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Rebecca (Becky) Martin

@rebeccamartin.bsky.social

Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford/LSHTM/UCL STS historian of 19th and 20th century science, medicine, materials, photography, anatomy, teaching, models, race, colonialism, health systems, and HMS Challenger. Former NMM Caird Fellow. Views my own. She/her.

Posts Replies Media

Reposted by Rebecca (Becky) Martin

Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

‘If a drug boasted such benefits [as the arts] governments would be pouring billions into it. Instead, funding has been slashed across the culture sector.’ www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Art Cure by Daisy Fancourt, professor of psychobiology and epidemiology at University College London, brings together numerous research projects confirming what we have always suspected - art is good for us. It helps us enjoy happier, healthier and longer lives. One study found that people who engaged regularly with the arts had a 31% lower risk of dying at any point during the follow-up period, even when confounding socioeconomic, demographic and health factors were taken into account.
Studies also show that visiting museums and attending live music events can make people physiologically younger, and a monthly cultural activity almost halves our chances of depression. As Fancourt argues, if a drug boasted such benefits governments would be pouring billions into it. Instead, funding has been slashed across the culture sector and arts education has been devalued and eroded in the UK.

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Rebecca (Becky) Martin @rebeccamartin.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

Our third podcast episode is up! Feeling sad about the nights drawing in? Why not curl up with a cuppa and listen to us joke about rocks?

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Rebecca (Becky) Martin @rebeccamartin.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

Listening to a fantastic paper by @skidwayy.bsky.social at #ichst25 on local interactions with geological questions!

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Rebecca (Becky) Martin @rebeccamartin.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

For those wondering what I actually do at the museum, yes, it does feel like a little bit of everything! Check out the latest:

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Rebecca (Becky) Martin @rebeccamartin.bsky.social · 19/05/2025

Such lovely comments about our now multi-award-winning project. Our project shows what real funding for museum work can achieve!

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Reposted by Rebecca (Becky) Martin

Pitt Rivers Museum @pittriversmuseum.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

Very exciting afternoon with the Maasai Living Cultures Project announced as winner in the 'Making a Difference Globally' category of the University of Oxford Vice-Chancellor's Awards 2025! Huge honour to be recognised alongside so many other inspiring, groundbreaking & life changing projects!

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Rebecca (Becky) Martin @rebeccamartin.bsky.social · 12/03/2024

Exciting news alert: the February statistics are out and 'Women in the History of Science' had a whopping 20.5k downloads in our first year!! Looking for a new teaching resource? Check it out: uclpress.co.uk/products/211...

uclpress.co.uk

Women in the History of Science - UCL Press

Women in the History of Science brings together primary sources that highlight women’s involvement in scientific knowledge production around the world. Drawing on texts, images and objects, each prima...

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