Shane McCracken
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shane.mccracken.org.uk
Shane McCracken
@shane.mccracken.org.uk
Project Director - http://imascienti.st Creating equality of opportunity in STEM & careers enrichment for school students. Wearer of orange jacket at conferences.
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you have seen in the wild.

Muntjac (in the garden)
Buzzard (in the field behind)
Dolphins (from the Strangford Ferry)
Penguins (on Boulder Beach ;) )
Giraffes (In the Kruger Park)
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you have seen in the wild.

Fox (London)
Deer (London)
Lynx (Croatia)
Humans (everywhere)
Bear (mirror)
November 28, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Has anyone here bought one of them Wildlife cameras with nightvision, Bluetooth download, solar power?

Any recommendations on brand?
November 28, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Once again @chrisdillow.bsky.social cutting through the drivel from mainstream journos.

Includes the rarely said truism that "welfare benefits are a transfer, not a cost", like so much Govt spending.

"The country"
open.substack.com/pub/chrisdil...
"The country"
"The country" often does not mean the whole of the people.
open.substack.com
November 28, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Reposted by Shane McCracken
This BBC kids tv advert from 1998 is still very impressive and very lovely
November 13, 2025 at 9:56 AM
This is the special request a teacher made today for their upcoming chat. It's the first time we've seen #sciencecapital mentioned by a teacher as the primary purpose of the chats.

And it's for a girls school in London with nearly 50% FSM provision. A top priority for us.
November 19, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Reposted by Shane McCracken
Just to preserve the joke for after the downtime: downforeveryoneorjustme looks like this.
November 18, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Reposted by Shane McCracken
Plans to leave refugees in a state of perpetual uncertainty about where and if they can rebuild their lives are not just performative cruelty, they are counterproductive to integration and the economy. It doesn’t have to be like this - 1/2
November 17, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Lovely to catch up with @timdavies.org.uk earlier.

Seems he's reconnected with a few old folk recently too.

And a Friday evening trip to Stroud for a CivicTech meet up sounds like a good idea.
November 13, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Has anyone seen my 'Company Stamp'?

I need it for a new supplier form and I seem to misplaced ours in the 19th century.
November 12, 2025 at 12:16 PM
This really is a cracking interview.
Absolutely delightful interview with Joe Marler, this: www.thetimes.com/article/7778...
November 11, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Reposted by Shane McCracken
Imagine spotting flaws in a rollercoaster or power station before disaster strikes—without laying a finger on them.

Physicist Rachel Edwards will tell us all about non-destructive testing, where engineers use sound to uncover hidden dangers like cracks and corrosion.
Seeing sound
Join Rachel Edwards for a look at the new ways scientists and engineers are going beyond traditional ultrasound.
www.rigb.org
November 9, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Very pleased to be back at #fallingwalls - looking forward to some excellent Engage pitches.
November 6, 2025 at 7:33 AM
Superb excoriating post from @chrisdillow.bsky.social here: open.substack.com/pub/chrisdil...

There are few writers who are as calmly clear about the impact of economic policy.
Increasing economic growth: some modest proposals
Commodify, enshittify, skillify.
open.substack.com
November 4, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Enjoyed reading this view of school engagement as a 'game'.

Really want to trial the use of @imascientist.org.uk with a PRU as a long term tool for improving engagement.

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Playing the game? Young people ‘at risk’ of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training) and their investment in education
This paper explores how young people identified as ‘at risk’ of not being integrated into education, employment or training orientate themselves towards the education system in England during their...
www.tandfonline.com
November 3, 2025 at 5:08 PM
I've just been reminded about an event we ran in October 2010 called Beyond Blogging at @wellcometrust.bsky.social

The list of speakers is quite wonderful.

@jackthurston.bsky.social @jenitennison.com @paulclarke.com @richardpope.org @smithsam.bsky.social @lesteph.com Evan Harris, Jonathan Raper
October 30, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Research in a newsletter today. Can't think why more Primary School Leaders are worried than Secondary.

More seriously after 15 years of stability or rising numbers, the projected falls in numbers are going to be difficult.
October 22, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Reposted by Shane McCracken
Decades after the Heysel and Hillsborough disasters, can politicians please not second-guess expert safety assessments for football stadiums.

Thank you.

An Aston Villa fan.
October 17, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Reposted by Shane McCracken
Students questions encourage scientists to think about their answers, often in a way they haven't considered before.

This is a lovely question which asked Abi to think about why she went into her current role.

Scientists, find out more: imascientist.org.uk/signup/c/
October 10, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Reposted by Shane McCracken
If the Norwegians had a sense of humour, they'd give Obama a second peace prize today.
October 10, 2025 at 7:16 AM
Reposted by Shane McCracken
😂
October 8, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Reposted by Shane McCracken
JFC the man has not one ounce of shame in him.

He went to private school and Cambridge. He owns three homes and rents a fourth!
October 7, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Robert Kitson is in suitably coruscating form in this week's Breakdown: www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/s...

I almost feel sorry for the "suitably bearded head of growth" and serial booze marketeer at the Prem.
The Breakdown | No place for ‘old school’ rugby values as PREM rebrand aims to turn heads
English top flight’s push to attract a younger audience is accelerating and relegation may soon be a thing of the past
www.theguardian.com
September 23, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Reposted by Shane McCracken
Did an event at The Grove, Watford, last night and spotted this interesting piece of art. From afar it looks like Mrs Thatcher; look more closely and the red bits are @jeremycorbyn.bsky.social
September 19, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Everywhere you turn in Bath this you find a Jane Austen cosplayer.

I love it.

But what are they doing other than dressing up?

Are they attending readings? Balls at the Assembly Rooms?
September 19, 2025 at 11:53 AM