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Marc Smith

@marcxsmith.bsky.social
714 followers 2.4K following 519 posts

Writer, chartered psychologist, semi-ex-teacher. Slower than average runner. Fiction dabbler. Smarter: Lessons from the New Science of Learning, out now. Leeds, UK linktr.ee/marc1857

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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
This is where we are in the UK. A volunteer organisation, the members of which risk their lives to save others, under attack because far-right morons think their saving the wrong lives! www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
theguardian.com
RNLI steps up security after attacks by far-right agitators over small boat rescues
Volunteers told to consider not wearing charity-branded clothing and to shut lifeboat stations if they feel in danger
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Great www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Anthropic researcher believes more than 10% chance AI 'could kill all humans'
It is the latest in a series of increasing warnings about the safety threat posed by artificial intelligence.
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
More Brexit 'benefits' www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Sweden confirms 458 Britons deported or forcibly removed since Brexit
Scale of deportations made public for first time amid criticism of hardline approach to UK citizens
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Tracey @bloomingkind.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
A new UK Parliament briefing, published 2 September 2026, confirms that Downing Street reportedly vetoed publication of a national security assessment on ecosystem collapse at the last minute because officials feared it was "too negative".
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Russell England @russellengland.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Reform UK will defend free speech * * Exceptions apply @petergeoghegan.bsky.social Michael Crick @annaisaac.bsky.social @writesbright.bsky.social @willhaycardiff.bsky.social All banned from the Reform UK Ltd party conference Also a handy list of journalists to follow ;)
Screenshot from Reform UK's website on their policies

13. Defend and Protect British Culture and Traditions

Our history, culture, and traditions are a source of pride and unity. Reform UK will defend free speech, uphold British traditions, ban DEI quotas, and reject the politics of guilt. We will ensure British children are not indoctrinated in schools, that they learn of Britain's great and proud history. Religious freedom is a core feature of our culture, but our culture is built upon Christian values. Those will be protected and celebrated.
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Presenters such as JHB owe their living to being contrarian, and I suspect they have no real views or opinions of their own, but they can’t even dig up the evidence to support their climate change denial and are assuming their viewers are too stupid to notice. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
From ‘psyops’ to ‘hysterical hysteria’: how GB News and Talk TV lost their cool in the heatwaves
Thousands of heat-related deaths in record-breaking temperatures appeared to only intensify hosts’ climate denials
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Are we giving away our ability to think? dynamiclearning.substack.com/p/cognitive-...
dynamiclearning.substack.com
Cognitive Offloading in a time of AI
As we potentially barrel towards a post-literate society, one might wonder if we are ever to reclaim memory or regress towards stupidity.
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NY Times Pitchbot @nytpitchbot.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Doctors say that measles can kill young children. A guy who snorts cocaine off toilet seats and drives around with dead bear cubs in his car says they'll be fine as long as they eat enough beef tallow. For busy parents, it can be hard to know who to trust.
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
This is just silly. The US has become the village idiot www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Trump signs order to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America
Trump's order comes after the trade talks between the US and Canada collapsed late last week.
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Zero fucks given www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
theguardian.com
Ratko Mladić, the ‘Butcher of Bosnia’, dies aged 84
Bosnian Serb commander responsible for Srebrenica massacre dies in prison while serving life sentence for genocide
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
It helps if: a) you don't have a head b) you don't have to stop (and don't mind exploding on the finish line)
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Adam Rutherford @adamrutherford.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
I had not some across this before, but if you want an example Nathan Cofnas’ scholarship, this is a doozy. Again I say, being sacked is not the problem; being recruited in the first place is what deserves scrutiny.
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Trish Greenhalgh @trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
If you need to get up to speed with the collapsed US-Canada trade talks, read this Substack (out loud in an Aussie accent). Is indeed sweary. Well done Carney!
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Insects are cool! theconversation.com/new-research...
theconversation.com
New research estimates around 20 million insect species on Earth — doubling those facing extinction
When we lose insect species without even knowing they existed, we will never know where they lived, what they looked like, how they interacted with other species or the impact they had on ecosystems.
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John Harris @johnharris1969.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Great piece by @ginarippon.bsky.social about last night's C4 ADHD programme www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
There is nothing scientific about The Great ADHD Myth? ‘documentary’ | Gina Rippon
Channel 4’s programme wastes a chance to ask important questions about how ADHD is diagnosed and treated, instead indulging in unscientific methods and conspiracy theories, says author Gina Rippon
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
HaHaHaHaHa!
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Some good news www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
Ulez led to better lung size and function among London children, study finds
Researchers find capacity stunted by pollution restored after introduction of ultra-low emission zone
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
When a bin comes in second place, your victory seems a bit shit!
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
ffs! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Trump signs order to limit childhood vaccines and split MMR shots
The American Academy of Pediatrics calls the recommendation on measles, mumps and rubella shots "dangerous".
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
MAGA education in the UK. Coming soon! www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
US accused of meddling in British politics with $500,000 grant for ‘public education’ courses
Documents published on US embassy’s website prompt claims of attempt to export Maga propaganda to UK
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Kevin Mitchell @wiringthebrain.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
A new editorial by @utafrith.bsky.social on whether the term "autism" has been broadened so much that it's lost its meaning www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
cambridge.org
Autism spectrum disorder: has it lost its meaning and is it leading to misdiagnosis? | Psychological Medicine | Cambridge Core
Autism spectrum disorder: has it lost its meaning and is it leading to misdiagnosis? - Volume 56
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Dr Earhart Sampson PhD 🌎 🇨🇦 🇺🇲 🇲🇽 🇩🇰 🇺🇦 @earhart.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Massachusetts farm installs 832 solar panels above berry fields, and the berries grown underneath turned out sweeter and juicier and could change the future of American farming - The Economic Times share.google/GDGqQBgisqhG...
share.google
Massachusetts farm installs 832 solar panels above berry fields, and the berries grown underneath turned out sweeter and juicier and could change the future of American farming
A Massachusetts farm is integrating solar panels above berry fields. This agrivoltaics project generates electricity while shading the crops. The elevated panels create a cooler microclimate, retain...
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
My son writes about music. He has a free Substack. substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com
Loathe & Thornhill: the Curse of 2020s Nu-Gaze
The meaning of “nu-gaze” has shifted dramatically. How do Loathe related to Narrow Head or Wisp? How does Deftones fit in? Analysing the sonic origins of Loathe and Thornhill.
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Less of an 'invasion', more like a day trip. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
How Spain's migrant crisis created a political storm - whipped up by social media
The Ceuta crossings have shaken Europe politically, exposing divisions over the sensitive issue of migration, the BBC's Sarah Rainsford writes.
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Looks like the Telegraph might be turning against their favourite grifter www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/07...
telegraph.co.uk
The Clacton by-election farce suggests Farage lacks the judgment to be PM
No one can explain why the Reform leader triggered an unnecessary contest that his rivals refuse to dignify with their presence
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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Where the young and old get news (Times, via Ofcom) Tom Calver www.thetimes.com/article/f469...
Chart: Young and old get their news from very different places

4 social media sites (Instagram 40%) are top for 18-24, with BBC sources at 16-21%

BBC One is 65% for 75+
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Latest newsletter just dropped (as the kids say) dynamiclearning.substack.com/p/language-l...
dynamiclearning.substack.com
Is there anything special about language learning?
Does learning a language utilise specific brain regions involved in language processing? Or is learning a language no different to all types of learning? We investigate these questions, the role of ex...
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Putting the final touches to the latest newsletter. In the meantime, here's the last one for your perusal
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Jessica Simor KC @jmpsimor.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
Irony? Stupidity?
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Who'd have thought it?
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Here for the comments
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Oops! www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
theguardian.com
AI agent went rogue and hacked startup by itself, OpenAI reveals
Firm behind ChatGPT reveals agent powered by its models chose to attack Hugging Face database by itself
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
In other words, Ed just gets shit done! www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Miliband has been relentlessly attacked for net zero; what will happen now?
Tories, Reform, fossil fuel industry and some in his party lined up against decarbonisation target as energy secretary
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The Conversation UK @uk.theconversation.com · 20/07/2026
Trust in science seems compatible with believing almost anything, so long as it is expressed in plausibly scientific terms.
tcnv.link
Why do some people who trust in science also believe in scientific conspiracy theories?
Trust in science seems compatible with believing almost anything, so long as it is expressed in plausibly scientific terms.
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Are we keeping this one?
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PopMatters @popmatters.com · 20/07/2026
Loathe changed the face of metal six years ago. With a new sound in tow, are they still capable of reaching those heights with 'A Stranger to You'?
tinyurl.com
Loathe Lace Metal with Soul on 'A Stranger to You' » PopMatters
Loathe changed the face of metal six years ago. With a new sound in tow, are they still capable of reaching those heights with A Stranger to You?
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Are we surrendering too much of our thinking to AI? And what does this mean for knowledge construction? A few thoughts from my latest substack. Free to read, free to subscribe. dynamiclearning.substack.com/p/delegating...
dynamiclearning.substack.com
Is AI making us stupid?
How does surrendering hard thinking to AI impact learning?
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
His wife, Svetlana Grković, saved the 61-year old from falling out of the aircraft by holding on to his legs and managed to pull him back in with the help of two other passengers.
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Ryanair says its planes are safe after passenger nearly sucked out window But would you risk it? www.theguardian.com/business/202...
theguardian.com
Ryanair says its planes are safe after passenger nearly sucked out of window
Airline says it has been in touch with family of man nearly sucked out mid-flight and reports strong summer bookings after profits slump
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Chris Meder @evcurvefuturist.com · 20/07/2026
With 57% of its electricity now coming from renewables, including 22% from solar & 21% from wind, Spain built one of Europe's most impressive electricity systems. Solar is now the country's fastest-growing source of power & has helped drive some of the lowest wholesale electricity prices in Europe.
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Are we surrendering too much of our thinking to AI? And what does this mean for knowledge construction? A few thoughts from my latest substack. Free to read, free to subscribe. dynamiclearning.substack.com/p/delegating...
dynamiclearning.substack.com
Is AI making us stupid?
How does surrendering hard thinking to AI impact learning?
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
So basically we're generating too much energy from renewables and the outdated grid can't cope. While at the same time energy bills are linked to gas prices so we have to pay more for our energy? Have I got the right? www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
Britain’s biggest community solar farm forced to shut over grid overload fears
Timing of Devon switchoff ‘could not be worse’, says board, as members face an estimated £2m in lost revenue
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Fascinating article on the evolution of English accents, specifically the North-South divide. Nice to see the point being made that American english often retains very old elements of British english. www.bbc.co.uk/future/artic...
bbc.co.uk
'They were competing for supremacy': Which is the oldest English accent?
Two BBC journalists go on a quest to find out whose accent is older – and uncover a dramatic history filled with hidden twists and surprises.
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Sad news www.theguardian.com/film/2026/ju...
theguardian.com
Sam Neill, actor and star of Jurassic Park, dies aged 78
New Zealand actor built career as dashing romantic leads and charismatic villains across film and television
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Yorkshire Bylines @yorkshirebylines.co.uk · 11/07/2026
Whatever happened to empathy? In a noisy and divided world, the ability to imagine another person's experience may be one of the most important qualities we possess By John Heywood @handhyorkshire.bsky.social
yorkshirebylines.co.uk
Whatever happened to empathy?
In a noisy and divided world, the ability to imagine another person's experience may be one of the most important qualities we possess
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
My guess is that this was deliberate. Spark outrage, then claim you've been misunderstood. And the Joe Rogan ghouls will be out in force! 16 dead children & he calls it one murder! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Restore Britain leader describes Dunblane tragedy as 'one murder'
Rupert Lowe criticised the ban of handguns in the UK, saying it was "because there was a murder in Dunblane".
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
What else would you expect the owner of gas platform to say? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Jackdaw boss warns of winter fuel shortages if gas field not approved
Adura says the UK government must approve North Sea production urgently to avoid domestic supply shortages.
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Looks like Trump took the US's exit from the World Cup pretty badly! www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c1...
bbc.co.uk
US and Iran launch strikes for second day as Tehran says 'breaking promises no longer cost-free'
A second night of strikes follows Donald Trump declaring an agreement to end the conflict with Iran "over".
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
So it'll be Farage vs Binface. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
static.klipy.com
Atg Stucapa
ALT: Atg Stucapa
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Marc Smith @marcxsmith.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Farage is all performance and little substance. This is just another stunt. Pathetic! www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cn...
bbc.co.uk
Nigel Farage resigns as MP for Clacton, triggering by-election which he says he will stand in
The Reform UK leader's statement follows reports he failed to declare financial support from an ally. He has also faced questions over an unregistered £5m gift from a donor.
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