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Philip Ball

@philipcball.bsky.social
18K followers 231 following 7.8K posts

Science writer and author of books including Bright Earth, The Music Instinct, Beyond Weird, How Life Works.

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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 2h
I got quite excited too about that paper on the German uranium reactor during WWII. But then I spoke about it to probably the most knowledgeable person in the field, and decided against a story. Real shame, but there you are.
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 5h
I'm not going to make this a long WTF biology thread, but just a few comments on this paper. It's about a protein implicated in the stress-adaptive plasticity of intenstinal wound healing and metastasis of colorectal cancer cells. /1 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
ZFP36L2 orchestrates stress-adaptive plasticity in regeneration and cancer - Nature
The RNA-binding protein ZFP36L2 mediates stress-adaptive plasticity in intestinal regeneration and colorectal cancer metastasis.
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Helen Gittos @helengittos.bsky.social · 10h
'the little sycophantic, vile little voice of AI' shows.acast.com/the-new-soci...
shows.acast.com
Katherine Rundell: In today's world, wonder is political | The New Society | culture from the New Statesman
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Jennifer Ouellette @jenlucpiquant.bsky.social · 6h
An Animated Timeline Tracing the Discovery of Chemical Elements Year by Year laughingsquid.com/chemical-ele...
laughingsquid.com
An Animated Timeline Tracing the Discovery of Chemical Elements Year by Year
EmperorTigerstar created an animated timeline tracing the discovery of chemical elements, from classical elements and alchemy to the modern periodic table.
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Michael E. Mann @michaelemann.bsky.social · 6h
First of two events I'll be doing in the U.K. during the week of Oct 12 | "Insight lecture" on #ScienceUnderSiege at the #CrickInstitute in London, 4pm Wed Oct 14: michaelmann.net/events/scien...
michaelmann.net
Science Under Siege (The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK) | Michael E. Mann
Science Under Siege   From pandemics to the climate crisis, humanity faces tougher challenges than ever. Whether it’s the health of our people or the health […]
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Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 9h
If you need to explain to someone why the ‘Rogue AI’ framing is both wrong and harmful, actually blocking our view of what safety and responsibility requires in AI, this will help:
noemamag.com
The AIs Are Not Going Rogue | NOEMA
But they still pose risks.
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
I said the same in a talk in Copenhagen last week (and for the same reasons!).
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
From an interview I conducted today about the black-hole information paradox and which parts of physics it might break: "I'm not Donald Trump, right? I have to actually fix the things that I break, right?"
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Michael Wong @miquai.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
As an astrobiologist, I never thought I’d see my name on a cancer paper...but here we are 😮
academic.oup.com
Exploring tumorigenesis as a process of phenotypic state-space exploration and selective funneling
Abstract. Tumorigenesis is widely studied within evolutionary frameworks, yet integrating genetic, non-genetic, spatial, and collective tumor-level dynamic
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Replicating proto-cells with heritable states? Bah, who needs nucleic acids for that? My latest for @chemistryworld.com (Why the pepper moth? Read on.) www.chemistryworld.com/opinion/auto...
chemistryworld.com
Autocatalytic networks could lie at the beginning of evolution
New modelling suggests how compartmentalised cross-catalysing networks can evolve adaptations that are passed on through chemical states
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
"Andreessen is the epitome of the tech oligarchy... he is a cheerleader of a particular and exceptionalist worldview in which the US tech sector is glorified as the origin of all that is good in the world." www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
tandfonline.com
Tech oligarchy
Published in Science as Culture (Vol. 35, No. 3, 2026)
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
"Despite the seemingly novel power these tech oligarchs wield in the space sector, their position today does not reflect a break from the space industry of the past but is a direct result of foundational decisions made at the origins of the US space programme." www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
tandfonline.com
Dictators of the future: the tech oligarchy in outer space
Published in Science as Culture (Vol. 35, No. 3, 2026)
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Oh I have been waiting for someone to dig into this issue. 👏 "The spectre of population collapse serves highly concrete economic purposes...world-building and market domination go hand in hand in the current fertility obsession manifested by tech elites." www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
tandfonline.com
Tech oligarchs’ obsession with pronatalism and fertility markets
Published in Science as Culture (Vol. 35, No. 3, 2026)
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Was the Parthenon exquisitely designed to "correct" for visual distortions in its perfect geometry? This idea seems to be widely believed. But it seems it doesn't stand up to scrutiny. royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article...
royalsocietypublishing.org
The illusion of illusions: there are no optical corrections in the Parthenon
Abstract. One of the oldest and most enduring myths in human history is the belief that the Parthenon was cleverly designed with various curved structures
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Good questions from Lizzie. I'm not impressed with the answers. Still the relentless anthropomorphization ("thinking", "intern"). Still the weasel word "alignment" (=whether it goes wrong or not). I don't think these guys get it. Perhaps their jobs depend on not getting it.
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Jack Stilgoe @jackstilgoe.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Jack Good's (1965) Speculations Concerning the First Ultraintelligent Machine birthed a few stubborn ideas - the technological singularity, AI as "the last invention that man need ever make" and the "intelligence explosion". He was a Bletchley man, Turing colleague and adviser to Kubrick's 2001.
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Jack Stilgoe @jackstilgoe.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
AI technologies, and their palpable risks, have changed so much in the last decade. But the story has remained the same. The idea of an "intelligence explosion" goes back to the 60s, as they acknowledge in their first citation here.
theguardian.com
AI godfathers warn of runaway ‘intelligence explosion’
OpenAI chief scientist also among authors of report on prospect of ‘most consequential technological development in history’
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
"If such a breakthrough happened, the authors say, AI systems could rapidly eclipse human experts in most fields and “radically accelerate” technological progress." While one can't rule that out, it might be good to point out that there is so far no sign of it. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
theguardian.com
AI godfathers warn of runaway ‘intelligence explosion’
OpenAI chief scientist also among authors of report on prospect of ‘most consequential technological development in history’
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I'm so bored of this.
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Seriously, yes.
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
"I believe that science derives its authority from something more than mastering the pipeline from data generation to publication. Rather, it comes from interactions within a community of people trained to interrogate evidence and answer for the conclusions they draw from it." Brandon is spot on.
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Some real "chemists' chemists" in here. Interesting to see sugar chemistry getting much love. I confess to being a bit frightened of glyco-related things in biology, as they are scarily complicated. But so important!
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Carl Zimmer @carlzimmer.com · 27/09/2026
Four days ago, a scientist was surprised by the news that Anthropic discovered new virus genes for making DNA. He says he’s been studying them for years—and feeding his data to Anthropic’s AI as part of his own research. Coincidence? Here’s my story. nyti.ms/3VSWayc
nyti.ms
Did Anthropic’s A.I. Really Make a Scientific Discovery on Its Own? (Gift Article)
An expert at the University of Copenhagen said his team had been sharing its research with the company’s A.I. model, Claude, and that its new finding matched their work.
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I almost wrote about this for CW myself. It's so neat. Tens of grams of *elemental* sulfur inside each of us!
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I can find no paper/preprint/scientific documentation of any kind. Without that, this claim is worthless.
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Ooh, yes please!
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Yes, the paper cited here expresses the issue so well: there's something pathological about a discourse that sees in anti-democratic vs pro-democratic division only undesirable "political polarization".
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The Cosmic Shambles Network @cosmicshambles.com · 25/09/2026
In part 6 of 'For the Record' we travel to North America to talk to former Smithsonian curator and member of the Mohawk nation, Tim Johnson, about the influence of the music of indigenous Americans on genres such as the blues. Watch the full series for free at www.youtube.com/show/VLPLoVT...
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Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Seem to have ended up on a list of ”scientists who write science books” so hello to all new followers! I’m not actually a scientist - I’m a science teacher but don’t let that put you off! If you’re going to read anything by me it should be this (ebook version only £2.99 at the moment)
alomshaha.com
Why Don’t Things Fall Up?
Why Don’t Things Fall Up? delivers what every adult and schoolchild deserves, but often doesn’t get: an authoritative and accessible account of the key ideas in science. The book is rooted in Alom’…
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Very good to see this place again too.
The Niels Bohr Institute, Copenhagen
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
I've just walked the escape route of the Bohr family from occupied Denmark in 1943. In reverse, so naturally it ends up here. I'll make a little video soon with the route (for which I must thank Rob Sunderland of the Niels Bohr Archive).
The Carlsberg brewery in Copenhagen
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Authors: if you're fed up with getting emails from fake book clubs and fake publicists, just imagine what that is now like when you have 30 books out there for them to latch onto.
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Still, Palantir will probably work out fine I'm sure.
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Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Still shaking my head. 'We're going to lose some fine intellectual dexterity.' Head of the most powerful company in the world telling you that relying on his tech is the equivalent of suffering a mild stroke but hey can we please all be cool about it
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Max Kozlov @maxkozlov.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
SCOOP: Top researchers at Columbia, Stanford, and others thought they were elected to elite scientific societies alongside Nobel laureates. The catch? The organizations are a sham. I spent the last month diving deep into a massive academic scam spanning continents, for @nature.com
nature.com
Exclusive: Sham scientific societies are misleading star researchers
A Nature investigation reveals a network of organizations that have been building their ranks through deceptive practices.
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Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
‘We’re going to lose some fine intellectual dexterity.’ This is a CEO openly confessing to a level of acquired mental indolence that, were he not coddled 24/7 by an army of paid underlings, would make him incapable of living independently and feeding himself. He’s fine with it. Your kids won’t be.
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Characteristically perceptive comment from @geoffmulgan.bsky.social. "Cognitive vulnerability" seems an important issue. I don't think (and am not sure Geoff thinks) that people are becoming stupider; rather, today's cultural environment creates more vulnerabilities.
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Anil Seth @anilseth.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
People of Milan - don't miss this special screening of CONSCIOUS (www.theconsciousfilm.com) at the Fondazione Prada, October 29th. Suki Chan - the creative force behind the film - will be there to talk it, with Pr. Daniela Perani. Details here: www.fondazioneprada.org/project/huma...
theconsciousfilm.com
About – CONSCIOUS
Suki Chan's CONSCIOUS - Learn about the feature film
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Karl Bode @karlbode.com · 24/09/2026
over at the newsletter I wrote about the comically shitty media coverage of the AI doompocalypse
karlbode.com
Lazy Journalism At The 'End Of The World'
U.S. corporate media long ago gave up on accurately describing abject reality.
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
*Our models took actions we did not intend." There it is in a nutshell: the industry's framing. The work now is to deconstruct it.
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
This paper calling for more theory in biology makes some interesting points, but I'm left wondering where such theory is supposed to come from. Neither of the cases adduced - Darwin and Schrödinger - really corresponds to a theory in the usual sense. /1 elifesciences.org/articles/112...
elifesciences.org
Philosophy of Biology: The power of theory in the life sciences
Theory can help address cell and molecular biology’s major challenges, particularly those arising from large omics datasets.
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Jacob Aron @jjaron.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Great job going here www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/44...
linkedin.com
New Scientist hiring Deputy News Editor in London Area, United Kingdom | LinkedIn
Posted 11:04:52 AM. Location: New Scientist Headquarters, HSK, London, W8 5HYContract Type: Full Time/Permanent/Hybrid…See this and similar jobs on LinkedIn.
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
This is excellent from @naomialderman.bsky.social. It sounds as though the Pope understands the issues better than many politicians. "Anti-human" is the right phrase for the TESCREAL ideology. observer.co.uk/culture/book...
observer.co.uk
The Pope vs the cult of AI | The Observer
Pope Leo XIV has issued an impassioned defence of humanity against Silicon Valley’s nihilist tech believers. Let’s pray they’re listening
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Helen Pearson @helenpearson.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
NEW: There are widespread concerns that AI will reduce our critical-thinking skills. My story for @nature.com today looks at how to maintain those skills — and teach them to students. I found some fascinating science on critical thinking + useful tips for us all 🧠 www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
How to stay smart in the age of AI: the science of critical thinking
There is growing concern that AI can blunt memory and reasoning. But science shows ways to keep the brain sharp.
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
You will.
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Elizabeth Gibney @lizziegibney.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
An explainer answering quite *how* AI is supposed to be able to kill us all, why Anthropic is pushing for regulation, what to really worry about, and what might happen next 🧪🤖 www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
Will AI really kill us all? The science behind the hype
Nature examines whether the technology might spell the end for humans, and why AI companies are calling for a slowdown.
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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Why does the UK press continue to treat Trump like a normal politician when he is demonstrably wicked and insane inews.co.uk/opinion/trum...
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
It would be very good if the UK could find this role. It all depends, of course (I say "of course", but it's not to be taken for granted), on getting the right kind of advice. A lot depends on whether the industry narrative is simply swallowed, or challenged. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
UK to fight Russian disinformation and push new global AI standards, Burnham says
The UK could act as "an honest broker" on AI and other global challenges, the prime minister tells world leaders at the UN.
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Roger Highfield @rogerhighfield.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
A minute with … Graham Farmelo, Stephen Hawking’s official biographer rogerhighfield.substack.com/p/a-minute-w...
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Good piece. www.theatlantic.com/books/2026/0...
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