Eva Amsen
@easternblot.bsky.social
Science writer. 🇳🇱🇪🇺in🇬🇧 I write about science in magazines, in a newsletter, in books, on social media and on loose scraps of paper. Also a violinist. 🔬🧬👩💻🎨🎻 🐈 Fun newsletter: https://mixture.substack.com Portfolio: https://evaamsen.com/writing/
Looking at a weather report (not for London, don't worry) and it's giving me a number that I didn't even think existed. But I Googled it and apparently it's used when a negative number is rounded up to zero. So it's probably between -0.5 and 0 degrees here.
December 22, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Looking at a weather report (not for London, don't worry) and it's giving me a number that I didn't even think existed. But I Googled it and apparently it's used when a negative number is rounded up to zero. So it's probably between -0.5 and 0 degrees here.
During two decades of watching “Love Actually” almost every Christmas, I’ve always been confused by Aurelia seemingly moving back from France to Portugal so suddenly. Today I spotted this graffiti. They’re in France! She just lives in a Portuguese neighbourhood somewhere in France.
December 22, 2025 at 9:48 AM
During two decades of watching “Love Actually” almost every Christmas, I’ve always been confused by Aurelia seemingly moving back from France to Portugal so suddenly. Today I spotted this graffiti. They’re in France! She just lives in a Portuguese neighbourhood somewhere in France.
Favourite neighbour
December 19, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Favourite neighbour
We’ve had a microwave in this corner for over four years and the cat only just discovered that he fits on top of it. That’s going to be a whole thing now, isn’t it?
December 13, 2025 at 7:22 PM
We’ve had a microwave in this corner for over four years and the cat only just discovered that he fits on top of it. That’s going to be a whole thing now, isn’t it?
This is Billy, aka Bill, Bean, Billy Boy, The Boy, William Underfoot
December 5, 2025 at 9:06 PM
This is Billy, aka Bill, Bean, Billy Boy, The Boy, William Underfoot
yes, can I have a tabby-- oh, wait, never mind. Just found one in the sheet music suitcase.
December 1, 2025 at 9:41 PM
yes, can I have a tabby-- oh, wait, never mind. Just found one in the sheet music suitcase.
This is what it’s all for: concert tonight in Paddington! www.londoneuphonia.com
November 29, 2025 at 12:01 PM
This is what it’s all for: concert tonight in Paddington! www.londoneuphonia.com
Seen at Utrecht University Museum. Don’t you hate it when you randomly lose your eyes?
November 17, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Seen at Utrecht University Museum. Don’t you hate it when you randomly lose your eyes?
This whole interview is so good, and reminded me why Bill Bryson is one of my favourite authors. This question in particular!
November 15, 2025 at 7:42 PM
This whole interview is so good, and reminded me why Bill Bryson is one of my favourite authors. This question in particular!
Found in a school notebook from 1987.
November 15, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Found in a school notebook from 1987.
If you're in London on November 29th, come to London Euphonia Orchestra's concert "From Arabian Nights to Hollywood Lights", in which we play both Rimsky-Korsakov's Sheherazade and film music from E.T., Star Wars, Jurassic Park and Greatest Showman. www.londoneuphonia.com
November 12, 2025 at 5:14 PM
If you're in London on November 29th, come to London Euphonia Orchestra's concert "From Arabian Nights to Hollywood Lights", in which we play both Rimsky-Korsakov's Sheherazade and film music from E.T., Star Wars, Jurassic Park and Greatest Showman. www.londoneuphonia.com
Had the opportunity to do this (see quoted tweet) in a book. Franklin also gets more real estate in another section.
(Not shown: I also managed to put a Dolly Parton quote in the book, and no it wasn’t about the eponymous sheep)
(Not shown: I also managed to put a Dolly Parton quote in the book, and no it wasn’t about the eponymous sheep)
November 10, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Had the opportunity to do this (see quoted tweet) in a book. Franklin also gets more real estate in another section.
(Not shown: I also managed to put a Dolly Parton quote in the book, and no it wasn’t about the eponymous sheep)
(Not shown: I also managed to put a Dolly Parton quote in the book, and no it wasn’t about the eponymous sheep)
For reference, this is what the message on PubMed (biomedical research papers) looks like. Much more neutral, as you would expect from a non-partisan website.
November 6, 2025 at 2:41 PM
For reference, this is what the message on PubMed (biomedical research papers) looks like. Much more neutral, as you would expect from a non-partisan website.
I was going to link to an article from this website, but I guess I'll find the info elsewhere. This is WAY more polarising than the shutdown messages I've seen on other US gov websites in the last few weeks.
November 6, 2025 at 2:39 PM
I was going to link to an article from this website, but I guess I'll find the info elsewhere. This is WAY more polarising than the shutdown messages I've seen on other US gov websites in the last few weeks.
Scared of plastic bags, babies and doorbells, but apparently fireworks are okay!
November 5, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Scared of plastic bags, babies and doorbells, but apparently fireworks are okay!
Eva, you can’t casually mention that you went to a zoo and NOT show pictures! I know! Sorry! I was just getting off a train. Here are pictures from the Night Safari (a night-only zoo) in Singapore. Animal names are in the alt text.
November 4, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Eva, you can’t casually mention that you went to a zoo and NOT show pictures! I know! Sorry! I was just getting off a train. Here are pictures from the Night Safari (a night-only zoo) in Singapore. Animal names are in the alt text.
I updated my AI statement/FAQ on my website because I found an actual useful thing to do with Perplexity and end up using it occasionally to speed up a very specific kind of online search. evaamsen.com/writing/ai-s...
October 30, 2025 at 12:04 PM
I updated my AI statement/FAQ on my website because I found an actual useful thing to do with Perplexity and end up using it occasionally to speed up a very specific kind of online search. evaamsen.com/writing/ai-s...
I sent off my vote last week but it’s going to be another long drawn-out process, I’m sure.
October 21, 2025 at 9:59 AM
I sent off my vote last week but it’s going to be another long drawn-out process, I’m sure.
I discovered today that I have been quoted in @merriam-webster.com not once but twice! They include examples of word use and my articles are used as examples of the words "tempera" and "washed off".
October 9, 2025 at 12:32 PM
I discovered today that I have been quoted in @merriam-webster.com not once but twice! They include examples of word use and my articles are used as examples of the words "tempera" and "washed off".
Still on holiday, but here are some photos. Not shown: how hot and muggy it is.
September 28, 2025 at 5:28 AM
Still on holiday, but here are some photos. Not shown: how hot and muggy it is.
It’s 3AM and I woke up from the rain on the window, so level 10 sounds about right.
September 23, 2025 at 7:36 PM
It’s 3AM and I woke up from the rain on the window, so level 10 sounds about right.
Now that it’s light, let’s see where the foxes left their tennis balls last night. (There are two in the photo)
September 10, 2025 at 7:26 AM
Now that it’s light, let’s see where the foxes left their tennis balls last night. (There are two in the photo)
I tried to film but it was too dark and only this clip of the fox sitting on a covered chair has even a remotely visible animal in it. He was done with the ball here.
September 9, 2025 at 10:16 PM
I tried to film but it was too dark and only this clip of the fox sitting on a covered chair has even a remotely visible animal in it. He was done with the ball here.
Shh, don’t wake the potato 🥔
September 2, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Shh, don’t wake the potato 🥔