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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖

@astrotobe.bsky.social
484 followers 173 following 121 posts

(They/Them) PhD astronomer studying exoplanets at Queen’s University Belfast Lover of dinosaurs

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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
I’m sad I’ve never got a truly personal crank email yet. There was one guy who thought the earth’s spin axis was a physical iron rod and included me on a big mailing list. But other than that, it’s just automated invites from fake journals and conferences.
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Andrew D Thaler @drandrewthaler.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
The Hoff Crab is neither a crab nor is it David Hasselhoff. It is a Yeti Crab, which is neither a Yeti nor a Crab but a sub-group of Squat Lobsters, which are not lobsters, they're Anomurans, like Mole Crabs, which are neither moles, nor crabs.
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
I watched NBCs “Surviving Earth”. I like that it showed off some more obscure prehistoric animals and environments. I did find the storytelling frustratingly cliched at many points. The focus on mass extinctions was fun and gave it a unique spin over other recent documentaries.
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
The peace process in Northern Ireland requires a legitimate legal route to unification. A UK prime minister saying that is “off the table” is unbelievably reckless and ignorant.
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Prof Jim Wild @jim-wild.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
📢 Calling U.K. astronomers and physicists📢 There is a Westminster Hall debate on “Future of science facilities and laboratories” next Tuesday (1 Sep). Contact your MP and urge them to attend. More details at: ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre...
ras.ac.uk
Astronomy cuts to be discussed at Westminster
The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) welcomes an upcoming debate at the Houses of Parliament about cuts impacting astronomy and encourages all Fellows to contact the...
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
I think academics should tease upcoming papers like musicians do albums
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The Onion @theonion.com · 19/08/2026
Democratic Socialism: Myth Vs. Fact theonion.com/democratic-socialism-m…
MYTH: The government will take away your money and give it to the poor.

FACT: You are the poor.
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Consider, I can completely encrust my messenger bag in pins and still see them when I carry it around.
A messenger bag completely covered in various pin badges
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Finally, the Astro-paleo crossover I’ve been looking for.
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Katelyn Burns @katelynburns.com · 16/08/2026
UK press culture is so utterly depraved
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
I’ve added my name to this petition and so should you. The UK press led a targeted racist harassment campaign that lead directly to a suicide. My colleagues in Academia should not stay silent on this. goodlawproject.org/s/abb8a1
goodlawproject.org
Jason Arday: Demand a public inquiry now | Good Law Project
Commission an immediate public inquiry into how to ensure a responsible press given its contribution to Dr Arday’s tragic death.
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National Trust @nationaltrust.org.uk · 13/08/2026
Sign our petition to call for climate action here: buff.ly/IrLHG0f
A fire service vehicle stands on the charred remains of heathland, smoke blows around the area
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Dr Dave Hone @davehone.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
A point I've not seen before and a strong one!
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Lee Hurley @hleehurley.com · 11/08/2026
"This is based on what I feel" is the foundation of all 'science' on the right, including when it comes to trans people.
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Katelyn Burns @katelynburns.com · 10/08/2026
Gollum mogs Dobby
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Can we start a counter petition to have it re-redirected through the exact spot. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
Harry Potter fans force relocation of £430m undersea cable to avoid Dobby’s ‘grave’
Power cable linking UK and Ireland now passes near Bronze Age human burial remains instead of fictional grave on Welsh beach
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Call me old-fashioned, but I do think we could be losing our sense of proportion. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
Harry Potter fans force relocation of £430m undersea cable to avoid Dobby’s ‘grave’
Power cable linking UK and Ireland now passes near Bronze Age human burial remains instead of fictional grave on Welsh beach
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Katie Mack @astrokatie.com · 06/08/2026
I understand that funding bodies want to go all in on AI as the shiny new innovation thing. But if all the grants start going to AI at the expense of everything else then the research sector is going to end up looking like a farm with dozens of threshers hacking away in a field with no wheat.
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
You’re absolutely right, it’s not just X, it’s Y and moreover it’s Z.
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
No one would have believed in the early years of the 21st century that this world’s skies were being watched keenly and closely by intelligences far greater than Martians. And that said intelligences thought “hey that one looks like a marshmallow!”
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
"There are shades of the departed Starmer government in this saga: @ukri.org wants to tell a big story about science funding going up, but instead is mired in a row over a fairly minor sum.... One does not have to be an astronomer to know that optics matter." 👌🔭 www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on the Lovell telescope: budget cuts to physics are bad science and worse politics | Editorial
Editorial: Funders have picked a damaging fight with scientists and the public. They should reconsider their plans
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
When UK policy is following this close behind Trump something has gone horribly wrong
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
I think it’s important to mention the overall budget to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has *increased*. They’re just “re-prioritising” and cutting funds to curiosity based research in favour of avenues with perceived short term economic impacts. AI startups get mentioned a lot in this regard.
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
You think at a time like this the U.K. would be stepping up to exploit the gap left by these decisions and become a world leader in science…
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Royal Astronomical Society @royalastrosoc.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
The Royal Astronomical Society is shocked and dismayed to hear that the UK's iconic Jodrell Bank Observatory is at risk of closure amid a slew of catastrophic budget cuts. Read our full statement here: ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre...
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Natalia (娜塔莉) @wrycritic.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Devastating hit to STEM spaces and resources in the North West. Jodrell Bank is a public museum, events venue, scientific UNESCO heritage site. Devastating loss to scientific communication in vulnerable region of the country.
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
With high impact, low cost facilities like Jodrell Bank and HiPERCAM/ULTRACAM having cuts announced I’m honestly left wondering what *isn’t* getting cut?!
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
I have some non astronomer followers on here and I really want to convey how apocalyptic the cuts we’re facing in UK astronomy are.
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
Had a great time at #DinoConUK! Now time to collapse in a heap after 7 straight days of science.
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Alex Hall Hall @alexhh.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
It is extraordinary how it has become a sort of “settled wisdom” these days that Net Zero is an absurd aim, a sign of mad political correctness, and “has got to go”, when our planet is literally burning to death.
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Swapping my National Astronomy Meeting Lanyard for a #DinoConUK lanyard. What a week 😅
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Is now a good time to suggest I think we need stricter definitions for what actually counts as a moon even in a solar system context
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
YANK NONSENSE
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Viva España
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
How to save the Labour Party, by Andy Burnham: 1. Replace Starmer 2. Continue all of his policies 3. Win back the voters with this bold new direction for the country www.reuters.com/world/uks-pm...
reuters.com
UK's incoming prime minister Burnham to name Mahmood as finance minister, FT reports
Andy Burnham is set to name interior minister Shabana ​Mahmood as his finance minister when he becomes Britain's prime minister ‌next week, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing three peop...
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Does America not do by-elections?
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Man celebrity deaths rarely affect me but Sam Neil’s is hitting. Obviously Jurassic Park is a huge part of my childhood but he just seemed like such a genuine dude. He was pretty outspoken in support of progressive causes and seemed to have a genuine love of animals and nature. RIP
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
We may be entering the pure hopium stage of England football
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
As proud as I am of this press release I do think it’s more than a little sad, and deeply ironic that it’s come out perfectly in time to coincide with the largest cuts to U.K. astronomy in a generation and the approval of a satellite constellation that could ruin the night sky for everyone.
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Benjamin Pope @benjaminpope.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
cutting pure science to prioritize applications is fundamentally like asking farmers not to waste time producing grain, cheese, and tomatoes and focus on making pizzas
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
As well as the great artwork accompanying the press release by @theastrophoenix.bsky.social, I have to also highlight this animation by Ben Cadell. I think it really nicely shows off how all the data came together to show us this planet in all its glory!
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
In other news tech bros remain a scourge on this earth
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Hey it’s me, I’m scientists! phys.org/news/2026-07...
phys.org
Scientists discover rare 'super-Jupiter' planet with 180-day long orbit
Scientists from Queen's University Belfast have led an international team in the discovery of a rare new planet, which is larger than Jupiter and orbits a distant star every 180 days. Named NGTS-38 b,...
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Nevermind
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Have I ever mentioned that I’ve always loved Morocco
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Count binface likely getting his largest ever vote share is the only good thing to come out of this complete farce.
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Porto is a really wonderful city but this heat is absolutely punishing and really making it hard to enjoy :(
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Obligatory post conference aquarium trip
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
I think it would be pretty neat if conferences let you include a figure with your abstract.
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Toby Rodel 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🦕🦖 @astrotobe.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Now hastily corrected with some borrowed eyeliner!
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