Tom Gauld
LightNews LightNews
tomgauld.bsky.social
Tom Gauld
@tomgauld.bsky.social
68K followers 95 following 920 posts
Cartoonist and Illustrator. My book of science cartoons, PHYSICS FOR CATS, is available now! www.tomgauld.com
Posts Replies Media Videos
tomgauld.bsky.social
Three of my cartoons have been released as prints by @theguardian.com. They are an open edition in two sizes and are available for two weeks only. Get one here:
www.guardianprintshop.com/pages/tom-gaulds-best-cultural-cartoons-of-2025
Title: Choose your seat in the literary festival event tent. Image: lines of chairs set out in a tent, a stage at the front has two more chairs on it. The chairs are colour-coded and labelled 1. Awkwardly close 2. Too far away 3. Good view / can't hear 4. Good sound / can't see 5. In a cold draught 6. Behind a giant 7. Between a chatter and a shusher 8. Very creaky chair 9. Great seat / wrong event A single yellow chair is labelled: 10. Just right!
December 3, 2025 at 1:44 PM
tomgauld.bsky.social
Science Cat is making a note to get an order in at www.tomgauld.com before it closes for the holidays next week.
December 1, 2025 at 5:11 PM
tomgauld.bsky.social
My cartoon for this week’s New Scientist.
p.s. I have a new book of science cartoons: www.tomgauld.com/comic-books-v2
Panel 1. A worm wriggles along watched by a human. It asks: "What are you doing?" Panels 2 to 5. Scientist "I'm studying you. I'm a biologist. Just carry on as if I'm not here." Worm "I feel self-conscious now... What was I doing when you got here?" Scientist "Just wriggling along" Worm "Shall I go back to doing that?" Scientist "I suppose so." Panel 6. The worm is wriggling again. Both the worm and scientist are thinking: "This feels weird now..."
November 30, 2025 at 11:40 AM
tomgauld.bsky.social
My cartoon for this week’s @theguardian.com books.

Lots more here: www.theguardian.com/books/series/tom-gauld-s-cultural-cartoons
Panel 1. A character holding a mobile phone. Ping! An alert arrives: "Your order has been received!" (Image of happy-looking book) Panel 2. Ping! "Your item has been dispatched!" (Image of happy-looking van, driving along) Panel 3. Ping! "Your package has been delivered!" (Image of happy-looking box on doorstep) Panel 4. Ping! "Your book has been neglected: left on the shelf, unread and forgotten, gathering dust for several months." (Image of unhappy-looking book, dusty and covered with cobwebs, accompanied by a spider) Panel 5. The character looks sad and guilty about the unread book. Panel 6. Ping! "Your order has been received!" (Image of new, happy-looking book)
November 29, 2025 at 11:59 AM
tomgauld.bsky.social
#Rewilding One of the cartoons in my new book 'Physics for Cats'. Available now in good bookshops an online nowwww.tomgauld.com/comic-books-v2
A deep dark forest. A scientist leads a guest through the trees, saying: "The rewilding project has exceeded all of our expectations! Keep your eyes open for the species that have come back: Red deer, wild boar, Pine marten. Or perhaps even our proudest return: The great old one Yog-drath'll, eternal unsleeping evil of the primordial forest." (all these creatures are hidden in the image)
November 28, 2025 at 2:37 PM
tomgauld.bsky.social
My illustration agent, Heart, made a lovely book to celebrate their 30th birthday. I illustrated the year 2012 with a little comic about the Curiosity Rover. See more here: www.heartagency.com/news/what-happened-hearts-30th-anniversary
A double page spread of a landscape-format book. It contains a comic strip by Tom Gauld in which the view pans from the earth, across space, and on to Mars where The Curiosity Rover appears, small and alone, looking at a paper ticket which reads 'One Way'. A double page spread of a landscape-format book. It contains a comic strip by Tom Gauld in which the view pans from the earth, across space, and on to Mars where The Curiosity Rover appears, small and alone, looking at a paper ticket which reads 'One Way'. Title page for Tom Gauld's spread in the book 'What Happened' published by Heart Agency. A double page spread of a landscape-format book. It contains a comic strip by Tom Gauld in which the view pans from the earth, across space, and on to Mars where The Curiosity Rover appears, small and alone, looking at a paper ticket which reads 'One Way'.
November 27, 2025 at 1:24 PM
tomgauld.bsky.social
My cartoon for this week's @newscientist.com
Panel 1. Scientist making a presentation to the board: "We have developed an exciting new technology that will allow the company to make a much better product at no extra cost!" Panel 2. Board member 1: "Could we use this tech to make our current product more cheaply?" Scientist: "In principle, yes.... And pass the savings on to consumers?" Board member 2: "Haha. No." Panel 3. Board member 2: "How about we make a worse product, with a higher profit margin and just use the tech to make it seem exciting and new?" Scientist: "Um..." Panel 4. Board members: "I'll take that as a yes!" "High five!!" Scientist: "Sob!"
November 26, 2025 at 1:01 PM
tomgauld.bsky.social
Get some Kupperman for Christmas!
mkupperman.bsky.social Michael Kupperman @mkupperman.bsky.social · 8d
A new shipment of the beautiful 8 x 10 prints I'm making now... just $20 each! Perfect for decoration, greeting cards, thrill your friends and neighbors, etc.
michaelkupperman.com/shop
November 25, 2025 at 8:08 PM
tomgauld.bsky.social
I designed a very tall mural for www.bdcolomiers.com/
November 25, 2025 at 1:36 PM
tomgauld.bsky.social
Now for some sports news...
(this week's cartoon for @theguardian.com books pages)
Panel One: A sportscaster speaks to a television camera "You join us just in time for the annual booksellers versus librarians tug of war." Panel Two: We see the participants warming up as he continues... "Two very strong teams this year, they’ve both been in training since February. As always, the real skill in this match is not to start chatting about boo-" Panel Three: "Too late!! A pair of librarians are discussing the new Margaret Atwood! A crowd is forming! The booksellers are joining in! It's all over!!" We see all the participants chatting. Panel Four: The sportscaster finishes up to the camera: "The rope lies untouched! The discussions continue! We have a draw for 325th year in a row! Join us again next year!" End. Bonus alt-text Content: Fun fact! The first tug of war was between the staff of Cranston Library and those of Daniel Midwinter Booksellers www.cranstonlibraryreigate.com/ www.blogs.nottingham.ac.uk/manuscripts/2017/11/10/booksellers/
November 24, 2025 at 2:14 PM
tomgauld.bsky.social
Maths Puzzles for Conspiracy Theorists.
One of the cartoons from my new book 'Physics for Cats'. In good bookshops now and online in English, French, German and Spanish editions.
Title: Maths puzzles for conspiracy theorists. 1. A train departs at 2pm Travelling at 40mph. The next train follows an hour later, travelling at 45 mph. Why are we still using trains when the government has hyper-speed ufo technology? 2. Susie brings eighteen Apples and twelve Oranges to school and divides them equally Between her six Friends. How many of these children are in the pay of big fruit? 3. When Tom was eight, his sister, anne, was half his age. Tom is now 48, so why does Anne just laugh at him when he patiently explains to her that the earth is flat? From 'Physics for Cats' by Tom Gauld - order it at www.tomgauld.com
November 21, 2025 at 11:20 AM
tomgauld.bsky.social
FRANCE! I am coming to the BD Colomiers festival this weekend (22 and 23 November). Come to my talk and/or find me at the Editions 2042 and @dandq.bsky.social booths (they will both have copies of my new book). www.bdcolomiers.com
My Schedule at the BD Colomiers Festival SATURDAY 22nd November 11am: Talk with Andreas Lemaire at Cinéma Véo Grand Central. 12-1.30pm: Signing st the D&Q booth 5-7pm: Signing at the Editions2042 booth SUNDAY 23rd November 2.40-4pm: Signing st the D&Q booth 5-7pm Signing at the Editions2042 booth Cover of La Physique pour les Chats by Tom Gauld Cover of Physics for Cats by Tom Gauld
November 19, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Reposted by Tom Gauld
lsternetrust.bsky.social
Endless journey cards by @tomgauld. Green version available here: laurencesternetrust.org.uk/shandy-hall-... A great postable #Christmaspresent for all ages. These 12 picture cards can be arranged to form 479,001,600 different landscapes! Inspired by the works of Laurence Sterne.
November 19, 2025 at 9:37 AM
tomgauld.bsky.social
1/3 I have made three of my cartoons into new, limited edition prints. You can get them now at www.tomgauld.com/shop
Title: How to focus on writing your book There follow eleven tiny images telling a story. The captions read: Turn your devices off (a writer with a phone and laptop. The screens are dark). Put them in a drawer. Lock the drawer. Throw away the key. Leave the house. Do not look back. Keep to backroads and hedgerows. Feel your old life slip away. (the writer has shed his clothes) Sleep by day. Forage in the evening. Write by the light of the moon When you have a passable first draft, commit a minor crime and use your phone call to contact your agent. (the naked writer is in a prison holding a phone while an unamused police officer looks on).
November 18, 2025 at 2:04 PM
tomgauld.bsky.social
(Full story below)
November 17, 2025 at 4:28 PM
tomgauld.bsky.social
My latest cartoon for @theguardian.com books pages.
Two pigeons on a London street, pecking at crumbs. Pigeon 1: "I'm sorry you missed out on the Booker prize. I thought your novel was wonderful." Pigeon 2: "It’s a stitch up! They always give it to a human!" Pigeon 1: "It’s nice they considered it." Pigeon 2: "Nobody cares about the longlist, Janet!" Pigeon 2 again: "Zadie Smith had a bestselling novel and an armload of literary prizes before she was 25*." Pigeon 1: "You’ve got to stop comparing yourself to Zadie Smith" Pigeon 2: "Why?" Pigeon 1: "We’ve all got to find our own path through the world. Plus, it’s much harder to type with claws." pigeon 2: "That’s true." They both go back to pecking. Pigeon 2: "I’m glad you liked my book." *Pigeon 2 is 3 years, 11 months and 22 days old, the equivalent of 42 in human years. https://pigeonpedia.com/pigeon-years-to-human-years-calculator/
November 16, 2025 at 4:15 PM
tomgauld.bsky.social
I just got back from London's best comic shop @goshcomics.bsky.social with the following news:
Pics 1&2: Their copies of my new book still come with this tiny zine.
Pic 3: I got copies new work by geniuses Sammy Harkham and Linnea Sterte
Pic 4: I signed a big pile of my other books
A hand holding Tom Gauld's book Physics for Cats A hand holding Tom Gauld's zine Shrodinger Sariations Two comic books. Crickets 9 by Sammy Harkham and Garden of Spheres by Linnea Sterte A window at Gosh comics filled with Tom Gauld's books.
November 14, 2025 at 4:40 PM
tomgauld.bsky.social
I just finished reading TONGUES, the new book by Anders Nilsen. An epic triumph of ambitious, beautiful storytelling:
www.andersbrekhusnilsen.com/tongues
A hand holding the book TONGUES by Anders Nilsen.
November 12, 2025 at 10:58 AM
tomgauld.bsky.social
Three of my Austen-adjacent cartoons are featured in the The Jane Austen Society of North America’s latest instalment of ‘Unexpectedly Austen’:
www.jasna.org/austen/unexpectedlyausten/
November 10, 2025 at 7:31 PM
tomgauld.bsky.social
My latest @newscientist.com cartoon.

p.s. my new book of science cartoons 'Physics for Cats' is out now! Order from your local bookshop or online: www.tomgauld.com
Panel 1. Two scientists walking along. The first one says: I have opened a portal into an alternate universe that is an exact reflection of our own! Panel 2. The second scientist looks into a technical portal and says WOW Panel 3. A reflection of panel two. The reflected scientist's speech bubble still reads: WOW Panel 4. A reflection of panel one. The text is all back to front.
November 10, 2025 at 4:20 PM
tomgauld.bsky.social
My books cartoon for this week’s @theguardian.com
Panel 1 An author in their agent's office says: "This book will be my magnum opus, the book that I was put on the planet too write, and the pinnacle my writing and your publishing careers." Panel two The agent looks over a manuscript with a neutral expression. The author continues: "Unless you don’t like it. In which case it’s just one of a number of ideas I’m playing around with."
November 9, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Reposted by Tom Gauld
letrascorsarias.bsky.social
Hoy a las 19.30h hemos quedado con Tom Gauld.
November 7, 2025 at 6:51 AM
tomgauld.bsky.social
One of the cartoons from my new book 'Physics for Cats'. In good bookshops now and online in English, French, German and Spanish editions. I am in Spain this week launching the book - come along! www.tomgauld.com
Caption: Despite his status in the mathematics community, Torus never stopped feeling inferior to his more delicious relatives, Doughnut and Bagel. Image: A wireframe torus with arms and legs waves awkwardly to a donut and bagel. From 'Physics for Cats' by Tom Gauld - order it at www.tomgauld.com
November 5, 2025 at 12:41 PM
tomgauld.bsky.social
I am on the plane to Spain:
Come along to hear me talk or get a book signed/doodled in. • Tuesday, 7pm, Finestres d'art i Comic, Barcelona • Wednesday, 7.30pm, Fundacion Telefonica, Madrid • Thursday, 6.30pm, Los 3 Hermanos de Moriarty, Madrid • Friday, 7.30pm, Libreria Letras Corsarias, Salamanca Links at tomgauld.com
November 4, 2025 at 10:04 AM
tomgauld.bsky.social
I drew this cover for WOMAN ALIVE from @manderleypress.bsky.social "A forgotten #sci-fi #dystopian classic, first published 90 years ago and now reissued with an introduction by Graham Norton". Preorder it now: www.manderleypress.com/shop/p/womanalive
The cover of the book WOMAN ALIVE by Susan Ertz. Illustrated with a drawing by Tom Gauld in shades of reds and pinks which shows a retro-futuristic city. In the arched door of a tall tower stands a female stick figure. Stairs lead down, through a layer of clouds to lower levels and tunnels from which a crowd of male stick figures emerges.
November 3, 2025 at 2:18 PM