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Helen Cooke

@helencooke.bsky.social
110 followers 139 following 16 posts

Passionate about science (especially chemistry and chemical information), history, museums, libraries, outreach, and combinations of the above. I volunteer for Nantwich Museum and the Royal Society of Chemistry.

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Reposted by Helen Cooke
Nantwich Museum @nantwichmuseum.bsky.social · 21/02/2026
Recently we've been busy making improvements to our exhibitions and displays. This new exhibit, building on our Wonders of Colour project, features historic local people (famous and not so famous!) associated with science - here's a look at the newly installed pictutes. (Funded by the @rsc.org)
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Helen Cooke @helencooke.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
I really enjoy being the editor of the @rsc-cicag.bsky.social Newsletter (now the CICAG Distillate)- the latest issue is available at rsccicag.org/newsletters.htm. Thanks to the many authors who contributed
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Reposted by Helen Cooke
Nantwich Museum @nantwichmuseum.bsky.social · 15/10/2025
Our Wonders of Colour exhibition has now opened, bringing to life the colourful history and science of dyes, pigments, food, art, stained glass, a 17th century dye house, tanning, and more. Objects and stories from the town’s history illustrate the impact of technology over the years @rsc.org
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Reposted by Helen Cooke
Nantwich Museum @nantwichmuseum.bsky.social · 21/08/2025
It’s been an exciting time recently with fab events for our Wonders of Colour programme (supported by the @rsc.org). Engaging talks with chemistry demonstrations, a weaving/spinning/dyeing event & children's colour-themed workshops. Now we’re preparing for an exhibition and talks in the autumn!
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Helen Cooke @helencooke.bsky.social · 13/05/2025
Feeling very proud - the cover of the May 2025 issue of Journal of Chemical Education features our recently published paper doi.org/10.1021/acs..... Thanks to Professor Fabio Parmeggiani (who did most of the design work), and @nantwichmuseum.bsky.social for the inspiration for the paper
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Reposted by Helen Cooke
Dr Tess Machling @tessmachling.bsky.social · 21/04/2025
At the end of this #DodecaBakeOff Easter Monday, I wanted to share this montage of all the fabulous makes, bakes & creations! Well done everyone and thank you for giving me a smile today! You've all been wonderful! Keep fighting the good fight - We shall make what we want to make!💪 #Archaeology ⚱️
The Norton Disney dodecahedron surrounded by chocolate, biscuit, ginger bread, party ring and BabyBel dodecahedra! ❤️
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Helen Cooke @helencooke.bsky.social · 13/04/2025
So pleased to be part of this …
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Helen Cooke @helencooke.bsky.social · 17/03/2025
So pleased that our research into a local apothecary shop has just been featured by Chemist+Druggist community.chemistanddruggist.co.uk/posts/pharma...
community.chemistanddruggist.co.uk
Pharmacy in the 17th century: a look inside an apothecary’s shop
Chemist+Druggist chats to a museum researcher who discovered the inventory of an apothecary from the 1600s about what it suggests the pharmacist used to treat health conditions...
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Reposted by Helen Cooke
CCDC Cambridge @ccdc.cam.ac.uk · 11/03/2025
As reported in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, a team from @merckgroup.bsky.social used virtual screening and structure-based drug design to identify new inhibitors of key enzymes in the fight against antibiotic resistance. 🔗Read more at ccdc-info.com/3XbXhH4 #DrugDiscovery
Promotional graphic with a photo of a tube will pills spilling out.
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Helen Cooke @helencooke.bsky.social · 18/02/2025
Delighted to have our research featured in @chemistryworld.com
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Reposted by Helen Cooke
Orkney Library & Archive @orkneylibrary.bsky.social · 14/02/2025
Roses are red, a glance is a look. We've made you a heart, from a reference book. ❤️ Happy #ValentinesDay to all our followers but especially YOU because you're our favourite. 💕 #LoveLibraries
A copy of Who's Who. The pages have been curled into a love heart.
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Reposted by Helen Cooke
Reader of Banned Books @readerofbannedbook.bsky.social · 08/02/2025
By Jeff Parker
A preponderance of evidence in support of libraries.
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Helen Cooke @helencooke.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
Just had a paper, co-authored with Prof. Fabio Parmeggiani, published in J.Chem.Educ., Pills, Potions, and Poisons: Interdisciplinary Public Engagement Opportunities Inspired by a 17th Century Apothecary, doi.org/10.1021/acs.... - the inventory of an apothecary shop led to exciting chemistry demos!
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Helen Cooke @helencooke.bsky.social · 24/01/2025
I was really pleased to have been able to give a talk this week about a 17th century apothecary for the Royal Society of Chemistry's Historical Group, now available online www.youtube.com/watch?v=V681.... Made possible following research for @nantwichmuseum.bsky.social where I volunteer
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Reposted by Helen Cooke
Nessa Carson @supersciencegrl.co.uk · 15/01/2025
🧪 chemsky :)
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Helen Cooke @helencooke.bsky.social · 15/01/2025
Just published - the RSC-CICAG Distillate (formerly Newsletter) winter 2024-25 issue - see www.rsccicag.org/newsletters..... Something for everyone interested in chemical information, cheminformatics, AI in chemistry, chemistry libraries, and more...
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Reposted by Helen Cooke
Catalyst Museum @catalystarchives.bsky.social · 08/01/2025
As this lovely original cartoon takes its place in Drawer 5 of the museum store - we'll just have a reminder of how important it is to save all these bits and bobs! The framed cartoon is in the photo. Soda Crystals centenary, ICI Winnington Works 1976 #iciarchives #sodacrystals #winningtonworks
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Reposted by Helen Cooke
Chemistry World @chemistryworld.com · 07/01/2025
To improve the perception of chemistry, Alice Motion challenges you to start some #ChemistryConversations with non-chemists this year.
chemistryworld.com
Take part in the #ChemistryConversations challenge
Will you share your enthusiasm for chemistry with more non-chemists?
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Reposted by Helen Cooke
Brendan @chemscrapes.bsky.social · 27/12/2024
Atomic orbitals at the beach #chemsky 🧪
some atomic orbitals at the beach.  the d, p and s orbitals are all standing on the shore watching sadly as the d-z-squared orbitals play in the water.  the d-z-squared orbitals are using their doughnut shaped lobe as a flotation device.
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Helen Cooke @helencooke.bsky.social · 08/12/2024
Starting a project researching dyes and pigments which could have been used for colouring items in @nantwichmuseum.bsky.social's collection. Planning an exhibition for 2025, live chemistry, talks, hands-on activities for visitors – I love bringing science and history together!
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Reposted by Helen Cooke
Royal Society of Chemistry @rsc.org · 03/12/2024
Discover the chemistry of your holiday decorations with @thamesvalleyrsc.bsky.social's #AdventCalendar 🎄 Today's symbol of Christmas selected by students - The chemistry of a glass bauble 🔬✨ @compoundchem.com #ChemSky #EduSky
Text-heavy educational poster titled "The Chemistry of a Glass Bauble" explaining why glass is used to make baubles, its primary chemicals, historical facts, and manufacturing process details. Includes illustrations of atomic structure, chemical formulas.
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Helen Cooke @helencooke.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
As well as being a great idea, there are some quite good songs in this!
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Helen Cooke @helencooke.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
I'm the editor of the @rsc-cicag.bsky.social newsletter (recently renamed the CICAG Distillate). The next issue will be available in Jan 25 - some great articles to look forward to! To see past issues visit the RSC-CICAG webpage www.rsccicag.org/newsletters....
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Reposted by Helen Cooke
Ellis Crawford @elliscrawford.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
Did some tidying up of the links for chemistry related starter packs, arranged loosely by subject area, and added who maintains the list so you know who to speak with if you'd like to be added! tinyurl.com/ChemSkyStart... #ChemSky #Chemistry #Chemists #StarterPacks 🧪
tinyurl.com
Bluesky Chem Starter Packs
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Reposted by Helen Cooke
Srijit Seal 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇩🇪🇯🇵🇮🇳 @srijitseal.com · 17/11/2024
Here's a Cheminformatics Starter pack! Let me know if you would like to be added! And more importantly, do encourage people to join the blue skies :D
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Helen Cooke @helencooke.bsky.social · 15/11/2024
Another day, another museum- this time the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre & Museum, Widnes, to celebrate their recent receipt of a grant. Visited the archives and I was also persuaded to sponsor an element in their periodic table- I picked mercury, my favourite 🙂
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Helen Cooke @helencooke.bsky.social · 15/11/2024
Visited the wonderful People’s History Museum in #Manchester yesterday for a commemorative event for a former colleague at #UMIST. Good to catch up with some former Chemistry Department colleagues too
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Reposted by Helen Cooke
Museums Association @museumsassociation.org · 11/11/2024
Hey! We’ve compiled a starter pack of museums, galleries, archives and libraries in the UK who are right here on Bluesky 🦋 go.bsky.app/9o1sRWp
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Reposted by Helen Cooke
Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social · 09/11/2024
My cartoon for this week’s Guardian Books.
Panel One
Four tough guys sit around a table. One speaks: "Ok, let's go over this one last time: I cut the CCTV and distract the guard.
Max picks the goods from the shelves and stashes them in ned's bag..."

Panel Two
The speaker gestures to a little model of a buiding and a toy car laid on a map on the table: "Ned exits through the side door where bob is waiting in the getaway car. Finally, we all meet at the hideout to split the take. Got it?"

Panel Three
A figure pops out from behind a bookshelf: "Guys, how many times do I have to tell you: this is a public library. You are encouraged to take the books home. And I am a librarian, not a guard."
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Reposted by Helen Cooke
Daniel Bellingradt @dbellingradt.bsky.social · 07/11/2024
This is more than just another image of an old #library, dear #earlymodern #bookhistory experts. Among other things, there are dogs, chained books, and a more than ten meters long multi-part drawing set showing the "Panorama of #Constantinople". It's a library at Leiden University. 1/4
Leiden University Library, 17th century. This engraving is from Jan Cornelisz Woudanus from around 1610. You see book shelves, chained books, a few dogs, and library visitors. Highlighted is also the drawing set on the wall of the library
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Helen Cooke @helencooke.bsky.social · 15/10/2024
Realised today how dependent I am on the wonderful @archive.org for my history of science research - hoping it's back online soon
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Helen Cooke @helencooke.bsky.social · 06/09/2024
I'm new to Bluesky, but I hope some chemists and historians might like a video of a talk I gave recently for the Royal Society of Chemistry's Historical Group www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TPC...,
youtube.com
Helen Cooke: The 250th Anniversary of Joseph Priestley's Discovery of Oxygen
YouTube video by Royal Society Of Chemistry
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