Adrian Muxworthy

305. Orwell: Dark Secrets, The CIA, & His Forgotten Failures (Part 4) Why was Orwell’s wife, Eileen, written out of his story when she co-wrote Animal Farm? How did the CIA twist the novel into anti-communist propaganda? As a writer who was so ahead of his time on imper...

Finally listened to the last @empirepoduk.bsky.social pod on George Orwell. For someone i have always enjoyed reading, and recommend to my grad students (his writing is succinct), I was shocked. The way he treated the women in his life was truly awful.

www.podbean.com/ea/dir-rhaqt...

Think the word country might need deleting.

Compared to my time as an UG, there are now more people getting 1sts than went to university.

In the 1990s roughly 10% of the population went to uni, of which 10% got a first, 1% of the population.

Now it is about 33% of 45%, so roughly 15% get a first..... are gen Zs so much cleverer than Xs?

Rise in top grades at English universities sparks alarm Office for Students says almost two-thirds more first-class degrees were awarded than can be explained

Rise in top grades at English universities sparks alarm - giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... via @FT

Does Imperial have a grade inflation problem?

No, private schools aren’t victims of ‘reverse discrimination’ – and Cambridge should know better | Lee Elliot Major Trinity Hall’s plan to target elite schools sends the message that privilege equals talent, when the reality is that poorer students are already on the back foot, says professor of social mobility at ...

Agree with this article. Most of the students i seem to be teaching these days are from privileged backgrounds. Anecdotal i know, but doesn't feel like the rich kids are at a disadvantage, and if anything there are less working class students than 10 yrs ago.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Predatory journals and the quiet crisis facing academics I pray that the new year, 2026, unfolds with fresh opportunities, meaningful growth, and endless possibilities. Amid the…

I see increasing engagement with these predators. I have had to tell students my opinions about having such publications on their CV.

www.thecable.ng/predatory-jo...

This one belongs to the clan of @willdalrymple.bsky.social

What is the new policy?

I have never been to LPSC due to a teaching clash.

Are you AI, or simply a grammar pedant? Use of em dashes is being taken as a tell-tale sign of machine-generated writing

Are you AI, or simply a grammar pedant? - giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... via @FT

Palaeomagnetic investigation of Palaeoproterozoic dykes from Botswana The geomagnetic field including its intensity is poorly constrained during the Proterozoic era (2500 to 541 Ma). Understanding geomagnetic field behav…

Paper led by Phd-student Kemiso Tshwenyego and others on the Palaeoproterozoic palaeomagnetic field.

Well done on his first paper.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Recent mail from @agu.org about their annual meeting.

Water bottle...
Professional clothes...
Light sweater...
Comfortable shoes for walking and standing....

This is like a packing list for a bunch of kids going on a junior school trip.

@agu.org is this really what you think of your attendees?

Identifying Framboidal Pyrrhotite: A Proxy for Hydrothermal Alteration of Organic‐Rich Sediments First systematic identification of framboidal pyrrhotite, linking its occurrence to hydrothermal alteration and organic-rich environments Framboidal pyrrhotite formation involves hydrothermal flu...

Framboidal pyrrhotite? I didn't believe it either at first, but yes it appears to exist.

agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/...

Might be a fault somewhere in the pic?

#Oman

#Oman #ophiolite

Some chert action in Oman.

You don't think being a Prof at IC might look like a "high up position" to some people? I would suggest that it would.

Given that you're a visiting Prof at IC, do you think all your colleagues went to expensive private schools? Some did, but most not.

When you were a Prof. at IC were you not high up?

If you want to check work emails on your private android phone, #Imperial IT have now made it compulsory for them to have admin rights on your private phone.

You know what the answer is.

University boss calls for major review of Scottish higher education - BBC News Sir Anton Muscatelli calls for a review of the future funding and shape of higher education.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

As cross-subsidisation falters, the UK must rethink research funding Universities can’t be expected to absorb escalating financial risk forever. Funders must share the burden, says Stephanie Smith

As cross-subsidisation falters, the UK must rethink research funding www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/cros...

Though not a fellow, I am a former Royal Soc. URF.

It's time for the @royalsociety.org to remove Musk's FRS status.

A great paper from the Natural Magnetism Group of @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social and @imperialsci.bsky.social all about the development of the Troodos ophiolite, Cyprus!!
@adrianmuxworthy.bsky.social

doi.org/10.1029/2024...

From now on, Labour has one mission only. It must focus on saving Britain from Farage | Polly Toynbee The hard right doesn’t speak for most voters. The progressive cause is not yet lost, but there is an urgent need for energy, purpose and clarity, says Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee

"Only 33% of Reform voters believe the climate crisis is caused by human activity, compared with 54% of the public in general."

Only 54% of UK general public!!!!!

People need to wake up and smell the coffee.

@davidho.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Overseas student levy to hamper growth beyond the South East, report warns Research on local economies suggests Labour’s higher education policy is at odds with growth agenda

The overseas levy on overseas students sounds a bit like a tariff.

Took the high-speed train from Beijing to Nanjing last night. About 1000 km in just under 3.5 hours. Impressive.

UK needs to wake up to the 21st century.

#HS2

International student levy could cost English universities £600m a year The proposed 6% surcharge has prompted warnings from vice-chancellors over its impact on budgets and global competitiveness

This sounds like double dipping. Overseas fees are already used to subsidise UK students, whose fees don't cover the cost of teaching them.

Seems that a 6% will then be used for what, subsidise UK education again?

www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Odd that my UKRI grants in collaboration with Russia were suspended in 2022 (my London post-doc's salary was stopped too), but a country actively committing genocide is still considered of good standing and allowed to stay within Horizons.

@erc.europa.eu

Israel won’t face EU penalties over Gaza suffering — yet A Brussels plan to suspend Israel’s participation in the Horizon research program needs to win more backing from countries.

This is rather pathetic, that the EU won't even suspend Israel from the Horizon research programme.

#BackBone

www.politico.eu/article/isra...

Quality of scientific papers questioned as academics ‘overwhelmed’ by the millions published Mainstream mockery of AI-generated rat with giant penis in one paper brings problem to public attention

"For experts in the US, the time spent reviewing that year amounted to more than $1.5bn of free labour."

Those journals really need to reduce their shareholder dividends, and start paying their editors and reviewers.

www.theguardian.com/science/2025...