Rebecca Gower
@drrebeccagower.bsky.social
Mathematician and IT professional. Interested in history, nature, culture, Type 1 diabetes, government with compassion, and some humour.
I am pro-EU, pro-LibDem, pro-Ukraine.
I am married with two children and I am NOT looking for romance, thank you.
I am pro-EU, pro-LibDem, pro-Ukraine.
I am married with two children and I am NOT looking for romance, thank you.
Pinned
Rebecca Gower
@drrebeccagower.bsky.social
· Dec 20
I have acquired many "followers", but I suspect that most of them are not real people. I have spent some time trying to determine who is real and aligned with my interests, but may have missed some.
If you are real, have interests in common with me, and feel that I am ignoring you, please comment.
If you are real, have interests in common with me, and feel that I am ignoring you, please comment.
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
The long-nosed Pinocchio #chameleon is multiple species.
#Biologists have finally solved the century-old #reptilian mystery.
Link for more info and photos: www.popsci.com/environment/...
#Biologists have finally solved the century-old #reptilian mystery.
Link for more info and photos: www.popsci.com/environment/...
November 23, 2025 at 7:57 PM
The long-nosed Pinocchio #chameleon is multiple species.
#Biologists have finally solved the century-old #reptilian mystery.
Link for more info and photos: www.popsci.com/environment/...
#Biologists have finally solved the century-old #reptilian mystery.
Link for more info and photos: www.popsci.com/environment/...
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
#StandWithUkraine
Ukrainians truly need this right now — even if as a sign of solidarity. And constant, stubborn solidarity goes a long way.
Ukrainians truly need this right now — even if as a sign of solidarity. And constant, stubborn solidarity goes a long way.
November 21, 2025 at 10:38 PM
#StandWithUkraine
Ukrainians truly need this right now — even if as a sign of solidarity. And constant, stubborn solidarity goes a long way.
Ukrainians truly need this right now — even if as a sign of solidarity. And constant, stubborn solidarity goes a long way.
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
Cryptocurrency backed by Farage donor is used for Russian war effort, investigators say
Tether tokens found to facilitate scheme that enables sanctions evasion and launders money for the Kremlin
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Tether tokens found to facilitate scheme that enables sanctions evasion and launders money for the Kremlin
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Cryptocurrency backed by Farage donor is used for Russian war effort, investigators say
Tether tokens found to facilitate scheme that enables sanctions evasion and launders money for the Kremlin
www.theguardian.com
November 21, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Cryptocurrency backed by Farage donor is used for Russian war effort, investigators say
Tether tokens found to facilitate scheme that enables sanctions evasion and launders money for the Kremlin
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Tether tokens found to facilitate scheme that enables sanctions evasion and launders money for the Kremlin
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
Boris Johnson’s lack of leadership over the seriousness of Covid led to the first lockdown being introduced too late, which contributed to the loss of 23,000 lives, the official inquiry into his handling of the pandemic has concluded
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
Boris Johnson's lack of leadership blamed for 23,000 Covid deaths
A scathing report by inquiry chair Baroness Hallett also criticises the Department of Health, led by the current Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald and the then minister Matt Hancock
inews.co.uk
November 20, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Boris Johnson’s lack of leadership over the seriousness of Covid led to the first lockdown being introduced too late, which contributed to the loss of 23,000 lives, the official inquiry into his handling of the pandemic has concluded
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
inews.co.uk/news/politic...
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
Major beneficiaries of the new Labour policy? Reform.
Secondary beneficiaries? Lib Dems, Greens, SNP, Plaid Cymru
Major losers? Labour, the U.K., humanity.
Secondary beneficiaries? Lib Dems, Greens, SNP, Plaid Cymru
Major losers? Labour, the U.K., humanity.
November 16, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Major beneficiaries of the new Labour policy? Reform.
Secondary beneficiaries? Lib Dems, Greens, SNP, Plaid Cymru
Major losers? Labour, the U.K., humanity.
Secondary beneficiaries? Lib Dems, Greens, SNP, Plaid Cymru
Major losers? Labour, the U.K., humanity.
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
🚨📉 Major new paper by Stanford professor Nick Bloom and coauthors.
They find Brexit has:
⬇️ Reduced UK GDP by 6-8%
⬇️ Reduced investment by 12-18%
⬇️ Reduced employment by 3-4%
⬇️ Reduced productivity by 3-4%
They find Brexit has:
⬇️ Reduced UK GDP by 6-8%
⬇️ Reduced investment by 12-18%
⬇️ Reduced employment by 3-4%
⬇️ Reduced productivity by 3-4%
November 10, 2025 at 11:43 AM
🚨📉 Major new paper by Stanford professor Nick Bloom and coauthors.
They find Brexit has:
⬇️ Reduced UK GDP by 6-8%
⬇️ Reduced investment by 12-18%
⬇️ Reduced employment by 3-4%
⬇️ Reduced productivity by 3-4%
They find Brexit has:
⬇️ Reduced UK GDP by 6-8%
⬇️ Reduced investment by 12-18%
⬇️ Reduced employment by 3-4%
⬇️ Reduced productivity by 3-4%
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
mRNA vaccines help vs cancer
Our @scifri.bsky.social conversation, with transcript
www.sciencefriday.com/segments/cov...
Remarkable improved survival data and mechanism reviewed here erictopol.substack.com/p/how-mrna-v...
Our @scifri.bsky.social conversation, with transcript
www.sciencefriday.com/segments/cov...
Remarkable improved survival data and mechanism reviewed here erictopol.substack.com/p/how-mrna-v...
Study Finds COVID mRNA Vaccines Boost Cancer Treatment
New research found that mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 could enhance cancer treatments and help patients live longer.
www.sciencefriday.com
November 12, 2025 at 5:42 PM
mRNA vaccines help vs cancer
Our @scifri.bsky.social conversation, with transcript
www.sciencefriday.com/segments/cov...
Remarkable improved survival data and mechanism reviewed here erictopol.substack.com/p/how-mrna-v...
Our @scifri.bsky.social conversation, with transcript
www.sciencefriday.com/segments/cov...
Remarkable improved survival data and mechanism reviewed here erictopol.substack.com/p/how-mrna-v...
On Friday, I went to the Weston Library in Oxford to see "Treasured".
visit.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/treasured
It had some beautifully decorated books and scrolls. It also had some rather plain-looking documents that were valuable for other reasons.
Continued...
visit.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/treasured
It had some beautifully decorated books and scrolls. It also had some rather plain-looking documents that were valuable for other reasons.
Continued...
Treasured
Free exhibition at the Bodleian Libraries in Oxford. See some of the stand out objects from our collection and discover what makes a treasure
visit.bodleian.ox.ac.uk
November 2, 2025 at 12:15 PM
On Friday, I went to the Weston Library in Oxford to see "Treasured".
visit.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/treasured
It had some beautifully decorated books and scrolls. It also had some rather plain-looking documents that were valuable for other reasons.
Continued...
visit.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/treasured
It had some beautifully decorated books and scrolls. It also had some rather plain-looking documents that were valuable for other reasons.
Continued...
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
I think a gentler way to describe it is that voters aren't choosing from a menu of policy options, but selecting from among representatives they feel best align with their values, priorities and fears.
You can't policy-tinker your way to a brand.
You can't policy-tinker your way to a brand.
October 22, 2025 at 11:08 AM
I think a gentler way to describe it is that voters aren't choosing from a menu of policy options, but selecting from among representatives they feel best align with their values, priorities and fears.
You can't policy-tinker your way to a brand.
You can't policy-tinker your way to a brand.
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
If you are confident that a boat near Venezuela is carrying drugs, you stop it and board it. That way, you have evidence.
If you don't really care if a boat near Venezuela is carrying drugs, but you just want to kill people, you blow the boat up. That way, the irrelevant evidence is gone.
If you don't really care if a boat near Venezuela is carrying drugs, but you just want to kill people, you blow the boat up. That way, the irrelevant evidence is gone.
October 19, 2025 at 9:13 PM
If you are confident that a boat near Venezuela is carrying drugs, you stop it and board it. That way, you have evidence.
If you don't really care if a boat near Venezuela is carrying drugs, but you just want to kill people, you blow the boat up. That way, the irrelevant evidence is gone.
If you don't really care if a boat near Venezuela is carrying drugs, but you just want to kill people, you blow the boat up. That way, the irrelevant evidence is gone.
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
Who will you vote for at the next election to get sewage out of rivers and seas? 💧💩
How will they do this if Thames Water is allowed to pollute ILLEGALLY until 2040 ⁉️
We're handing this petition to Ofwat on Tuesday 21st October, add your name 👇
weownit.org.uk/ofwat
How will they do this if Thames Water is allowed to pollute ILLEGALLY until 2040 ⁉️
We're handing this petition to Ofwat on Tuesday 21st October, add your name 👇
weownit.org.uk/ofwat
Thames Water wants to pollute illegally until 2040. Ofwat must say NO.
Thames Water wants to make at deal with Ofwat, to pollute illegally for 15 years
weownit.org.uk
October 19, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Who will you vote for at the next election to get sewage out of rivers and seas? 💧💩
How will they do this if Thames Water is allowed to pollute ILLEGALLY until 2040 ⁉️
We're handing this petition to Ofwat on Tuesday 21st October, add your name 👇
weownit.org.uk/ofwat
How will they do this if Thames Water is allowed to pollute ILLEGALLY until 2040 ⁉️
We're handing this petition to Ofwat on Tuesday 21st October, add your name 👇
weownit.org.uk/ofwat
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
I hereby declare war on premature Christmassing.
Any shop caught doing this before 1st December must be shut down and turned into affordable housing.
Choose sanity. Vote Binface.
(Photo dated 9th October 2025)
Any shop caught doing this before 1st December must be shut down and turned into affordable housing.
Choose sanity. Vote Binface.
(Photo dated 9th October 2025)
October 11, 2025 at 7:34 AM
I hereby declare war on premature Christmassing.
Any shop caught doing this before 1st December must be shut down and turned into affordable housing.
Choose sanity. Vote Binface.
(Photo dated 9th October 2025)
Any shop caught doing this before 1st December must be shut down and turned into affordable housing.
Choose sanity. Vote Binface.
(Photo dated 9th October 2025)
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
Unbelievable - Thames Water wants to pollute ILLEGALLY for the next 15 years
If they get away with this, other water companies will copy
If you don't want sewage until 2040 (!) please sign our
petition to @ofwat.bsky.social
We'll be handing it in on 21st October
weownit.org.uk/act-now/peti...
If they get away with this, other water companies will copy
If you don't want sewage until 2040 (!) please sign our
petition to @ofwat.bsky.social
We'll be handing it in on 21st October
weownit.org.uk/act-now/peti...
Thames Water want to pollute illegally until 2040. Ofwat must say NO.
Thames water want to make at deal with Ofwat, to pollute illegally for 15 years
weownit.org.uk
October 11, 2025 at 7:19 AM
Unbelievable - Thames Water wants to pollute ILLEGALLY for the next 15 years
If they get away with this, other water companies will copy
If you don't want sewage until 2040 (!) please sign our
petition to @ofwat.bsky.social
We'll be handing it in on 21st October
weownit.org.uk/act-now/peti...
If they get away with this, other water companies will copy
If you don't want sewage until 2040 (!) please sign our
petition to @ofwat.bsky.social
We'll be handing it in on 21st October
weownit.org.uk/act-now/peti...
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
Private Eye offers up an excellently scornful commentary on the relentless polling. It’s become ridiculous and has oversimplified our politics to dangerous levels of stupid and irresponsible.
October 10, 2025 at 7:09 AM
Private Eye offers up an excellently scornful commentary on the relentless polling. It’s become ridiculous and has oversimplified our politics to dangerous levels of stupid and irresponsible.
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
Image Credit: Tiny Buddha
October 4, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Image Credit: Tiny Buddha
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
British politics is basically a doom spiral of increasingly unhinged hostile policies.
Reform says something unhinged
⬇️
Labour counters with their own unhinged policy
⬇️
Tories shout from back they'll be even more unhinged
⬇️
Reform announces different unhinged proposal in response
⬇️
And repeat...🔁
Reform says something unhinged
⬇️
Labour counters with their own unhinged policy
⬇️
Tories shout from back they'll be even more unhinged
⬇️
Reform announces different unhinged proposal in response
⬇️
And repeat...🔁
October 5, 2025 at 8:08 AM
British politics is basically a doom spiral of increasingly unhinged hostile policies.
Reform says something unhinged
⬇️
Labour counters with their own unhinged policy
⬇️
Tories shout from back they'll be even more unhinged
⬇️
Reform announces different unhinged proposal in response
⬇️
And repeat...🔁
Reform says something unhinged
⬇️
Labour counters with their own unhinged policy
⬇️
Tories shout from back they'll be even more unhinged
⬇️
Reform announces different unhinged proposal in response
⬇️
And repeat...🔁
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
Any time a politician says we should leave the ECHR, the very next questions any interviewer should ask are
🚨Which human rights are you willing to lose personally
🚨Which methods of torture are you going to allow people to be sent to face
🚨Which family members would you be willing to lose
#r4today
🚨Which human rights are you willing to lose personally
🚨Which methods of torture are you going to allow people to be sent to face
🚨Which family members would you be willing to lose
#r4today
October 4, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Any time a politician says we should leave the ECHR, the very next questions any interviewer should ask are
🚨Which human rights are you willing to lose personally
🚨Which methods of torture are you going to allow people to be sent to face
🚨Which family members would you be willing to lose
#r4today
🚨Which human rights are you willing to lose personally
🚨Which methods of torture are you going to allow people to be sent to face
🚨Which family members would you be willing to lose
#r4today
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
We all know why Nigel Farage is accusing Labour of inciting violence against him while cutting his security. Because if he didn’t, people might remember to ask him who paid for his house in Clacton and why he hangs around with people who take bribes from Russians.
October 2, 2025 at 5:54 PM
We all know why Nigel Farage is accusing Labour of inciting violence against him while cutting his security. Because if he didn’t, people might remember to ask him who paid for his house in Clacton and why he hangs around with people who take bribes from Russians.
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
Secret BBC filming exposes hidden culture of racism and misogyny inside Met Police
Secret BBC filming exposes hidden culture of racism and misogyny inside Met Police
Panorama undercover investigation captures evidence that "toxic behaviours", far from being driven out of the Met, have been driven underground.
www.bbc.com
October 1, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Secret BBC filming exposes hidden culture of racism and misogyny inside Met Police
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
Here I am in 2020 in the flimsiest, most pitful PPE - like so many other NHS staff, some of whom died from the Covid they caught in their hospitals.
Tory peer Michelle Mone - who today lost her legal case & must repay the govt £122m - dares to claim she’s been ‘scapegoated’.
What, Michelle? 🧵
Tory peer Michelle Mone - who today lost her legal case & must repay the govt £122m - dares to claim she’s been ‘scapegoated’.
What, Michelle? 🧵
October 1, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Here I am in 2020 in the flimsiest, most pitful PPE - like so many other NHS staff, some of whom died from the Covid they caught in their hospitals.
Tory peer Michelle Mone - who today lost her legal case & must repay the govt £122m - dares to claim she’s been ‘scapegoated’.
What, Michelle? 🧵
Tory peer Michelle Mone - who today lost her legal case & must repay the govt £122m - dares to claim she’s been ‘scapegoated’.
What, Michelle? 🧵
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
Richard Tice with his Reform chum Nathan Gill, who has just admitted taking bribes for spreading Kremlin misinformation. What could be more patriotic than that?
September 28, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Richard Tice with his Reform chum Nathan Gill, who has just admitted taking bribes for spreading Kremlin misinformation. What could be more patriotic than that?
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
Nathan Gill is no fringe politician.
He was the leader of the Reform Party and before that UKIP in Wales.
A Brexit Party MEP.
A friend and ally of Nigel Farage, who in 2016 called him:
"terrific," and "as honest as the day is long."
This is a MASSIVE story
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
He was the leader of the Reform Party and before that UKIP in Wales.
A Brexit Party MEP.
A friend and ally of Nigel Farage, who in 2016 called him:
"terrific," and "as honest as the day is long."
This is a MASSIVE story
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reform UK's ex-Wales leader Nathan Gill admits pro-Russia bribery
Nathan Gill admits eight charges of bribery while being a Member of the European Parliament.
www.bbc.co.uk
September 27, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Nathan Gill is no fringe politician.
He was the leader of the Reform Party and before that UKIP in Wales.
A Brexit Party MEP.
A friend and ally of Nigel Farage, who in 2016 called him:
"terrific," and "as honest as the day is long."
This is a MASSIVE story
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
He was the leader of the Reform Party and before that UKIP in Wales.
A Brexit Party MEP.
A friend and ally of Nigel Farage, who in 2016 called him:
"terrific," and "as honest as the day is long."
This is a MASSIVE story
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
Look, other countries have ID cards, there's nothing inherently wrong with them. The thing is to implement them properly, which means free, physical as well as digital, and not used to potentially exclude individuals from any aspect of life. I just can't see that happening with this government.
September 25, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Look, other countries have ID cards, there's nothing inherently wrong with them. The thing is to implement them properly, which means free, physical as well as digital, and not used to potentially exclude individuals from any aspect of life. I just can't see that happening with this government.
I know three elderly people (aged around 80 years old) who don't have smart phones. The digital world increasingly excludes them.
You might think that they could just switch to smart phones. But it would not be practical for them. All have bad eyesight, and one has a degenerative disability.
You might think that they could just switch to smart phones. But it would not be practical for them. All have bad eyesight, and one has a degenerative disability.
Obviously, we need to wait for full details, but if this is "digital only" it automatically excludes a number of people who struggle with, or to access, digital tech. That means some of the most vulnerable, e.g. poorest, disabled, elderly etc, get disenfranchised.
September 26, 2025 at 8:21 AM
I know three elderly people (aged around 80 years old) who don't have smart phones. The digital world increasingly excludes them.
You might think that they could just switch to smart phones. But it would not be practical for them. All have bad eyesight, and one has a degenerative disability.
You might think that they could just switch to smart phones. But it would not be practical for them. All have bad eyesight, and one has a degenerative disability.
Reposted by Rebecca Gower
It is possible to cherish the BBC as an institution while also saying that BBC News is failing very badly, day after day, in its duty to inform and that it always fails in a right-wing direction. It desperately needs to recover its integrity
September 23, 2025 at 10:39 AM
It is possible to cherish the BBC as an institution while also saying that BBC News is failing very badly, day after day, in its duty to inform and that it always fails in a right-wing direction. It desperately needs to recover its integrity