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Simon Higgins

@simonhiggins60.bsky.social
231 followers 172 following 845 posts

Emeritus Chemistry Prof., University of Liverpool. Still dabbling in molecular electronics. The rest of the time, I'm usually riding a bike, cooking (and eating) or reading. Volunteer at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital.

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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 8h
We’re in our local Nepalese restaurant Sano Nepal Gateacre. It’s really phenomenal. Food is delicious, prices are reasonable and they’ve a decent wine list .
Mrs H enjoyed her appetiser in Sano Nepal Gateacre Liverpool.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 11h
This is how I feel when I'm sat surrounded by glamorous young things in the Uni branch of Costa!
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 20h
A regular journey for me a decade ago when my Mum lived alone in Grange over Sands. The ride from Liverpool to Arnside was decent, and there was a great fish and chip shop there.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 20h
And not only the Today programme- extended advert on last night's The One Show (I don't watch this but Mrs H does tend to flop in front of it after work), as well!
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
My institution is offering me a session on how to harness generative AI in my academic writing, run by Nature Masterclasses. They really are pushing this stuff at us, aren't they? Maybe I'm a Luddite but I'm not tempted.
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Reposted by Simon Higgins
The Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Today’s favourite #warart Dazzle-ships in Drydock at Liverpool, by Edward Wadsworth, 1919 Craig Moore on Facebook @dreadships.bsky.social #navalhistory #maritimehistory
Four dock workers cleaning the hull of a merchant ship in dry dock. The ship is wearing dazzle camouflage, and the painting has arranged the sides of the dock and other ships wearing dazzle in the back in such a way as to blend the picture creating some serious eye strain.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
From Berichte, 1889, on attempts to isolate thioacetone: '...our attempts in this direction failed due to the fact that the substance possesses a dreadful odour, which spreads in an astonishingly short time and fouls entire districts of the city.' City was Freiburg. #chemsky
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
They’ve probably recruited a Director of Institutional Change at a salary of 6 figures, plus an underling for each Faculty, to ‘manage’ this.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Glut of homegrown tomatoes turned into tomato and roasted red pepper sauce for the freezer.
A pan of homemade tomato sauce
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
That was a fantastic climax to the men’s race - the US team played a blinder tactically, unlike the French and Belgians. Oscar Onley and Tom Pidcock did what they could in that company.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Oscar Onley is doing too much work. Don't go back into 2nd wheel after a turn in this company!
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Bruno Armirail is a complete monster- he's almost single-handedly destroyed the gap to the break of 8 minutes. And he's still on the front of the bunch in the Men's World Champs road race.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
I have a dilemma. It's the men's World Road Race champs and I have to cook dinner. I guess now is the best time, when the peloton still has 4.5 minutes to make up on the suicidal guys in the break, and there's 150 km to go.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
What an enthralling women's world Championship race that was. I doubt the men's race tomorrow will be better from an entertainment point of view. Congrats to Demi Vollering; commiserations to a gutsy Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney who did everything she could have done, really.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Our pricy pub is opposite this fine building which is the HQ of the National Union of Teachers.
The National Union of Teachers HQ building
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
We’re on the way home from Avignon. Big gap between St Pancras arrival and Euston departure so having a drink in a trad London pub where a pint of Spitfire and a single G and T cost £16.80. We’re not in Liverpool any more, Toto.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Yesterday we drove part way up Ventoux on our coach ride round local Provençal villages. I’m determined to come back and see how long it takes an old git with AF to do the Mont Ventoux climb. Well, I did do it on Zwift once.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Sur le pont d’Avignon.
The bridge at Avignon- the one the song’s about
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Holiday going pretty well so far. Went to Gordes among other pretty Provençal villages today.
View of the mountain village of Gordes
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Stressful start to our holiday- had to beg a lift from daughter on the school run because our taxi didn’t turn up. Caught the train with one minute to spare. Good job as on cheap tickets only valid on this train.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Oh, and a touch of unwanted excitement when someone put a spade through our water main. A £550 emergency repair job. At least it’s all sorted now.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Curry night tonight, to use up veggies before holiday. Mushroom and beans, and a lentil daal. The first a total invention.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Unusual veterinary service being offered on the route of yesterday’s bike ride.
Sign saying’cats eyes removed’
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
The last serious climb of the #Vuelta2026 is very unpleasant; about 5 miles with an *average* gradient of about 10%. The race is in bits with the GC group about 8 minutes off the leader, Mikel Landa. Looks like Oscar Onley is in trouble- don't know if he'll hang on to the white jersey.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Use WriteToThem to pester your MP about this, particularly if they're Labour. I've done this.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Reform is less a political party, and more a criminal conspiracy.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Eddie Dunbar, what a ride! Smashing the last bit of today's summit finish to win ahead of Buitrago in #Vuelta2026 Stage 20. He raced around Merseyside in his younger days. Remember seeing him in Tour of Britain a few years ago.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Think Roglic didn't pace that too well- looked like he blew up a bit in the last 10 km, whereas Mas didn't. That was a super defence by Mas.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Watching the #Vuelta2026 time trial stage. Felix Gall's position looks pretty ropey compared with Enric Mas, but they're both hitting the same intermediate times so far. Roglic looks excellent as usual in TTs and is storming it so far.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Quite a threatening sky this morning- better take the waterproofs today.
Red sky over Gateacre this morning
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
And again today! People will accuse him of being too greedy soon, like Pogačar. But what a talent - will be interesting to see how he does in the Tour de France next year, which incidentally starts in the UK.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Yet another sprint stage win for Matthew Brennan, wow. Excellent leadout by van Aert. #Vuelta2026
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Luckily, so far I’ve only had to tick a box confirming I’m not a robot to get a paper. But I suppose it’s only a matter of time.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Someone in Liverpool has stolen 880 barrels of Guinness. Police say don’t buy barrels of Guinness from a strange man. www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpo...
liverpoolecho.co.uk
880 barrels of Guinness still missing as trailers found dumped
Police are appealing for anyone offered the chance to buy Guinness in bulk to get in touch
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Correction: at just before 6 pm in Cordoba, it was still 43 ˚C. Racing in that must be horrible. Good job it's a rest day tomorrow.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Ineos' light-coloured shorts are not showing up well, watching sweaty Oscar Onley warming down on his turbo in Cordoba (41 ˚C!) on TNT; yeuch! Great breakaway #Vuelta2026 stage, phenomenal win by van Aert again.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Bit of a dilemma here. The weather's decent, I haven't had a ride today, but the #Vuelta2026 stage is boiling up nicely. Perhaps I'll declare an extra rest day.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Just got back from weights in time to see Wout van Aert celebrating his stage win. So I've missed a breakaway stage win in #Vuelta2026, damn!
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Remarkable #Vuelta2026 stage there. No surprises a Slovenian won... but a 20-year old called Jakob Omrzel whose brother drives a team bus? Great ride by Enric Mas too.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
'He who would make a pun would pick a pocket'; S. Maturin. But that is quite a good one.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
The trouble with marshalling for 4 h on a roundabout when you’re >60 is: bladder capacity.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
About 30 of the 41 riders on the start list are riding in the WCTTCA 12 hour. It’s a little windy but at least the rain has held off for the last 3 hours, though it’s just started to spit where we are.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
My glamorous location for the next 4 hours.
Crjudgington roundabout
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Marshalling the WCTTC/LTTC 12 Hour time trial this afternoon. Given the strong winds and occasional heavy showers, I actually don’t envy the riders, for once.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
I met a US engineer on a plane journey once, who told me his job with Boeing involved checking and patching those fuselages because, as they cross the US, rednecks randomly shoot at them. It didn't do my confidence in 737s a lot of good.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
What happened to Pog, there? Nasty crash and he's had to retire from the #Vuelta2026 with shoulder and head wounds; he suddenly moved right, into another rider, for no obvious reason. Unclipped for some reason? Poor guy; never good to see a contender go out like that.
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Great sprint leadout work by Visma lease a bike there at #Vuelta2026 stage 5; Brennan again!
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
This is a rather wonderful silly season story, that struck a chord with me because as a PDRA at Oxford, I lived in Bicester because the property was more affordable. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Coin hidden in Bicester in 1971 earns finder free pint of beer
Former electrician David Judd, 92, hid coins in properties, offering finders "one pint best beer".
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Comprehensive-looking review on single molecule junctions by Eric Borguet and team - I shall read this with interest (and it's OA): onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Fundamentals, Measurement and Regulation of the Conductance of Single Molecule Junctions
This review highlights of key features in single-molecule conductance including experimental platform, structure-property relationship in molecular electronics, data analysis methods, theory and simu...
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Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Excellent thread
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