Stewart Nicol @topechidna.bsky.social · 23/06/2026New echidna paper There are 5 subspecies of short-beaked echidnas. They look different but some of the differences between them, like reproductive behaviour, are so dramatic that I thought they may be different species. But previous genetic studies suggested that the subspecies were not real. 611232
Reposted by Stewart NicolThe Cathy Wilcox @cathywilcox.bsky.social · 26/11/2025The “debate”. My @smh @theage cartoon. 14506212
Stewart Nicol @topechidna.bsky.social · 04/09/2025When it's snowy on the mountain the Currawongs come to visit me and demand food. One of them is a repeat visitor I have named Snapper. Sound on to help you work out which one . #birds 010
Reposted by Stewart NicolKetan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 23/08/2025Nowhere near enough is being made of Google taking a clear, intentional and planned step into the techno-fascist position on energy and climate It literally came with its own PDF white paper. This is clear and intentional and thought-through. www.desmog.com/2025/08/19/g...desmog.comGoogle President Praised MAGA Speech Slamming ‘Climate Extremist Agenda’Interior Sec. Doug Burgum told an AI conference that data centers should be powered by coal, gas, and nuclear. Ruth Porat called his comments "fantastic.” 14321179
Reposted by Stewart NicolAndrea Fuller @andreafuller.bsky.social · 25/07/2025Love this example of behavioural thermoregulation, posted on Kgalagadi Sightings page. 0162
Stewart Nicol @topechidna.bsky.social · 19/07/2025Oh my God, are we going to be subjected to Eric Abetz all night? 000
Stewart Nicol @topechidna.bsky.social · 04/07/2025@cqchoi.com - in 2013 you published an article titled "why the platypus will never have a stomach". This year I published an article that explains that platypuses do have a stomach, and how this misunderstanding occurred. You can find it here: www.researchgate.net/profile/Stew... comments welcome 🦊🧪researchgate.net 231
Reposted by Stewart Nicol✨John Carpenter’s BOObies✨ @ourflagmeansbeth.bsky.social · 02/07/2025Good morning 🫡 132309546404
Stewart Nicol @topechidna.bsky.social · 17/05/2025This is a Cambridge Skin Temperature Meter that I rescued some years ago when the Physiology Department moved across town. These things were beautifully built works of art. I am guessing it dates from sometime in the 1950s. Does anyone have more information about the date these were manufactured? 131
Reposted by Stewart NicolRachael Hunt @rhunt97.bsky.social · 09/04/2025Boston has the opportunity to do the funniest thing ever 4458741266
Reposted by Stewart NicolScience Sam @samanthayammine.com · 08/04/2025Scientists love to debate and argue, but if there are 3 things every scientist absolutely agrees on, it's that: 1. Climate change is real 2. Vaccines work 3. Those are NOT dire wolves 😤 🧪 271898396
Stewart Nicol @topechidna.bsky.social · 04/04/2025reposting this with 🧪 , @hgl7.bsky.social and @smithsonianmag.bsky.social If you want a copy send me your email in a chat 030
Reposted by Stewart NicolJanel Comeau 🍁 @verybadllama.bsky.social · 03/04/2025I have tariffed the penguins that are on Heard Island and which you were probably assuming did not export goods forgive me they were taking advantage of us so cunning and so cold 546286477006
Stewart Nicol @topechidna.bsky.social · 04/04/2025Does the platypus have a stomach? The perils of popular science. Would respected science sources sex up their stories? My new paper just out. @jackdashby.bsky.social this is for you. meridian.allenpress.com/australian-z... 130
Reposted by Stewart NicolThe Cathy Wilcox @cathywilcox.bsky.social · 24/03/2025Selling nuclear. My @smh @theage cartoon. 22448178
Stewart Nicol @topechidna.bsky.social · 08/03/2025www.afr.com/policy/forei...afr.comANZUS and AUKUS will never be the sameIt is time to reassess the nature of our relationship with the United States and where it fits within our wider national interest. 000
Reposted by Stewart NicolMasud Husain @masudhusain.bsky.social · 06/03/2025Why academia is sleepwalking into self-destruction. My editorial @brain1878.bsky.social If you agree with the sentiments please repost. It's important for all our sakes to stop the madness academic.oup.com/brain/articl... 51538308
Stewart Nicol @topechidna.bsky.social · 06/03/2025🧪 🦊 A pademelon, Thylogale billardierii, cleans itself in the morning sun outside my study window. 0476
Reposted by Stewart NicolThe Cathy Wilcox @cathywilcox.bsky.social · 05/03/2025Tell me everything doesn’t sound better in French. 1425659
Stewart Nicol @topechidna.bsky.social · 27/02/2025🧪 🦊 HELP! I was sent some photos of skulls on graph paper so I could get the dimensions. The x & y axes have different scaling. The y axis looks like inches divided into tenths, but the x axis has 6 divisions in the small rectangles. Is anyone familiar with this graph paper? 342
Reposted by Stewart NicolBarbara Pocock @barbarapocock.bsky.social · 04/02/2025Australia is not like America. We won't tolerate the oligarchy of billionaires running our government, paying no tax and laughing all the way to the bank. Dutton mimics all of Trumps policies including to sack public servants and give the work to consultants at 3 times the cost. 37723266
Reposted by Stewart Nicolmr dog @firstdogonthemoon.bsky.social · 24/01/2025She reeks of death and doesn't really do anything except stand around, yet people are queuing up to fawn all over her. Australia's sweetheart! www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...theguardian.comEveryone loves the horrible smelly plant Putricia! Is it the only good thing left in this world? | First Dog on the MoonCorpse flower mania is sweeping the nation (inner-city Sydney) 1121352
Reposted by Stewart NicolBeth Nixon @bethany9119.bsky.social · 21/01/2025The ugly truth. In this country we must stem the tide. Labour need to WAKE UP! 46111
Stewart Nicol @topechidna.bsky.social · 16/12/2024Amazing drawing of a platypus done for me by Rachel Harris based on video from Pete Walsh. You will soon be able to by quality prints of this from www.facebook.com/rachelharris... 030
Stewart Nicol @topechidna.bsky.social · 07/12/2024Soldier beetles ( Chauliognathus lugubris) on woolly tea-tree (Leptospermun lanigerum) in my garden. 010
Stewart Nicol @topechidna.bsky.social · 06/12/2024Following a brief Bluesy interchange about tawny frogmouths with @jackdashby.bsky.social I managed to find this picture of a nightjar I had seen years ago. They were called "goatsuckers", a libel started by Aristotle. The name looks better when the s is written as here in the old style medial s. 2314
Stewart Nicol @topechidna.bsky.social · 25/11/2024For soldier beetles (Cantharidae) Leptospermum flowers are the ideal dating site. Video from garden. #insects #pollinators 0110
Reposted by Stewart NicolDavid Pocock @davidpocock.bsky.social · 19/11/2024POV: the ENTIRE senate crossbench voting for parliamentary scrutiny of 400 pages of electoral reform that doesn't commence until 2028 Major parties teaming up to oppose & hide from scrutiny their desperate attempt to maintain the duopoly. 39916325
Reposted by Stewart NicolDr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 18/11/2024Jürgen is all of us entomologists 😂 still love this moment! #gbbo 212827
Stewart Nicol @topechidna.bsky.social · 28/08/2024🧪🦊 Did you know that platypuses are the only toothless mammals that masticate their food? We discuss the anatomy of platypus mastication in our new paper. You can read it here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/author... 0309
Reposted by Stewart NicolErica McAlister @flygirlnhm.bsky.social · 26/07/2024Ecology of dung youtu.be/hsHD-XRJtS8?... via @YouTube The longhorns at #KneppWilding provided us with some amazing, & fresh faeces to help us explain Dung pat ecology So many copulating #coprophagous flies - it was a joy to film @entsocamerica.bsky.social #insects #recycling #fliesyoutu.beEcology of dungCow pats are often discovered within minutes of bring produced by flies and dung beetles, who have a keen sense of smell so locate fresh dung. They lay their... 1115
Stewart Nicol @topechidna.bsky.social · 11/04/2024🧪🦊🌿If you are interested in echidnas (and who isn’t?) you can watch this talk via Zoom: Zoom: us06web.zoom.us/j/4032735696... In the US: Tuesday 16 April at 18:00 EDT Australia: Wednesday 17 April at 08:00 AEST UK: Tuesday 16 April at 23:00 BST 044
Reposted by Stewart NicolAndrea Fuller @andreafuller.bsky.social · 22/02/2024Conservation Physiology is now on Bluesky!🪲🦅🐟🌳🐘🐍 012
Stewart Nicol @topechidna.bsky.social · 12/02/2024🧪🐡🦊🌿 Stunning drawing of a Tasmanian echidna done for me by my former student, the very talented Rachel Harris. 1407
Reposted by Stewart Nicolmr dog @firstdogonthemoon.bsky.social · 31/01/2024Barnaby says something inexplicable - nation shocked. A cartoon. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...theguardian.comWhat does Barnaby know that we do not? Does the secret lie in the mysterious fourth quadrant? | Firs...The nation is gripped! 12110
Stewart Nicol @topechidna.bsky.social · 29/01/2024Word wants me to change "a herbivore" to "an herbivore". What sort of weird people would say erbivores? 🤔 000
Stewart Nicol @topechidna.bsky.social · 19/01/2024🧪 Last weekend I saw my first Head-stacking Caterpillar (Uraba lugens). When they moult the old head capsule stays attached. When they are small they skeletonise the leaves of eucalpypts, but eat whole leaves as they get bigger. The head stack deters predators, or at least acts as a decoy. 2333
Reposted by Stewart NicolEvan May @gianttourtiere.bsky.social · 23/12/2023Meanwhile if you are Welsh it is the time of year when a skeleton horse might show up at your door and challenge you to a rap battle. If you lose the horse comes into your house and drinks your booze. Happy Christmas from Mari Lwyd! 221052348
Stewart Nicol @topechidna.bsky.social · 12/12/2023so @danirabaiotti.bsky.social have you tried the Rogue River Blue Cheese? The one they produced before the pandemic was sheer paradiso (and voted best cheese in the world). The one I tasted this year was not quite as good 110
Reposted by Stewart NicolIPBES @ipbes.net · 01/12/2023What policy #impact does @ipbes.bsky.social have? European Parliament this week adopted a 'New Deal for Pollinators' to reverse the alarming decline in wild pollinators by 2030. It draws specifically on the IPBES #PollinationAssessment. #SciencePolicyImpact 🧪🌏 europarl.europa.eu/doceo/docume... 02214
Reposted by Stewart NicolLittlewisehen @littlewisehen.bsky.social · 30/11/2023Keith Richards ist ja schon sehr lange im Geschäft,.. Also wirklich sehr lange! 🎸 16632154