Dr Matt Lloyd Jones (he/him)
LightNews LightNews
banner
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
Dr Matt Lloyd Jones (he/him)
@befriendabacterium.bsky.social
350 followers 760 following 400 posts
Researcher interested in evidence synthesis and other evidence-based things, most often to do with microbes (e.g. veterinary microbiology in livestock, pollution in bathing waters).

Associate Research Fellow at University of Exeter

Dw i'n dysgu Cymraeg 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿
Posts Replies Media Videos
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
Not sure if this is an advert or a threat
Advert captioned “I WILL DRAW THE PERSON YOU'LL MARRY” with a button saying ‘Try now’ below and an AI-generated sketch of a man with a short back and sides, glasses and stubble in a suit, on a tan background.
November 20, 2025 at 11:27 PM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
sir you do know trying to bribe an ebay customer with haribo starmix is an offence, right?
November 19, 2025 at 3:29 PM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
All this chin stroking from the BMJ on how to resolve the crisis in peer review, and not once do they appear to consider paying people for this highly skilled labour as an option www.bmj.com/content/391/...
Screenshot of linked BMJ article: “We can demand more of editors, but generally their skills are in managing peer review and appraising research methods rather than evaluating primary data. We could demand more of reviewers and statisticians, but how will they find the time? We do demand more of institutions —but they are conflicted and weighed down by arcane processes, when we require greater responsibility from them. Perhaps we should work more closely with regulators, although the regulatory landscape is hard to navigate. Might we, in a new departure, harness the talents of internet sleuths who are expert at identifying flaws in data and corruption? Might we abandon peer review altogether (but it's hard to see how that helps)? Nobody has peer reviewed the vast majority of preprints, for example, before their submission to a journal. And what about the overwhelming majority of studies without available data (doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-075767), when most authors refuse to share data even on reasonable request? We're in this together, and we welcome your ideas. The goal is to act in the best interests of the public, to devise more robust processes and new solutions that indeed allow evidence and data to rebuild confidence.”
November 14, 2025 at 7:02 PM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
science has ruined me
Screenshot of Whatsapp chat with one person saying "Tonight going to be off the scale" (white speech bubble) and me replying "i'm pretty sure it will still be on the scale but i get what you're saying" (green speech bubble).
November 13, 2025 at 10:19 AM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
I know, Jennie, I know. #Jennie4PM
Picture of Prime Minister’s Questions on BBC live, with a golden retriever (Jennie, guide dog of Lib Dem MP Steve Darling) lying on the floor looking tired in the front row.
November 12, 2025 at 12:34 PM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
Love these Buzzfeed investigative journalism pieces
Screenshot of search engine search result from poison.org web page titled “I Swallowed Liquid From a COVID-19 Test Kit”
November 11, 2025 at 10:15 AM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
One of my favourite things to do to entertain myself on days when doing research seems like an absolute drag is to ironically drink from this mug I found in a charity shop.
Tired (but handsome) looking (young) man drinking from a mug with the words “LIVE LOVE RESEARCH” printed on it.
November 3, 2025 at 3:26 PM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
stuff of nightmares
November 3, 2025 at 8:41 AM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
IS THAT WHAT THIS LOCAL GUY I TOOK A SNEAKY PIC OF ONCE IS
Picture of a portly little husky/corgi-type dog tied to a bike rack outside a building, waiting eagerly for his owner to return
October 29, 2025 at 7:17 PM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
Just wait til they see my record of winning big grants and shelf I put up last week that is now firmly on the floor
Screenshot of spam email reading: “FW:Invitation to Bid: Groundbreaking Construction Projectt_1643691100 Greetings, We're seeking innovative bids for a construction project set to redefine industry standards. Your expertise could be the key to unlocking its full potential. Looking forward to your innovative bid. Best Regards..”
October 3, 2025 at 5:56 PM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
Between this being part of postdoc appreciation week, the musical itself, and it’s binfire biorender logo which is actually for the wrong musical, it’s like someone created this just to make me self-combust
Screenshot of website reading: Special Musical Act Postdoc: The Musical is a spin-off event from the team behind Bioscience: The Musical. Inspired by the hit musical Six, Bioscience: The Musical is a new science outreach project which aims to communicate scientific research and improve trust in science in an engaging, memorable and fun way, using musical theatre and performance. The project is a collaboration between the school of Arts and Creative Technologies and the department of Biology at University of York. Postdoc: The Musical aims to convey the wide range of research being undertaken across the Uk and showcase the diversity of skills and expertise of UK postdocs, as well as the motivations behind and impacts of their research. Additionally, the show portrays some of the key challenges postdoctoral researchers face in their daily work in a show guaranteed to make you laugh and learn! Logo created in Biorender Screenshot of the mentioned Biorender logo which actually says Bioscience: The Musical and contains a leaf above a guitar with a watermark of musical notes above it, contained within a circle, with a microphone and microscope left and right of it. All is green.
August 20, 2025 at 4:15 PM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
I don't remember typing this but it fits
Screenshot of R console with warning 'There were 29 warnings (use warnings() to see them). In the prompt is the word 'ew'
August 19, 2025 at 4:37 PM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
Stack Overflow's new beginner-friendly chat room is going well I see
Screenshot of Stack Overflow alert saying 'New: A beginner-friendly chat room for Stack Overflow. Instant conversations, no matter your reputation score." Screenshot of conversation in the 'beginner-friendly forum'. One user asks 'hi can anyone [sic] here worked on graphql fusion?'. Another sarcastically responds 'And if they have, does that answer your question? Don't ask to ask, just ask.' The same sarcastic user responds to another user 'Your code is difficult to read; it will make it easier for others if you submit it as fixed font.'. Another joins in 'this is difficult to understand'. The same sarcy user responds again 'We didn't need the non-code in the code too, but better, yes'.
July 23, 2025 at 8:29 AM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
Well excuuuuuuuuse me Princess!
Social media meme graphic of the Milky Way at the top and planet earth half in shade at the bottom, on a black background. The text between them reads: “We all want the same things. Physical Safety, Inner Peace. Economic Security. Clean Water. Healthy Food. Love, Connection, Happiness. Some of us just want it for everyone else on the planet too.”
May 14, 2025 at 7:19 AM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
yo dawg i heard you like studies with ethical issues, conflicts of interest, and massively exaggerated claims for the sample size, so i fired lasers into my own and my two postdocs’ eyes, discovered a new colour, and painted your car Olo - i think you’ll agree that science has been advanced bro
Screenshot of BBC News story headlined “Scientists claim to have discovered 'new colour' no one has seen before” with picture of a human eye with green pupils below. Screenshot of text from the article: “A team of scientists claim to have discovered a new colour that no human has ever seen before. The research follows an experiment in which researchers in the US had laser pulses fired into their eyes. By stimulating specific cells in the retina, the participants claim to have witnessed a blue-green colour that scientists have called "olo", but some experts have said the existence of a new colour is "open to argument". The findings, published in the journal Science Advances on Friday, have been described by the study's co-author, Prof Ren Ng from the University of California, as "remarkable".” Screenshot of text from the article: “During the team's experiment, researchers shined a laser beam into the pupil of one eye of each participant. There were five participants in the study - four male and one female - who all had normal colour vision. Three of the participants - including Prof Ng - were co-authors of the research paper. According to the research paper, the participants looked into a device called Oz which consists of mirrors, lasers and optical devices.”
April 19, 2025 at 5:52 PM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
I think I'll take the support from the astronauts thanks
Screenshot of BBC News headline from live coverage of Blue Origin spaceflight saying; 'Female astronauts show up for support' As well as the Kardashians, a group of female astronauts have arrived to support the crew before take off. Emily Calandrelli and Sian Procter are among the group." Picture is of 7 female astronauts standing for a photo at launchsite.
April 14, 2025 at 1:36 PM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
Canada: We’re retaliating.
EU: We’re retaliating
UK: WE’RE MAKING A LIST
Screenshot of BBC News headline: “UK draws up list of US products it could hit with tariffs”
April 3, 2025 at 6:54 PM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
Great to take part in the Taff Tidy/Taf Taclus today! Lot of junk cleared from our dirty ole riverside which is looking a lot better now. Stay tuned to see if we beat the world record attempt for largest river clean but who cares really (ok maybe a bit) #TAFFTIDY #TAFTACLUS
March 21, 2025 at 1:39 PM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
Is R flirting with me
Screenshot of Mac menu bar with three versions of the RStudio icon (an 'R' in a blue circle on a white square background) spelling out 'RRR'.
March 19, 2025 at 8:50 AM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
Might adapt this into an Out of Office
Screenshot of erroneously displayed email reading “This message cannot be displayed because a problem repeatedly occurred.”
March 18, 2025 at 3:58 PM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
Early version of my accepted article was made available online last night and I already have been nominated for 'Best Researcher Award' by three organisations. Unfortunately the National Egg & Poultry Awards have not been so forthcoming and are only asking whether I could win Innovation of the Year.
Screenshot of junk email folder with two emails titled Research Awards from apparently different organisations, one email titled Cognitive Awards from another apparently different organisation, and one email from the National Egg & Poultry Awards. Screenshot of email reading: "Dear Author, Welcome! Your recent publication has been provisionally selected for the "Best Researcher Award." submit your profile via the following link: XXXX Regards, Organizing Committee COS Awards' Screenshot of email reading: Dear Author, Welcome! Your recent publication has been provisionally selected for the "Best Researcher Award." submit your profile via the following link : XXXX Regards, Organizing Committee Research Hypothesis Excellence Award Screenshot of email reading: "Dear Author, We are pleased to inform you that your recent publication has been provisionally selected for the "Best Researcher Award." Submit your profile via Nomination Link: XXXX Regards, Organizing Committee IIA Awards '
March 14, 2025 at 3:01 PM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
alternatively, catfish your way to academic success
Screenshot of the 'Neville Shulman challenge award' from the Royal Geographical Society, in a funding database.
March 12, 2025 at 5:05 PM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
The Guarantors of Brain are gonna be so pissed when they find out how many beers I had last night
Screenshot from a funding database for a Visiting lecturer bursary scheme being advertised by 'Guarantors of Brain'
March 12, 2025 at 4:48 PM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
Hastily renewing my SORTEE membership on my phone so I can pretend to @eivimeycook.bsky.social that I never let it lapse after his talk
March 6, 2025 at 1:45 PM
befriendabacterium.bsky.social
Literally only Welsh disco band according to Wikipedia.
March 2, 2025 at 6:22 PM