Chris Baraniuk
@chrisbaraniuk.com
Freelance science and technology journalist. 11+ years experience. Irish/Polish. I write for the BBC, Wired, the BMJ, The Guardian, and others!
Newsletter: thereengineer.pro
Portfolio: chrisbaraniuk.com
HQ: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Newsletter: thereengineer.pro
Portfolio: chrisbaraniuk.com
HQ: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Pinned
🥳 Hey everyone! It was a year ago today that I launched my newsletter The Reengineer - and it's been such fun! 🥳
thereengineer.pro
I'm getting closer to 1,000 subscribers and some have been kind enough to go for a paid subscription. THANK YOU!
🧵 Here are some highlights from the last 12 months...
thereengineer.pro
I'm getting closer to 1,000 subscribers and some have been kind enough to go for a paid subscription. THANK YOU!
🧵 Here are some highlights from the last 12 months...
Reposted by Chris Baraniuk
The volume of traction emissions from the UK rail network over the last year has increased for the second consecutive year.
Full story: buff.ly/1NNYinz
Full story: buff.ly/1NNYinz
Traction emissions on UK rail network increases for second consecutive year | New Civil Engineer
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR), the train network regulator, has released its latest data on how the UK’s railways impact the environment, revealing
www.newcivilengineer.com
November 14, 2025 at 5:51 PM
The volume of traction emissions from the UK rail network over the last year has increased for the second consecutive year.
Full story: buff.ly/1NNYinz
Full story: buff.ly/1NNYinz
Reposted by Chris Baraniuk
🥳 Hey everyone! It was a year ago today that I launched my newsletter The Reengineer - and it's been such fun! 🥳
thereengineer.pro
I'm getting closer to 1,000 subscribers and some have been kind enough to go for a paid subscription. THANK YOU!
🧵 Here are some highlights from the last 12 months...
thereengineer.pro
I'm getting closer to 1,000 subscribers and some have been kind enough to go for a paid subscription. THANK YOU!
🧵 Here are some highlights from the last 12 months...
November 14, 2025 at 12:13 PM
🥳 Hey everyone! It was a year ago today that I launched my newsletter The Reengineer - and it's been such fun! 🥳
thereengineer.pro
I'm getting closer to 1,000 subscribers and some have been kind enough to go for a paid subscription. THANK YOU!
🧵 Here are some highlights from the last 12 months...
thereengineer.pro
I'm getting closer to 1,000 subscribers and some have been kind enough to go for a paid subscription. THANK YOU!
🧵 Here are some highlights from the last 12 months...
Just heard about this on the radio - fab news!! I know the Isle of Muck well (never set foot on it though as it's closed to the public to protect wildlife).
Muck is from the Gaelic word "muc", which means pig by the way!
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Muck is from the Gaelic word "muc", which means pig by the way!
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Puffins: Isle of Muck comeback 'proves restoration works'
Puffins have been seen on the Isle of Muck off Antrim for the first time in at least 25 years
www.bbc.co.uk
November 14, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Just heard about this on the radio - fab news!! I know the Isle of Muck well (never set foot on it though as it's closed to the public to protect wildlife).
Muck is from the Gaelic word "muc", which means pig by the way!
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Muck is from the Gaelic word "muc", which means pig by the way!
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
🥳 Hey everyone! It was a year ago today that I launched my newsletter The Reengineer - and it's been such fun! 🥳
thereengineer.pro
I'm getting closer to 1,000 subscribers and some have been kind enough to go for a paid subscription. THANK YOU!
🧵 Here are some highlights from the last 12 months...
thereengineer.pro
I'm getting closer to 1,000 subscribers and some have been kind enough to go for a paid subscription. THANK YOU!
🧵 Here are some highlights from the last 12 months...
November 14, 2025 at 12:13 PM
🥳 Hey everyone! It was a year ago today that I launched my newsletter The Reengineer - and it's been such fun! 🥳
thereengineer.pro
I'm getting closer to 1,000 subscribers and some have been kind enough to go for a paid subscription. THANK YOU!
🧵 Here are some highlights from the last 12 months...
thereengineer.pro
I'm getting closer to 1,000 subscribers and some have been kind enough to go for a paid subscription. THANK YOU!
🧵 Here are some highlights from the last 12 months...
Reposted by Chris Baraniuk
Congratulations to Grampian Hospital Radio, which has just been given the King’s Award for Voluntary Service. The station offers an eclectic 24/7 schedule for patients in NHS Grampian hospitals. I visited them earlier this year and it was a blast! www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/lifestyle...
Grampian Hospital Radio: Meet the team behind 24/7 service and hear what songs patients request
We meet some of the volunteer presenters and personalities who bring passion and a pulse to Grampian Hospital Radio.
www.pressandjournal.co.uk
November 14, 2025 at 1:25 AM
Congratulations to Grampian Hospital Radio, which has just been given the King’s Award for Voluntary Service. The station offers an eclectic 24/7 schedule for patients in NHS Grampian hospitals. I visited them earlier this year and it was a blast! www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/lifestyle...
Reposted by Chris Baraniuk
This was such a fun piece—which we syndicated on @wired.com from Chris's own excellent newsletter, the Reengineer. I wonder where else in the world such moves are being made.
www.wired.com/story/let-th...
www.wired.com/story/let-th...
British Churches Are Putting Their Faith in Heat Pumps
Ancient buildings and old bones aren’t getting in the way of the transition.
www.wired.com
November 14, 2025 at 10:58 AM
This was such a fun piece—which we syndicated on @wired.com from Chris's own excellent newsletter, the Reengineer. I wonder where else in the world such moves are being made.
www.wired.com/story/let-th...
www.wired.com/story/let-th...
The response to this story has been wonderful! Thanks to everyone who has read and shared it.
And thanks also to all new subscribers!!
And thanks also to all new subscribers!!
NEW: I wrote about British churches installing heat pumps, in some cases in 1,000-year-old buildings! Decarbonisation may not be easy, but many view it as an act of faith.
This is a special feature to mark The Reengineer’s first anniversary! Spread the word! 🥳
www.thereengineer.pro/p/let-there-...
This is a special feature to mark The Reengineer’s first anniversary! Spread the word! 🥳
www.thereengineer.pro/p/let-there-...
Let there be warmth! The British churches putting their faith in heat pumps
Ancient buildings and old bones aren’t getting in the way of decarbonisation
www.thereengineer.pro
November 14, 2025 at 8:48 AM
The response to this story has been wonderful! Thanks to everyone who has read and shared it.
And thanks also to all new subscribers!!
And thanks also to all new subscribers!!
👀
The European Commission uses ChatGPT outputs in public documents.
@iccl.bsky.social has filed a complaint to the European Ombudsman as this use likely violates Commission's own guidelines and its obligation under EU treaties
www.iccl.ie/news/europea...
@iccl.bsky.social has filed a complaint to the European Ombudsman as this use likely violates Commission's own guidelines and its obligation under EU treaties
www.iccl.ie/news/europea...
European Commission breaches own AI guidelines by using ChatGPT in public documents
ICCL has filed a complaint to the European Ombudsman against the European Commission for its use of generative AI in public documents, which likely violates its own guidelines and its obligation under...
www.iccl.ie
November 14, 2025 at 8:47 AM
👀
Reposted by Chris Baraniuk
I am *thrilled* to say that @wired.com has republished this story from thereengineer.pro, bringing to to an even wider audience! 💪
www.wired.com/story/let-th...
www.wired.com/story/let-th...
November 13, 2025 at 3:31 PM
I am *thrilled* to say that @wired.com has republished this story from thereengineer.pro, bringing to to an even wider audience! 💪
www.wired.com/story/let-th...
www.wired.com/story/let-th...
"The move will mean restricting heat-pump subsidies so that only those receiving certain benefits will be allowed to claim them"
Big story from the Guardian - must wait for the budget to see details.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Big story from the Guardian - must wait for the budget to see details.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Hundreds of thousands to lose heat pump subsidies in Reeves’s budget plan
Exclusive: Supporters say grants largely going to middle-class households, but experts warn move will slow transition from gas boilers
www.theguardian.com
November 13, 2025 at 5:13 PM
"The move will mean restricting heat-pump subsidies so that only those receiving certain benefits will be allowed to claim them"
Big story from the Guardian - must wait for the budget to see details.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Big story from the Guardian - must wait for the budget to see details.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Chris Baraniuk
What were the definitive books on the dotcom bubble?
November 13, 2025 at 4:21 PM
What were the definitive books on the dotcom bubble?
I am *thrilled* to say that @wired.com has republished this story from thereengineer.pro, bringing to to an even wider audience! 💪
www.wired.com/story/let-th...
www.wired.com/story/let-th...
November 13, 2025 at 3:31 PM
I am *thrilled* to say that @wired.com has republished this story from thereengineer.pro, bringing to to an even wider audience! 💪
www.wired.com/story/let-th...
www.wired.com/story/let-th...
NEW: I wrote about British churches installing heat pumps, in some cases in 1,000-year-old buildings! Decarbonisation may not be easy, but many view it as an act of faith.
This is a special feature to mark The Reengineer’s first anniversary! Spread the word! 🥳
www.thereengineer.pro/p/let-there-...
This is a special feature to mark The Reengineer’s first anniversary! Spread the word! 🥳
www.thereengineer.pro/p/let-there-...
Let there be warmth! The British churches putting their faith in heat pumps
Ancient buildings and old bones aren’t getting in the way of decarbonisation
www.thereengineer.pro
November 13, 2025 at 12:06 PM
NEW: I wrote about British churches installing heat pumps, in some cases in 1,000-year-old buildings! Decarbonisation may not be easy, but many view it as an act of faith.
This is a special feature to mark The Reengineer’s first anniversary! Spread the word! 🥳
www.thereengineer.pro/p/let-there-...
This is a special feature to mark The Reengineer’s first anniversary! Spread the word! 🥳
www.thereengineer.pro/p/let-there-...
Reposted by Chris Baraniuk
Anyone got confirmation of the SMR module capacities at Wylfa? Looks like the expectation = 480 MW, right?
November 13, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Anyone got confirmation of the SMR module capacities at Wylfa? Looks like the expectation = 480 MW, right?
Anyone got confirmation of the SMR module capacities at Wylfa? Looks like the expectation = 480 MW, right?
November 13, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Anyone got confirmation of the SMR module capacities at Wylfa? Looks like the expectation = 480 MW, right?
This is always worth a read!
Just published: The new edition of my newsletter for journalists (and anyone else) interested in biodiversity, the ecological crisis and nature-based solutions to climate change. 🌏🧪 thenaturebeat.substack.com/p/nature-bea...
Nature Beat #85
Updates, stories, resources and opportunities
thenaturebeat.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 9:41 AM
This is always worth a read!
As someone who grew up in Bangor, Northern Ireland, the headline on this story was for a split second like reading something from a parallel universe. (Then I saw "Maine" in the post!)
This is unquestionably bad news for Belfast and for Maine. It might take 6 months or 6 years, but PE is going to ruin this local business. They always do. www.bangordailynews.com/2025/11/10/m...
Private equity giant to acquire Front Street Shipyard in Belfast by end of the year
Front Street Shipyard has played a pivotal role in the transformation of Belfast's waterfront.
www.bangordailynews.com
November 12, 2025 at 12:29 AM
As someone who grew up in Bangor, Northern Ireland, the headline on this story was for a split second like reading something from a parallel universe. (Then I saw "Maine" in the post!)
Reposted by Chris Baraniuk
NEW: I wrote about Nasa's rather incredible system for detecting tsunamis, in near real-time, by *analysing GNSS signals*.
Some tsunamis are so big, they cause ripples in the Earth's atmosphere big enough to affect GPS.
www.bbc.co.uk/future/artic...
Some tsunamis are so big, they cause ripples in the Earth's atmosphere big enough to affect GPS.
www.bbc.co.uk/future/artic...
'It sounded kind of crazy': How ripples in the high atmosphere warned scientists of a tsunami in real time
Tsunamis are notoriously difficult to spot on the open ocean as they race towards shore. But in the summer of 2025, scientists watched one unfold as it happened.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 11, 2025 at 12:42 PM
NEW: I wrote about Nasa's rather incredible system for detecting tsunamis, in near real-time, by *analysing GNSS signals*.
Some tsunamis are so big, they cause ripples in the Earth's atmosphere big enough to affect GPS.
www.bbc.co.uk/future/artic...
Some tsunamis are so big, they cause ripples in the Earth's atmosphere big enough to affect GPS.
www.bbc.co.uk/future/artic...
One day I'd like to own an outdoor gear store.
And I'd have a November sale.
And I would make a big sign:
NOW IS THE WINTER OF OUR DISCOUNT TENTS
And I'd have a November sale.
And I would make a big sign:
NOW IS THE WINTER OF OUR DISCOUNT TENTS
November 11, 2025 at 11:23 PM
One day I'd like to own an outdoor gear store.
And I'd have a November sale.
And I would make a big sign:
NOW IS THE WINTER OF OUR DISCOUNT TENTS
And I'd have a November sale.
And I would make a big sign:
NOW IS THE WINTER OF OUR DISCOUNT TENTS
The test centre will assess the bearing in “simulated real-world conditions that replicate what an operational 18.5MW turbine would experience out at sea."
www.rechargenews.com/markets-and-...
www.rechargenews.com/markets-and-...
UK to test giant Chinese offshore wind turbine
ORE Catapult to test main bearing for Mingyang 18.5MW machine in northeast England
www.rechargenews.com
November 11, 2025 at 11:14 PM
The test centre will assess the bearing in “simulated real-world conditions that replicate what an operational 18.5MW turbine would experience out at sea."
www.rechargenews.com/markets-and-...
www.rechargenews.com/markets-and-...
In the spirit of sharing good writing, here's a fab piece by @richardfisher.bsky.social about the glacier that inspired a key scene in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein - and the fact that it is now disappearing because of climate change.
share.google/oDSLK0gKOppk...
share.google/oDSLK0gKOppk...
'The most desolate place in the world': The sea of ice that inspired Frankenstein
This French glacier has given rise to countless works of art in the past 200 years. Paintings, photos and satellites reveal how the site has dramatically transformed.
share.google
November 11, 2025 at 6:36 PM
In the spirit of sharing good writing, here's a fab piece by @richardfisher.bsky.social about the glacier that inspired a key scene in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein - and the fact that it is now disappearing because of climate change.
share.google/oDSLK0gKOppk...
share.google/oDSLK0gKOppk...
I cannot stress this enough right now: share journalism that you think is good.
You might not always be able to afford subscriptions or to tip journos but since everyone seems able to hate on headlines they dislike etc., they must also have the power to elevate good quality writing! We need it.
You might not always be able to afford subscriptions or to tip journos but since everyone seems able to hate on headlines they dislike etc., they must also have the power to elevate good quality writing! We need it.
Between the widespread layoffs in the news industry, and the widespread adoption of AI tools that consistently make up total bullshit, it is going to be more and more difficult to get accurate information about what is happening in the world.
Which is both deeply sad and utterly terrifying.
Which is both deeply sad and utterly terrifying.
November 11, 2025 at 6:00 PM
I cannot stress this enough right now: share journalism that you think is good.
You might not always be able to afford subscriptions or to tip journos but since everyone seems able to hate on headlines they dislike etc., they must also have the power to elevate good quality writing! We need it.
You might not always be able to afford subscriptions or to tip journos but since everyone seems able to hate on headlines they dislike etc., they must also have the power to elevate good quality writing! We need it.
Major infrastructure failure in China. This bridge opened within the last year.
'The 758-metre Hongqi Bridge, part of a major national highway linking China’s interior with Tibet, gave way after heavy landslides struck the surrounding mountainside, authorities in Maerkang city told Reuters.'
www.yahoo.com/news/article...
www.yahoo.com/news/article...
WATCH: Entire Section of China’s Newly Opened Bridge Collapses, Crashing Into River Below
Viral footage captured the moment that an entire section of a newly constructed bridge in China’s Sichuan province collapsed Tuesday.
www.yahoo.com
November 11, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Major infrastructure failure in China. This bridge opened within the last year.