers exceeding 90% ..."
https://arxiv.org/html/2511.15304v1
https://arxiv.org/html/2511.15304v1
November 20, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Looks like LLMs are *very* vulnerable to attack via poetic allusion: "curated poetic prompts yielded high attack-success rates (ASR), with some providers exceeding 90% ..."
https://arxiv.org/html/2511.15304v1
https://arxiv.org/html/2511.15304v1
Reposted by Michelle Bastian
Edinburgh Council is not proposing the 'destruction of a park', it's proposing the restoration of a former railway line to meet climate targets, reduce congestion, improve air quality, provide economic opportunities, enhance mobility and reduce social inequality.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Roseburn Path: What is the row over a new Edinburgh tram line about?
A public consultation on plans to build a new tram line along a popular cycle route closes on Monday.
www.bbc.com
November 12, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Edinburgh Council is not proposing the 'destruction of a park', it's proposing the restoration of a former railway line to meet climate targets, reduce congestion, improve air quality, provide economic opportunities, enhance mobility and reduce social inequality.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Michelle Bastian
Every time the shocking, perplexing tactic of “giving money to people who need it” is tried, it turns out to work.
And yet people who have more money than they could ever need remain baffled.
And yet people who have more money than they could ever need remain baffled.
An Oregon pilot program giving cash to homeless youths sees a staggering reduction in homelessness. The program gave participants $1,000 cash payments each month for two years, and at the end of the project's first phase, 91% of participants reported being in stable housing.
Oregon pilot program giving cash to homeless youths sees staggering reduction in homelessness
The state program gave participants $1,000 cash payments each month for two years. At the end of the project's first phase, 91% of participants reported being in stable housing.
www.streetroots.org
November 21, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Every time the shocking, perplexing tactic of “giving money to people who need it” is tried, it turns out to work.
And yet people who have more money than they could ever need remain baffled.
And yet people who have more money than they could ever need remain baffled.
I was on a CAHMS children's facing website and in the corner is an AI chatbot. It states initialy that you are not talking to a real person, but then uses a cute robot icon to say "Hi I am Balm".
my most butlerian jihad coded belief is that we should probably make it illegal – and more importantly, we should work toward a cultural consensus that it is immoral – to design a computer program whose interface uses the first person
November 21, 2025 at 4:35 PM
I was on a CAHMS children's facing website and in the corner is an AI chatbot. It states initialy that you are not talking to a real person, but then uses a cute robot icon to say "Hi I am Balm".
Reposted by Michelle Bastian
So good, by @cammy-06.bsky.social @sapiens.org: "Selkie stories often centered female autonomy. Female selkies choose their partners, return to the sea leaving families behind..Giving voice to women’s agency, these narratives shape reality, empowering human women" #Orkney #anthropology #multispecies
Connections and Conflicts With Seals in a Scottish Archipelago
An environmental archaeologist investigates deep-time, mythical, and contemporary relations between seals and Orkney Islanders.
www.sapiens.org
November 21, 2025 at 4:00 PM
So good, by @cammy-06.bsky.social @sapiens.org: "Selkie stories often centered female autonomy. Female selkies choose their partners, return to the sea leaving families behind..Giving voice to women’s agency, these narratives shape reality, empowering human women" #Orkney #anthropology #multispecies
Reposted by Michelle Bastian
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
November 21, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Reposted by Michelle Bastian
Reposted by Michelle Bastian
@argonautbooks.bsky.social has put together a letter to Waterstones, which you can read and sign here:
c.org/BW7b88mRSw
c.org/BW7b88mRSw
Sign the Petition
An Open Letter to Waterstones Regarding a Sixth Edinburgh Branch in Leith
c.org
November 21, 2025 at 1:00 PM
@argonautbooks.bsky.social has put together a letter to Waterstones, which you can read and sign here:
c.org/BW7b88mRSw
c.org/BW7b88mRSw
Reposted by Michelle Bastian
It's about deep-sea mining and how it could impact the animals that migrate through potential mining sites, but it's also about the month I got way too into eels.
What we know we don’t know: impacts of deep-sea mining on whales, dolphins, sharks, turtles, and other migratory species.
What we know we don’t know: impacts of deep-sea mining on whales, dolphins, sharks, turtles, and other migratory species.
What we know we don’t know: impacts of deep-sea mining on whales, dolphins, sharks, turtles, and other migratory species.
Migratory species depend on a vast, interconnected ocean. Disturbance in the deep-sea isn’t localized, it ripples across a globally-connected ocean and impacts made today may persist long aft…
www.southernfriedscience.com
November 20, 2025 at 3:51 PM
It's about deep-sea mining and how it could impact the animals that migrate through potential mining sites, but it's also about the month I got way too into eels.
What we know we don’t know: impacts of deep-sea mining on whales, dolphins, sharks, turtles, and other migratory species.
What we know we don’t know: impacts of deep-sea mining on whales, dolphins, sharks, turtles, and other migratory species.
Reposted by Michelle Bastian
Great turn out at @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social rally at the Scottish Parliament!
November 19, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Great turn out at @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social rally at the Scottish Parliament!
Reposted by Michelle Bastian
"Higher education generated £24bn in export earnings for the UK in 2022-23, far above aircraft manufacturing with £12bn, legal services with £9.5bn and telecoms with £8.8bn."
#HigherEd
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
#HigherEd
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Less than Greggs? Public have no idea of value of top universities, study finds
Belief that snack chain’s revenues exceed those of Oxford’s one of many misconceptions about UK’s HE sector
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:08 PM
"Higher education generated £24bn in export earnings for the UK in 2022-23, far above aircraft manufacturing with £12bn, legal services with £9.5bn and telecoms with £8.8bn."
#HigherEd
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
#HigherEd
www.theguardian.com/education/20...