Laura Barton

Gladys Mae West obituary: mathematician who pioneered GPS technology She made key contributions to US cold-war science despite facing huge barriers as a Black woman.

No joke: I got angry hate mail today for writing an obituary of a Black woman scientist—because the person felt she did didn’t deserve the recognition.

Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Thank you very much - loved making that one! All credit to @fallingtreeprod.bsky.social

I think maybe that was a programme I made about bells?

Thank you!

(I’m not a total misery-guts, as I hope my role in @amyfleming.bsky.social’s wonderful piece for the same series rather proves)

My big night out: I realised I could leave the house party behind – and everything else that made me feel small It was New Year’s Eve and there had been fireworks, drinking and dancing. Amid it all, I felt ashen and cold. As I walked out, I felt my first surge of quiet liberation

Wrote about a dismal NYE for the Guardian’s Big Night Out series: www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

I could mark a few student essays ... or I could listen to Jonathan Richman's Road Runner and read @ladymissbarton.bsky.social's article.

Giddy up bitches it’s five gold rings

The meaning of ‘Mr Brightside’ This Killers’ anthem has spent almost 500 weeks on the UK chart. Its persistence says something about us all

The Killers’ MR BRIGHTSIDE has spent 485 weeks on the UK chart—making it the most successful song never to reach number one. @ladymissbarton.bsky.social on what this reveals about the song—and Britain.

K-pop and Sydney Sweeney’s jeans: Prospect’s critics Christmas party Our critics look back at the cultural year’s highs and lows

🎧: Three of our critics—@katemaltby.bsky.social, Lucy Scholes and @ladymissbarton.bsky.social—join Prospect’s @pghoskin.bsky.social to recap the year in culture over eggnog and mince pies.

The WI gives an honourable statement in response to an enforced decision. There's more in the article

Thank you very much!

The revenge of Lily Allen After years of poise and perfection, the British singer’s latest album drags pop towards glorious, messy normality

After years of poise and perfection, Lily Allen’s latest album drags pop towards glorious, messy normality, writes @ladymissbarton.bsky.social.

Why not cock right off?

Thank you so much (belatedly!). Here’s to many more Bruce shows to come…

BBC Radio 4 - Legend - Five life-changing things that shaped Bruce Springsteen Laura Barton explains five key things that shaped The Boss’s life and music.

Wrote a piece on good ol’Bruce for the BBC:

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/a...

Thank you!

BBC Radio 4 - Legend, The Bruce Springsteen Story, 2. Born to Run Bruce is living above a beauty parlour, broke, writing songs amongst the hairdryers.

Legend: the Bruce #Springsteen Story continues today with @ladymissbarton.bsky.social 1030 @BBCRadio4 & @BBCSounds “an informative, contextualising joy” - The Times. Today, Bruce hits the big time. But fame is not an easy bedfellow. Producers Eliza Lomas & Mair Bosworth www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Oh thank you very much! xx

I’ve just watched a tribute that Meryl Streep gave to Diane Keaton in which she said that Keaton had “a stream of consciousness like a hummingbird” & my goodness that’s it, that was her entirely.

Thank you so much!

BBC Radio 4 - Legend, The Bruce Springsteen Story, 1. My Hometown Bruce's story begins in the small factory town of Freehold, New Jersey.

Small reminder that this series starts this morning at 10:30 on BBC Radio 4 (and available on BBC Sounds):

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Thank you!

Renewables overtake coal as world's biggest source of electricity Developing countries lead the historic clean energy charge but the US and EU rely more on fossil fuels than before, a think tank study shows.

Going to channel Tory conference* and say: just rejoice.

(*Thatcher was a great admirer of James Lovelock.)

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

BBC Radio 4 - Legend, The Bruce Springsteen Story, 1. My Hometown Bruce's story begins in the small factory town of Freehold, New Jersey.

Been working on this (alongside the great Mair Bosworth and Eliza Lomas) for months. Apologies to anyone who has tried to speak to me about something other than Bruce Springsteen during this time. Episode One airs Saturday morning:

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

A post about Novel Audio, Chris Atkins and their podcast on EMI and Terra Firma.

It is!!

Thank you very much for listening cc @fallingtreeprod.bsky.social

A photo of the Radio Times magazine pick of the week for Where the Distance Shimmers on BBC Radio 4. The text reads “Route 66, the 2,448-mile highway from Chicago to Santa Monica in the United States was decommissioned 40 years ago, killing off many of the towns along the ‘mother road’ with it. This documentary from Laura Barton (the woman behind Radio 4’s Notes on Music) is a nuanced, layered and poetic take on the route and the nostalgia surrounding the idea of the American West. Interviewees include 98-year-old Angel Delgadillo, who helped secure the road’s historic status back in 1987. He does still get his kicks from Route 66 - even if that’s by talking to tourists and journalists.”

“Nuanced, layered and poetic…” tomorrow night’s BBC Radio 4 Illuminated ‘Where the Distance Shimmers’ is @radiotimes.bsky.social documentary pick of the week www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Presented by @ladymissbarton.bsky.social
Produced by Alan Hall